The Washington Commanders have continued their improbable run. Last week, the team took down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild card round to set up a date with the Detroit Lions. Despite all of the injuries, Detroit came in as the heavy favorite and looked like the best team in the NFL for most of the season. Washington completely dominated the game, winning 45-31. How have the Commanders defied the odds to make this run? Here are three of the biggest reasons.
1. Jayden Daniels
There was a ton of debate during last year’s draft cycle about Jayden Daniels. Would his game translate to the NFL? The debate is over. Daniels is the real deal and is the number one reason why the Washington Commanders have had such a crazy turnaround. In the last two weeks, he has thrown for 567 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. He has added 87 yards on the ground as well. The most important stat is that there are no turnovers. Last night, the Lions turned the ball over four times. Daniels took care of the ball and it was a big reason why the team won.
Outside of the stats, Daniels never looks flustered. The last five weeks have been high-pressure games. At the end of the regular season, the Washington Commanders were fighting for a playoff spot and playoff positioning. Daniels led a game-winning drive in the last three regular-season games against the Eagles, Falcons, and Cowboys. He did it again in the wild-card game. We should have seen this coming. Daniels isn’t a young rookie. He has experience, and it is showing. The moment doesn’t seem too big for him. Washington has themselves a future star.
2. Washington Commanders Savvy Free Agent Signings
The Washington Commanders were not shy about spending in free agency last year. The new ownership group was eager to show fans they were serious about building a team. Many analysts panned the signings. There were three in particular that left some people scratching their heads: Austin Ekeler, Bobby Wagner, and Zach Ertz. These are players who were past their prime, cast-offs from their original teams. Washington brought them in, and it has worked out in more ways than one.
First, all three have produced stats. Are they setting career highs? Of course not! However, each of these players has shown up in big moments throughout the playoff run. Second, these three bring a veteran presence to this team. All three of these players, especially Wagner and Ertz, have made playoff runs. They know what it takes and can set the tone for the locker room. This team looks prepared to play football at the highest level, and the veteran signings are a big reason for that. Credit the Washington Commanders front office for making signings that go beyond the box score.
3. 4th Down Success
The Lions met their match in this one. All year, Dan Campbell would go for it and, more often than not, convert. It was one of the reasons they had such an advantage over their opponents all year. The Washington Commanders gave them a taste of their own medicine. Head coach Dan Quinn hasn’t been getting as much press as Campbell, but he has been just as aggressive. What is even more crazy is their conversion rate. In the regular season, they converted 87% of their fourth downs. Michael Jordan had a career free throw average of 83.5%. They had a few big conversions in this game.
Both Detroit and Washington have shown how big of an advantage going for it on fourth down can be. What is impressive about the Washington Commanders is they are executing at a high level on these plays. Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury know what the right play call is, and the players lock in and execute the call to perfection. This aggressiveness won’t stop. They are playing with house money and have nothing to lose. Expect more fourth-down attempts next weekend.
Final Thoughts
The upset was shocking to many. The Washington Commanders were heavy underdogs, and the Lions had been blowing out opponents all year. In the NFL playoffs, the regular season doesn’t matter. There are no seven-game series. If a team doesn’t show up, they could find their season over prematurely. The Lions ran into one of the hottest teams in the NFL, and now the Commanders are on the cusp of a Super Bowl berth.
