The Washington Commanders, after a 19-year playoff drought, defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a thrilling game, thanks to a last-second field goal. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels continues to impress, leading the Commanders with his dual-threat abilities. Meanwhile, the race for the 2024 MVP heats up, with Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen set for a showdown in the divisional round. The Steelers, despite their regular-season success, face scrutiny after a disappointing playoff performance.
It’s been 19 long years since Commanders fans last celebrated a playoff victory. On Sunday night, January 2006, was the last time the Washington franchise tasted postseason success. The 6945-day drought finally ended when Zane Gonzalez's field goal sailed through the uprights as time expired. Just twelve months ago, even the most ardent Commanders supporter couldn't have envisioned a playoff win the following season.
They had limped through the 2023 season with a dismal 4-13 record, securing the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Both on and off the field, the Commanders were in shambles, still reeling from the tumultuous reign of former owner Dan Snyder. Despite possessing talented players like wide receiver Terry McLaurin and defensive end Johnathan Allen, the Commanders desperately needed a guiding hand, a coach and a quarterback to lead them to glory. The appointment of Dan Quinn as the team's head coach wasn't met with much fanfare from Commanders fans, who believed there were more compelling candidates. Quinn, who had previously guided the Falcons to the Super Bowl in 2018, silenced his doubters by transforming the team, injecting them with a newfound ferocity. His selection at No. 2 in the NFL Draft was a far more popular choice than Quinn's hiring. The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner is poised to add an NFL Rookie of the Year award to his already impressive collection. Daniels was a revelation all season for the Commanders, proving to be a dual-threat quarterback—both running and passing—as he propelled Washington to a 12-5 record. Jayden Daniels has exceeded all expectations as the Commanders’ No. 2 overall draft pick. He threw for 268 yards, two touchdowns, and added 36 yards on the ground, including a monumental play in the final minute where he shrugged off a Buccaneers defender and dove for the first down. That clutch play allowed the Commanders to run the clock down and kick the game-winning field goal as time expired. “If he had his heart rate monitor on, and mine, they would not be the same in the game,” Quinn quipped. “His stays pretty consistently good and sometimes I’m like the duck: If you just saw the feet going under the water, it’s good. But he really is, in that space, exceptional.” The race for the 2024 MVP between Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen will reach its peak in Buffalo with a mouthwatering divisional round showdown as the Ravens face off against the Bills. For the past month, the MVP award has been a fierce battle between Jackson and Allen, with the latter considered the odds-on favorite to win the prestigious honour for the first time. Following recent developments, Jackson has emerged as a formidable contender, shortening into unbackable odds for his third MVP. Regardless of who you believe deserves to collect the NFL’s highest individual honour, there’s no doubt that it will be an epic battle. The Pittsburgh Steelers, a proud franchise with six Super Bowl victories, haven't been close to returning to the NFL championship game in nearly a decade. The Steelers' 2024 campaign started promisingly at 10-3, but they stumbled in their final five games, including a defeat to Baltimore. Coach Mike Tomlin, known for his remarkable consistency, has never experienced a losing season since arriving in Pittsburgh. It's an astonishing statistic, yet all of the regular-season success has only translated into one Super Bowl victory (2009). “If I were a Steelers fan, the thing that would concern me just watching this first half – you’re in the post-season and you’re getting dominated,” he said on Prime Video. “I don’t see any fight, I don’t see any pushback. It’s one thing to lose to a really talented offence, but where the hell is the fight?”
NFL Playoffs Washington Commanders Jayden Daniels MVP Race Lamar Jackson Josh Allen Pittsburgh Steelers
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
US Senate passes RFK Stadium land bill, giving Commanders major off-field winThe US Senate has passed a resolution to transfer the land including old RFK Stadium from the federal government to the District of Columbia
Read more »
‘Holy s***’: Moment ex-NRL player ‘hit the wall’... and landed on unlikely path to NFLNFL: Jayden Daniels threw for 227 yards,made three touchdowns and ran for another 127 yards to guide the Commanders to an important victory over the Falcons.
Read more »
Donald Trump given 'unconditional discharge'in Stormy Daniels hush money caseThe president-elect appeared via video-link as Judge Juan Merchan sentenced him, following his conviction over a scheme to hide a hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels.
Read more »
Daniels Steals Show with Career-High PerformanceDyson Daniels shines for the Atlanta Hawks with a career-high eight steals, limiting Anthony Edwards' scoring and contributing to a 117-104 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Read more »
Daniels DOMINATES in career-high gameThis article analyzes the performance of players in a basketball game between Melbourne and Tasmania. It highlights the standout performance of Daniels, who scored a career-high, and criticizes the performance of other players, such as Matthew Dellavedova for his ejection.
Read more »
Banda Aceh: Memories of the Tsunami and the End of WarThis article explores the lasting impact of the 2004 tsunami on Banda Aceh, Indonesia, focusing on the mass graves, the high death toll, and the unexpected peace that followed the disaster.
Read more »