On the last play of the game, Washington Commanders kicker Zane Gonzalez watched the ball he just kicked from 37-yards out hit the right goal post and fall left within both goal posts for the game-winning field goal and a 23-20 Wild Card Playoff win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.
The Commanders head to the NFC Divisional Playoffs to play the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Saturday night at 8:00 p.m., EST.
Sunday night’s final moments resembled the games the Commanders have played since they returned from the bye week. It had key players like Commanders rookie phenom Jayden Daniels making clutch plays necessary to pull out a last minute win.
It was that familiar scene with 4:41 remaining in the game. The Commanders could use up the clock and win on the final play. But would they? On third and six at the Commanders 34-yard line, Daniels hit Dyami Brown at the Tampa Bay 45-yard line for a 21-yard gain. Two plays later, Daniels lobbed a screen pass over Tampa linebacker Yaya Diaby to Austin Ekeler for 18 yards, moving the ball into Gonzalez’s field goal range at Tampa Bay’s 27-yard line. Ekeler took the ball to the 19 after an eight-yard run up the middle and on third and two, Daniels scrambled outside, stiff-armed Calijah Kancey and dove for the first down. The Commanders ran down the clock to three seconds remaining before bringing on Gonzalez for the game winner.
A costly mistake by the Buccaneers took place early in the fourth quarter when quarterback Baker Mayfield fumbled an exchange with receiver Jalen McMillan on a sweep at Tampa’s own 11-yard line. The fumble was recovered by Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner at the 13 yard line with the score 17-13 in favor of the Buccaneers.
The Commanders capitalized on the fumble when Daniels hit Terry McLaurin on 5-yard touchdown pass on 4th and 2 with 9:46 remaining in the game putting the Commanders ahead 20-17.
The Buccaneers responded as Mayfield passed to McMillan for 26 yards to the Washington 49-yard line and on third and two at the Washington 41, Baker hit tight end Cade Otten in stride for 20 yards. But after a 9-yard run by Irving to the Washington 12-yard line, Mayfield was stopped for no gain and Irving was dropped for a two-yard loss on a snap that appeared to get to Mayfield before he expected it. The 32-yard field goal by Buccaneers kicker Chase McLaughlin tied the score at 20-20 before the Commanders received the ball with 4:41 remaining in the game.
Head coach Dan Quinn’s confidence in his offense showed as he took chances on 4th downs. After the Buccaneers took a 3-0 lead in the first quarter, Daniels drove the Commanders to the Tampa 20 yard line. Rather than kick the field goal on 4th and 2, Quinn went for the first down but Daniels’ pass to Ekeler fell to the ground turning the ball over to the Buccaneers. However, with 3:34 remaining in the first quarter, the Commanders started a 17 play, 92 yard drive taking more than nine minutes off the clock. A 10-yard touchdown pass from Daniels to Brown in the middle of the end zone capped the drive and gave the Commanders a 7-3 lead with 9:31 remaining in the half.
Brown shined in the game with 5 catches for 89 yards and the one touchdown. McLaurin ended the game with 7 catches, also for 89 yards and one touchdown.
Daniels who completed 24 of 35 for 268 yards and two touchdowns, drove the offense 11 plays and 37 yards in the second quarter to the Tampa 33-yard line. Gonzalez kicked a 52-yard field goal between the uprights for a 10-3 lead.
Despite his fourth quarter fumble, Mayfield completed 15 of 18 for 185 yards and two touchdowns. After the Commanders took the 10-3 lead, facing a third and nine at their own 29 yard line, Mayfield bulled through the Commanders defense rushing for 18 yards to the Tampa 47-yard line and the first down. The play revived the Buccaneers offense and a pass interference penalty by Marshon Lattimore against Mike Evans later in the drive brought the ball to the Commanders one-yard line. Mayfield fired a one yard pass to Evans for the touchdown and the game was tied at the half at 10 apiece.
At the beginning of the third quarter, Daniels threw consecutive passes to Brown for 30 yards and 24 yards in the drive, placing the ball on the Tampa three-yard line. However, Tampa’s defense dropped Brian Robinson, Jr., for a one-yard loss and pressured Daniels on two incomplete passes. This time, the 4:30 drive ended as Quinn chose to have Gonzalez kick the 22-yard field goal for the 13-10 lead.
But Evans continued to give Lattimore and the Commanders defense headaches throughout the game. Evans ended the game with 7 catches for 92 yards. On the next drive at the 50 yard line, Mayfield threw short over the middle to Evans on third and four and Evans took the ball to the Washington 32 yard line.
Meantime, running back Bucky Irving made his presence known with a 19-yard run to the Washington 13, and he rambled 10 yards to the 8-yard line following a 5-yard penalty with too many men on the field. Following a 6-yard run for a first and goal at the Washington 2-yard line, Mayfield threw to the right flat for Irving who took the ball into the end zone for a touchdown and a 17-13 capping off a 10 play 64-yard drive with 4:31 remaining in the third quarter.
Daniels responded taking the Commanders on a 12 play, 67-yard drive from their own 30 to the Tampa Bay 1 yard line. On 3rd and 10 at the Tampa 23-yard line, a 22-yard pass interference call on Zyon McCollum against Brown in the end zone made it first and goal. On fourth and goal at the Tampa 3-yard line, Quinn again went for the touchdown. The pass to Zach Ertz was incomplete and despite an apparent interference penalty by Lavonte David on Ertz was not called.
Mayfield and the Buccaneers offense took over. Mayfield threw right to Evans who stretched out the ball for a first down. On the next play, Mayfield fumbled the ball and Wagner recovered at the Tampa Bay 13-yard line.
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