5 momentous plays in Week 9: Commanders fail late again, and Browns' gutsy OT call
Sunday’s early NFL slate delivered a handful of nail-biting finishes, where small mistakes and bold calls decided games. The Washington Commanders, chasing their second straight upset, fell just short against the Los Angeles Rams after a series of stalled drives and a botched final play.
With the Rams leading 20-13 in the fourth quarter, Washington’s offense failed to capitalize on multiple opportunities, including a critical two-minute warning drive that ended with a sack by Myles Garrett and a broken deep pass from Jayden Daniels. The game’s turning point came on fourth-and-17, where Daniels’ throw to Van Jefferson was intercepted at the goal line by Emmanuel Forbes Jr., sealing the Rams’ victory.
Meanwhile, the Cleveland Browns’ season remained in limbo after a dramatic overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints. Down by seven points in OT, the Browns’ Shedeur Sanders (subbing for an injured Deshaun Watson) engineered a late touchdown drive, setting up a two-point conversion attempt.
Head coach Todd Monken elected to go for it on the final play, but a hurried pass from Sanders fell incomplete, and a holding penalty on Tytus Howard ensured the Browns’ second straight defeat. The call left fans debating whether the gamble was worth the risk, especially after Sanders’ pass attempt failed to materialize under pressure.
