The Detroit Lions were the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the first time in franchise history, coming off a first-round bye. Jayden Daniels and the red-hot Washington Commanders entered Ford Field as large underdogs. The rookie had tremendous poise this season and would be tested in a hostile environment. Detroit was coming off a dominating Week 18 win against the Minnesota Vikings, earning them the title of kings of the NFC North and the top seed in the NFC. How would the rested Lions respond after a bye? Could the rookie Daniels pull off an upset against the top team in the NFL?
Lions Turnovers Kill 1st Half Momentum
There were two stories in the first half. One was the ability of Daniels to continue to impress in his rookie season. The second is the tale of the turnover. Jared Goff had three costly turnovers in the first half, including one fumble, one pick-six, and one end zone interception to end the half. Jahmyr Gibbs proved he is becoming a star in front of our eyes, having a huge first half. He became the feature back when David Montgomery went down with an injury toward the end of the regular season. “Sonic” was looking like he was trying to collect every ring possible.
The offenses definitely weren’t at a premium in the first half, with 52 total points. Terry Mclaurin was able to score a long touchdown from the result of some missed tackles, but the story was Daniels. Daniels was able to stay calm in Ford Field, handling not only Aaron Glenn’s defense but the crazy fans of Detroit.
On the other hand, Ben Johnson’s creativity struck again! A reverse to Jameson Williams had the second coming of the cheetah celebrating by the time he hit the 20-yard line for a touchdown. Tight End Sam LaPorta added what could have been the catch of the year with a one-handed diving grab in the end zone. By the way, an eligible offensive lineman was double-covered in the same play.
Detroit Can’t Handle Commanders 2nd Half
The Lions started the second half with a huge defensive stop, holding the Commanders without a score. Johnson dialed up another trick play, having Montgomery pitching the ball forward to Amon-Ra St. Brown with Gibbs capping it off with a touchdown. The story of the second half was a lot like the first, with Detroit not being able to stop the Commanders offense. Costly penalties and conversions killed the Detroit defense.
The fourth quarter started with a huge 12-man on-the-field penalty against the Lions on a play that could have been a delay of game call, resulting in a 1st and goal. Washington would capitalize going up by 10 with a Brian Robinson rushing touchdown, his second of the day. Johnson’s bag of tricks backfired as Williams threw an interception on a trick reverse pass. Washington was able to take advantage yet again. They say it is “any given Sunday.” Well on Saturday, the Commanders got the best of the Lions 45-31, advancing in the playoffs. Goff ended the day with his third interception. His fourth turnover in the game.
Final Thoughts
This type of game would happen to Detroit Lions fans. We are so used to disappointment it’s second nature. Of course, the first time we get the top seed in the NFC and are the favorite to win the Super Bowl, we can’t even make it interesting. SOL (same old Lions) may be on the verge of being dead, but with a performance like this, it may be on life support.
I’m not saying we were guaranteed a Super Bowl win or appearance, but with the matchup, most Detroiters wanted a result like this. If this is Johnson’s and Glenn’s last game on the squad, it’s a hard pill to swallow. This team was able to go 15-2 despite all the injuries, but in the end, they couldn’t stop the red-hot Commanders. Until next season, Detroit fans, let’s drink heavily.
