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Five takeaways from Washington’s playoff win over Tampa Bay
The defense bent but didn’t break.
The Commanders’ defense wasn’t perfect during the regular season, and that was the case in the Wild Card round. Mayfield still threw two touchdowns; Evans caught all seven of his targets for 92 yards and a score; and the unit still gave up 101 yards on the ground.
But the unit lived up to the other part of its reputation as well; they pulled through when it mattered most, and it resulted in the Buccaneers, who had dominated almost every opponent they faced this season, putting together one of their worst offensive outings.
The Buccaneers were held to just 20 points for the first time since Week 10 when the San Francisco 49ers limited them to 215 total yards. Much of that had to do with how the Commanders’ defense stiffened after Tampa Bay moved into scoring position.
[W]ith 5:32 left in the fourth quarter. Bobby Wagner stuffed Mayfield on a quarterback sneak for no gain at Washington’s 12-yard line, setting up a third-and-1. On the next play, a miscommunication between Mayfield and center Graham Barton forced the Buccaneers to run their play early. Bucky Irving was swarmed seconds later for a two-yard loss, and the Buccaneers had to settle for a game-tying 32-yard field goal rather than a touchdown.
The Buccaneers had one of the best scoring offenses during the regular season, averaging 29.5 points per game. They still found the end zone twice, but Washington stepped up at critical points to give its offense a chance. And when you have a quarterback like Daniels, that’s usually good enough.
Washington dominated the time of possession.
There’s another reason why the Buccaneers struggled to score points for the first time since last November: they were hardly on the field, particularly in the second half.
The Commanders had a sound offensive plan for the Buccaneers. They wanted to keep Mayfield and Evans off the field as much as possible, and that approach worked in their favor. The Commanders ran 69 offensive plays compared to the Buccaneers’ 44 and held the ball for more than 35 minutes. The Buccaneers’ offense, which ranked third all season in time of possession, was on the field for just under 25 minutes.
Commanders.com
Game Balls | Four standouts from Washington’s Wild Card win against Tampa Bay
Bobby Wagner
Wagner brought veteran leadership and skillset that made a difference down in Tampa.
Though it may not have been one of the most explosive or singularly noteworthy moments, the linebacker dished out a hit within the first minute of the game that set the tone for Washington’s defense. Baker Mayfield had passed it off to Bucky Irving, and Wagner, like a heat-seeking missile, pounced on the running back and bulldozed him backward for no gain. He followed it up with another crushing hit on Irving, who could do nothing to contain the linebacker’s sheer power.
In the visitors’ locker room at Raymond James Stadium, every Commanders player made a commitment by signing a poster that said, “We will outhit every team we play.” Those two very early plays put the exact kind of action Dan Quinn & Co. undoubtedly wanted to see behind those words.
In addition to a team-high eight tackles on the night, Wagner also recorded a half-sack in the win, combining with Dorance Armstrong to bring down Baker Mayfield in the third. The 34-year-old’s most crucial play of the game, however, came in the fourth quarter. The Buccaneers were on their 15-yard-line and a muffed handoff saw the ball loose on the ground. Wagner jumped on it to reclaim possession for Washington with excellent field position.
They don’t come around often, but occasionally, even the seasoned, future Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner notches a “first” of his career. This was one of them. Wagner had never had a fumble recovery in the 17 postseason games he had played. What a time for it to come. The linebacker’s stats against Tampa made him the first Washington player with at least 0.5 sacks and one fumble recovery since at least 2000.
The Athletic (paywall)
Commanders again ride the poise of their veteran linebacker and rookie QB to victory
Wagner was again a tackling monster, with five solos, three assists and half a quarterback sack. Per StatMuse, after Sunday, Wagner has 97 postseason tackles. That’s almost a full extra season’s worth of pain, delivered to opponents. And Wagner flipped the momentum when he recovered a Baker Mayfield fumble at the Buccaneers’ 13-yard line early in the fourth quarter when Washington was down 17-13.
But almost no one will remember the tackle he made three plays earlier, when Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving had a whole lot of green in front of him as he took a handoff at the Tampa 4-yard line and broke cleanly through the first level. If Wagner hadn’t been standing there, Irving might still be running. But Wagner took him down after a 4-yard gain.
Three plays later, Wagner was again in the right place at the right time, as Mayfield and wide receiver Jalen McMillan mishandled a jet sweep handoff and Wagner fell on it. Four plays later, Daniels hit Terry McLaurin for a 5-yard touchdown to put Washington ahead.
“I knew we needed that ball,” Wagner said.
The Athletic (paywall)
Commanders secure another last-second win. This one earns a trip to NFC divisional round
The Washington Commanders kicker believed as the final seconds ticked away in Sunday night’s wild-card game that the 37-yard field goal attempt was good. A question arose as he picked up his head and looked toward the goalposts.
“Why is it fading?”
The Commanders set Gonzalez up by driving 51 yards in 10 plays after a Tampa Bay Buccaneers field goal tied the game. The reaction from left tackle Brandon Coleman as the ball headed hard right requires a bleep.
“I was thinking, ‘Oh, s—,’” Coleman said.
“I don’t know,” Daniels said about his emotions watching the field goal attempt. He thinks he was looking at Commanders PR staffer Charlie Mule because interviews were about to take place with a win. “I can’t even tell you,” the rookie said.
Some can’t believe what they’re seeing. Most won’t imagine how Washington can beat the Lions next week. At this point, doubt at your own risk. Nobody should be asking why this team isn’t fading.
Washington Post (paywall)
Let ’em shout. Many of these Commanders have not been here before.
An NFL playoff victory is not business as usual for many Washington players, and they’re especially grateful for it.
Zach Ertz waded through the VIP cheerleaders emotionless and did not stop until he had reached the X-ray room. Bobby Wagner strolled leisurely, appearing unmoved when he met the serenade of wealthy well-wishers.
And then there was Terry McLaurin. The wide receiver bounced down that same tunnel. And cackled. And screamed, “Yeah!” to no one and everyone in shouting distance.
McLaurin, like a handful of other longtime Commanders, has never been here before.
As Cosmi reflected on the journey, teammate Tyler Biadasz, freshly showered, noticed a bloodstained towel on the stall next to his.
“Sam, are you bleeding over here?” Biadasz called out.
“I was bleeding everywhere,” Cosmi answered.
At some point during the game, Cosmi got cleated and it tore a hole in his burgundy pants. He played on because, compared with the throbbing pain of the past three seasons, an opponent’s spikes ripping through your flesh can seem like no big deal. And after the game, Cosmi would say something that would have seemed absurd just a year ago.
“I am super thankful in the team for believing in me, believing in each other,” Cosmi said, “and ultimately being able to be really, really proud to be a Commander.”
Upcoming opponent
Pride of Detroit
Why the Lions are Super Bowl contenders for years to come
The Super Bowl window for the Detroit Lions opened early in 2023 and it’s not shutting for a while.
The best news about this season is it’s just the beginning. Despite being a half away from a Super Bowl appearance in 2023, this year is different and truly the beginning of being a Super Bowl contender. Last year was a big step in the right direction, but the roster from that season to this season is better, even with all of the injuries the team has suffered in 2024.
Speaking of injuries, despite the laundry list of ailments, the Lions are the favorite to win the Super Bowl. This team is the top dog in the NFL, and it’s not a one-year wonder. The Lions will be a Super Bowl contender for a long time. Let me tell you why.
Pride of Detroit
What is the key to defeating the Washington Commanders?
Disrupt Jayden Daniels’ rhythm.
If the Lions win this game, it will likely be carried by the offense. Yet if the Lions want to win this game comfortably, they need to make Daniels uncomfortable.
The Commanders will live or die on the arm and legs of Daniels, plain and simple. The defense is subpar by most metrics (23rd in defensive DVOA entering the playoffs and 29th per PFF’s overall defensive grades), something that a dynamic Lions offense should be able to exploit. The Commanders’ offensive line is closer to good than great, meaning that lanes could be at a premium for their rushing attack. Even then, the running back room in Washington is led by Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler, a dollar store version of the David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs pairing that Detroit boasts. Daniels actually finished as the Commanders’ leading rusher over the regular season—he was the leading rusher against the Buccaneers as well, totaling 36 yards to Ekeler’s 27 and Robinson’s 16.
Despite the injuries to the Lions’ defense, I feel somewhat confident in their ability to stop the Commanders’ passing attack. Terrion Arnold and Amik Robertson did a phenomenal job shutting down the Minnesota Vikings receivers in Week 18, and while Terry McLaurin is a talented receiver, the likes of Olamide Zaccheaus or Dyami Brown are far less threatening. If the Commanders want to beat the Lions, they will need Daniels to play some hero ball.
To stop Daniels, that means two things: keeping the pressure up and minimizing his damage on the ground.
This will be a pivotal game for Za’Darius Smith, Josh Paschal, and Al-Quaddin Muhammad. Not only will they be tasked with creating pressure and disrupting the pocket, but they will also be charged with containing Daniels when he bounces outside. Finding a balance between aggressiveness and containment will be paramount for Detroit to smother the Commanders’ offense. Daniels has had many highlight-reel plays where he created space outside of the pocket to facilitate a play downfield. The Lions need to prevent those types of plays from happening—the fewer fire drills that the cornerbacks have to cover, the better. Daniels will get his yards on the ground, that is just the nature of a quarterback like him. Instead, the Lions need to dictate when those yards get picked up—don’t let him scramble for first downs to keep drives alive.
Detroit needs a repeat performance of their Week 18 defensive stand against the Vikings. They need to prove it was not a mirage. I think that the Lions’ offense can win a shootout, but I would rather it not come to that.
Some article comments from readers:
“Contain Daniels. Contain Daniels.” How? Just contain him? A spy? Lol. Ridiculous. He can’t be contained.
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Daniels is gonna have you guys sweating
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Seems to me the best way to get Daniels out of rhythm is to disguise coverages. He’s best against the blitz. He’s thrown most of his interceptions against zone.
AG needs to alter his tendencies – fake blitzes and get creative with how much zone is played.
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Play physical for 60 minutes. Wear them down. Run the ball, control the clock and ToP. Pass after the run game opens up the pass game. Contain and pressure Daniels in the pocket. Make him try to throw, don’t let him scramble or improvise. Continue the tight man coverage. Win the LoS on both sides. NO turnovers for us. Take turnovers from them. Coach aggressively, but smartly.
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Mobile QBs can be a problem, but they can also be a problem for their team. Washington was called for a few ineligible man downfield and holding calls that were the direct result of slow developing RPOs and Daniels moving horizontally across the field while he extended plays. Sticky coverage on their pass catchers can increase the chance of collecting on those kinds of penalties. McLaurin is one of the best, so make sure he gets safety help, but the rest are good, not great and the Lion LBs and DBs should be able to stick with them. Might see zone a little more on 3rd and longs just to keep more eyes on Daniels. Stay disciplined and alert on the dline when rushing the passer. This is not a great running team, although Robinson and Ekeler can be dangerous if they get rolling, Ekeler in the pass game especially. The Lions have been great at stopping the run, so I expect that to continue. Hope Rakestraw is ready to play. He can stick with these WRs.
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I think blitzing with faster players, LBs and DBs that can chase Daniel’s. Pressure from DTs won’t get it done. However it might not be about beating Daniel’s. Just out score him. Can the commanders put up 30+ will be the question. Offense needs to be clicking. TOP and win the turn over battle and we are nearly guaranteed a win. Gotta play sound fundamental football.
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Stopping Daniels is a tough ask, but honestly, this is working out as well as it possibly could have for the Lions. They get to avoid (for now) a rematch with Stafford or the Vikings, and one of those, and/or Philly, will get knocked out before the NFC champ. game. Strong-armed, mobile QB’s have long been the Lions’ kryptonite (as they are for pretty much every team), but it’s an added bonus to face this challenge now, as a different, more difficult version of it is surely coming down the pike in the form of Hurts / Jackson / Allen / Mahomes. So this is a good game to try some stuff, learn some things, and build confidence for whatever’s next.
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Sure, Daniels is the most dynamic that we have faced this year next to Josh “48 Points” Allen. But besides the fact that we were missing Anzo, Reeves Maybin, Pascal and Levi for that game, Daniels aint Josh Allen. Yet. Lets keep it that way.
Podcasts & videos
Doink! The WILD Wild Card Victory | The Booth Review Podcast | Washington Commanders | NFL
Washington Commanders Will Face Detroit Lions in Divisional Round After Beating Tampa Bay Buccaneers
You know what Monday’s Not My Beat is – it’s @michaelpinRVA and @CraigHoffman breaking down the Wild Card win and looking ahead to Commanders-Lions! https://t.co/OGgqOvcHWr pic.twitter.com/EaLyeHrunW
— The Team 980 (@team980) January 14, 2025
NFC East links
The Athletic (paywall)
Jerry Jones’ approach to parting with Mike McCarthy made no sense and set Cowboys back
Whether you thought McCarthy should stay or go, most would agree the way Jones and the Cowboys reached this conclusion was lousy and unnecessary.
The questions surrounding McCarthy’s future in Dallas began swirling in October, when the Cowboys fell to 3-3 entering their bye week after a 47-9 home loss to the Detroit Lions. A little more than a month later, the Cowboys fell to 3-7, with their franchise quarterback ruled out for the season. One month later, with three games remaining in the regular season, the Cowboys were eliminated from the postseason.
This grand decision on McCarthy didn’t sneak up on the Cowboys. Jones said on his radio show before the season finale that the “hay is in the barn” as it relates to McCarthy, meaning all of the data points needed to make a decision were already on the table.
Jerry Jones is looking for his seventh coach since Dallas last won a Super Bowl under Barry Switzer. (Annie Rice / Imagn Images)
In the past, much was made about how long the Cowboys allowed the Jason Garrett situation to linger in 2019, after the Cowboys were eliminated from the playoffs on the final day of the season. Garrett was in a similar situation to McCarthy this year, in that his contract ran out upon the conclusion of the season. It took the Cowboys seven days to make the announcement on Garrett.
With McCarthy, it took eight.
There is a key difference between the situations, though. As the Cowboys kept Garrett waiting for a week, he wasn’t being restricted from another potential opportunity to be a head coach in the NFL. Last week, the Chicago Bears requested permission from the Cowboys to interview McCarthy for their vacant head-coaching position. Although McCarthy’s contract with the Cowboys expired last week, they held an exclusive negotiating window with McCarthy until Tuesday.
The Cowboys declined Chicago’s request.
For six days after declining McCarthy the opportunity to speak to the Bears, the Cowboys remained silent. Other teams continued conducting coaching interviews. The New England Patriots even made their hire. Dallas did nothing, until it parted ways with McCarthy on Monday.
The optics are terrible.
#Eagles LB Nakobe Dean, at the tail end of a breakout season, suffered torn patellar tendon in his knee and is out for the playoffs, per me and @MikeGarafolo.
A tough blow for Philly and for Dean, who has a long road to recovery. He’ll likely miss the start of next season. pic.twitter.com/xtNdv5ttEQ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 13, 2025
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NFL Divisional Round: Biggest immediate question for advancing/eliminated playoff teams
Can the defense deliver for a second straight week?
As much as people are going to rave about rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels after his team’s win in Tampa Bay, there should be just as many flowers passed out for the Commanders’ defense. Washington has been middling on that side of the ball all year and downright lousy when it came to stopping the run (ranking 30th in the league in that category). That wasn’t the case against the Buccaneers on Sunday. A Tampa Bay team that had been one of the best in the league at running, passing and scoring could only manage 284 total yards against Washington. Hell, the Bucs only possessed the football for just over 24 minutes. This is a huge deal for the Commanders because they know Daniels can create magic for them on offense, even in a place as hostile as Detroit’s Ford Field this coming Saturday night. What is more in question is how that defense will do against a Lions offense that led the league in scoring and loves to pound the football behind an imposing O-line. The Commanders passed their first major test of the postseason with that win in Tampa. Detroit is a different animal, but Washington seems far more prepared to face it after Wild Card Weekend.