DOINK!
And the sixth-seeded Washington Commanders are off to play the top-seeded Detroit Lions next weekend.
For Zane Gonzalez, his game-winning kick was punctuated by a split second of terror, with his field goal hitting the inside of the right goal post and landing over the crossbar.
For Washington, it was a postseason win almost a generation in the making.
And for the Commanders, a 23–20 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers means so much more than a nice night on wild-card weekend.
On an evening determined so much by youth, Washington’s rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels led the way, becoming the first rookie signal-caller to win a road playoff game since Russell Wilson in 2012.
Here are some of the main takeaways from a wild night in Tampa.
Daniels showed the moment wasn’t too big
Daniels never played in a national championship game or anything approaching it while at Arizona State and LSU. But this game was the biggest moment of his football life, and Daniels showed up in every way Sunday night.
Despite being a rookie with only 17 starts, Daniels displayed the poise of a veteran. He threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns while adding another 36 rushing yards. With the game tied 20–20, Daniels calmly converted a key third down to get past midfield before driving into field goal range, giving Gonzalez an opportunity to win Washington’s first playoff game in 19 years with a 37-yard field goal.
At every turn, Daniels was bigger than the moment presented to him. He made a fourth-down touchdown throw to give the Commanders a 20–17 lead early in the fourth quarter. He overcame an empty red zone trip. He was irrepressible.
Provided he stays healthy, this will be the first of many, many playoff appearances and wins for Daniels.
Tampa Bay has to find some pass rush this offseason
The Buccaneers have a talented offense. They’re loaded with quarterback Baker Mayfield, veteran receivers Mike Evans and Chris Goidwin (assuming they retain the latter this offseason), and a pair of dynamic rookies in wideout Jalen McMillan and running back Bucky Irving. The offensive line is also excellent.
But the defense isn’t scary enough up front. We saw that Sunday, with only one sack of Daniels and four quarterback hits.
Although coach Todd Bowles loves to blitz, he would be better served by having a more productive front four. The Buccaneers have invested big there over the years with Joe Tryon-Shoyinka being a 2021 first-round pick while doling out big contracts for edge rushers Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul. However, the latter two are long gone and Tryon-Shoyinka proved to be a bust.
It’s time to make a move or two this winter to bolster those areas.
Washington finally matters once again
The Commanders finally won a postseason game, ending one of the league’s longest draughts, with only the Miami Dolphins and Las Vegas Raiders going longer without such a win.
For decades, Washington was one of the gold-standard franchises. The Commanders won three Super Bowls between 1982 and ’91, with the latter team being considered one of the greatest of all-time. Joe Gibbs was the coach for that entire run, winning three championships with three different quarterbacks, none of which were ever considered potential Hall of Famers. It was about culture and team.
For the better part of the past 25 years, that culture was gone and replaced by the horrific tenure of owner Daniel Snyder. The Commanders were known for dysfunction and disgrace. No more.
Dan Quinn is the right man for this job
There was some thought that Quinn wasn’t the correct choice for Washington’s opening last offseason. One of the many complaints was that he’s not an offensive-minded coach, and he was about to be paired with a rookie quarterback.
Quinn’s answer? Pair Daniels with an experienced hand, giving him offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. The pairing has thrived, with Kingsbury garnering plenty of talk about being a head coach once again in the near future.
Defensively, Quinn has led a renaissance. He was at the forefront of bringing over some veterans in free agency led by linebackers Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner, defensive lineman Dorance Armstrong and edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. among others. The additions all worked, as Washington went from being the 32nd-ranked defense to 13th.
Baker Mayfield showed he was worth the offseason investment
This offseason, the Buccaneers invested in Mayfield, signing him to a three-year deal worth $100 million including $40 million guaranteed. The former No. 1 pick responded by throwing for 41 touchdowns and 4,500 yards, ranking second and third, respectively, in the league.
On Sunday, Mayfield went 15-of-18 for 185 yards and two touchdowns with zero interceptions, albeit a costly fumble on a botched snap in his own red zone. Throughout the game, Mayfield made big throws including finding Evans on all seven targets. He was terrific, even extending plays with his legs by rushing for 23 yards.
Tampa Bay is going home, but Mayfield is the future for the Buccaneers.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Wild-Card Rapid Reaction: A Doink Sends the Commanders to the Divisional Round.