Daniels & Commanders’ Offense Shine In Upset Victory Over Lions (1-18-25)
By: Jaden Golding
Headline Photo Credit: Washington Commanders
DETROIT, MI – The Washington Commanders defeated the Detroit Lions, 45-31 on Saturday evening at Ford Field in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs.
Detroit entered Saturday evening’s game as heavy favorites with nearly a double-digit point spread.
But Washington (14-5) played spoiler eliminating the number one-seeded Lions (15-3) from the playoffs, after their bye in the opening week. Jayden Daniels threw for 299 yards, two touchdowns, rushing for 51 yards, and a QB rating of 91.8.
Fellow rookie Mike Sainristil had two interceptions in the second and fourth quarters. Safeties Quan Martin and Jeremy Chinn each had interceptions. Martin’s came in the second quarter, returning it 44 yards to the house giving the Commanders a 24-14 lead.
Chinn grabbed his in the fourth, sealing the victory with 32 seconds remaining.
Lions quarterback Jared Goff completed 23-of-40 passes for 313 passing yards, one touchdown, three interceptions, and a fumble. Goff and the Lions turned the ball over five times, leading to 21 points for the Commanders. It’s hard to overcome these mistakes and win the game.
Detroit star running back Jahmyr Gibbs had 14 carries for 105 yards on the ground and two rushing touchdowns. He added 70 receiving yards off of six catches. Amon-Ra St. Brown had eight catches and 137 yards. Tight end Sam LaPorta caught six catches for 51 yards and a score.
Standout Group Of The Game
Washington’s offensive line was amazing Saturday evening. They gave Daniels time to go through his reads and progressions, allowing him to get the ball in the hands of his receivers. Detroit threw a lot of blitzes at Daniels all night, but there weren’t too many moments where Daniels was under serious pressure. Another key point was Washington’s ability to run the ball. Running backs Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler were able to follow behind blockers, attacking opening lanes and moving the ball up the field.
Dyami Brown
Wide receiver Dyami Brown has had a breakout in recent weeks under Kliff Kingsbury’s offense. Last week in Tampa, he hauled in five catches for 89 yards and a score. Against Detroit, it was more of the same, Brown caught six balls on eight targets and gained 98 total receiving yards. Brown has been able to find creases in the opposing defenses and has stepped into the wide receiver two roles making big plays down the field.
Key Drive Of The Game
Detroit had just scored off Jahmyr Gibbs’ 8-yard touchdown run, to trail the Commanders only 31-28 with 6:57 in the third quarter. Washington proceeded to go on a 15-play, 70-yard touchdown drive that spilled into the fourth quarter. Daniels converted a 4th-and-2 at the Detroit 16, running to the right side on a play fake handoff for a three-yard gain. But that wouldn’t be the only key fourth-down conversion on the drive. Washington faced another 4th-and-2 this time from the Detroit 5. On the ensuing play, Washington lined up out of the shotgun formation, but Detroit was flagged for too many men on the field extending the drive. Ultimately, Washington finished the drive with Robinson Jr. punching in a one-yard touchdown run to regain their 10-point lead.
Washington Key Stats
● 481 total yards
● 4-for-4 in the Red Zone
● 0 turnovers
● WR Terry McLaurin: four catches, 87 yards and one TD
● DE Dorrance Armstrong: 3 total tackles (3 solo), two sacks, two TFLs, and two QB hits
Up Next
On Sunday at 3 p.m., the Commanders head to Philadelphia for the NFC Championship against their division foes the Philadelphia Eagles. This will be the third matchup between the two NFC East teams, with both teams splitting the two regular season matchups.
