The last time the Baltimore Ravens lost a game during the NFL preseason, Barack Obama was President of the United States. Coincidentally enough, it was the Washington Commanders who finally snapped Baltimore’s 24-game winning streak in the preseason with a thoroughly entertaining 29-28 win over the Ravens on Monday Night Football. The game featured five lead changes and saw Washington’s second-year quarterback Sam Howell playing extensively after being named the starter for the Commanders. But it ended when Joey Slye converted a last-minute field goal from 49 yards to give his football team the one-point win in front of a rejuvenated crowd at FedEx Field.
“It was so much fun to watch and be a part of,” Howell, who threw for 188 yards and two touchdowns, said. “It’s really not a real game, but at the same time whatever team you’re on, you want to win. Especially knowing what they had on the other side with their little streak.”
It certainly looked as if Baltimore was going to extend their win streak to 25 games, as the Ravens held a 28-26 lead in the game’s final minutes with the Commanders facing a fourth-and-11. Backup QB Jake Fromm’s pass attempt on the play was incomplete, but defensive pass interference was called to extend the drive. The Commanders failed to convert a number of chunk plays but were able to pick up enough yardage for Joey Slye to boot his game-winning field goal with 10 seconds left to play.
Prior to the game, Commanders guard Sam Cosmi mocked Baltimore’s spotless record in the postseason and then predicted that Washington would end the streak. “I think it’s a stupid record. I mean, who gives a shit about preseason games?” Cosmi said. “If we beat it, great. We’re gonna beat it, so there we go.”
Speaking to reporters after Washington won and the streak was snapped, Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson shared a very different viewpoint. “I was sitting in bed watching ESPN all day, and all you could hear about is this streak, the streak,” Dotson said. “So I feel like we just had the biggest preseason W in history. It was definitely pretty cool knowing what they had on the line that we could end that.”
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The team and fans deserve a fresh startFor a Washington team that hasn’t had much to celebrate in recent years, a win in the preseason over their regional rivals actually might be a big deal. Either way, it made for a good watch during a fairly dead spot on the sporting calendar.
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