WASHINGTON — The Washington Commanders are playing for a playoff spot against the New York Giants on Sunday night, and fans looking to pack the stadium for the home team can do so with Metro's help.
On Dec. 18, Metrorail service will run on a normal Sunday schedule with an additional hour on Sunday evening and Monday morning until 12:30 a.m. As the sponsor of the extra hour, the Commanders are covering the cost of the fares for all fans and Metro customers that want to stay through the end of the game and enter the station during the extended period of service.
When Metrorail service is extended beyond normal closing time Sunday evening, Morgan Boulevard Station and Downtown Largo will be the only stations where customers can enter the system. All other stations will be “exit only.” The last trains leaving the Morgan Boulevard Station will be 12:28 a.m. toward Ashburn (Silver Line) and 12:30 a.m. toward Franconia-Springfield (Blue Line).
The Commanders are coming off a bye week and a 20-20 tie against their NFC rivals on Dec. 4. The Commanders and Giants now both have 7-5-1 records heading into Sunday. As of right now, the Giants and Commanders have the final two NFC Wild Card spots, but the winner of Sunday's game will hold the head-to-head tiebreaker. The game is so big, it's been moved to prime time.
"I just want to see a packed house, a lot of burgundy and gold out there," said Charles Leno.
Defensive tackle Jonathan Allen is counting on the home field fans to give the team a boost, too.
"This game... means double. I mean, look -- I'm going to need the fans of the Commanders to really show out this next game. I'm going to provide as many free tickets as I can. We need everybody there. This game could be the season. We need full support. We need that stadium rockin'," Allen said.
According to FiveThirtyEight, The Commanders have a 69% chance to make the playoffs. If the Commanders defeat the Giants at home, their playoff chances increase to 88%. With a loss, that chance drops to just 30%.
“This is an important game, and we are proud to do everything we can to make sure our Burgundy & Gold family can show up, pack the stands, and stay loud through the entirety of the game,” said co-owner and co-CEO Tanya Snyder in a press statement. “We encourage our fans to arrive early and stay late to cheer on the team to victory, knowing a reliable transportation option is free and available to get them home safely. We can’t wait for Sunday night.”
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