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The Washington Commanders defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20 in their NFC Wild Card matchup on Sunday. Commanders head coach Dan Quinn was noticeably thrilled for his squad and the fanbase after the game, earning the franchise's first playoff victory since 2006.
Zane Gonzalez drilled a 37-yard kick to give Washington the late lead as time expired. His field goal ricocheted off the right upright before falling gracefully through, and the postseason-starved fans.
“I felt like I was in a Bounty commercial, like when the cup spills,” Quinn said of the doinked-in game-winning field goal, mocking the slow-motion nooooooooo before the kick went in,” via Greg Auman of FOX Sports.
Quinn's energy was certainly felt after the inspiring victory, and the Commanders now look to be a potential Cinderella Story.
Commanders move on to face the NFC's top seed
The last time that Washington was in legitimate contention was during their 11-win 1991 campaign. They finished 14-2, and won Super Bowl XXVI under Joe Gibbs.
As the Commanders prepare an offensive showdown against the Detroit Lions in the NFC Divisional round, Quinn has helped shape this exciting roster into a formidable dynasty, and he's firm in his stance that there are many reasons to believe in his team to pull off an upset.
“This is a really connected team,” Quinn said, per ESPN's John Keim. “They believe in one another and you have to have that connection to also have that belief.”
There was little doubt leading up to their matchup with the Buccaneers that the game wouldn't end in dramatic fashion. Quinn and the Commanders have been through much of those situations throughout the year, and their resilience has put them in their current position.
“To be honest,” Commanders defensive tackle Jon Allen said, “I wasn't surprised. At this point, the way everything's been going, we train for these moments. We've been in these moments all season.”
