The Commanders took a major gamble with Jayden Daniels in the lineup on fourth down. But Marcus Mariota ended up getting criticized.

To upset the No. 1 seeded Detroit Lions on the road, the Washington Commanders knew they’d probably have to be perfect. They knew they’d have to pull out every trick from their bag to steal points, possessions, and generally keep the Lions on their toes.

The Commanders are going to have to play a near-perfect game to usurp the Lions in Detroit on Saturday night and punch a ticket to the NFC championship game. How exactly journeyman quarterback Marcus Mariota fits into that plan remains to be seen.

Commanders backup quarterback Marcus Mariota had some high praise for rookie, Jayden Daniels's future after Week 18

Marcus Mariota threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin with 3 seconds left, lifting Washington to a 23-19 victory over the Dallas Cowboys and clinching the sixth seed in the NFC playoffs for the Commanders.

The Washington Commanders beat the Dallas Cowboys 23-19 in Week 18. The Commanders had to score on three of their final four possessions, including an 11-play, 91-yard drive that culminated in a Terry McLaurin touchdown to take the lead with three seconds left on the clock.