Washington Commanders Come Back, Save Season in Win vs. New England Patriots

The New England Patriots held the lead after the first half, but the Washington Commanders found a way to win.

The Washington Commanders are breathing a sigh of relief after pulling out a 20-17 win against the New England Patriots on Sunday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

The Commanders started off strong, scoring 10 points off the bat with a 37-yard field goal from Joey Slye and a 9-yard touchdown run from Brian Robinson Jr.

However, the Patriots pulled back into it with a quick touchdown pass from quarterback Mac Jones to tight end Hunter Henry from 14 yards out. Then, the Patriots took the lead when running back Rhamondre Stevenson torched the Commanders defense for a 64-yard touchdown to grab the lead.

Washington had a chance to retake the lead when the offense drove inside the red zone late in the first half, but quarterback Sam Howell threw an interception in the end zone to safety Kyle Dugger.

Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell (14) runs the ball between New England Patriots safety Adrian Phillips (21) and cornerback Myles Bryant (27) during the first half at Gillette Stadium / Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

In the second half, the Commanders tied things up on their first offensive possession when Howell threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Jahan Dotson. Then, Washington took the lead on its next possession with a 30-yard field goal.

After the Commanders took the lead, the two teams traded six consecutive punts leading down to the two-minute warning, where the Pats had a chance to tie or win the game. However, second-round rookie Quan Martin intercepted Jones in the game's final seconds to ice the win for the Commanders.

The win puts the Commanders at 4-5, holding on to any possible hope at making the playoffs.

The Commanders are back in action next week when they visit the Seattle Seahawks. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET.