Commanders vs Buccaneers Prediction: Daniels Leads Washington to Surprise Success (Jan 12)

• The Commanders earned their fifth straight win in Week 18, defeating the Cowboys.
• Tampa Bay clinched the NFC South division with a 27-19 home victory over the Saints.
• These two teams last faced off back in Week 1, in a game that the Buccaneers won 37-20.

The NFL postseason is here! Wild Card Week continues with a trio of Sunday games. Our Commanders vs Buccaneers prediction features a closely contested battle between two underdogs.

Commanders Seek to End Postseason Skid

Washington selected LSU QB Jayden Daniels with the 2nd-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Pegged by some as a peculiar decision, Daniels immediately proved his doubters wrong. As a rookie, he posted the NFL’s 4th-best QBR and led his team to a 12-5 record.

Daniels was banged up down the stretch but enters this game at full health. After rushing for nearly 900 yards on the season, expect Daniels to take full advantage of his dual threat ability. His stellar play has resulted in the breakout of several key offensive players as well.

Surrounding Daniels is some solid talent, most notably veterans RB Austin Ekeler and WR Terry McLaurin. The duo has provided Daniels with safety options to throw to, decreasing any potential mistakes. He’ll be aiming for revenge this week after losing the first game of his NFL career in Week 1 to Tampa Bay. The Commanders have won five straight games thanks to their defense improving.

Buccaneers Riding High After Another Division Title

Tampa Bay won the NFC South for the fourth consecutive season. Most of that is due to the weakness of their division, which has been the worst in football for half a decade. On the other hand, the Buccaneers’ consistency despite rebuilding after their Super Bowl trip in 2021 has been impressive.

QB Baker Mayfield continues to play at a high level, although not exceptional. He finished ranked 13th in the NFL in QBR this year. Tampa Bay’s calling cards are their excellent coaching and strong defense, which keep them in the game against any opponent. They’ll aim to build on their winning ways here.

Baker Mayfield’s 41 passing TDs rank 2nd in the NFL and illustrate how sneakily dangerous Tampa Bay’s offense can be. Their dual-headed rushing attack of Rachaad White and Bucky Irving features two stellar backs capable of making an impact in the passing game as well. The Buccaneers will be hoping their balanced roster can slow down the dynamic unpredictability of Daniels once again.

Commanders vs Buccaneers Prediction: Daniels Wins It

Throw the Week 1 result between these teams out the window. It is impossible to assume that they will be the same teams that they were four months ago. From a clean slate, the Commanders have the advantage in this game, despite being on the road.

Tampa Bay won’t be an easy out, but Washington’s offense, led by Jayden Daniels, is more capable of making game-breaking plays. On the other hand, Washington needs their run defense to be at its best to avoid a frustrating loss. We’ll take the Commanders to pull off the upset in this one.

Tags:
• NFL Playoffs