The Commanders closed to within two points of the Eagles after a Stefon Diggs touchdown with 9:59 remaining Sunday, but the lead vanished quickly once the receiver entered the end zone.
Diggs then leapt to embrace the goalpost, incurring an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that led the Commanders to attempt only an extra point. Their subsequent two-point conversion attempt failed with a minute remaining, resulting in a 24-22 defeat.
Following the game, Diggs stated to reporters that he accepted full responsibility for the penalty and recognized instantly that his actions would draw a flag.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels emphasized that he bears responsibility for reminding teammates of the rules in such moments and stressed the need for greater thoughtfulness moving forward.
Speaking at his postgame press conference, Daniels said, “You have to be smarter. We must understand the situation and play situational football. That’s on me for not emphasizing it in the huddle. We simply need to be smart — there’s a time and place for everything.”
Head coach Dan Quinn noted that the team would have attempted a two-point conversion had the penalty not occurred. While it’s uncertain whether that would have altered the outcome, the Commanders would have welcomed the opportunity.
