Sunday Night Football: Zane Gonzalez’s walk-off FG gives Commanders a 23-20 win over Bucs

Jayden Daniels did it again, and this time he did it on the biggest stage he’s been on so far.

The rookie quarterback led the Commanders on a 10-play, 51-yard drive, allowing Zane Gonzalez to kick the 37-yard field goal off the right upright and through the goal posts on the final play.

The Commanders won their first playoff game since 2005 and will advance to play the Lions on Saturday night in the divisional round. The Bucs’ season ends with a home loss.

Daniels threw an 18-yard pass to Austin Ekeler just over the top of Yaya Diaby to get the Commanders in field-goal range at the Tampa Bay 27. The Commanders then bled the clock, with Daniels giving Calijah Kancey a stiff arm on third-and-2 from the Tampa Bay 15 to set up the chip-shot field goal that was a little more exciting than Gonzalez intended.

Washington could have routed the Bucs but went only 2-for-5 in the red zone, turning it over on downs once after having first-and-goal from the 1. The Commanders also turned it over on downs on their first drive after reaching the Tampa Bay 20.

The NFL’s best fourth-down team was 3-for-5 on fourth down against the Bucs.

Daniels went 24-of-35 for 268 yards and two touchdowns, with Terry McLaurin catching seven for 89 yards and a touchdown and Dyami Brown catching five for 89 yards and a touchdown. Daniels led the team in rushing with 36 yards on 13 carries.

The Commanders outgained the Bucs 350 to 284, and Baker Mayfield’s lost fumble proved the difference.

Mayfield fumbled an exchange with no one around him in the fourth quarter, and Bobby Wagner recovered at the Tampa Bay 13. The Commanders converted with a go-ahead touchdown.

The Bucs rallied to tie it with 4:41 left on a Chase McLaughlin field goal but never saw the ball again.

Mayfield went 15-of-18 for 185 yards and two touchdowns, with Mike Evans catching seven for 92 yards and a touchdown. Bucky Irving rushed for 77 yards on 17 carries.