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Instant analysis | Gonzalez hits game-winning field goal, gives Commanders first playoff win since 2005 season
Zane Gonzalez was on the sideline taking off the cleat on his kicking foot while Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders’ offense were trying to get close enough for him to kick a field goal to send them to the Divisional round.
Gonzalez fidgeted with his sock. Something was wrong; it wasn’t situated in quite the way that he wanted for such a moment. By the time he got it right, Daniels took a knee at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 19-yard line, setting up a 37-yard attempt.
Chalk all that sock-wriggling as kicker superstitions if you want. But if anyone thinks it doesn’t matter, just consider what happened next. Gonzalez’s kick doinked off the right upright and ricocheted to the left, sealing the 23-20 win over the Buccaneers.
Washington’s playoff win — the franchise’s first since the 2005 season — provided its fans with their latest round of celebration mixed with heavy doses of anxiety. Just as it has been for the last month, the Commanders had the ball in the fourth quarter with a chance to win. They couldn’t afford a misstep; the Buccaneers had all three of their timeouts, and the duo of Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans had been perfect all night with seven completions for 93 yards and a touchdown.
And just as they had done in one close game after the other, the Commanders executed the clutch plays when they absolutely needed them. Daniels completed all three of his passes and converted a critical third-and-2 with his legs, contributing to a 10-play, 51-yard drive that took up the rest of the 4:41 left on the clock.
The win over the Buccaneers means the Commanders will travel to play the Detroit Lions on Jan. 18 at 8 p.m.
ESPN
Jayden Daniels leads Washington Commanders to playoff win
Thus continues a magical season for the Commanders (13-5), who face the NFC’s top seed, the Detroit Lions, at 8 p.m. Saturday night. Zane Gonzalez’s 37-yard field goal gave Washington its first playoff win since Jan. 7, 2006, which followed the 2005 regular season.
The kick provided a jolt of unnecessary anxiety.
“I felt like I was in a Bounty commercial where the cup spills and like, ‘nooooo,’” Washington coach Dan Quinn said. “As it went through, I just paused and probably skipped a beat, but that’s the emotion where it was at.”
But that has been the new normal for Washington. The Commanders have won six consecutive games — the past five occurring on the final play of the game or the last play from scrimmage. Those six wins are two more than Washington had in 2023 and its 13 wins are more than it had in the previous two seasons combined.
The Commanders had not won 11 games in a regular season since 1991. Sunday night provided only their fourth playoff win since winning the Super Bowl after the 1991 season. And it’s only their third playoff victory in the past 26 years.
“This is a really connected team,” Quinn said. “They believe in one another and you have to have that connection to also have that belief.
“We don’t really waver when those moments come,” Washington guard Sam Cosmi said. “Some teams might crumble, but we don’t.”
The Athletic (paywall)
Jayden Daniels shines vs. Bucs for Commanders’ first playoff win since 2005: Key takeaways
Commanders wide receiver Dyami Brown had a career night. He took over in the second half, finishing the game with 89 yards and a touchdown on a career-high five receptions.
Baker Mayfield, who was 15-of-18 passing for 185 yards and two touchdowns, also had a crucial fumble on a failed handoff inside the Buccaneers’ 20-yard-line. The Commanders recovered and converted it into a go-ahead touchdown.
Upon making the trade deadline deal for the four-time Pro Bowler that sent 2025 third and fourth picks to New Orleans, this wasn’t what Washington envisioned. The hamstring cost Lattimore six regular-season games for the Commanders, one more than the number of pass-interference penalties called on Lattimore in his last two games.
Washington Post (paywall)
The Commanders’ magical transformation continues. Where could it end?
Led by their phenom and infused with hope and confidence, the Commanders beat the Buccaneers to keep their stunning season alive.
Maybe the best way to encapsulate the 180-degree about-face the Washington Commanders undertook in one season is this: When the team trails and the clock is ticking, the expectation is no longer an inevitable loss. It’s an anticipated win. They do not cave. There is only confidence.
So when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicked a game-tying field goal with less than five minutes to go Sunday night, the challenge was there for Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels: Take the ball. Own the moment. Win the game. Again.
Is it too much to reasonably expect from a 24-year-old in his first NFL playoff game? Sure. But the other aspect revealed about this entire operation during its renaissance season is that Daniels isn’t normal and what’s too much for most is just fine for him.
That would be Jayden Daniels, stud, hitting Dyami Brown over the middle on one third-down play. That would be Jayden Daniels keeping the ball himself, rushing past the marker on another third-down play. That would be Jayden Daniels orchestrating the drive that led to Zane Gonzalez’s buzzer-beating, off-the-upright, 37-yard field goal on the final play of a 23-20 victory — a moment now frozen in Washington football history.
Riggo’s Rag
Marshon Lattimore has mountain to climb after early failings versus Mike Evans
Marshon Lattimore didn’t fare well versus Mike Evans.
The Buccaneers targeted Lattimore early as expected. Baker Mayfield wanted to see how healthy the defensive back was after missing so much time since his big move to Washington. This was a good decision — one that saw Evans gain some early momentum over the first half.
Lattimore didn’t look comfortable. He came out for a short period after the opening drive, which wasn’t ideal. When he came back into the game, the Buccaneers wasted no time looking in Evans’ direction.
This paid off, especially on their final drive of the first half. Mayfield connected with Evans on a nice completion over Lattimore, who was then called for defensive pass interference in the end zone to further raise frustrations.
If that wasn’t enough, Mayfield connected with Evans on a short touchdown throw with Lattimore in coverage. It left the cornerback with a mountain to climb in no uncertain terms.
Commanders Wire
5 takeaways from Commanders’ wild-card win over Buccaneers
Commanders need to lean heavily on Austin Ekeler
Running back Brian Robinson Jr. has struggled for weeks. In fairness to Robinson, it’s not all his fault. Washington’s run blocking has regressed throughout the season. The Commanders lean too much on Daniel’s dual-threat ability to carry the running game, too. That can’t continue, or they risk injury to Daniels.
Austin Ekeler is back, and he’s healthy. Moving forward, Ekeler should be the featured back. Too often, Robinson is gaining nothing when he touches the ball. We know he was injured earlier this year and may still be banged up. Regardless, against the Lions, Washington should go with Ekeler and sprinkle in some opportunities for Chris Rodriguez Jr., who has proven to be the Commanders’ top short-yardage runner.
Dyami Brown comes up huge
Brown was outstanding. He caught five passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. He got open down the field; he was terrific after the catch. This was Brown’s breakout game. Brown has blossomed under Dan Quinn and Kliff Kingsbury four years into his NFL career. His rise up the depth chart has come at the perfect time for Washington — and him. He’s a free agent in the offseason.
NFL.com
Commanders-Buccaneers on Wild Card Weekend Sunday: What We Learned from Washington’s 23-20 win
Fourth-down Dans set for ballyhooed matchup. Having taken over the Commanders’ reins from “Riverboat Ron” Rivera, Dan Quinn showed he too fears no fourth down. Washington was 3 of 5 on fourth-down conversions, Quinn tipping his hand early that he wouldn’t hesitate on fourth down when he went for it on fourth-and-2 from the Tampa 20-yard line on the Commanders’ opening drive. Daniels threw an incompletion, but Quinn stayed committed to the approach. No call was bigger than going for it on fourth-and-2 from the Bucs’ 5 with Washington trailing, 17-13, with 9:46 to go. This time, Daniels paid off the gamble by his coach by hitting McLaurin for a go-ahead touchdown. The call was all the more gutsy considering it came just a drive after the Bucs defense had stopped the Commanders’ cold on four straight goal-to-go plays. Quinn believes in his squad, and now he’s set to face Dan Campbell, another coach who won’t hesitate on fourth down, in the Divisional Round.
NFL Research: Jayden Daniels is the first Washington rookie quarterback since Hall of Famer Sammy Baugh in 1937 to win a playoff game. Baugh, in the franchise’s first season in Washington, led the team to a 28-21 win over the Chicago Bears in the NFL Championship.
NFL.com
Rookie sensation Jayden Daniels ‘grateful’ for leading Washington to first playoff win since 2005 season: ‘Happy for everybody, including myself’
The face of the franchise has been found after years of searching for a bona fide franchise QB floundered under the guise of poor leadership.
He showed it throughout an exceptional regular season and now in the postseason, earning a celebration anticipated for nearly 20 years.
Next stop is Detroit and looking to shock the world against the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
“I’m fortunate to play with him and see how much he’s grown this year, but that’s who he is,” McLaurin said. “He’s been blessed with unbelievable ability, but his ability to just be ready for any moment that comes his way is definitely special.”
Commanders Wire
Washington Commanders: Studs and duds from Wild Card win over Buccaneers
Dud: RB Brian Robinson Jr.
Once again, Brian Robinson Jr. failed to deliver for the Commanders. The running back received 10 carries but only turned those opportunities into 16 yards.
Daniels led the team in rushing yards, and he only had 36. Sure, the rookie is incredible, but at some point, the lack of an effective run game will hurt this team. Robinson has to be better.
Stud: LB Bobby Wagner
The veteran linebacker came up huge, leading the team with eight tackles and also adding 0.5 sacks, one quarterback hit, and recovering a fumble.
ESPN
NFL playoffs divisional round: Schedule, previews for AFC, NFC
(6) Washington Commanders at (1) Detroit Lions
When: Saturday, 8 p.m. ET (Fox)
Opening line: DET -8.5 (54.5)
Matchup background: The Lions and Commanders last faced off in Week 2 of the 2022 season. Quarterback Jared Goff helped Detroit earn a 36-27 win by throwing for 256 yards and four touchdowns. The last time Washington and Detroit met in the postseason was on Jan. 8, 2000 — before Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels was born. Washington took that one 27-13.
Stat to know: Daniels will face the Lions, who went 15-2 this season, tied with the Chiefs for the best record in the NFL. This will be the sixth time in the Super Bowl era that a rookie QB will face a team that had at least a share of the best record in the league. Only one of the previous five rookies won: Joe Flacco and the Ravens in 2008 against the 13-3 Tennessee Titans.
Lions injury update: The Lions are expecting running back David Montgomery (knee), who missed the past three games, to return for the divisional round. Guard Kevin Zeitler (hamstring) and cornerback Terrion Arnold (foot) were both injured in their Week 18 home win over the Vikings, and Detroit coach Dan Campbell said he couldn’t guarantee that either will be playing.
Why the Commanders will win: Daniels can beat the blitz. The Lions’ defense had its best game of the season in the finale against the Vikings, and it achieved that success via the blitz, bringing extra heat on 56% of Minnesota’s dropbacks to help make up for all the defensive injuries. But a similar game plan could backfire against the Commanders.
As good of a rookie season as Daniels had, he was even better against the blitz with a 90.3 QBR (third best). The blitz increased the rate of deep shots Daniels took and allowed him to gain more yards on his scrambles. That could create the high-variance type of game the Commanders would like to play as heavy underdogs. Detroit could take a different tack, but that might expose its injury-induced weaknesses. Daniels’ excellence against extra rushers gives the Commanders a…chance here.
Upcoming opponent
Pride of Detroit
Injuries weren’t only hurdle Aaron Glenn had with Detroit Lions defense
The Detroit Lions didn’t just have the most injured defense in football, it was also the youngest in the NFL>
We all know that the Detroit Lions defense had to battle through the adversity of injuries in 2024. If you needed any visual evidence of just how devastated the Lions’ roster was by injuries, this chart from Sports Info Solutions visualizes it pretty well.
But that’s not the only unique challenge that faced Glenn this year. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell calculated each team’s “snap-weighted age,”—meaning the average age of players who were actually out there on the field. And according to Barnwell, the Lions sported the youngest defense in football, with an average age of just 25.8 years old.
Final snap-weighted age data for the 2024 regular season
Five oldest teams: Vikings, Dolphins, Falcons, Browns, 49ers
Five youngest teams: Packers, Giants, Raiders, Cardinals, Chargers pic.twitter.com/5azJUwKbPT
— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) January 8, 2025
Podcasts & videos
Postgame pod. Holy potatoes. https://t.co/BUy9bwvpBl
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) January 13, 2025
NO MOMENT IS TOO BIG for Jayden Daniels – Scott Van Pelt on Commanders’ walk-off win | SC with SVP
NFC East links
ESPN
NFL wild-card playoffs: Big questions, judging overreactions
The lingering question: Is Jalen Hurts 100% healthy?
The Eagles’ star quarterback missed the final two games of the regular season while in the concussion protocol, and there was some rust to knock off in his playoff performance against the Packers. He went 13-for-21 for 121 yards and two scores in a game the Eagles led from pole to pole. Unlike when he played the Packers in the regular season, he avoided the crippling turnovers, though he did take two bad sacks. But one of the touchdown drives came on a short field following a Packers fumble, and the second finished with a big catch and run from tight end Dallas Goedert. On six third downs of 5 or more yards, the Eagles called a true dropback only once. It was not a dominant game through the air at all.
Of course, that’s not really the Eagles’ formula. They run the ball, shorten the game and play great defense. So they don’t need Hurts to sling it all over the yard. But we’ve seen multiple moments of A.J. Brown frustration this season, and we still haven’t seen the Eagles’ offense trail in the second half since Week 4. Against whichever offense the Eagles catch in the divisional round — Vikings or Rams — a shootout becomes more likely, and the pressure on the passing game elevates. What happens if it’s not the Eagles with the early takeaway next week, but rather the opponent?
Bleeding Green Nation
Nakobe Dean injury: Eagles linebacker on crutches after Packers game
Eagles first-team All-Pro LB Zack Baun will wear the green dot helmet with Nakobe Dean sidelined.
The Eagles defense was playing lights out against the Packers in their Wild Card matchup, but they didn’t even make it to halftime before injuries started stacking up. First, Darius Slay had his elbow looked at before heading into the locker room, and then Nakobe Dean had to be helped off the field later in the drive.
The LB seemed to know that his injury was serious right away, and after the game, was seen walking with a crutch and full-leg brace.
With Dean off the field, Baun will take over the green dot helmet and handle communication from the coaches. The Eagles have Oren Burks and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. as their linebacker depth.
AJ Brown was reading the book Inner Excellence on the sideline pic.twitter.com/I8a30xg7OW
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) January 13, 2025
AJ Brown describing reading on the sideline, a book he brings to every single game… pic.twitter.com/LH2iIcW3L5
— StaceyDales (@StaceyDales) January 13, 2025
NFL league links
Articles
Front Office Sports
Vrabel Returns to Patriots as NFL Coaching Carousel Begins to Spin
The Patriots have swapped one former player for another, hiring Mike Vrabel as their next head coach. Jerod Mayo was fired after one season in charge of the franchise.
He will be formally introduced to the media in New England on Monday. The Patriots also interviewed Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, among others, but Detroit’s defensive coordinator, Aaron Glenn, turned down their interview request.
The Patriots don’t have a GM, but executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf has been leading the team’s front office. Along with Vrabel’s hiring, the Giants’ Ryan Cowden, who is executive advisor to GM Joe Schoen, is expected to join New England’s front office, according to Yahoo Sports. New England currently has $133 million in 2025 cap space, most in the NFL. The franchise could be very active this offseason.
Photos
Commanders.com
PHOTOS | Commanders vs. Buccaneers, Wild Card
Check out the top photos of the Washington Commanders at Raymond James Stadium for their Wild Card matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Photos by Emilee Fails/Washington Commanders)
