In a stunning upset, the Washington Commanders defeated the Detroit Lions 45-31 in the NFC Divisional Playoff game, ending Detroit's record-setting season. The Lions, boasting a franchise-best 15 regular season wins and the NFC's No. 1 seed, entered the game as heavy favorites but were undone by five turnovers.
Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels led the Commanders to victory with an impressive performance, throwing for 299 yards and two touchdowns while adding 51 rushing yards. Daniels' poise under pressure was key, as he avoided any turnovers. His performance marked him as only the second rookie quarterback to defeat a top seed in the playoffs, following in the footsteps of Joe Flacco in 2009.
The Lions' usually potent offense struggled, hampered by Jared Goff's three interceptions and one lost fumble. While Goff managed 313 passing yards and a touchdown, the turnovers proved too costly. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs had a strong game with 105 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and Amon-Ra St. Brown contributed 137 receiving yards, but their efforts were overshadowed by the team's mistakes.
Washington's defense capitalized on Detroit's errors, with Mike Sainristil grabbing two interceptions, including one on a trick play. Quan Martin's 40-yard pick-six further solidified the Commanders' dominance. The Commanders' 28-point second quarter was the highest-scoring quarter in NFL playoff history, setting the stage for their upset victory.
The Commanders, led by first-year coach Dan Quinn, advanced to the NFC Championship game for the first time in 33 years. Their victory continued a remarkable season marked by resilience and exceeding expectations. For the Lions, the loss added another chapter to the franchise's history of playoff disappointments. After breaking a 32-year playoff win drought the previous season, their Super Bowl aspirations were dashed once again.
This defeat stings for Detroit, a team that had finally seemed poised for a deep playoff run. Their historic regular season success ultimately proved meaningless in the face of playoff pressure and costly turnovers.
