All joking aside, Crowder’s teammates knew how important the play was for them.
“I told him after the game that it was one of the big plays to help us win the ball game,” Sam Howell said after the game. “That was huge. Whenever you can get sparks from defense or special teams, it definitely helps the offense, especially against a defense like Atlanta.”
The Commanders’ offense was able to take over from there. Plays from Curtis Samuel and Brian Robinson Jr. got the ball down to the 1-yard line, and Antonio Gibson finished things off with a wide-open reception in the end zone. That put the Commanders up 10-7, and the team never relinquished the lead from that point on.
Putting his team in position to get more points on the board is exactly what Crowder hopes he can do with his skill set.
“Every time I go out there, I’m aware that being out there on special teams can impact the game in a huge way,” Crowder said.
He was also glad the offense managed to take advantage of the short field.
“It’s always a sigh of relief when we can score,” he said.
Crowder’s return put him over the 100-yard mark for the fifth time in his career. He’s also averaging 14.3 yards per return, which is a personal best for the wideout.
Crowder has yet to score a touchdown on a punt return since that Ravens game in 2016. After coming so close on Sunday, he’s determined to get another.
“Next time, we’re getting in the end zone for sure,” Crowder said.
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