Zane Gonzalez Hits Game-Winning Field Goal to Lead Washington Commanders Past Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Zane Gonzalez has narrowly helped keep Washington Commanders’ playoff run alive…

The 29-year-old Mexican American professional football placekicker’s field goal, which is being called the “Divisional Doink,” helped the Commanders beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card round, 23-20, after getting a little help from the goal post.

Zane Gonzalez, Washington CommandersGetting the ball with 4:41 left to play in the fourth quarter after the Bucs tied it with a field goal at 20 apiece, Jayden Daniels and the Commanders’ offense were methodical with their drive, knowing that burning the right amount of clock could end in a game-winning field goal at the buzzer.

There were a few crucial plays on the drive to keep it alive, including Daniels finding Dyami Brown, who scored the game’s first touchdown, for a 21-yard on 3rd-and-6 to continue owning the ball. Then, with 55 seconds left, Daniels was able to run for four yards on third-and-2 from Tampa Bay’s 19-yard line, icing the chance to end the game.

When Gonzalez stepped into that kick from 37 yards out, it started immediately going to the right, and every Bucs fan at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay was hoping it wouldn’t split the uprights. But when it rang off the right goalpost, it went through for the three points and the victory to move on to the Divisional Round.

This is the first playoff win for Washington since 2005, and it came from another gutsy performance by the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Daniels has solidified his role as the team’s franchise quarterback with a tremendous regular season, but he didn’t fold under playoff pressure on the road against a Bucs team that demolished the Philadelphia Eagles on their home turf just a season ago in the same round.

Daniels, though, was calm and collected, going 24-for-35 for 268 yards with two touchdown passes, including one to Terry McLaurin which came after quite easily the most pivotal moment of the game.

The Bucs’ defense got a fantastic fourth-and-goal stop to turn the Commanders over on downs on their own three yard line. But just four plays later, Baker Mayfield botched what appeared to be a fake handoff to rookie receiver Jalen McMillan. The ball hit McMillan’s arm and went to the floor.

It was the Commanders who recovered on Tampa Bay’s 11-yard line, and Daniels made the Bucs pay with a five-yard pass to McLaurin on fourth-and-2 to take the lead.

The Bucs weren’t able to cash in on another red zone trip on the ensuing drive, opting to kick a game-tying field goal on fourth-and-3 from Washington’s 14-yard line. But they wouldn’t see the ball again thanks to Daniels and his offense.

Mayfield was just 15-for-18 for 185 yards with two touchdowns, while Bucky Irving rushed for 77 yards on 17 carries. Mike Evans had the team’s first touchdown as part of his seven-catch, 92-yard day.

Meanwhile, Brown and McLaurin each had 89 receiving yards on the night.

Dave Canales to Serve as Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Offensive Coordinator

Dave Canales is going on the offensive

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have hired the 41-year-old Latino football coach and former Seattle Seahawks quarterback coach as their new offensive coordinator, the team announced Thursday.

Dave Canales,The move comes two days after he interviewed with the team.

Canales was the 10th candidate to interview with Tampa Bay for the position since the team fired Byron Leftwich after four seasons on Jan. 19.

“Dave has done a great job in a variety of roles with Seattle the past 13 years and he brings a passion for coaching and an energy level that players just seem to respond to,” Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said in a statement. “He has played a significant part in the development and growth of many Seahawks players who have contributed to their offensive success over the past decade, and I look forward to seeing what he will do with our players on offense.”

Canales had been with the Seahawks since 2010, first as their wide receivers coach, followed by quarterbacks coach (2018-19), passing game coordinator (2020-21) and then quarterbacks coach again (2022).

Prior to Seattle, Canales was an assistant strength coach at USC in 2009, a special teams/tight ends coach at El Camino College (Calif.) from 2006 to 2008 and the offensive coordinator at Carson High School (Calif.) from 2004-05.

Before he started coaching, he played wide receiver and defensive back at Azusa Pacific University.

Seahawks general manager John Schneider said Thursday on Seattle Sports Radio 710 AM that Brad Idzik will be following Canales to Tampa Bay to be the Buccaneers’ wide receivers coach. Idzik has been on Seattle’s staff since 2019, most recently as the assistant wide receivers coach.

Bowles, who is moving into his second season with the Bucs after an 8-9 finish in 2022, still has coaching vacancies at the quarterback and running back positions. After Tom Brady‘s retirement, the Bucs also currently have just one quarterback under contract in Kyle Trask, who saw regular-season action for the first time this past season.

Other coaches the Bucs interviewed for the offensive coordinator job include former Georgia OC Todd Monken (who was hired by the Baltimore Ravens this week); Detroit Lions assistant head coach/running backs coach Scottie MontgomeryLos Angeles Rams assistant head coach/tight ends coach Thomas BrownCincinnati Bengals quarterbacks coach Dan PitcherNew Orleans Saints passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ronald CurryNew York Giants quarterbacks coach Shea TierneyJacksonville Jaguars passing game coordinator Jim Bob CooterMinnesota Vikings wide receivers coach and former Buccaneer Keenan McCardell; and Denver Broncos passing game coordinator Klint Kubiak.

Aguayo Drafted in the Second Round of the NFL Draft

Roberto Aguayo is headed to the National Football League

The 21-year-old Latino kicker, who played for Florida State, was picked in the second round of the NFL draft.

Roberto Aguayo

Aguayo, the 59th pick overall, was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, becoming the highest-drafted kicker since Mike Nugent in 2005.

The NFL’s lengthened extra point has put new emphasis on the play, now effectively a 33-yard attempt. Aguayo was perfect on his 198 PATs in college. More pertinent, the 2013 Lou Groza Award winner was 69-for-78 (88.5%) on field-goal tries and didn’t miss on any of his 49 attempts inside 40 yards.

Aguayo, quarterback Jameis Winston‘s teammate at FSU, expressed a desire to play for the Bucs and seems likely to hold the job for years to come.

But Aguayo wasn’t the only Latino footballer picked during this year’s NFL draft…

Blake Martinez is headed to the Green Bay Packers

The Packers selected the Latino inside from Stanford with the 131st pick, which arrived late in the fourth round, and contained a bit of a premonition from his mother, Carrisa Martinez.

“The funny part of it was, (my mom) was always telling me throughout the process, she was like, ‘I believe you’re going to end up at the Packers,'” Martinez said on a conference call. “And obviously it was just a lucky guess type of thing, but it’s just funny. My mom said right after, ‘Moms are always right.’ And I’ll take it.”

When his moment arrived, Martinez donned a green Packers hat and matching gray T-shirt, and immediately posted a family photo on social media. His father, Marc, had bought the gear in a pre-draft shopping spree that accumulated gear from all 32 teams — just in case.

Martinez, who stands 6 feet 1 1/2 inches and weighs 240 pounds, earned All-American honors in 2015 and was also named first-team all-Pac-12.

He recorded a team-high 141 tackles last season, and his 10.1 tackles per game led the conference.

The Packers, according to director of football operations Eliot Wolf, were enamored of Martinez’s all-around game. He flashed the ability to blitz, evidenced by 13 1/2 tackles for loss and 6 1/2 sacks over the last two years. He expressed confidence in his ability to cover, and Martinez said he served as the main coverage linebacker in nickel and dime packages last season. His 40-yard dash time of 4.67 seconds is far from blazing, but Wolf said the Packers have no qualms about his mobility or range.

“I felt like this last year I improved tremendously on that,” Martinez said. “I feel 100% confident to go out there and cover whoever I need to cover.”

Oklahoma’s Zack Sanchez was picked in Round 5 by the Carolina Panthers.

The 21-year-old Latino cornerback, picked 141st overall, is a ball-hawk who intercepted 13 passes over the past two seasons. His seven picks in 2015 tied for fifth nationally. Sanchez was not afraid to gamble, and sometimes paid for his mistakes. During his career at Oklahoma, he also recorded 134 tackles and three touchdowns.

“He’s instinctive. I think when you get into the fourth or fifth rounds, and find a cornerback with some instincts, this is a great pick,” said NFL Network’s Mike Mayock.

Thomas Duarte is switching coasts…

The 21-year-old half-Mexican American receiver, who played for UCLA, was picked in the seventh round by the Miami Dolphins.

The 231st pick overall, the 6-foot-2, 231-pound Duarte was drafted as a tight end.

Duarte turned pro with a season of eligibility remaining. He ranked second on the Bruins last season with 53 receptions for 872 yards and a team-best 10 touchdown receptions.