The Washington Commanders narrowly survived a furious comeback in New Orleans, missing a game-winning two-point conversion with no time left. The Commanders earned a 20-19 victory that keeps Washington in the playoff hunt…but with some major concerns about their ability to finish games.

For most of the afternoon, this seemed to be headed toward an easy win for Washington, thanks largely to Jayden Daniels. At this point, you’d think we’d be used to his game. It’s been 14 weeks and we’ve seen him tormenting opposing defenses with his arms, his legs and his head. And then he does something like this:

…and we all need to recalibrate what to expect from an NFL rookie quarterback.

Although the atmosphere in the Superdome was tepid at best, an away game after the bye is a challenge in every way. In the first 58 minutes or so, Washington played a complete game, with Daniels throwing for 226 yards and two touchdowns. Daniels and Brian Robinson each surpassed 65 yards on the ground, and Terry McLaurin had 73 receiving yards, including the bead above. The defense largely shut down both Jake Haener and Spencer Rattler, the Saints QBs forced their way into the game and Derek Carr had to sit out due to injury.

That is, until the last ride.

In the end, this was the kind of game of survival and advancement that should still give the commanders some measure of hope for the team’s short-term future. Washington was one of the best stories of the early season, a rookie quarterback and a new head coach reshaping the image and atmosphere of an entire franchise en route to a 7-2 record to start the year.

Reality set in as the Steelers, Eagles and Cowboys lost three games, and the Commanders slipped to the edge of the playoff bubble. But Washington bounced back with a good game against the Titans before the bye.

Still, there is cause for concern. First, the Commanders finished their game still chasing the Philadelphia Eagles, one of the most complete teams in the NFL, and Philadelphia also has an easy schedule for the final three games of the season.

More concerning, however, is the fact that the Commanders couldn’t beat the Saints by a three-possession lead in the third quarter. A combination of defensive indifference, poorly timed penalties from the Commanders and a surprisingly weak Washington offense allowed New Orleans to get within seven points with just under seven minutes to play.

Some questionable Washington play calling late in the game, two different massive Daniels passes to McLaurin that went just wide, and an errant field goal attempt with two minutes to play kept New Orleans in the hunt.

Rattler then marched the Saints into the end zone, and a brave call for a two count was only just enough in the end.

In the future, Washington will face Philadelphia in a duel that will determine whether the Commanders have a chance to reclaim the NFC East. The Commanders have the ability to create some of the most electrifying plays in the NFL, but as Sunday showed, they need to make sure they play a full 60-minute game.