For the first time in 19 years, the Washington Commanders have won a playoff game. On Sunday night, Washington kicker Zane Gonzalez kicked a 37-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Commanders to a 23-20 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In typical Washington fashion, Gonzalez made it interesting, bouncing his kick off the right upright, but the bounce went the Commanders’ way.
Now, the Commanders head to Detroit to face the NFC’s No. 1 seed, the Detroit Lions. The game is scheduled for Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels was again phenomenal for the Commanders, completing 24 of 35 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns. Daniels also carried the ball 13 times for 36 yards, but no carry was as big as his final one on third-and-1 to set up Gonzalez’s game-winner.
Here’s that play.
Jayden takes it himself!! 1st down and in FG range with less than :40 to go 👀
📺: #WASvsTB on NBC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/YFb1x4TrHq— NFL (@NFL) January 13, 2025
On the next snap, Daniels kneeled to run the clock down and give Gonzalez a chance to win the game. The Buccaneers were out of timeouts.
Wide receiver Terry McLaurin caught seven passes for 89 yards and a touchdown and Dyami Brown had one of his best NFL games with five receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown.
Washington won the turnover battle as Bobby Wagner recovered a fumbled exchange in the third quarter, and the Commanders punched it in a few plays later when Daniels found McLaurin.
