The Washington Commanders defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20 in the best game of the Wild Card round. The NFC East team won through a walk-off 37-yard field goal from Zane Gonzalez, which bounced off the right upright.
This was Washington’s first playoff win since 2006 when they won 17-10 against the Buccaneers in the Wild Card round. The Commanders’ fairy tale continues with Jayden Daniels, and now they’ll face the Detroit Lions next week.
Fans React to Commanders Winning Via a Walk-Off Field Goal
Apart from the Commanders and the Buccaneers matchup, the rest of the games in the Wild Card round were not competitive enough. Fans finally got a close game, and they were thrilled with how Washington won in the end.
Here are some of the reactions from fans on social media to the ending of the Buccaneers-Commanders game:
What a freaking mindblowing game…down to doink
Congrats @Commanders https://t.co/YfjA6wCVHi
— RED (@omprabhu) January 13, 2025
“Finally got a competitive playoff game,” said a fan.
Another fan added, “Best game of the weekend, and it wasn’t even close!”
A successful doink as time expires is an insane way to win a playoff game. This one was so so fun. https://t.co/eoDuiRr9B1
— 𝐽𝐸𝑁 𝑀𝐴𝐶𝐾 🧀 (@BigMack_4) January 13, 2025
“Best playoff game so far,” wrote a fan.
“Doink for a playoff win, Goodell hired the WWE scriptwriters at some point last year,” joked another fan.
what a game. https://t.co/iqAJyiif40
— Kenta Hagiwara (@KentraHagatra) January 13, 2025
Daniels finished the game with 268 passing yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. He completed 68.5% of his throws with a passer rating of 110.2 and also rushed for 36 yards. Terry McLaurin and Dyami Brown showed up for the Commanders on offense as both finished with 89 receiving yards and a touchdown each.
Detroit is dealing with injuries on the defensive side, and Washington’s offense, led by its rookie quarterback, is capable of giving them a tough fight next week. The Commanders won the game despite Marshon Lattimore’s poor performance. If he plays well next week and limits either Jameson Williams or Amon-Ra St. Brown, his team could pull off another upset.
The Commanders have already had a successful season, so they will have nothing to lose against the Lions. As a result, we will quite likely be treated to another thrilling game.
Bucs HC Todd Bowles Should Be Under Pressure
The Commanders have won three straight division titles with Todd Bowles as the head coach, but the team is now 1-3 under him in the playoffs. He was criticized for his questionable decision to waste time before calling a timeout in the first half, but Mike Evans’ brilliance bailed him out.
The Buccaneers’ season is over and the team lost due to two mistakes on offense, as mentioned in the post below from Chase Daniel. A well-coached team doesn’t usually make these types of mistakes, especially in the playoffs, so Bowles should be held accountable for it.
Tampa Bay had 2 very routine plays kill their season…
▪️Baker Mayfield fumble botched handoff that cost them the lead
▪️Botched snap count so they had to settle for a FG
The details and fundamentals matter all the time, at all levels.
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) January 13, 2025
The Buccaneers’ defense didn’t look good throughout the season, and it’s not ideal for a team whose head coach is more known for his work on the defensive side. Winning three division titles is not easy, but Tampa Bay was massively helped by the poor quality of teams in the NFC South.
Mayfield’s brilliance since arriving in Tampa Bay has hidden some of the team’s weak spots, but this offseason is crucial for the front office as they might need to make some big moves if they want to contend for the Super Bowl.
The Buccaneers have won eight, nine, and 10 games in the last three seasons, which might not be enough to win the division next season.