This Wild Card Weekend won't go down as a classic, but it did serve up the latest 'coming of age' moment for the Washington Commanders on Sunday night as rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels delivered his team a playoff victory for the first time since the 2005 season.
There will always be throws and runs to be analysed when it comes to quarterbacks in any game. But I think there was much more to celebrate as Daniels led the Commanders to a 23-20 win that was clinched with Zane Gonzalez's 37-yard field goal that doinked in off the upright as time expired.
In the midst of a tense, back-and-forth game with seasons on the line; Daniels could not have looked calmer and in more control. While fans of both teams were biting their fingernails with nerves, Daniels flatlined his way through more than three hours of action.
Time and again, he made big plays without rarely seeming to raise his pulse rate. His first touchdown to Dyami Brown came on a key third and goal in the first half and he gave Washington a 20-17 fourth quarter lead on a fourth down scoring throw to Terry McLaurin.
The reaction to both scores was business-like… there was still work to be done.
And Daniels did that work with a casual elegance, guiding Washington into field goal range with a strike over the middle to Brown and an inch-perfect throw to Austin Ekeler that almost landed on the head of the covering defender.
Daniels has delivered hope to an entire franchise and city. The Commanders went 4-13 just a year ago and have just recorded their 13th victory of this 2024 campaign. That's what can happen when you find yourself a legitimate performer at quarterback.
That's what the Commanders have now in Daniels and he has the skills and demeanour to be one of the league's brightest stars for many years to come.
And a franchise that had become an embarrassment under its previous ownership group, is now back among the NFL's elite and playing games on the biggest of stages.
Who's Hot…
Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry… Throughout the regular season, Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry combined to average 167 rushing yards per game for the Baltimore Ravens. They upped their output in Saturday's 28-14 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Henry rushed for 186 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries, while Jackson added 81 yards on 15 carries. That's a whopping 267 yards between two men who are the undoubted focal points of the Baltimore attack. This was everything that had been predicted in the offseason coming to fruition. How can you load up to stop Jackson when Henry needs to be keyed upon? And vice versa. The Steelers didn't know if they were coming or going, defensively. Poor T.J. Watt must have led the game in tackles on running backs… who didn't have the football! Every time he went full out to stop Henry, Lamar would pull the ball and take off downfield. The Ravens took the souls of the Steelers and trod them into the ground, rushing 50 times for 299 yards (it would have been 300 but for a quarterback kneel-down costing them a yard to end the game). That pairing could very well power the Ravens all the way to Super Bowl glory.
The Houston Texans' defense… The Texans still have some issues on the offensive side of the ball because quarterback C.J. Stroud can get affected by pressure that has been a very real issue all season (Stroud was sacked 52 times and hit on 109 occasions in 2024 – both second-highest in the league). But the form of Houston's defense means they will be a dangerous opponent for the top-seed Kansas City Chiefs when the Divisional Round begins on Saturday night. Houston's 32-12 win over the Los Angeles Chargers was powered by an aggressive and opportunistic defense that intercepted Justin Herbert four times to end a season in which he had been picked off just three times prior to the weekend. The Texans also sacked Herbert four times. When you think about the problems that have arisen for the Chiefs at various times this season – a lack of pass protection and Patrick Mahomes interceptions – you can see why Houston have at least a puncher's chance as they head to Arrowhead.
The Los Angeles Rams… When the Rams rested their starters in a Week 18 loss to Seattle, it told the whole football world that Sean McVay believes his team can beat anyone in the league. That result set up what looked like a harder game against the Minnesota Vikings. But at the end of a tumultuous week in which the Los Angeles wildfires forced the team to play their first-round playoff game in Arizona, you can see that confidence was well founded. McVay – who had to evacuate his family home in the days leading up to the Rams' 27-9 victory over the 14-win Minnesota Vikings – is overseeing a very dangerous team that has won six of their last seven. Ever since they came out of their bye week with a 1-4 record, the Rams have been red hot; winning 10 of 13 contests. The Rams have key players who won the Super Bowl at the end of the 2021 season in quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Cooper Kupp, another dominant wideout in Puka Nacua and an emerging and growing defense. Why should their journey end this coming weekend in Philadelphia? They have every chance of rolling on to the NFC Championship Game.
Who's Not…
Mike Tomlin… The Pittsburgh Steelers are not a franchise that will make rash decisions when it comes to head coaches. They have only had three since 1969 in Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin. They are an incredibly consistent and patient ownership group when it comes to their head coaches. For that reason, Tomlin is not on a hot seat of any kind – but all eyes will be on him and his team in 2025. Pittsburgh ended the year with five straight losses, including Saturday's 28-14 beatdown at the hands of the Ravens. And they have now lost their last five postseason games. Tomlin has not delivered a playoff win for the Steelers since the end of the 2016 season. An eight-year run. Noll never went more than four seasons without a playoff win. For Cowher, it was a three-year run from 1998-2000. That will all serve as the backdrop to what will be a pressure-filled 2025 season for the Steelers. What would help is finding a long-term answer at quarterback, but they're too good to get up near the top of the NFL Draft. Missing on Kenny Pickett a few years back hurt this team. So, they are now buyers in a market that could feature the likes of Sam Darnold, Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers.
The Green Bay Packers… If you asked me to sum up the Green Bay Packers' season, I would say that it was good; but not good enough. They looked very impressive at times, but they were so often found wanting against the league's better teams. They lost form down the stretch with three defeats in their final five regular season games. And it was not surprising to see them crash out of the NFC playoffs in the first round with Sunday's 22-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. There were quite a few issues on Sunday, but quarterback Jordan Love must reflect on a contest in which he threw three interceptions. It was an up-and-down showing from Love in the season that immediately followed the signing of his new $55 million-per-year contract. If he is going to be paid like one of the league's superstars, Packers fans will hope to see more from him in 2025.
Sam Darnold… After spending much of the 2024 season as the year's feel-good story, Sam Darnold cooled off at the worst possible time and his form at quarterback was a major reason the Minnesota Vikings went crashing out in the first round of the playoffs. Darnold was guilty of holding the ball too long in Minnesota's 31-9 loss to Detroit in Week 18 – a result that dropped the Vikings from the potential one seed down to the five, where they then faced the Rams. And in Monday's loss, Darnold was sacked a playoff record-tying nine times. When you see that sort of statistic, your first thought is often that the offensive line broke down badly. On this occasion, Darnold was holding the ball for far too long and a lot of the blame should fall on him. Darnold has shown he can still be a starter in the NFL, but I think Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell will now want to see what his attack looks like when being led by J.J. McCarthy in 2025. It was a fun ride for the Vikings with Darnold at the helm and I will be intrigued to see where he lands next season, even though I don't think he will hit the heady heights of 2024 again once outside of Minnesota.
The Fast Five…
- The Eagles were victorious against the Packers, but it was far from pretty and they have work to be done if things are to be tidied ahead of a Divisional Round game against the Rams. Philadelphia was penalized seven times and Jalen Hurts threw for just 131 yards on his return from concussion. I think there is more to come from Hurts if they ever need to open up the offense, but the reliance on Saquon Barkley (119 rushing yards in the Wild Card round) is so strong that Hurts can play within himself and wide receiver A.J. Brown can read a book while sitting on the bench.
- A season that delivered more than could have been expected back in the summer has ended for the Denver Broncos. Sunday's 31-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills signaled the end of the road for Sean Payton's men, but they have reason to feel optimistic about their direction of travel thanks to the rookie season put forth by Bo Nix. I think he is going to be one of the NFL's fun quarterbacks to watch in the coming years.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield lost a late fumble that led to a short field and a Washington touchdown on Sunday night. And it is, by his own admission, something that will stick in his mind for months to come. That was a reminder of the intensity of the playoffs. One minute you're in the heat of a tight battle. A few minutes later, it's over! And then you have eight long months to think about where it all went wrong.
- While the Los Angeles Chargers had a good season with 11 wins and have reason to feel positive moving forward under head coach Jim Harbaugh, that 32-12 loss to the Houston Texans must have stuck in the throat. The Chargers controlled the early stages but lacked firepower as the game rolled on. Finding more weapons outside of Ladd McConkey is a must for 2025 and beyond.
- Superstar quarterback Josh Allen is always going to grab the headlines for the Buffalo Bills and he was very good in Sunday's win over Denver, completing 20 of 26 passes for 272 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. But there is more balance to the Bills these days and that was evident as Buffalo rushed for 210 yards, led by James Cook's 120 on the ground. This is a more complete Buffalo team in this playoff run, compared to previous years.
Fact of the Week
In rushing for 186 yards against Pittsburgh, Baltimore's Derrick Henry secured his fourth career playoff game with at least 150 rushing yards. That tied Terrell Davis' all-time NFL record. Each of Henry's prior three games came with the Tennessee Titans from 2017 to 2019. He is the first player in NFL history to have more than 150 rushing yards in a playoff game with two different franchises.
Final Thought…
And then there were eight. The top four seeds in the AFC have reached the Divisional Round as Houston will take on Kansas City and Buffalo will host Baltimore. In the NFC, the form book got thrown about just a little bit and now the Rams will visit the Eagles and the top-seed Detroit Lions will host Washington. What is notable about all eight of those teams remaining in the playoffs? If you asked each of their general managers or head coaches, all of them would say that they believe they have their 'guy' at quarterback, even the Rams with Stafford's advancing years (he turns 37 just before the Super Bowl). It's yet another reminder that you just cannot thrive in the NFL without a reliable option at that most important of positions.
