Jayden Daniels leads clutch game-winning drive for Commanders first playoff win since 2006

TAMPA, Fla.— Jayden Daniels ran for a critical first down to set up Zane Gonzalez’s 37-yard field goal that clanged off the right upright and went through as time expired, and the Washington Commanders beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20 in an NFC wild-card game Sunday night for the franchise’s first playoff win in 6,945 days.Daniels, playing with a bandage beneath his right eye after his face was bloodied, became the third rookie 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 (10-8) missed several opportunities and the veteran quarterback committed a costly turnover in the fourth quarter.The Bucs couldn’t get 1 yard on two tries from the Commanders 12 and settled for a field goal to tie the game before Washington’s winning drive.Daniels threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns, joining C.J.

Stroud and Brock Purdy as rookie QBs to win playoff games in the past three seasons.Washington hadn’t won in the postseason since beating the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay 17-10 in a wild-card game on Jan.7, 2006.The Buccaneers opened the season with a 37-20 victory at home against the Commanders in Daniels’ first game.

Daniels went on to have an outstanding season, was selected to the Pro Bowl and helped Washington improve from 4-13 to 12-5.Now, he has them headed to Detroit to face Jared Goff and the Lions’ high-octane offense.After Tampa Bay’s defense held inside the 5 in the opening minute of the fourth quarter to preserve a 17-13 lead, Mayfield gave the Commanders the ball right back when he fumbled an exchange on a handoff to Jalen McMillan.Washington recovered at the Buccaneers 13.

On fourth-and-2 from the 5, Daniels connected with Terry McLaurin in the back of the end zone for a 20-17 lead.Mayfield drove the Buccaneers to a second-and-1 at the Commanders 12 but they settled for a 32-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin that tied i...