Marcus Mariota threw three touchdown passes, Kain Medrano returned an interception 50 yards late in the fourth quarter, and the Washington Commanders held on to shock the defending champion Seattle Seahawks 33-31 Sunday in Landover, Md.
Mariota, starting in place of the injured Jayden Daniels (elbow), was 19-of-31 passing for 183 yards and no interceptions. Terry McLaurin had six catches for 77 yards and a score for the Commanders (1-2) in their home opener.
Sam Darnold, injured in the first quarter of Seattle’s opener, was 31 of 45 for 379 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions in his return. Jaxon Smith-Njigba had 10 catches for 128 yards and two scores.
Medrano picked off Darnold’s check-down pass over the middle and scored to make it 33-24 with 3:57 remaining. The extra point attempt failed after a sideline celebration penalty.
Darnold completed five straight passes, the last a 7-yarder to Cooper Kupp with 2:51 remaining and it was 33-31. But Rachaad White ran for 19 yards on third down and Mariota ran for another first down to ice it.
Seattle (2-1) had won 12 straight games, including playoffs, beginning with Week 12 of last season. The Seahawks, who allowed 17 points over their first two games, did not have a takeaway and turned the ball over three times.
With the Commanders leading 17-10 early in the third quarter, Darnold’s pass deflected off a defensive lineman and was picked off by Sonny Styles. Three plays later, Mariota hit McLaurin for a 30-yard touchdown and Washington led 24-10.
Seattle started at its own 40 after the kickoff went out of bounds. Eight plays later, Darnold pulled Seattle within 24-17 when he connected with Eric Saubert for a 13-yard touchdown.
Early in the fourth quarter, a Seahawks drive that included a 16-yard pass from Smith-Njigba to George Holani was capped by an 11-yard Darnold touchdown pass to Smith-Njigba, his sixth touchdown catch.
The Commanders started at their own 40. On fourth-and-1, Mariota hit McLaurin for six yards and then found Stefon Diggs for 11. Drew Stevens hit from 36 yards to give Washington a 27-24 lead with 4:34 remaining.
Washington recovered a fumble on the Seattle 21 early in the game. The Commanders capitalized four plays later when Mariota passed 6 yards to White for a touchdown.
Late in the quarter, Seattle started went 90 yards in nine plays. Tight end AJ Barner rumbled 32 yards with a screen pass and Darnold found Smith-Hjigba for the tying touchdown with 13:27 left in the half.
The Commanders answered as Jaylin Lane’s 21-yard catch and run got them to the 12 and Mariota passed 11 yards to Treylon Burks to give Washington a 14-7 lead at the 6:47 mark.
Darnold drove the Seahawks to a first-and-goal at the 5, but his fourth-down pass was incomplete.
Seattle’s Jason Myers and Stevens traded 57-yard field goals in the final minute.
Washington linebacker Leo Chenal was taken off on the cart in the second quarter with a neck injury.