LANDOVER, Md. — Two quarters after Washington linebacker Leo Chenal was carted off with a scary neck injury, backup Kain Medrano delivered the biggest play of the game.
Medrano returned an interception 50 yards for a touchdown with 3:57 to play, and the Commanders held on for a 33-31 victory Sunday, handing the Seattle Seahawks their first loss since November.
Marcus Mariota — another backup forced into duty — threw three touchdown passes for Washington, which forced three turnovers in its home opener.
“One turns into two, two turns into three. Ball just falls that way,” Medrano said. “That momentum that we have, we're hunting the ball, and that's what we do as a defence.”
Washington came into the game without linebacker Frankie Luvu, who was out with a groin injury. Chenal started, but then he went down late in the second quarter. It was a difficult moment — his teammates all came off the sideline to surround him as he was being tended to on the field.
Coach Dan Quinn said after the game Chenal was at the hospital but had feeling in his extremities.
“We're definitely thinking of him,” Quinn said. “He's a great teammate. We love him. Anytime a guy gets banged up like that, you're just thinking of him and pulling for him as much as you can."
Without Chenal, Washington's linebackers were still a factor. Rookie Sonny Styles had an interception, and after Washington had taken a 27-24 lead, Medrano picked off Sam Darnold’s pass over the middle and ran it back all the way to put the Commanders (1-2) two scores ahead.
“I was on the tight end, just playing my coverage. I'm about to get the PBU,” Styles said. “He just steps in front of me. I'm like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ I'm running down the sideline with my hands up. It was crazy. It was a crazy play.”
A penalty during the celebration moved the extra point back 15 yards, and Drew Stevens missed it. Then Darnold immediately found Jaxon Smith-Njigba for three straight completions, and his 7-yard scoring pass to Cooper Kupp cut the lead to two with 2:51 to go.
Washington, which was 1 for 11 on third down to that point, converted two on the final drive to run out the clock. Rachaad White caught the Seahawks off guard on a third-and-9 run, going 19 yards around right end.
“They got to an audible against zero,” Seattle coach Mike Macdonald said. “They made a good check, and we didn't make the play.”
Then Mariota ran for 9 yards on third-and-7 to seal the win.
The Seahawks (2-1) had won 12 straight, including their post-season run to last season's Super Bowl title, but Mariota was solid in place of the injured Jayden Daniels.
“The more that adversity hits, the more that the circumstances kind of pin us against the wall, these guys find a way,” Mariota said. “I'm grateful to be a part of it.”
Smith-Njigba caught 10 passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns for the Seahawks, and he even completed a short throw on a trick play in the final quarter, but Darnold was intercepted twice in his return from his Week 1 glute injury.
Seattle's Jadarian Price fumbled early in the game, giving Washington the ball at the Seattle 21, and then the rookie running back didn't touch the ball again until the second half. The Commanders took advantage of the short field, opening the scoring on Mariota's 6-yard touchdown pass to White.
Washington nearly took a 14-0 lead, but Jacory Croskey-Merritt's long TD run was called back for an illegal formation penalty. Seattle tied it at 7 in the second quarter on Darnold's 1-yard scoring pass to Smith-Njigba.
The Commanders went back ahead on an 11-yard touchdown strike from Mariota to Treylon Burks. Then Jason Myers and Stevens traded 57-yard field goals in the final minute of the half.
Mariota threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin to make it 24-10. The Seahawks answered with a 60-yard touchdown drive. On first down from the Washington 13, Darnold found tight end Eric Saubert, who appeared to lose the ball as he neared the goal line, only to regain control of it in the end zone. The touchdown cut the lead in half.
An 11-yard touchdown pass from Darnold to Smith-Njigba with 11:53 left in the fourth tied it at 24.
Impressive company
Smith-Njigba became the second player to produce at least 120 yards receiving and a touchdown catch in each of his team's first three games of a season. The other was Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, in 1989 with San Francisco.
Smith-Njigba already has six touchdown receptions.
Injuries
Seahawks: S Nick Emmanwori injured a hamstring in the first half.
Commanders: OL Lucas Patrick injured an ankle in the first half. ... S Percy Butler was in the concussion protocol.
Up next
Seahawks: Host the Los Angeles Chargers next Sunday.
Commanders: Face Indianapolis on Sunday in London.
