The playoffs have officially begun, and the Washington Commanders are one of seven NFC teams vying for a Super Bowl berth in February.
The Commanders (12-5) finished the regular season with their most wins since 1991 after a dramatic victory against the Dallas Cowboys. The win helped them remain locked into the No. 6 seed, which means they will play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card Round. The matchup will be rematch from Week 1, when the Buccaneers handed the Commanders a 37-20 loss in Jayden Daniels' first-career start.
But there's more to watch this weekend, as more games will be played before and after the Commanders and Buccaneers play at 8 p.m. on Sunday Night Football. Let's preview each matchup on the NFC side of the bracket.
No. 2 Philadelphia Eagles vs. No. 7 Green Bay Packers (Sunday, 4:30 p.m.)
Though Jalen Hurts remains in the concussion protocol for now, the Eagles have proven they can win with whoever is under center. They still have Saquon Barkley, who became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards, and a defense that took major strides in the second half of the season.
The Packers, however, will be one of the toughest tests they've had all season with their fifth-ranked offense and sixth-ranked defense. They will be the next team charged with finding an answer on how to stop Barkley and are equipped to do so. They're one of just seven teams this season to allow fewer than 100 rushing yards per game.
The Eagles played the Packers in Week 1 and survived a shootout, 34-29.
No. 3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. No. 6 Washington Commanders (Sunday, 8 p.m.)
The Buccaneers and Commanders have taken different paths since Washington last played at Raymond James Stadium. While the Buccaneers still have one of the best offenses in the league, fueled by the connection between Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans, that hasn't always been enough to save them. They went through a four-game losing streak in the middle of the season and had a scare against the New Orleans Saints to close out the season. Their defense underperformed this year, but it still presents an exotic challenge that gave Washington problems in the first go-around.
Over the last four months, the Commanders have become one of the best stories in the league thanks to Daniels' record-setting season fueling an offense that finished seventh in yards per game and fifth in points. The past four wins were not easy, though, as sluggish starts forced them to pull out dramatic finishes. To their credit, the Commanders executed in those moments, and the experience of winning those close games might be an advantage in the postseason.
Check out the top photos of the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium for their Week 18 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys, shot on Sony. (Photos by Emilee Fails/Washington Commanders)
No. 4 Los Angeles Rams vs. No. 5 Minnesota Vikings (Monday, 8 p.m.)
The special playoff edition of Monday Night Football will feature yet another rematch between two NFC teams. The Rams were one of just three teams that managed to figure out the Vikings' defense and took them down at home, 30-20. The Rams were just 2-4 heading into that game, and they have since won five of their last six contests. They're around the middle or bottom of the league in several statistical categories, but head coach Sean McVay knows how to put together a game plan that can make them competitive against any team.
The Vikings missed out on their shot at being the No. 1 seed last Sunday after being blown out by the Detroit Lions on the road. They're still one of the best teams in the conference with as good a shot as any at making a deep run. Sam Darnold has put together a career year, while the defense has put stifling pressure on almost every opposing quarterback with 49 sacks. Going on the road in the postseason is difficult for any team, but the Vikings are equipped to thrive in a hostile environment.
