Commander Country

Commanders Must Learn From Cowboys Game to Win in Playoffs

The Washington Commanders made mistakes against the Dallas Cowboys that won't fly in the playoffs.

Jeremy Brener

Jan 5, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin (17) makes the game-winning touchdown catch over Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland (26) during the fourth quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Jan 5, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin (17) makes the game-winning touchdown catch over Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland (26) during the fourth quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
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The Washington Commanders are heading to the Sunshine State for their Wild Card playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Commanders claimed the No. 6 seed in the NFC after beating the Dallas Cowboys in Week 18, but the game came down to the final play after a heap of mistakes nearly cost them the win.

Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin explained what the team must do to get past the Bucs in the Wild Card round.

"If we want to be able to chance to win next week, we’ve got to get off to a fast start immediately and be able sustain some momentum throughout the game so it doesn’t come down to ‘oh shoot’. You know what I mean? The great thing about this team is we’ve been resilient all year and we’ve proven that we can execute in the gotta-have-it situations. But playoffs is a new season. You’ve got to be able to play for four quarters and play well to have a chance to win," McLaurin said.

The Commanders scored just three points while Jayden Daniels was under center in the first half, and that won't cut it against the red-hot Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have won five of their last six games coming into the postseason.

Kickoff between the Commanders and Buccaneers is scheduled for Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.

More Washington Commanders News

• Commanders WR Terry McLaurin Sends Message Ahead of Playoffs

• Commanders Playoff Seed Revealed After Win vs. Cowboys

• Commanders' Marcus Mariota Integral to Jayden Daniels' Success

• Commanders' Dan Quinn Explains Jayden Daniels Benching vs. Cowboys

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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