Washington Commanders 23-20 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jayden Daniels leads Commanders to first playoff win in 19 years | NFL news
Zane Gonzalez made a dramatic 37-yard field goal as time expired to give the Washington Commanders a 23-20 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a thrilling NFL wild-card game.
Jayden Daniels ran for a critical first down to set up Gonzalez’s 37-yard field goal, which hit the right side and went wide, to give Washington its first playoff win in 6,945 days.
Daniels, playing with a bandage under his right eye after his face was bloodied, became the third rookie quarterback in three years to win a playoff game as the Commanders (13-5) set up a meeting with the top-seeded Detroit Lions (15-2 ) in the divisional round.
Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers (10-8) missed several opportunities, and the veteran quarterback committed a costly turnover in the fourth quarter. The Bucs failed to gain a yard on two attempts at the Commanders 12 and settled for a field goal to tie the game before Washington kicked the game-winning drive.
Daniels threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns, joining CJ Stroud and Brock Purdy as rookie QBs to win playoff games in the last three seasons as Washington made the postseason for the first time since 2006.
The commanders organized a fight against the lions
The Buccaneers opened the season with a 37-20 win at home against the Commanders in Daniels’ first game. Daniels went on to have an outstanding season, being selected to the Pro Bowl and helping Washington improve from 4-13 to 12-5.
Now he’s headed them to Detroit to face Jared Goff and the Lions’ high-octane offense.
“It means a lot, man,” Daniels said. “You could just see all the fans here, man, they’re waiting for us. They’ve been waiting for this moment and this feeling for a long time, so I’m so happy for them.”
After Tampa Bay’s defense held inside the five in the opening minute of the fourth quarter to preserve a 17-13 lead, Mayfield gave the Commanders the ball right back after breaking up a handoff to Jalen McMillan.
Washington recovered at the Buccaneers 13. On fourth-and-two from the five, Daniels connected with Terry McLaurin in the back of the end zone for a 20-17 lead.
Mayfield led the Buccaneers to a second and first down at the Commanders 12, but they settled for Chase McLaughlin’s 32-yard field goal to tie the game at 20-20 with 4:41 left.
The Bucs never got the ball again, thanks to Daniels, who calmly led his team down the field. With less than a minute left, he was hit behind the line of scrimmage but fumbled four yards on third-and-two, allowing him to take a knee to set up Gonzalez’ game-winning touchdown.
What next?
Wild Card Weekend concludes Monday night when the Minnesota Vikings take on the Los Angeles Rams at 1 a.m. in the early hours of Tuesday.
The divisional round begins next weekend, with the Commanders traveling to play the Lions on Saturday night (Sunday 1am UK time), after the Houston Texans take on the Kansas City Chiefs (9.30pm UK time).
Super Bowl LIX takes place on Sunday February 9 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, live on Sky Sports NFL. Watch the NFL and more top sports with NOW.
