DETROIT – The Washington Commanders are no longer just a feel-good story. They are now a threat to win a title in one of the most unlikely seasons in franchise history.
The Commanders earned a berth in the NFC Championship Game with a 45-31 victory over the Detroit Lions on Saturday. Washington (14-5) will play the winner of Sunday’s game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams (3 p.m. ET, NBC).
It is the first time the organization has reached the NFC Championship Game since the 1991 season. Last week it won its first playoff game since the 2005 season.
The Commanders did it with an offense that only punted once and gained 482 total yards against a team that had gone 15-2 in the regular season.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels once again starred. He threw for 299 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 52 yards. The offense scored 38 points and gave up another seven thanks to a pick-six by safety Quan Martin.
The Commanders accomplished this feat a year after going 4-13 and making massive changes to their front office, coaching staff and roster. From 1992, the year after Washington won its last Super Bowl, through 2023, the organization posted the fourth-worst winning percentage in the NFL.
Before this season, the franchise had not posted a winning record since 2016. But the Commanders have exorcised one ghost after another.
Here are the most important things to know from Saturday night for both teams:
QB Breakdown: Rookie or not, Daniels doesn’t get nervous. Playing in his most hostile environment as a professional and facing numerous charges, he maintained his composure, as he has done all season. Daniels threw for 299 yards and two touchdowns. His best work came under pressure. In the first half, Daniels threw for 160 yards against the blitz, completing 7 of 9 throws. His season-high in a game against the blitz was 177 yards against the Eagles in a Week 16 victory. On Saturday, Daniels also completed two fourth-down passes for 19 yards and two first downs.
Amazing performance: Washington’s defense. The Commanders allowed 31 points and 521 yards, but made plays on defense. Washington intercepted four passes and had a sack that led to a touchdown. Safety Quan Martin made a pick-six in the first half, while cornerback Mike Sainristil intercepted a pass in the end zone late in the first half with Detroit in field goal range.
Promising trend: Receiver Dyami Brown has been huge in the postseason. On Saturday, Brown caught six passes for 98 yards after catching five passes for 89 yards and a touchdown in the wild-card win over Tampa Bay. His speed was important Saturday as he caught passes of 42 and 38 yards to set up the touchdowns. During the regular season, Brown caught 30 passes for 308 yards and a touchdown. -John Keim
Next match: NFC Championship Game vs. Eagles or Rams (3 p.m. ET, Sunday, Jan. 26)
Fans at Ford Field were stunned after such a promising season ended with a five-turnover performance in a loss to Washington. The teams combined for 52 points at halftime, matching the highest-scoring first half of any game since the 2019 divisional playoffs between the Chiefs and Texans, according to ESPN Research. But that number was largely reflected in Detroit’s defense, which had a lot of trouble containing rookie Daniels and the Washington offense throughout the game.
Detroit starting cornerback Amik Robertson suffered an elbow injury on the defense’s second play of the game and did not return, compounding the unit’s woes.
QB Breakdown: Jared Goff threw three interceptions, including his first of six interceptions this season, and lost a fumble. He also briefly left the game in the second quarter to be evaluated for a concussion after absorbing a big hit during Martin’s interception return for a touchdown. Goff finished 23 of 40 for 313 yards with a touchdown, 3 interceptions and the fumble.
Silver lining: Second-year running back Jahmyr Gibbs continued his rise to NFL stardom. He finished with 14 carries for 105 rushing yards, as well as six receptions for 70 receiving yards. He scored two touchdowns and showed the moves and explosions that made Commanders defenders miss all game long. He set franchise records with five postseason touchdowns in his career and 22 total this season.
Describe the game in two words: Big disappointment. After a record-breaking regular season in which they set a franchise record for wins (15) and clinched first place, the Lions were surpassed by Washington. Injuries to key defensive players finally seemed to catch up to them. The Lions couldn’t seem to overcome the losses of CB Carlton Davis, DT Alim McNeill, DE Aidan Hutchinson and LB Malcolm Rodriguez (all starters) against Washington’s high-powered offense. –Eric Woodyard