Wild card – Commanders at Buccaneers game recap: 2nd quarter summary – All tied up at halftime 10-10

Second Quarter

Following a first down, Washington earned 7 yards on the next two plays to bring up 3rd & 3 at the 35-yard line. On 3rd down, Jayden Daniels went to the right sideline on a called QB run and got blown up by Zion McCollum, who sent Jayden flying.

Dan Quinn kept his offense on the field on 4th & 1; Daniels handed the ball to Austin Ekeler up the middle for a gain of 2 yards — first down Washington at the Tampa 21-yard line. The drive has lasted 11 plays already.

Two plays later, Washington faced 3d & 3 at the 11-yard line. On the key 3rd down play, Daniels found Zaccheaus on a quick slant on the left side of the field for 6 yards to bring up 1st & goal.

Two well-defended running plays resulted in a loss of 2 yards; on the 17th play of the drive, Daniels, with solid protection, took his time and found Dyami Brown in the middle of the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown. With the PAT, the score was 7-3 with 09:26 left in the half. The scoring play covered 92 yards in 17 plays, taking more than 9 minutes off the clock.

The Buccaneers started just their third offensive drive of the game at the 30-yard line. So far, their two drives have ended in a field goal and a punt, while Washington has one punt and one touchdown.

A penalty on 2nd down for an illegal block pushed the Bucs back 15 yards to force 2nd & 24 at their own 16-yard line. On the subsequent play, a holding call was declined by Washington, bringing up 3rd & 22 at the 18-yard line. A short pass completion wasn’t enough, and the Commanders had forced a 3 & out and the second punt of the game for the Bucs.

Washington’s third offensive drive began a the 30-yard line following a very entertaining 17-yard return.

Two plays later it was 3rd & 3. On the key down, Jayden hit Austin Ekeler out of a 2-back set for a 1st down completion at the line to gain in the middle of the field. It was a nice play.

Daniels scrambled twice to earn another first down at the TB 49-yard line, and then scrambled up the middle for another 5 yard gain. Jayden is Washington’s leading rusher, with 8 carries for 31 yards. Ekeler and Robinson have combined for 7 carries for 27 yards.

On a 3rd & 4 play from the 42-yard line, it appeared as if the Buccaneers had sacked Daniels for a 9-yard loss, but a defensive holding call moved the ball to the 37-yard line with a fresh set of downs.

Under pressure on 2nd down, Jayden threw the balll away, bringing up 3rd & 6 at the Tampa Bay 36-yard line. Daniels dropped back on 3rd down and tried to hit Terry McLaurin at the 2-yard line on the sideline, but outstanding coverage from McCollum saw the pass broken up as Terry tried twice to catch the ball, but couldn’t make it happen.

That play brought the game to the 2-minute warning.

Facing 4th & 6 coming out of the time out, Dan Quinn decided to send Zane Gonzalez out for a 52-yard field goal attempt. The kicker drilled it to open up the lead. Now 10-3 Commanders. The scoring drive covered 37 yards in 11 plays.

The Bucs got the ball at the 26-yard line with 01:46 on the clock hoping to score again before halftime.

Interestingly, Rachaad White was in the game instead of Bucky Irving; he was held to a yard on 1st down, followed by an incomplete pass by Baker Mayfield under pressure. On 3rd & 9, Baker Mayfield scrambled up the middle for an aggressive run that included broken tackles for 18 yards and a first down.

The Bucs earned three more 1st downs with 3 passes (2 to Evans, 1 to Otten), and TB had 1st & 10 at the Washington 12-yard line. This has been a lightning-fast swing in momentum.

With 00:17 on the clock, Tampa Bay has a chance to tie up the game before halftime with one time out in hand.

1st down – Defensive pass interference call on Marshon Lattimore in the end zone vs Mike Evans

1st & goal – Touchdown pass to Evans on a quick slant

With the PAT, the score is all tied up at 10-10. The scoring drive covered 74 yards in 7 plays.

The half came to an end with a kickoff and a kneeldown.

Halftime Stats

Statistics via ESPN