Washington secured the sixth seed in the NFC playoffs with a thrilling 23-19 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. Marcus Mariota's 5-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin in the final seconds sealed the win for the Commanders.
Mariota, who replaced Jayden Daniels at halftime, threw for two touchdowns and added a rushing TD, igniting an offense that struggled in the first half with just 64 yards of total offense.
Despite the comeback win, Washington's playoff fate was also influenced by Green Bay's loss to Chicago, which solidified the Commanders' sixth seed position.
Next weekend, Washington will face either Tampa Bay or the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round, while the Packers will visit the NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles.
For the Cowboys, quarterback Trey Lance made his first regular-season start since 2022, throwing for 244 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. Brandon Aubrey kicked four field goals for Dallas, and Rico Dowdle's 2-yard TD run briefly gave the Cowboys a lead in the fourth quarter.
Washington coach Dan Quinn, in his return to Dallas where he previously served as defensive coordinator, guided his team to the playoffs with a 12-5 record.
The Cowboys, finishing the season at 7-10, now face uncertainty surrounding coach Mike McCarthy, whose contract is expiring after a mixed tenure with the team.
Micah Parsons continued his impressive season for Dallas, reaching double-digit sacks for the fourth time in his career despite missing games due to injury.
Aubrey set an NFL record with 14 field goals from 50 yards or more in a season, solidifying his place as a reliable kicker for the Cowboys.
Washington's playoff berth marks their first since 2020 and their first postseason appearance with a winning record since 2015.
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