After Week 1 conflict, Commanders put together to face Buccaneers as 'utterly completely different group' – USA TODAY

The primary move of Jayden Daniels’ NFL profession went backward and was dominated a fumble for a lack of 6 yards in his Week 1 debut towards the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 
Virtually all the things since then, an eventual 37-20 loss for the Washington Commanders, has been optimistic for them and their rookie quarterback. 
They’ll return to Tampa on Sunday within the wild-card spherical because the NFC’s No. 6 seed and winners of 12 video games.
“It is a full-circle second. You do not normally get to play someone at the beginning of a season, the beginning of a second season,” head coach Dan Quinn mentioned Wednesday. “They completely obtained the most effective of us (Week 1). It is a good measuring persist with see how a lot we have improved. They’re a superb group, and clearly on that day confirmed it.”
Washington gained the following week towards the New York Giants and began the season 7-2 earlier than a three-game shedding streak threatened to derail the primary season of Daniels’ and Quinn’s tenure. 
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However they ended the season on a five-game successful streak and clinched a spot within the playoffs – which Quinn known as the “second season” – with per week left within the common season.  
“We had been a very completely different group now than we had been then, in all probability similar with them,” McLaurin mentioned of the rematch. “Each groups have improved. Each groups have needed to modify. I believe we’ve actually discovered an identification at this level within the season, whereas that was our first sport of the season. It was, for Jayden, his first NFL snaps.” 
On that Sunday, McLaurin noticed a special sort of depth than he’d seen in his first 5 seasons with the Commanders, however not the enough degree of execution. That has improved all through the season and desires to remain that means, McLaurin mentioned. 
The presence of their rookie signal-caller, who will nearly definitely take dwelling Offensive Rookie of the Yr honors, has been equally necessary. 
“The primary sport, we did not know what we had been or who we had been, what (Daniels) was,” offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury mentioned Thursday. “And so, even me calling performs and understanding methods to put him in higher conditions to achieve success.” 
Kingsbury could have exaggerated the results of Daniels’ first move, however his level was that the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner has improved all year long. 
“I imply, the very first move he threw for like minus-20, like a backwards move,” Kingsbury mentioned. “And he is simply come a great distance. So, it is a variety of laborious work, a variety of psychological reps. And so, I am anxious to see the second time round how far we have come as a (sic) complete unit.”
The week the group spent in Arizona after a Week 3 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals – Daniels’ late landing move to McLaurin asserting him as legit – on “Monday Night time Soccer” went a great distance in establishing the tradition he desired to construct, Quinn mentioned. Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps addressed the group about sustaining successful habits. 
Defensively, linebacker Bobby Wagner mentioned the Tampa Bay offense, coordinated by head-coaching candidate Liam Coen, had success within the screen-game. The scheme is one Wagner is aware of from his years with the Seattle Seahawks and the one season he spent with the Los Angeles Rams, the place Coen frolicked below Sean McVay. 
On the line of scrimmage, Wagner mentioned, the protection will examine and the offense audible in return. 
“It’s only a enjoyable sport, and the entire world is watching,” Wagner mentioned.
Buccaneers rookie working again Bucky Irving can pop lengthy runs and is “somebody who has that respect” of the Washington protection, Wagner mentioned.  
“The group has earned this proper to go struggle and we will struggle like hell,” Quinn mentioned. “Once you get into the postseason, you wish to be sure you’re enjoying your finest soccer and we have labored laborious to seek out these areas of enchancment.
“I really like what we stand for as a gaggle, and these guys have earned this proper to go battle, and I will depart it at that.”

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