The Tampa Bay Buccaneers needed to contain Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders during the last two minutes of Sunday night’s game.
Throughout the match, the Buccaneers’ offense kept pace with Washington’s, leading to a back-and-forth contest from the start until the decisive field goal at the end. With 4:41 remaining, the game was tied at 20-20, and the rookie QB for the Commanders appeared composed and confident, a quality fans have come to appreciate in high-pressure moments. Utilizing a mix of key passes and a critical third down conversion with his legs, Daniels and Washington’s offense prevented the Buccaneers from regaining control.
As the clock wound down to just three seconds, kicker Zane Gonzalez stepped up and made a field goal that grazed the upright before sailing over, securing Washington’s first playoff victory since 2005.
This win further highlighted Daniels’ achievements, marking his fifth comeback victory and showing impressive stats of 40 completions on 59 attempts for 551 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions, resulting in a QB rating of 117.3 when the game was tied or his team was trailing in the fourth quarter or overtime.
His career now includes more appearances without punts or turnovers than the combined careers of Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Peyton Manning, and Patrick Mahomes.
On Sunday night, he also became the first rookie to throw two touchdown passes without any interceptions on the road in the playoffs.
In the playoff win over the Buccaneers, Daniels completed 24 of 35 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to rushing 13 times for 36 yards. He also excelled under pressure, going two-for-two on critical third downs during the game-winning drive.
After the loss to Washington, Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles expressed his admiration for the rookie quarterback, stating, “He’s done it all year. He has no conscience. I’m not surprised because we’ve seen him do it all year.”
It’s evident that Bowles recognizes Daniels as one of the rising stars among NFL quarterbacks, and despite the Buccaneers’ efforts, they were unable to outlast the rookie and the Commanders on that night.
