During the second half of an NFL football game on Sunday, January 5, 2025, in Arlington, Texas, Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland (26) showed his reaction when Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin caught a touchdown pass in front of him. The Commanders ended up winning the game 23-19. Dallas Cowboys player DaRon Bland (26) showed his reaction when Washington Commanders player Terry McLaurin caught a touchdown pass in front of him during an NFL football game on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Arlington, Texas.
The Washington Commanders won the game against the Dallas Cowboys with a score of 23-19, despite Jayden Daniels not playing in the second half as originally planned. Coach Dan Quinn decided to put Marcus Mariota in the game due to leg soreness, and it ended up being a successful move.
Mariota threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin with only 3 seconds left, helping Washington win 23-19 against Dallas on Sunday. This victory secured the sixth seed in the NFC playoffs for the Commanders. Mariota threw two touchdown passes and ran for another after taking over for Daniels. Daniels accepted his coach’s decision, but later he insisted that if it had been a do-or-die situation, they would have had to force him to leave the field.
The Commanders (12-5) didn’t have much at stake except for their playoff position, but Quinn’s decision turned out to be a good one as it helped boost an offense that only gained 64 yards in the first half. “We needed to rely more on the quarterback’s running ability, so I suggested we try this strategy,” Quinn explained. “It wasn’t planned ahead of time.” Washington didn’t actually need to win the rally to stay in the sixth seed position. This is because Green Bay lost to Chicago with a late field goal. However, the win still meant a lot as it helped the Commanders finish the regular season with a four-game winning streak.
This winning streak came after a three-game losing streak, which ended with a loss at home to Dallas. Next weekend, the Commanders will be visiting Tampa Bay in the wild-card round. The Packers are going to play against NFC East champion Philadelphia, who is the No. 2 seed.
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Commanders 2025 Opponents Finalized Following Week 18
The Washington Commanders have seen plenty of success in their first year of the Adam Peters/Dan Quinn regime. After a measly 4-13 finish in 2023, the Commanders stormed back with a 12-5 record this season, good for second place in the NFC East.
Washington is set for a road trip to Tampa Bay to take on the Buccaneers during Wild Card weekend, as Jayden Daniels will look to win his first career playoff game. The Commanders won’t have to worry about next season just yet, as their sights are set on a potential playoff run. However, following their 23-19 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 18, their opponents for 2025 have been finalized.
Home: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Las Vegas Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos
Away: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons
Looks like a tough schedule for the entire NFC East next season, as they’ll take on the NFC North and AFC West divisions. Washington will also have eight home games and nine road trips, as that flips every year. Since the Commanders are starting to build a competitive roster, it means from here on out, their schedule will become more difficult.
