Daniels, Commanders continued late game magic in win over Bucs

Tampa, Fla. — The Washington Commanders Continue to prove one thing this season: They’re ahead of schedule. They also know how to win close games.

Washington, which has won eight more games this season than it did a year ago, emerged victorious again in dramatic fashion. Zane Gonzalez Kicked a 37-yard field goal to beat Tampa Bay 23–20 in the wild-card round – Washington’s first playoff win since the 2005 postseason.

It’s become a habit this season for a team that likes to talk about “winning moments,” and coach Dan Quinn said he’s had more late-game situations in practice than at any point in his career. Focused more on

The Commanders finished the regular season with five straight wins — three coming from scrimmage on the final play and Washington’s 2-point conversion on the final play at the end of the fourth.

In Week 8, Washington beat Chicago on a 52-yard Hail Mary pass at the buzzer and in Week 2, New York Giants Last second field goal.

The Commanders, who went 4-13 last season, have won by paying attention to detail. The late-game success enabled them to post a 12-5 record in Quinn’s first season. The quarterback Jaden Daniels There was a huge key in Sunday’s win, but Washington’s defense allowed 284 yards, slowing down the Bucs’ high-powered offense.

Here are the key takeaways from Sunday night for both teams:

Main game: For the fourth time in the game, Washington went for it on fourth down. This time it was from the Tampa 5-yard line with 9:46 left. The Commanders had failed on a 3rd-and-fourth-and-goal, but this time Daniels connected with a receiver. Terry McLaren for a touchdown and a 20-17 lead. It was McLaurin’s 11th red-zone touchdown catch of the season. He had 11 in his first five years. The drive was set up by a linebacker. Bobby WagnerDominant recovery in Tampa 13.

QB Malfunction: Daniels didn’t look like a rookie playing his first playoff game. He completed 24 of 35 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns. He ran for another 36 yards on 13 carries. He also made the plays he couldn’t make in the season-opening loss to Tampa because of one big change: He kept his eyes downfield when he fumbled. This resulted in key plays, such as a 9-yard completion to the tight end Zach Ertz On third-and-6 from the Commanders’ own 12-yard line.

Disturbing trends: Cornerback Martian Lattimore Washington hasn’t played as well as expected in its two games against big-time receivers since being acquired from New Orleans before the trade deadline. He was flagged for three pass interference penalties against Philadelphia. AJ Brown on December 22 and against one Mike Evans Sunday night. Evans pitched against Lattimore, looking like a player who has played in just two games since Oct. 27 because of a left hamstring problem. — John Kim

The Buccaneers should have gone for it while they had the chance.

They had a chance to tie or go for it on fourth-and-3 at the Washington 14-yard line with 4:45 left and kicked the tying field goal to make it 20-20. ESPN Analytics disagreed with the decision, giving them a 46.1% chance of winning (57.4% chance of converting), while they had a 43.6% chance of winning with a field goal and a 93.2% chance of making a field goal. with

After the Bucs tied it, Washington put together chunk pass plays of 21, 18 and 8 yards while eating up valuable clock time, setting up the Commanders’ 37-yard winning field goal.

Main game: After a hard-fought goal-line stand at the Tampa Bay 3 that preserved the Bucs’ 17-13 lead, Baker Mayfield A handoff fumbled by Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner at the Tampa Bay 13. Josh Hayes Stepping in for an injured cornerback Jamil DeanJayden Daniels connected with Terry McLaren en route to retake the lead at 20-17 with 9:46 left. It was the first time in six games the Bucs had allowed a touchdown in the second half.

The biggest hole in the game plan: The Boks defense could not get on the field. The Commanders were 8 of 15 on third down, none bigger than Daniels’ keeper on the right side in the final minute. Their zone defense struggled against plays going across the field, including a 30-yard reception. Dayami Brownand along the way, like Brown’s 10-yard touchdown and 17- and 18-yard receptions by McLaurin. And then there were the penalties: They had seven for 65 yards.

Most surprising performance: Evans vs. Lattimore is usually a more tightly contested match, but this time it was all Evans. The Bucs’ top receiver caught all five targets with Lattimore as the closest defender for 73 yards and a touchdown. It was Evans’ second-highest receiving total against Lattimore in 2018, behind his 115-yard performance. Evans had seven receptions for 92 yards on the night. –Gina Lane