“Dan Quinn Gamble Finally Pays Off”: Chad Johnson Appreciates Commanders HC’s Decision Making Against Buccaneers

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell has garnered the nickname “Dan Gamble” for the aggressive mindset he brings to NFL sidelines. Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn stole his mantra during his team’s wild card game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And the Commanders picked up their first playoff victory in almost two decades.

Quinn elected to go for it on 4th down inside the Bucs’ 5-yard line in the fourth quarter twice on Sunday night. Washington turned the ball over on downs the first time. On the second try, quarterback Jayden Daniels found Terry McLaurin for a 5-yard touchdown.

The scoring strike gave the Commanders a 20-17 lead. Without it, kicker Zane Gonzalez would not have been able to deliver a game-winning 37-yard field goal as regulation expired.

Former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson applauded Quinn’s fearless mentality on Twitter/X. He said Quinn’s gamble “finally” paid off moments after the McLaurin touchdown.

One fan joked about Johnson’s phrasing in his comment section. He correctly mentioned Washington went 3-for-5 on 4th down in the game. The McLaurin touchdown play was the sixth-seeded Commanders’ third successful conversion against the third-seeded Buccaneers.

History repeated itself multiple times this weekend. The 2025 AFC Divisional round will feature the same four teams as last year. On the NFC side, Washington’s win did something similar. Prior to tonight’s 23-20 triumph, the last time the Commanders/Redskins won a postseason game was Jan. 7, 2006. That day, sixth-seeded Washington beat third-seeded Tampa Bay 17-10.

What is the NFL Divisional round schedule?

The Commanders, regardless of the Minnesota Vikings-Los Angeles Rams final score on Monday, are the NFC’s lowest remaining seed. That distinction sends them to Detroit for a battle with the top-seeded Lions next weekend.

The NFL revealed kickoff times for the Divisional round shortly after Washington’s win. The Commanders will be back in action at 8:00 p.m. E.T. on Saturday, Jan. 18. FOX will carry the game’s television broadcast.

The AFC’s No. 1 seed, the back-to-back Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, will also play on Saturday. Patrick Mahomes and Co. face the fourth-seeded Houston Texans at 4:30 p.m. E.T. The Philadelphia Eagles, fresh off today’s 22-10 smothering of the Green Bay Packers, will take on the Vikings-Rams winner on Sunday, Jan. 19 at 3:00 p.m. E.T.

Divisional round play rounds out with the AFC No. 3 seed Baltimore Ravens clashing with the No. 2 seed Buffalo Bills. The highly-anticipated showdown features MVP favorites Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, fighting to continue their quest for their first Lombardi Trophy. Kickoff for the game will take place at 6:30 p.m. E.T. on CBS.