Commanders beat Buccaneers for team’s first playoff victory in 19 years

Jayden Daniels ran for a crucial scoop to set up Zane Gonzalez’s 37-yard field goal, which clanged off the right upright and continued as time expired, and the Washington Commanders defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20 in their NFC wild-card game on Sunday night for the franchise’s first playoff victory in 6,945 days.

Daniels, who played with a bandage under his right eye after his face was bloodied, became the third starting quarterback in three years to win a playoff game.

The Commanders (13-5) will face the No. 1 seed Detroit Lions (15-2) in the divisional round.

Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers missed several opportunities and the veteran quarterback committed a critical turnover in the fourth quarter. The Bucs couldn’t gain yards on two attempts from the Commanders’ 12, settling for a field goal to tie the game before Washington’s game-winning drive.

Daniels threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns, joining C.J. Stroud and Brock Purdy as rookie QBs who won playoff games the past three seasons.

Washington had not won in the postseason since beating the Buccaneers in Tampa by 17 in a wild-card game in January 2006.