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ESPN
Commanders win late again, this time behind Marcus Mariota
Their young Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, rookie Jayden Daniels, was sidelined with mild leg soreness. So the Washington Commanders turned to their older Heisman winner to lead yet another last-second victory.
Quarterback Marcus Mariota threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to receiver Terry McLaurin with two seconds remaining Sunday to give the Commanders a 23-19 win over the Dallas Cowboys and, with it, the No. 6 seed in the NFC playoffs.
Washington (12-5) will visit Tampa Bay (10-7) in the opening round of the playoffs (the Bucs opened as 2.5 favorites, per ESPN BET).
Commanders coach Dan Quinn said he decided to sit Daniels at halftime.
The Athletic (paywall)
Commanders again show fight as they lock up No. 6 seed and set up rematch with Bucs
Washington scored three touchdowns in the second half, including Terry McLaurin’s 5-yard touchdown catch with three seconds remaining to secure a 23-19 win over the Dallas Cowboys. The Commanders’ last four victories have all come on the final play from scrimmage.
“Man, this is amazing,” McLaurin said moments after his game-winning touchdown, which doubled as a franchise-record 13th this season. “This is why you work so hard in the offseason. Going to the playoffs with a chance to win it all.”
This was easily the least Jayden Daniels game — or half — of the season. Daniels’ numbers were minimal — 6-of-12 for 38 yards and 27 yards on the ground — with a season-low 56.9 quarterback rating.
The offense sputtered and trailed 6-3 at halftime, producing only a 47-yard field goal by Zane Gonzalez in the first half. The Commanders had 64 net yards and four first downs with Daniels in. Washington’s best scoring chance was a 36-yard pass by wide receiver Dyami Brown off a reverse, only for a wide-open Olamide Zaccheaus to drop the throw in the end zone. Zaccheaus redeemed himself with a 29-yard catch one play before Mariota’s 5-yard touchdown pass to tight end Zach Ertz.
The rush attack disappointed in recent weeks. Against the Cowboys, it simply disappeared.
While Daniels and Mariota tallied 83 yards combined, the running backs had 22 yards on eight carries.
“Man, this is amazing,” McLaurin said moments after his game-winning touchdown, which doubled as a franchise-record 13th this season. “This is why you work so hard in the offseason. Going to the playoffs with a chance to win it all.”
With the Los Angeles Rams losing to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers improving to 10-7 with a 27-19 triumph over the New Orleans Saints, the Bucs earned the No. 3 seed and fourth straight NFC South title. The Commanders fell 37-20 to the Bucs back in Week 1, Daniels’ NFL debut. Much has changed since then.
Sports Illustrated
Commanders vs. Buccaneers Kickoff Time Announced
The NFL announced that Washington will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a prime-time Wild Card matchup on Sunday, January 12, at 8 PM ET on NBC. This game marks a highly anticipated rematch from Week 1, where Tampa Bay defeated Washington 37-20.
Washington Post (paywall)
The Commanders’ first-round matchup is set. Here’s what you need to know.
Jayden Daniels and No. 6 Washington will take on the No. 3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 8 p.m. Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.
Matchup to watch: Bucs running back Bucky Irving vs. Washington’s run defense. The Bucs have a rookie sensation of their own. Irving, a fourth-round pick out of Oregon, sealed the Bucs’ win over the Saints with an 11-yard touchdown run in the final two minutes. He closed his first season with the ninth-most rushing yards in the NFL (1,122) and the best third-down rushing conversion rate (80.o percent). He was the only rookie to rush for more yards than Daniels (891).
The Commanders’ Achilles’ heel on defense has been their poor play against the run. Their 137.5 yards allowed per game were the third most in the league.
X factor: Tyler Biadasz. Washington’s starting center is dealing with an ankle injury, and it’s unclear whether he’ll be back by next weekend, which is a big deal for two reasons:
First, backup center Michael Deiter has struggled mightily in significant reps over the past four weeks. Defenses have regularly attacked him, including Sunday, when the Cowboys schemed up several one-on-ones for star edge rusher Micah Parsons.
Second, Buccaneers Coach Todd Bowles has a challenging defensive scheme and loves to blitz. Biadasz’s smarts and communication will be extremely important as the offense tries to sort out pre-snap looks and handle stunts and games up front.
Key stat: 55 yards. When a Washington quarterback has rushed for at least that many yards, the team is 5-2. Daniels dealt with leg soreness during the team’s win over the Cowboys, and although he and Coach Dan Quinn indicated it was minor, the Commanders need him to be mobile to have a chance against the Bucs.
Riggo’s Rag
Jayden Daniels’ uncharacteristic first half
It was an uncharacteristic showing from Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders in the first half. They were disjointed, couldn’t generate any momentum whatsoever, and struggled to find the rhythm fans have become accustomed to seeing from Kliff Kingsbury’s offense throughout the campaign.
Everything was a little flat. Perhaps it was a long, grueling season taking its toll. Maybe it was the Dallas Cowboys’ game plan making things difficult once again. Either way, this isn’t what the Commanders or Daniels had in mind after a stellar series of strong performances in recent weeks.
Unsurprisingly, this was reflected in Daniels’ first-half stats. The Commanders were fortunate to only be down three at the interval. If the Cowboys had managed better execution in the red zone, things could have been a lot worse.
- 50 percent completion
- 38 passing yards
- 0 touchdowns
- 0 interceptions
- 4 sacks against
- 27 rushing yards
- 56.9 passer rating (ESPN)
It was a complete mess from start to finish. Receivers were dropping balls, Daniels couldn’t fit the football into tight windows, and the run game was non-existent. That’s a bad combination with the postseason next on their list of objectives.
Washington Post (paywall)
Marcus Mariota helps Commanders clinch No. 6 seed, playoff matchup vs. Bucs
Backup QB leads Washington to 23-19 comeback win over the Cowboys to close a dramatic regular season and set up a first-round game in Tampa.
Mariota came in at the start of the third quarter and completed 15 of 18 pass attempts for 161 yards, two touchdowns and a 141.0 passer rating. He also led the team with 56 rushing yards, including a 33-yarder on the final possession to get Washington in scoring position.
Sure, Washington wanted the sixth seed, but it wasn’t going to sacrifice its star quarterback to get there. And without center Tyler Biadasz (ankle) anchoring the offensive line, Daniels was sacked four times and had almost no help from his running backs. He, again, led the team in rushing yards in the first half, with 27 yards on four carries.
The Cowboys’ mistakes created an opening for Mariota, whose role in Washington has been as much about mentorship as it has been about reliable backup play. He stepped in and quickly provided stability in the pocket when the Commanders needed it most, orchestrating another eight-play, 70-yard drive that culminated with a five-yard touchdown on a quarterback keeper.
The defense was the biggest liability in the second half, amassing costly penalties to continually give Dallas chances. Cornerback Benjamin St-Juste picked up his sixth pass interference penalty this season while in coverage against wide receiver Jonathan Mingo on a deep attempt from Lance. The 20-yard penalty put the Cowboys in position to finally score a touchdown three plays later, on a two-yard run by Rico Dowdle.
Commanders Wire
Commanders beat Cowboys: Instant analysis from Washington’s 12th win
Washington’s defense allowed a Dallas offense led by Trey Lance to finish with 378 yards. Perhaps most concerning was the Cowboys, one of the NFL’s worst rushing teams, managed to run for 150 yards. Lance’s athleticism helped the running game, but backup Deuce Vaughn ripped off some big runs in the second half. Rico Dowdle paced the Cowboys with 72 yards.
Jonathan Allen, in his second game back from a pec injury, picked up a key sack on Lance in the second half to force a field goal.
Washington got nothing from its running game outside of the quarterbacks. Last week, Daniels rushed for 127 yards. This week, Daniels and Mariota combined to rush for 83 of the Commanders’ 113 rushing yards. Washington’s running backs combined to carry the ball eight times for 22 yards.
Dallas outgained Washington 378-269. The Cowboys possessed the ball for 37 minutes and three seconds, while the Commanders possessed the ball for 22 minutes and 57 seconds. Washington had over 200 yards of total offense in the second half.
Commanders.com
Five takeaways from Washington’s win over Dallas
Mike Sainristil balled out.
Teams continue to test Mike Sainristil, and the rookie keeps showing them why that isn’t the best idea.
Sainristil was all over the field, and the stat sheet, against the Cowboys. He finished the day with 10 tackles, second only to Chinn, to go with three pass breakups. One of his best plays came in the closing seconds of the second quarter, when he provided tight coverage on Brandin Cooks in the end zone to force a turnover on downs.
Sainristil has quickly proven himself as one of the team’s best defenders, despite his lack of experience. His versatility and physicality have made him an asset, as he has moved from his original position of playing in the slot to the outside.
That hasn’t stopped teams from trying to put their best players on him, and while he has had lapses, they haven’t come often. He is the first Washington rookie to record 14-plus passes defensed in a single season since Bashaud Breeland in 2014.
Commanders Wire
Studs and duds from Commanders’ 23-19 victory over Cowboys
Dud: RB Brian Robinson Jr.
Brian Robinson Jr. is officially in a slump. The running back hasn’t eclipsed 65 rushing yards since December 1. On Sunday, Robinson had just five carries for 10 yards.
To be fair, none of the RBs on the roster did much of anything on Sunday. However, it’s part of a concerning trend with Robinson that can’t continue in the playoffs. This team needs a solid running game to support the star QB.
Stud: DB Mike Sainristil
Mike Sainristil had a fantastic game in Dallas on Sunday. The rookie collected 10 tackles and three pass deflections. Only Jeremy Chinn ended with more tackles.
Sainristil’s development has been impressive. The defensive back is already heavily relied upon in this defense and has only gotten better as the year progresses.
Upcoming opponent
Bucs Nation
Bucs locked into No. 3 seed, will play Commanders
A Week 1 rematch is on tabs for next weekend.
The Buccaneers earned the NFC’s No. 3 seed at 10-7 on a tiebreaker after the Los Angeles Rams, who opted to rest most of their starters, lost to the Seattle Seahawks, 30-25. The final standings, on paper, should prove to benefit the Bucs as they avoid the loser of the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions Sunday night.
That said, the Commanders have long-since hit their groove since their Week 1, 37-20 defeat at the hands of Tampa. Jayden Daniels has been a revelation at quarterback for the beleaguered franchise, and head coach Dan Quinn has them playing extremely competitive football week in and week out.
While it wasn’t always pretty for the Bucs, both teams finish out the season on hot streaks, with Tampa winning 6 of its last 7 and Washington winning 5 straight.
It will be the Commanders’ first playoff berth since the miracle Taylor Heinicke run in 2020…when they played the Bucs as the first step in the latter’s Super Bowl win. They will be hunting for their first playoff win since 2005…against Tampa Bay. So there is some mixed history between these franchises in the postseason.
Bucs Nation
Buccaneers vs Saints Week 18 Game Recap: Bucs secure playoff berth against rivals
Following a defensive stand that catapulted Tampa Bay into the playoffs, the Buccaneers did the ‘right’ thing by their superstar. With Mike Evans needing a measly five yards to etch his name in NFL history, beside Jerry Rice, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers elected not to kneel down and run the clock. They instead lined up to throw, tossed a quick pass to Evans ensuring that he got his mark, and walked off with the win in all aspects.
Podcasts & videos
On video: it’s the Bucs in the wild card round. The fun begins. Enjoy. Tough matchup for the D; Washington’s Mindset flashes again in Dallas; Mariota’s big day; the tiny adjustment on the GW TD to McLaurin. Where’s the run game? @ESPNRichmond https://t.co/3kuXO5Jnmk
— John Keim (@john_keim) January 6, 2025
Wild season where the dramatic finishes keep wiping out the bad starts. Postgame pod is up from Jerry World https://t.co/F8av9MKqgM
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) January 5, 2025
Washington Commanders Defeat Dallas Cowboys, Clinch No. 6 Seed, Thanks to Marcus Mariota Heroics
HC Dan Quinn Previews Commanders vs. Cowboys | The Gameplan | Washington Commanders
Photos
Commanders.com
PHOTOS | Commanders vs. Cowboys, week 18
Check out the top photos of the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium for their Week 18 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys, shot on Sony. (Photos by Emilee Fails/Washington Commanders)
