The Washington Commanders finished tied for the second-worst record in the NFL last season. They have been a laughing stock for over 20 years. The acquisition of Jaden Daniels, the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft, gave them hope.
There was hope that things might get better within a few years. Don’t expect rookie Daniels to lead the Commanders to their first NFC Championship Game in 33 years.
The Commanders defeated the Detroit Lions 45-31 to advance to the NFC Championship Game despite one of the worst losses to the Detroit Lions in recent memory, completing one of the biggest upsets in divisional round history.
Detroit, which went 15-2 in the regular season and needed to win two home games to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history, was eliminated. The Commanders will advance to the NFC title game for the first time since the end of the 1991 season. They will face either the Philadelphia Eagles or Los Angeles Rams on the road.
Washington hasn’t even won a playoff game since the end of the postseason in 2005, but the managers have won two games this postseason.
This result feels like a major turning point for both series. For the Lions, it’s an unimaginable disappointment. Until the Lions reach the Super Bowl, they’ll be lamenting a home game they lost to a Commanders team that went 4-13 last season and whose rookie quarterback just started his second postseason game. They turned it over five times in the fourth quarter, including once on a trick pass to receiver Jameson Williams. The defense was battered by injuries and wasn’t even competitive. This is one of the most amazing one-and-done flops in playoff history. The only teams in NFL history to win 15 games in the regular season and never win in the playoffs are the 2024 Lions and the 2011 Packers. On Saturday night, the magical season came to a complete end in just over three hours.
For Washington, it was another step in an incredible season with a dramatic win and a historic season by an electrifying rookie quarterback. And if you think about it, it should be a few more years before we see the peak of what Daniels can do against a manager.
Wild first half at Ford Field
It took just over a minute of game time for the managers to give the Lions a big scare.
Detroit took a 14-10 lead on Sam LaPorta’s great one-handed catch in the end zone, and while Washington certainly looked good, it still looked like the Lions were in control. That changed quickly. Terry McLaurin took a screen pass from his receiver on a run-pass option play and gained 59 yards and a touchdown. Shortly after, disaster struck the Lions. Jared Goff overthrown a pass, but safety Quan Martin intercepted it and returned it 40 yards for a score. In addition to the interception, Goff took a big hit from Commanders linebacker Frankie Lube, and a penalty could have been called, but it wasn’t. The commander suddenly took a 24-14 lead.
This started one of the wildest quarters in NFL playoff history. The Lions scored on a 61-yard run from Rivers by Jameson Williams. Daniels responded with a long 38-yard pass to Dyami Brown, setting up a 5-yard touchdown to Zach Ertz. The Lions tried to respond, but Goff intercepted a pass into the end zone just before the end of the first half.
Even with the interception, Fox said it was the highest-scoring quarter in postseason history, with both teams scoring a combined 42 points.
By halftime a few things were clear. The Lions’ defense, plagued by numerous injuries and losing cornerback Amik Robertson to an elbow injury in the first quarter, was unstoppable. Additionally, Washington’s offense is surprisingly efficient thanks to its rookie quarterback. Daniels had 242 yards, two touchdowns and a 137.4 passer rating at halftime. He later became the first rookie QB in NFL history to gain 300 total yards in two postseason games.
The biggest takeaway from the first half was that the Lions were in a lot of trouble.
Commander pulls away in the second half
The scoring slowed down a bit in the second half, but the manager still maintained control of the game.
The Lions scored to cut Washington’s lead to 31-28. The Commanders responded with a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. This drive was kept alive by a Lions penalty on 4th-and-2 as they had 12 people on the field.
The Lions run more trick plays than anyone else. They tried one in the fourth quarter, but it backfired. Williams made a play that looked like another upset for the speedy receiver, but he was passing. No one was open, but Williams pitched anyway and was picked off. Leading 38-28 at this point, it was a devastating blow for the Lions. With 7 minutes and 31 seconds remaining, the manager scored for a 17-point lead and ended the Lions’ dreams.
It felt like the game was over before that happened, as the Lions couldn’t get a stop and Daniels kept playing. Daniels made a lot of big plays, and Washington had six scoring drives while only punting once. Detroit’s frustrating night was summed up by their failure to recover a nice onside kick after cutting the lead against Washington to 45-31. Ertz managed to recover before Detroit got the loose ball.
Washington will be on the road again to face the winner of Sunday’s game between the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles. Playing in the NFC Championship Game in itself exceeds any wild hopes the managers may have had heading into the season. And after Saturday, we know next week won’t be that big of a moment for them or their rookie quarterback.
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