The Washington Commanders’ radio broadcast team reacted like kids on Christmas celebrating a game-winning field goal to send the franchise to the Divisional Round, but Dave Portnoy wasn’t feeling so jolly about their call.
The Barstool founder could not believe the omitted detail of the kick doinking off the right upright and over the crossbar in the 23-20 road win over the Buccaneers.
“Is this the worst big game call ever.?” Portnoy asked on X. “They made it sound like Zane (Gonzalez) smashed it dead center. Didn’t even mention the doink. F minus call.”
The commentators — Bram Weinstein and former Washington star middle linebacker London Fletcher — reacted more like fans in that moment, caught up in the excitement of the upset win.
They did not mention, as Portnoy noted, Gonzalez’s near miss that would have sent the game into overtime, with the kicker coming dangerously close to joining Cody Parkey in the playoff doink Hall of Shame.
“Looking to send Washington to the divisional round. Snap down, hold down, kick is….. GOOD,” Weinstein screamed, while Fletcher also began hollering.
“The cardiac Commanders are the clutch Commanders. They do it again, we’ll see you in Detroit,” Weinstein continued while the two jumped with joy.
While Fletcher shadowboxed in excitement, he screamed into the microphone, “And Zane Gonzalez kicks in the door and kicks us to the second round of the playoffs!”
Many of Washington’s games have been decided by razor-thin margins and Sunday’s proved to be a matter of inches.
The Commanders are 9-3 in one-score games, including a run of five straight victories in games decided by a touchdown or less.
Many enjoyed the fan-like nature of the call from Weinstein and Fletcher, even if they did not inform their listeners that the field goal hit the upright in a dramatic moment.
Washington now heads to Detroit to face the NFC’s top seed in the Lions, who enter as massive 8.5-point favorites.
The Commanders are in just the first year of a rebuild that many teams dream of, going from 4-13 to 12-5 and a playoff win behind expected Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels.