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Pride of Detroit
6 takeaways from the Detroit Lions’ playoff loss to the Washington Commanders
6 takeaways from the Detroit Lions’ playoff loss to the Washington Commanders
Goff had three interceptions, two of which came in the first half. One was returned for a touchdown, albeit the return should have been called back for a blatant missed helmet-to-helmet hit that nearly concussed Goff. He also had a strip sack, taking points off the board on a promising drive—points that Detroit could ill afford to lose given the sieve that was the defense.
It is difficult to say if the illegal hit rattled Goff or not, but he was not his usual crisp self even before the hit.
The Lions chose the worst possible time to earn their third loss of the season. Earn is the key word here, since Detroit was just as damaging to themselves as the Commanders were. This loss is on the Lions, plain and simple. They were a Super Bowl-caliber team and they lost against a team that, frankly, is not.
Washington Post (paywall)
Commanders upset Lions, head to NFC title game for first time in 33 years
Washington’s 45-31 win over top-seeded Detroit is built on a sizzling offense and an opportunistic defense. Now, the team is one win from the Super Bowl.
Daniels will be the sixth rookie QB since the 1970 merger to start a conference championship game. He has a chance to become the first to win it.
In the first half alone Saturday, the Commanders amassed 31 points as Daniels had 242 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and 29 rushing yards. He finished with 299 passing yards, completing 22 of 31 attempts for a 122.9 passer rating. He also had 51 rushing yards.
Washington’s defense set the tone on the opening series to force a three-and-out and kept the pressure on throughout, forcing five turnovers to turn Detroit’s prolific offense into a middling operation.
The Athletic (paywall)
The Commanders are a win away from the Super Bowl. Let that marinate for a bit
Someone asked Washington Commanders safety Quan Martin about the huge task facing Washington against the Detroit Lions, the 15-2, No. 1-seeded, bye-week-having Lions. And about all the playmakers Detroit had on offense.
“I think they’ve got a great team and great players. So do we,” Martin said, with a bit of an edge.
The Commanders were all edge Saturday night at Ford Field.
They went for it on fourth down, over and over and over. They put enough hats on enough Lions enough times — not a lot of times, mind you, for the Lions were still very potent offensively, but enough — to force five turnovers, including a pick six by the aforementioned Mr. Martin, an interception that was finalized by Washington linebacker Frankie Luvu planting Detroit quarterback Jared Goff into the turf as Martin waltzed by into the end zone.
But mostly, the Commanders’ offense was a scythe, cutting through the Lions’ defense at will, the key cog in the 45-31 win.
Washington gained almost 500 yards of offense. It held the ball for almost 34 minutes. It didn’t have a single turnover, in one of the loudest and toughest road environments in the league. The Commanders scored on six of nine non-kneeldown possessions. Tress Way punted … once.
ESPN
Commanders, Jayden Daniels upset top-seed Lions
QB breakdown: Rookie or not, Daniels does not get flustered. Playing in his most hostile environment as a pro, and facing numerous blitzes, he stayed composed — as he has all season. Daniels threw for 299 yards and two touchdowns. His best work came under pressure. In the first half, Daniels threw for 160 yards against the blitz, completing 7-of-9 throws. His season high in a game vs. the blitz was 177 yards against the Eagles in a Week 16 win. On Saturday, Daniels also completed two passes on fourth down for 19 yards and two first downs.
Surprising performance: Washington’s defense. The Commanders allowed 31 points and 521 yards, but they made plays on defense. Washington intercepted four passes and had a strip-sack that led to a touchdown. Safety Quan Martin had a pick-six in the first half while corner Mike Sainristil intercepted a pass in the end zone late in the first half with Detroit in field goal range.
Promising trend: Receiver Dyami Brown has been huge in the postseason. On Saturday, Brown caught six passes for 98 yards after catching five passes for 89 yards and a touchdown in the wild-card win over Tampa Bay. His speed mattered Saturday as he caught passes for 42 and 38 yards to set up scores. During the regular season, Brown caught 30 passes for 308 yards and a touchdown.
Washington Post (paywall)
The Commanders won again? Who are these guys? What is happening here?
The Washington Commanders earned an emphatic victory over the top-seeded Detroit Lions and advanced to the NFC championship game.
There is no silence quite like the silence that envelops a home stadium in the playoffs when the home team is favored and the home team falls behind. The possibility that a season of unprecedented promise could end in devastation turns the Colosseum into a college library during finals week. It’s stifling.
Welcome to Ford Field on Saturday night. There, the Washington Commanders — the cute newcomers to the serious environs of the NFL postseason — about shut the place up. They ousted the Detroit Lions — the NFC’s top seeds, favorites to reach their first Super Bowl — with an emphatic 45-31 victory that advanced them to their first NFC championship game since the 1991 season and made clear that there is no team they can’t beat, no game they can’t win.
Commanders.com
Instant analysis | Commanders knock off Lions, advance to NFC Championship for first time since ‘91
It might sound unbelievable that a team that won four games in 2023 managed to go up 10 points against arguably the best team in the NFL on the road. It’s almost as improbable as that same team winning 12 regular-season games in the first year with a new coaching staff at the helm. But perhaps it’s time for people to start believing; the Commanders are for real, and they proved once again — this time with a 45-31 win — they can beat anyone.
Washington is headed to the NFC Championship for the first time in 33 years. They will play the winner of Sunday’s game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams.
They forced Jared Goff to commit four turnovers, including a fumble and an interception returned for a touchdown and grabbed another pass from Jameson Williams on a trick play. Washington scored points off three of those turnovers.
However, Daniels remained the star for the Commanders as he has been all season. He completed 70% of his passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns with 51 yards on 16 carries. He added a couple more records to his already stacked case to be named the Offensive Rookie of the Year. With his 350 total yards, he has the most total yardage by a rookie in a single season, including the playoffs, in NFL history. He now has 14 wins, which ties Ben Roethlisberger for the most by a rookie in NFL history.
The Lions and defensive coordinator Aaron Glen tried to make the rookie look human, but they failed in that endeavor like so many before them. Daniels was 12-of-16 against the blitz with 191 yards and a touchdown. Despite bringing 20 blitzes on Daniels, the Lions failed to record a sack as the rookie evaded their attempts, weaved around the backfield and made them pay.
ESPN
Commanders in 1st NFC title game since ‘91, say ‘not done yet’
The joy could be heard inside and outside the Commanders locker room, with dignitaries such as former Washington coach Joe Gibbs, Commanders minority shareholder Magic Johnson, NBA star Kevin Durant and award-winning actor Jeffrey Wright all celebrating.
Commanders general manager Adam Peters, in his first season, went around the locker room hugging various players. Co-owner Mitch Rales slapped hands and hugged players as they entered the locker room, sharing a longer embrace with McLaurin.
And co-owner Josh Harris told reporters from the Team 980 and the Athletic that “I’m so happy for the DMV [District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia] … We’re a team of destiny.”
This night belonged to a team that was 4-13 a year ago and now will play either the Los Angeles Rams or Philadelphia Eagles in next week’s NFC Championship Game. Its fan base has endured not just a bad stretch but a bad couple of decades.
“We’re heavy hitters, we’re poised and we’re confident,” Wagner said. “We have a belief in one another that’s not easily found.”
Meanwhile, Quinn wanted to stay focused in the moment and not get caught up in what Saturday’s victory meant.
“There will be a time to look back and reflect,” Quinn said, “but I’m not there yet.”
Pride of Detroit
1 winner, 4 losers from Lions’ 45-31 loss against Washington Commanders
The Lions were upset by the Commanders on Saturday night in the Divisional Round, losing 45-31. There were plenty of losers as the season is over for Detroit.
Kickoff returns
The Commanders are known to kick the ball short on kickoffs, meaning the Lions had to prepare to return these kicks and not get touchbacks. Running back Craig Reynolds returned four kicks for 93 yards, and wide receiver Kalif Raymond had a return for 21 yards.
Reynolds averaged just 23 yards a return. Once, Raymond returned the ball from inside the end zone, which was not smart as he was tackled at the 19, giving Detroit a long field late in the fourth quarter.
Coaching decisions
The coaching staff struggled in this game mightily. First, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who has had a great season and is a head coaching candidate, made a horrible decision to run a trick pass play with the team down by 10 in the second half. The play was the pass thrown by Jameson Williams that was picked off. Sure, Williams should have thrown the ball away or just ran, but Johnson shouldn’t have called that play to begin with. You are down by 10 in a playoff game, that play wasn’t going to do anything massive for you. It’s fun to run trick plays, but down by 10 with a risky play like that is just asinine.
Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn had a horrible game coaching too. He struggled to stop RPO screen plays that were easy to tell were coming. He had players blitzing when they should have been going up against the receivers blocking, and instead, it’s an easy advantage for Washington.
The coaching staff also are to blame for having 12 players on the defense and not calling a timeout to fix it. In that situation, losing by 10 in the second half, I understand you don’t want to waste your timeouts. Instead of losing a timeout, which could have turned into a stop on fourth down, it turns into a touchdown.
NFL.com
Commanders-Lions on Divisional Round Saturday: What We Learned from Washington’s 45-31 win
Daniels powers Commanders to shootout win over top-seeded Detroit. The moment was never too big for sterling rookie signal-caller Jayden Daniels, who diced up an injury-ravaged Lions defense like few have this season. From the opening drive, Daniels’ poise was steady despite a deafening Detroit crowd. After the first possession ended in a failed fourth-down attempt, Daniels zoomed the Commanders up and down the field, never punting in the first half while Washington put up 31 points. Daniels made quick, easy reads, and, when they were there, dropped dimes downfield for explosive plays.
Each time Detroit threatened to come back, Daniels answered. Unlike his counterpart, Daniels made no big mistakes and proved his mettle in the heat of the postseason. He’s a rookie in name only.
Quinn’s defense turns the tide. Dan Quinn’s defense stood tall in the face of a multifaceted offense and never blinked. From the opening snap, the Commanders D battled, forcing a quick three-and-out. Then came the turnover deluge. Washington’s front got Goff off his spot enough to make the QB uncomfortable. The tide-turning play came on the Lions’ third drive of the contest. With Detroit holding a 7-3 lead and threatening to put more points on the board, Dorance Armstrong came around the edge and sacked Goff, forcing a fumble recovered by Frankie Luvu. In the second quarter, Quan Martin took a Goff overthrow to the house to stretch Washington’s lead to 10 points, a cushion it would keep much of the second half. Washington’s D might give up chunks of yards, but the turnovers proved game-altering. It’s a testament to Quinn’s steady hand that his players were able to play disciplined ball in a hostile environment and capitalize when opportunities arose.
Lions D couldn’t get off the field. Aaron Glenn’s defense finally wilted. An injury-ravaged crew couldn’t get stops against Daniels and the Commanders offense and failed to generate pressure without bringing extra rushers. As he’s done all season, Daniels ripped apart those blitzes with his arm and legs. [C]overage busts, missed tackles and overmatched backups got torched to the tune of 481 yards. The Lions forced a single punt on the night.
Commanders continue Cinderella run to NFC Championship game. Dan Quinn keeps dancing. The Commanders coach deserves a load of credit for having his players ready for the moment. His defense stood tall and his rookie QB play with a poise beyond his years. Washington came in a massive underdog, with many expecting them to bow out to the high-powered Lions. Instead, the Commanders took it to Detroit. The dog with nothing to lose ate.
For a team that was in disarray two years ago, the new ownership, new coach and new quarterback have the future looking endlessly bright.
NFL Research: The Commanders, who had gone 32 straight seasons without appearing in a Conference Championship Game, snapped that streak Saturday. The last time they went to the NFC Championship Game in the 1991 season, they defeated the Detroit Lions before going on to win Super Bowl XXVI versus the Buffalo Bills.
Commanders Wire
Studs and duds from the Commanders’ divisional round upset over the Lions
Stud: Brian Robinson Jr.
Brian Robinson Jr. had been on a cold streak entering this game. It’s safe to say that is no longer the case after Saturday.
Robinson rushed for 77 yards and two TDs on Saturday. It was the first time Robinson found the end zone since December 1 against the Tennessee Titans.
The Commanders will need everybody to contribute if they plan on continuing this miracle run. It’s nice to see Robinson break out of his slump.
Dud: Defensive line (other than Dorance Armstrong)
The Washington defensive line was disappointing at Ford Field.
The unit was gashed on the ground by Jahmyr Gibbs, letting the running back accumulate 105 yards and two TDs. Dorance Armstrong was the only player to get a sack, picking up two on the night.
Daron Payne, Sheldon Day, Jonathan Allen, and Jer’Zhan Newton combined for just one tackle on the night.
Commanders Wire
6 takeaways from Commanders’ upset win over Lions
Dyami Brown’s rise
It took until late in his fourth season, but wide receiver Dyami Brown is on the verge of stardom. Last week, Brown was essential in Washington’s win over Tampa Bay, catching five passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. On Saturday night, Brown caught six passes for 98 yards. The great part about Brown’s rise is he’s doing it in every way possible. He beats you deep. He’s reliable in the short-to-intermediate passing game and has been a monster after the catch.
Brown is a free agent after the season. The Commanders need receivers and have plenty of money. Brown is in no hurry to leave Washington. He stayed quiet, worked hard, played special teams, and battled through numerous quarterback changes to arrive where he currently sits. It’s always fun to see hard-working players respond to adversity and never stop working. Brown is the type of player Adam Peters and Dan Quinn want to keep around for the long term.
It’s a different offense with Austin Ekeler
Remember the foolish talk that Adam Peters made a mistake by signing veteran running back Austin Ekeler? Outside of missing some time with concussions this season, Ekeler has been a massive part of Washington’s offense. He doesn’t play every snap, but every snap he plays is impactful. He makes something happen when the ball is in his hands. Ekeler is more than a safety valve for Daniels out of the backfield; he’s an excellent route runner. Since Ekeler’s return in Week 18, Washington’s offense has looked dominant and explosive again.
On Saturday night, Ekeler ran the ball six times for 44 yards and caught four passes for 41 yards. He had two huge receptions, one early in the game and one late. Ekeler is another unsung hero for the Commanders.
Upcoming opponent
Turf Show Times
This worked out perfectly for the Rams
It turns out that you actually can go home again.
The Los Angeles Rams were forced to relocate away from SoFi Stadium in the first round of the playoffs, but if they can beat the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday then that’s exactly where L.A. will be playing in the NFC Championship game.
The Washington Commanders upset the Detroit Lions 45-31 in the divisional round on Saturday, meaning that the winner of Rams-Eagles will be hosting the Commanders in the NFC Championship. Not bad for a team that was only a four-seed going into the playoffs.
Because the Commanders are the 6 seed, they will be the lower-ranked seed against either the Eagles or Rams and therefore must go on the road again.
Podcasts & videos
WE’RE GOING TO THE NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME! | Postgame LIVE | Washington Commanders | NFL Playoffs
Postgame LIVE: WE’RE GOING TO THE NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME! | NFL PLAYOFFS
Commanders vs Lions: ‘NFL on FOX’ crew breaks down STUNNING divisional round upset
Commanders-Lions Reaction: Jayden Daniels “Best Rookie Ever”, Goff struggles | Colin Cowherd NFL
REACTION to Commanders vs. Lions: ‘NOTHING FAZED JAYDEN DANIELS’ – Damien Woody | SC
Dan Campbell was emotional following the Lions Divisional Round loss | Press Conference & Reaction
NFC East links
Blogging the Boys
Dallas Cowboys officially have longest NFC Championship Game drought
The Dallas Cowboys now have the longest NFC Championship Game appearance drought.
The Dallas Cowboys now have the longest NFC Championship Game appearance drought.
Last NFC Championship Game appearance
- Dallas Cowboys, 1995
- Chicago Bears, 2010
- New York Giants, 2011
- Seattle Seahawks, 2014
- Carolina Panthers, 2015
Among the more depressing elements of all of this is that the second team on this list has a drought half the size of Dallas’ given that the Chicago Bears last reached the title game in 2010; their streak will turn 15 next season when they have a chance to end it. Dallas’ streak will turn 30, by far the elder statesman of the group.
Perhaps the only way that this whole thing could become even more depressing for the Cowboys is if their former coach in Mike McCarthy gets the Chicago job and ends that streak before Dallas does with whoever takes over as his successor.
For now, the Dallas Cowboys stand alone. In the worst possible way.
Washington made it back before them!
NFL league links
Articles
NFL.com
Biggest winners and losers from Saturday’s Divisional Round NFL playoff games
Losers
Lions head coach Dan Campbell: Detroit’s coach has done a phenomenal job of changing the entire culture around this franchise over the last four seasons. Saturday’s loss to Washington easily should be the toughest loss Campbell has endured during his tenure. This team went 15-2, earned the top seed in the NFC and overcame an assortment of injuries throughout the season. This was supposed to be the year when the Lions finally broke through and reached their first Super Bowl. Instead, they imploded in epic fashion in front of their home fans. It wasn’t just the five turnovers and the inability contain Daniels and the Commanders offense. It was the way Washington overwhelmed a Lions team that has long prided itself on toughness. This could be the best shot Campbell ever had of winning a championship with this bunch, especially if both of his coordinators — Ben Johnson on offense and Aaron Glenn on defense — end up landing head-coaching jobs.
Lions quarterback Jared Goff: It was a long night for Goff, who couldn’t find a way to keep pace with Daniels and the Commanders offense. Goff finished with four turnovers – a fumble and three interceptions – and it was two of those picks that devasted the Lions early in this game. The first was an interception that Washington safety Quan Martin snared in the second quarter and returned 40 yards for a touchdown that gave the Commanders a 24-14 lead. The second pick came when Goff tried to hit wide receiver Jameson Williams on a long post pattern late in that same quarter, only to see Washington cornerback Mike Sainristil undercut the route and grab the pass in the end zone. Those mistakes played a major role in the Lions trailing 31-21 at halftime. They could never catch the Commanders after that, not with Goff forced to throw on nearly every down. He’s enjoyed a great season, one that saw him play at an MVP level at various stretches. The problem was the Lions needed that same player in this contest, and he simply didn’t show up.
Lions defense: There haven’t been many games where you could see the Lions feeling the toll of countless injuries on defense. Unfortunately for Detroit, Saturday’s loss to Washington was one of them. As much as the Lions believed they could overcome anything, it was apparent that they didn’t have enough juice on defense to deal with what the Commanders threw at them. The Lions had a substantial number of key defensive players land on injured reserve at some point this season, including defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. It also was no secret that Detroit had trouble containing mobile quarterbacks all season, and Daniels proved to be too much to handle. It wasn’t just that the rookie played well. It was that he made playing well look effortless against a team that was primed to win a championship this season. The one thing the Lions always believed was that their offense could score with any team in the league. That didn’t end up happening on Saturday night, and that beleaguered defense simply wasn’t equipped to deal with a Commanders team that is growing up in a hurry.
Discussion topics
NFL.com
Texans voice dismay with officiating following 23-14 Divisional Round loss to Chiefs
Anderson was cited for roughing the passer on a third-and-8 Mahomes incompletion midway through the third quarter. The first down that accompanied the penalty led to an eventual go-ahead field goal.
“I had forcible contact to the facemask area and so I went with roughing the passer on that play,” referee Clay Martin told pool reporter Aaron Wilson.
In the third quarter, Mahomes scrambled for a gain before sliding. Two Texans players, who collided with each other, also contacted Mahomes. That drew an unnecessary roughness flag and was part of a drive that culminated with a touchdown catch by Travis Kelce.
“So, [Mahomes] slid, obviously and when he slides, he is considered defenseless,” Martin said. “The onus is on the defender. I had forcible contact there to the hairline, the helmet.”
Regardless of any explanation, the Texans didn’t hesitate to voice their views on how they felt the game was called.
“Everybody knows how it is playing up here,” Houston running back Joe Mixon said. “You can never leave it into the refs’ hands. It is what it is. When it comes down to it, you can never leave it into the refs’ hands.”
In total, the Texans had eight penalties accepted against them for 82 yards in comparison to four accepted against the Chiefs for 29 yards. The negative-four accepted penalty margin tied the largest for Kansas City all season. It was also a negative-four margin (6-2) in Week 16 against the Texans.
While the Texans were authoring a narrative of the flags being exclusive to their efforts against the Chiefs, they averaged 7.0 accepted penalties per game in the regular season and had eight accepted penalties in their win over the Chargers the week prior.
Photos
Commanders.com
PHOTOS | Commanders vs. Lions, Divisional round
Check out the top photos of the Washington Commanders at Ford Field for their Divisional matchup with the Detroit Lions, shot on Sony. (Photos by Emilee Fails/Washington Commanders)
