Commanders & Eagles win while Bills set up Ravens showdown

Josh Allen will take on Lamar Jackson next week after Buffalo beat Denver to book a date with Baltimore

The Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles won in the NFL play-offs on Sunday while the Buffalo Bills set up a mouth-watering match-up in week two.

The Commanders clinched a thrilling 23-20 win at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with Zane Gonzalez kicking a field goal as time expired.

The Bills claimed a largely dominant 31-7 victory over the Denver Broncos before the Philadelphia Eagles won 22-10 in a brutal battle with the Green Bay Packers.

Buffalo's Josh Allen threw for 272 yards and two touchdowns and James Cook ran for 120 yards and a score during a punishing rushing performance from the Bills.

Buffalo's victory means they host the Baltimore Ravens next week, when Allen will go head-to-head with Lamar Jackson, his main rival for this season's MVP award.

Wildcard Weekend concludes on Monday as the Los Angeles Rams face the Minnesota Vikings to decide the final spot in the Divisional Round.

Commanders end 19-year wait for play-off win

Washington had not won a play-off game since 2006 and had not finished the season with a winning record since 2016.

But rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels helped transform them into one of this season's highest scorers, along with the Buccaneers.

The Commanders have made a habit of claiming late victories this season and it continued in Tampa Bay, where Daniels and Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield threw two touchdown passes apiece.

The score was tied 10-10 at half-time, with Dyami Brown's effort for Washington cancelled out by a Mike Evans score right before the half.

Gonzalez's second field goal edged the Commanders back in front, before Bucky Irving's touchdown helped the Bucs into a 17-13 lead.

The Bucs' defence made a big stop to win back possession early in the fourth quarter but, on their next drive, a Mayfield fumble, recovered by Washington's Bobby Wagner, allowed Washington to go 20-17 up through a Terry McLaurin touchdown.

Chase McLaughlin's second field goal for Tampa Bay made it 20-20 with less than five minutes left, before the Commanders set up a 37-yard attempt for Gonzalez, which bounced through off a post.

Bills flex muscles before Ravens meeting

Denver's last play-off game came in Super Bowl 50 in February 2016 in what was NFL legend Peyton Manning's last match - and the following eight-season drought was the second-longest in the league.

Rookie quarterback Bo Nix could well be the answer and he stunned an expectant Bills crowd in Buffalo by launching a 43-yard touchdown pass to Troy Franklin on just the fifth play of the game.

Wil Lutz hitting the post with a field-goal try on the stroke of half-time was as close as they came to adding more points, though, and the pressure told in the second half as Buffalo's extra quality saw them run away with it.

Allen produced a dazzling touchdown throw to Ty Johnson on a fourth down in the third quarter that proved the tipping point for Denver's worn-out defence, and a 55-yard touchdown catch and run from Curtis Samuel added the finishing touches.

Buffalo's 210-yard rushing performance included some crucial runs from Allen, who is the undoubted star of a team desperate to win their first Super Bowl - and just get back to the big game for the first time since losing their fourth in a row in 1994.

MVP chants rang out around Highmark Stadium for Allen and those fans will witness the two favourites for this year's award go at it next week.

The Ravens hammered the Bills 35-10 in Baltimore earlier this season when Buffalo had no answer for Jackson or Derrick Henry - the rematch will determine who moves one game away from the Super Bowl.

Error-strewn Packers crash out in Philly

Green Bay should have known it was not their night when they fumbled the opening kick-off, allowing Jalen Hurts to throw a touchdown pass to Jahan Dotson just three plays later.

And it did not get much better for the Packers as, despite their defence playing well in an arm-wrestle of a game, untimely penalties, injuries, a missed field goal and three interceptions from quarterback Jordan Love sealed their feat.

Only occasional attacking moments punctuated overall defensive dominance on both sides - Dallas Goedert's muscular 24-yard touchdown was the highlight for Philadelphia.

Hurts looked rusty after only just returning from concussion, as Saquon Barkley carried the Eagles attack again with 119 yards rushing, but Philadelphia could have been in deep trouble had Green Bay not continually shot themselves in the foot.

They could do nothing about top wide receivers Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed being just two of numerous injuries they picked up, leaving running back Josh Jacobs to lead the charge with his touchdown and 121-yard performance briefly giving the Packers hope.

Philadelphia saw it out though to advance, but they will need to seriously improve on offence heading into next week's Divisional Round.

NFL play-off schedule

AFC Divisional Round

• Houston Texans (4) at Kansas City Chiefs (1)

• Baltimore Ravens (3) at Buffalo Bills (2)

NFC Divisional Round

• Washington Commanders (6) at Detroit Lions (1)

• Minnesota Vikings (5)/Los Angeles Rams (4) at Philadelphia Eagles (2)