TAMPA, Fla. — With the score tied and about four minutes left in Sunday night’s playoff contest in Tampa Bay, the Washington Commanders were more than just hopeful — they were certain the offense was about to march downfield for a yet another later, game-winning drive.
“We just looked each other in the eyes and we were like, ‘They don’t get the ball back. We finish with the ball in our hands,’” wide receiver Terry McLaurin said, noting that his teammates had a smile in the huddle. “When we say that, there’s ten other guys looking in the eyes saying, ‘It’s our time.’”
Their confidence was well-founded. Kicker Zane Gonzalez sent a 37-yard field goal off the right goal post and through the uprights to give Washington a 23-20 win, sending the Commanders to the divisional round.
“I heard it, but I was just watching the ball,” a jubilant McLaurin said after exchanging a hug with Commanders owner Josh Harris. “Hey, it still counts. We’ll take it.”
Coach Dan Quinn’s experience was even more dramatic.
“I felt like I was in a Bounty commercial where the cup spills. Like, ‘no!’” he said, emulating the slow-motion ads. “As it hit and went through, my heart probably skipped a beat.”
Last-second victories have become commonplace for the Commanders and their rookie quarterback, Jayden Daniels. Washington is riding a six-game winning streak into next week’s Divisional Round matchup with the top-seeded Detroit Lions.
The last five wins have come on the final play from scrimmage: a defensive stand against the New Orleans Saints, followed by last-second touchdown passes against the Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys.
“It’s just the brotherhood that [coach Dan Quinn] set, the togetherness that we have within the locker room,” Daniels said, echoing the message shared by several of his teammates. “People can see how close we are off the field. When times get tough, we fall back on those moments.
While the rookie deflects the praise, his colleagues quickly pile it on. He’s led five game-winning drives this season, trailing only Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes for the most in the league.
“You can see it trickle down. When your quarterback is poised and controlled, your whole offense is,” said wide receiver Dyami Brown, who caught five passes for 89 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. “He’s a special kid, and you could see that early on.”
Daniels can’t pinpoint what goes through his head when he’s driving down the field to win a game.
“I kind of black out and find the zone,” he said. “Focus on the fundamentals.”
Though the fundamentals didn’t lead to a game-clinching touchdown this week, Washington’s rookie still performed a minor magic trick to help seal the win.
On a third-and-two with 55 seconds remaining, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury called on his quarterback to make a play. A first down would essentially clinch a victory, but Tampa Bay would have a shot if Washington couldn’t convert.
Daniels kept the ball on a designed quarterback run. The Buccaneers contained it. Defensive tackle Calijah Kancey got his hands on Daniels seven yards behind the line of scrimmage, but the slim rookie shrugged off the 280-pounder and rushed forward, diving ahead to deliver a first down and send Gonzalez onto the field.
In his playoff debut, Washington’s dual-threat rookie led the team in rushing while throwing for 268 yards and two touchdowns.
Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield posted a solid performance of his own, tossing a pair of touchdowns with 185 yards on 15-of-18 passing. But his one mistake — a botched exchange on a jet sweep — allowed Washington to chain together a quick touchdown drive to take the lead in the fourth quarter.
Daniels, along with a renovated roster and coaching staff, has brought a new energy to a long-suffering fan base.
Before Sunday’s win, the Commanders hadn’t notched a playoff victory since the 2005 campaign. In an odd case of symmetry, that win also came against the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay.
In the first year under Quinn and general manager Adam Peters, the new-look Commanders have overhauled a franchise that was long considered the league’s laughingstock.
“It’s about the culture,” said defensive tackle Jon Allen, who earned his first playoff win on Sunday after his eighth season with the Commanders. “When you see how our games have played out and the resilience that we have as a team, it really just points to the culture and the brotherhood that we have here.”
Washington will likely have to channel all the good vibes they can muster to keep their magical season alive on Saturday night in Detroit. The Lions, who posted a dominant 15-2 record despite widespread injuries across their defense, opened as 8 ½ point favorites at most sportsbooks.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.