The chance to host another postseason game at Ford Field was not earned by the Detroit Lions. The No.

seed in the NFC took the field in front of a cheering home crowd after a regular season in which Dan Campbell’s club earned 15 victories.

The fans were thrilled to support one of the most well-liked teams in the National Football League.

It’s incredible. For the past three or four games, my wife and I have been downtown. Calvin Johnson, a former wide receiver with the Lions, told FOX 2 Detroit, “We arrived early, especially for these night games, just to be around the people in Detroit.” “We have witnessed the depths to which they have descended. We have now been here for eighteen years.

Therefore, it’s a terrific spot to see where it was and where this team is today. It is infusing Detroit with vitality.

Jayden Daniels, a rookie quarterback who surpassed expectations in his debut season in the league, led the Washington Commanders.

Making every effort to maintain discipline against Daniels was one of Detroit’s defense’s principal objectives.

Detroit’s defense and its ability to achieve its objectives against a developing superstar were severely damaged by another injury, this time to cornerback Amik Robertson. Detroit’s fantastic season ended abruptly due to too many mistakes and a poor effort by Jared Goff.

After 60 minutes of play, Detroit was unable to make it to the NFC Championship Game for the second time in a row. These are some lessons learned from the Lions’ 45–31 defeat at the hands of the Commanders.

The Commanders won the first coin toss, and Detroit’s offense entered the field.

When Jared Goff failed to make contact with Tim Patrick on third down, Detroit’s first offensive drive was thwarted, costing them five yards while rushing the football.

David Montgomery began the game in the backfield and received a standing ovation during pregame introductions.

The Commanders’ offense moved the football on its first possession after swiftly settling into rhythm. Unfortunately for Detroit, after sustaining an elbow injury on the game’s second defensive play, Robertson—who had been commended for his efforts against the Vikings—went straight to the locker room.

When the Commanders tried to prolong their drive on fourth-and-one, Detroit’s defense stood firm.

An early defensive stop gave Detroit’s offensive momentum, which they exploited.

The recipient of the 19-yard reception was Jameson Williams. The drive began with Jahmyr Gibbs in the backfield, who managed to break free for a 15-yard rush.

Gibbs finished with a 1-yard touchdown scamper to cap up a six-play, 71-yard drive. The former first-round pick gained 25 rushing yards and 23 receiving yards on Detroit’s second drive.

Unfortunately, Goff was hit by defensive end Dorance Armstrong and coughed up the football in the red zone.

Linebacker Frankie Luvu retrieved the football. Daniels hit wide receiver Dyami Brown for a 42-yard reception that put the Commanders at the 16-yard line, putting his team in the red zone.

Early in the second quarter, Daniels led the Commanders on their first touchdown drive of the game.

A Brian Robinson touchdown scamper completed an 11-play, 78-yard drive that gave Washington its first lead of the game, 10–7. In the first half, Detroit’s defense was put to the test.

Washington led 17–14 after Terry McLaurin sprinted for a 58-yard touchdown after receiving a Daniels pass.

However, that momentum didn’t last very long. With a drive down the field and a touchdown pass from Daniels to Zach Ertz, Washington increased its lead to ten points. For the last drive of the half, Goff came back into the game, but it ended abruptly when he intercepted the ball and turned it over for the third time. A throw meant for Williams was intercepted in the end zone by Mike Sainristil, who made the pick. With a nearly 6:00 offensive drive that covered 91 yards, Detroit was able to start the second half.

Daniels’ mobility was well-known going into Saturday’s matchup as a decisive element in games. But he made the Lions pay for their defensive failure to contain him. Daniels led the Commanders down the field in 15 plays following the stop on Washington’s first series of the second half and Detroit’s touchdown.

After Detroit was reprimanded for having 12 men on the field, Washington converted two fourth-down attempts, one of which was a Daniels bootleg.

Midway through the third quarter, Detroit reduced the Commanders’ lead to 31-28, spearheaded by St. Brown and Gibbs. Gibbs used an 8-yard sprint to score his second touchdown of the game.

In the end, Brian Robinson’s 1-yard touchdown run allowed the Commanders to increase their lead back to 10 points.

In the hours before their Divisional Round matchup at Ford Field, the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders are rehearsing.

After winning the NFC bye, the Lions enter the game as the favorites, but they are aware that they must perform at their highest level if they hope to defeat the Commanders, who are headed by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Brian Branch, a defensive back with the Lions, described some of the tactics his team will use to try to restrict Daniels.

According to NFL.com writer Kevin Patra, Branch stated, “You have to shrink the pocket.” “In college, I played Jayden Daniels.

He is a superb quarterback. He makes me think of Lamar (Jackson). Just his movements and such, but that seems like the main strategy to me.

Simply making him make those throws by making his pocket smaller.”

For further FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders during the 2024 season, stay tuned to Commander Gameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast.

Daniels is aware that the Lions defense will try to surprise him, but if he can handle the pressure like he has this season, the Commanders will have a chance to pull off the upset.

For further FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders during the 2024 season, stay tuned to Commander game day and the Locked On Commanders podcast.

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The Detroit Lions will play the Washington Commanders in a primetime fight Saturday night, with the winner advancing on the NFC Championship game.

It’s a chance for Detroit to revenge the loss to the San Francisco 49ers and return to the level they were at the previous season.

These five Lions are worth seeing when they play the Commanders on Saturday night.

Christian Mahogany, OL The 2024 sixth-round pick is expected to start on Saturday for the second time in his career due to the absence of Kevin Zeitler.

In his debut, he made an impression during the team’s victory over the Chicago Bears in Week 16. Getting a chance on this stage will be a tremendous opportunity for Mahogany early in his career.

Since being selected on Day Three of the draft, the Boston College product has advanced significantly.

Due to mono, he missed several games while on the Non-Football Illness list before being activated.

He now has the chance to establish himself as a future part of this offensive line after defeating Kayode Awosika for the backup position.

Za’Darius Smith, DE Jayden Daniels, a rookie quarterback for Washington, is among the league’s finest.

The Lions defense will play a lot of man coverage in the secondary, and the clear frontrunner for Rookie of the Year has the ability to get out of the pocket and wreck havoc. Smith’s huge night would be very beneficial to the Lions because Daniels’ mobility is a threat.

He faced the Commanders earlier this season when playing for the Cleveland Browns, meaning he has already faced them this year. He recorded a sack during that game, and if he could consistently put pressure on the quarterback, that would be a huge asset to the Lions defense.

Williams can soar in the postseason after having his first season with 1,000 yards. Before he scored two touchdowns against the 49ers in the NFC Championship game, he had two quiet outings in Detroit’s three postseason games last season.

After a year, Williams has become an even more reliable component of Ben Johnson’s offensive plan. More targets and opportunities have come his way as a result of his demonstration that he can be trusted within the offense.

Look for Williams to find ways to contribute in the short and intermediate passing game because the Commanders will probably try to take away his ability to beat them deep.

The 2024 first-round selection, who was left off of the week’s final injury report, will start his first postseason game. Despite having a foot injury, he participated fully in practice every day this week and appears to be recovering well.

Throughout the game, it will be worthwhile to monitor the condition of that foot.

Throughout his rookie NFL season, Arnold has had highs and lows, with several recent highs.

Saturday night would be a fantastic chance for him to get his first-career interception, which he has yet to obtain.

After missing three Lions games due to a knee injury, Montgomery is expected to make a comeback. The veteran informed reporters that he anticipates playing without any restrictions on Sunday, which bodes well for Detroit’s attack. Jahmyr Gibbs has stepped up and performed at a very high level in his place.

It will therefore be interesting to observe how they diverge in terms of touches. Will Montgomery’s return to the Lions be seamless? Will the number of pitches be counted? In any case, with both running backs being so gifted, the Lions are facing a good challenge.

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