Washington Commanders vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Match Player Stats: Full Wild Card Breakdown

The 2024-25 NFL playoffs opened with a statement. The Washington Commanders traveled to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa and defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20 in the Wild Card round on January 12, 2025.

You want the full picture — the numbers, the players, and what made the difference. Read on for every key stat from one of the most gripping Wild Card matchups of the postseason.

What Was the Final Score Between the Commanders and Buccaneers?

Washington won 23-20. The Commanders entered as a 12-5 team and the Buccaneers finished the regular season 10-7. The final scoreline tells only part of the story. Washington dominated time of possession at 35:26 to Tampa Bay’s 24:34, accumulated 350 total net yards against Tampa’s 284, and committed fewer penalty yards (39 vs. 65). The Commanders controlled the clock, the field, and ultimately the outcome.

Interestingly, Washington had zero punts in the entire game — the first time the franchise accomplished that in a playoff game since 1945. They also converted three fourth-down attempts, the most in a Commanders playoff game since at least 2000.

How Did Jayden Daniels Perform Against the Buccaneers?

Jayden Daniels was the engine behind Washington’s victory. The rookie quarterback completed 24 of 35 pass attempts for 268 yards, threw 2 touchdowns, and added zero interceptions. On the ground, he carried 13 times for 36 yards.

His performance was composed and calculated throughout. Daniels consistently moved the chains on third and fourth down, helping Washington convert eight third downs — the franchise’s best single postseason game total since January 8, 2000. For a first-year starter, those numbers carry enormous weight. According to NFL tracking data, rookie quarterbacks rarely perform at that efficiency level in playoff environments.

What separates his performance was the accuracy under pressure. A 68.6% completion rate in a Wild Card game, against a defense that held opponents to under 300 passing yards in multiple regular-season matchups, stands as a meaningful achievement.

Who Were the Top Receivers for Washington in This Game?

Two receivers stood out for the Commanders: Terry McLaurin and Dyami Brown. McLaurin caught 7 passes for 89 yards and scored 1 touchdown, with a long reception of 35 yards. Brown also hauled in 5 passes for 89 yards and added a touchdown of his own, with a long of 30 yards.

The rest of the receiving corps contributed steadily. Austin Ekeler caught 3 passes for 26 yards. Zach Ertz added 2 receptions for 23 yards, and Brian Robinson added 4 catches for 22 yards. Odell Zaccheaus contributed 3 receptions for 19 yards.

McLaurin has now cemented himself as the team’s go-to option in high-leverage moments. His 7-catch, 89-yard performance against a Tampa Bay secondary that ranked among the better units in the NFC South speaks to his reliability as a postseason receiver.

How Did Washington’s Running Backs Perform?

The Commanders did not rely heavily on the ground game, but the backs played their role effectively. Austin Ekeler led the backfield with 8 carries for 27 yards, with a long run of 12 yards. Brian Robinson added 10 carries for 16 yards, his longest run going for 5. Jayden Daniels himself ranked as Washington’s leading rusher with 13 scrambles for 36 yards, adding an extra dimension that Tampa struggled to contain.

The rushing output was modest by volume, but Washington’s offensive philosophy leaned on sustained possession drives rather than explosive runs. Five drives of 10 or more plays helped wear down the Buccaneers defense — only the eighth time since 2000 that any team achieved that in a playoff game.

What Were Baker Mayfield’s Stats Against the Commanders?

Baker Mayfield had an efficient outing in a losing effort. He completed 15 of 18 pass attempts for 185 yards, threw 2 touchdowns, and recorded 0 interceptions. On the ground, he scrambled 7 times for 23 yards, with a long run of 18.

A 83.3% completion rate sounds dominant. The problem was volume. The Commanders’ time-of-possession advantage left Tampa Bay’s offense with fewer opportunities, and Mayfield’s 15 completions, while accurate, produced only 284 team yards. Efficiency without possession proved insufficient against Washington’s methodical approach.

Who Were the Key Receivers for the Buccaneers?

Mike Evans led all Tampa Bay receivers with 7 catches for 92 yards and a touchdown, with a long catch of 23 yards. His performance showed his class as a veteran receiver, but the Commanders’ secondary held firm enough in the final minutes to prevent a comeback.

Jalen McMillan contributed 2 catches for 41 yards, including a 26-yard reception. Cade Otton added 2 receptions for 32 yards, while Rachaad White caught 2 passes for 14 yards. Bucky Irving, primarily a running back, added 2 catches for 6 yards and a receiving touchdown — one of the more surprising stat lines in the box score.

Evans has reached 1,000 receiving yards in ten consecutive seasons entering 2024, and his postseason performance demonstrated why Tampa Bay leaned on him. But 7 catches for 92 yards alone cannot carry a game when the defense surrenders 35 minutes of ball control to the opponent.

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How Did Tampa Bay’s Running Backs Fare?

The Buccaneers leaned on Bucky Irving in the backfield. Irving carried 17 times for 77 yards, with a long run of 19, and added 2 catches for 6 yards and a touchdown. Mayfield himself was Tampa’s second-leading rusher with 23 yards on seven attempts. Rachaad White had a single carry for 1 yard.

Irving’s 77 rushing yards represented Tampa’s most productive ground effort, but the Commanders’ defense kept the Buccaneers’ rushing attack from breaking open. With Washington converting on third and fourth down so frequently, Tampa never got the short fields needed to make their run game decisive.

What Historic Milestones Did the Commanders Achieve in This Game?

Several records fell in Washington’s favor. Head Coach Dan Quinn became the first Commanders head coach to win a playoff game since Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs did so in 2005 — exactly 20 years apart. Quinn also became the first head coach in franchise history to win a postseason game in his first season with the team during the Super Bowl Era.

Washington’s conversion rate on third downs (8 of however many attempts) marked the franchise’s best single postseason performance since January 8, 2000 against the Detroit Lions. Three fourth-down conversions in one playoff game had not been achieved by any Commanders team since at least the year 2000. The franchise also improved to 7-4 all-time in Wild Card games and moved to 2-2 all-time against Tampa Bay in the postseason.

Perhaps the most striking note: Washington punted zero times. The fourth team since 2015 to go puntless in a playoff game, and the first Commanders team to do so since 1945.

How Do the Washington Commanders vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Stats Compare Overall?

Here is a direct comparison of the key team stats from the Wild Card matchup:

Washington’s offensive approach told the story clearly. The Commanders moved the ball methodically, converted in critical situations, and gave Tampa Bay’s offense fewer chances. The Buccaneers had efficiency on their side — Mayfield’s completion percentage was exceptional — but efficiency without opportunity rarely wins playoff games.

What Did This Win Mean for Washington’s Playoff Run?

The Wild Card victory sent the Commanders to Detroit for the Divisional Round. Washington improved to 24-20 all-time in the postseason and extended its road playoff record to 8-12. The win also marked the franchise’s first road playoff victory since 2005, which — perhaps fittingly — came against the same Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

For a team built around a rookie quarterback and a first-year head coach, the performance against Tampa Bay signaled something larger. You saw a team that could sustain drives, execute under pressure, and manage a playoff atmosphere on the road. Daniels’s zero-interception performance and Washington’s zero-punt game are the kinds of statistical outliers that define postseason runs.

The Commanders vs Buccaneers Wild Card game delivered everything fans expected: close score, star performances, historic milestones, and a final possession that went to the team that controlled the tempo from start to finish.