NFL

NFL Wild Card Fans Respond To Zane Gonzalez, Washington Commanders Kicking Aside Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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By
Jeff Hawkins
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Jeff Hawkins Sports Editor

Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry, in both print and digital media. He joined the Sportscasting team in 2021 following a decade of freelancing. He spent his early career as a reporter for various newspapers in Illinois, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Michigan, with a particular emphasis as a beat reporter for the Chicago Blackhawks. Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Oakland University. Over the course of his career he earned several sports writing awards, including two national awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors for column writing and news reporting. One of the five prized columns included a commentary on NASCAR's increasing corporate influences, particularly in northern racetracks — commentary which you might find Jeff building on as part of the Motorsports writing team at Sportscasting now.  

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Published12 Jan 2025

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A doink for the NFL Wild Card dub. 

Journeyman placekicker Zane Gonzalez, who returned to the league for the first time since 2021 after the Washington Commanders cycled through five other kickers since training camp, lined up for a game-winning attempt, sticking the right upright. But the 37-yard field goal attempt bounced through the goal post, clinching Sunday night’s 23-20 victory over the stunned host Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Who said the Commanders were having kicker problems? 

Not Gonzalez, who went 3-for-3 Sunday and lifted the franchise to its first postseason win in a generation. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels went 24 of 35 for 268 yards and two touchdown passes, registering a 110.2 rating in his first playoff start. 

The No. 6-seeded Commanders advanced to the divisional round and will travel to face the No. 1 Detroit Lions next Saturday night.   

X (Twitter) users replied to Gonzalez’s doink for the dub … 

It’s been a while for the Commanders/Redskins …

Raymond James Stadium’s field crew was seeing red during its pre-game preparations. The Bucs’ players saw red afterward … 

Rookie Bucky Irving looked ready to go in his first playoff appearance … 

 The Commanders accepted the underdog role on the road. Entering Sunday night, the first four Wild Card home teams earned wins … 

The host Buccaneers looked good early, taking a 3-0 lead on their opening possession. Kicker Chase McLaughlin hit a 50-yarder. In two seasons with the Bucs, McLaughlin connected on three postseason field goals of at least 50 yards … 

The Commanders passed on a chance to tie the game with a 37-yard field goal, electing to go for a fourth-and-two play. They converted 87 percent of their fourth-down attempts during the regular season, but Daniels spiked his first chance Sunday. They failed to take advantage of a 36-yard reception by Terry McLaurin … 

Capitalizing on a 17-play, 92-yard drive covering 9:08, Daniels hit Dyami Brown on a 10-yard TD pass, propelling the Commanders to take a 7-3 lead at 9:26 of the second quarter. It was Daniels’ first career postseason-scoring pass … 

Signaling what kind of game it would develop into for Gonzalez, the veteran hit a 52-yard field goal with 1:52 remaining in the second quarter, giving Commanders a 10-3 lead … 

Held in check following their opening series, the Buccaneers drove 74 yards in just 1:42 to tie the game just before halftime on quarterback Baker Mayfield’s 1-yard TD pass to Mike Evans. Going against cornerback Marshon Lattimore, who was called for pass interference on the previous play, Evans caught four passes for 55 yards and the late score … 

Following a clutch pass breakup by cornerback Jamel Dean on a third-and-goal throw from Daniels to McLaurin, the Commanders settled for a 22-yard field goal by Gonzalez … 

Mayfield rallied the Buccaneers during the ensuing series. Capping a 10-play, 72-yard drive, Mayfield hit Irving for a 4-yard TD pass as the Bucs claimed a 17-13 lead. It was the rookie’s first NFL receiving score. He had eight rushing TDs during the regular season … 

The Commanders, going for a fourth-and-goal play from the 3-yard line, Daniels threw incomplete with 14:01 remaining in the fourth quarter as the Bucs again proved to be the NFL’s top fourth-down defense … 

After recovering a Mayfield fumble, the Commanders faced another fourth-and-goal situation. They went for it again and Daniels delivered a 5-yard touchdown pass to McLaurin, lifting the Commanders to a 20-17 lead with 9:46 to go … 

A botched center exchange led to Irving getting tackled for a 2-yard loss and forcing Bucs kicker Chase McLaughlin to hit from 31 yards out to create another tie. But not for long …  

Head down, Mayfield walked into his offseason vacation …

Final score: Commanders 23, Buccaneers 20 …