Commanders Beat the Bucs for Their First Playoff Win Since 2005

The Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels in October 2024
The Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels in October 2024. Photo by Reggie Hildred/CSM/Shutterstock (14761769at)

The Washington Commanders beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20 on Sunday night in a tightly contested game to clinch a Divisional Round appearance in the 2024 NFL Playoffs. This was the Commanders’ first playoff win since the 2005 season.

The Commanders, who lost four straight times in the opening round of the playoffs before the win over the Bucs, will now face the NFC’s top-seed Detroit Lions this upcoming weekend.

Entering the fourth quarter, the Commanders, down 13-17, turned over the ball on downs at Tampa Bay’s three-yard line. However, the Bucs almost immediately gave the ball back after a botched handoff that resulted in a fumble. Four plays later, Washington got their touchdown and the lead.

The Bucs responded with a field goal on their next possession to tie the game, but there was more than enough time left for the Commanders to try and get a win.

Washington’s quarterback Jayden Daniels led the offense 51 yards down the field, setting up a last-second 37-yard field goal attempt for kicker Zane Gonzalez. As the clock was winding down, Gonzalez kicked the ball into the right upright and got a lucky doink over the crossbar to give his team a win.

“I felt like I was in a Bounty commercial where the cup spills and like, ‘nooooo,’” Commanders’ head 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.”

The Commanders will now look for their first NFC Championship appearance since 1991, the same season they won their latest Super Bowl.

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