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Eric Woodyard, ESPN
ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Less than 24 hours after experiencing a heartbreaking loss, members of the Detroit Lions showed up at the Meijer Performance Center to clean out the locker room on Sunday.
All-Pro offensive tackle Penei Sewell was among the players visibly disappointed in the shocking 45-31 loss to the Washington Commanders, but he refused to blame one player as he gathered up his season memorabilia.
After giving the ball away four times, veteran quarterback Jared Goff has received heavy criticism for his playoff exit, but Sewell disagreed.
“I just don’t understand how in a team sport people can blame one person,” Sewell said of Goff. “It’s not like he’s the one there alone. So I’ll never understand, but again, that’s not my world and what I pay attention to, but nonsense…”
Detroit earned the top seed and a bye in the postseason after a historic 2024 season in which they won a franchise-best 15 games. However, the Lions trailed by 10 points at halftime against the Commanders at home and were never able to recover.
The Lions became the second 15-win team to lose their first playoff game, joining the 2011 Green Bay Packers.
Goff threw three interceptions, including his first pick of six this season, and lost a fumble. He finished 23 of 40 passing for 313 yards and a touchdown, but it marked his fourth game this season in which he had multiple interceptions. His 30% error rate was also the highest in a game this season, according to ESPN Research.
“It just sucks. Yeah, I wish I played a little better, I wish I could have taken care of the ball a little better,” Goff said. “Obviously the pick-six is actually the one I’d really like to get back; it was just a bad decision on my part.
“The others were sometimes part of the game, but yeah, it’s up to me. I have to take better care of him and we certainly would have given ourselves a better chance of winning if I had.”
Many of his teammates, such as wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and safety Kerby Joseph, consoled him in the locker room after the upset loss, for which Goff said he was grateful.
“Those guys are my guys, I love them, I would do anything for them and I appreciate them,” Goff said. “Yes, but I know we’re all disappointed.”
Still, he was upset about his overall playoff performance after experiencing a magical regular-season run in which he helped the franchise set numerous records, including most touchdowns scored.
“If I had played better, would we win? Possibly, and that’s the part that will eat at me all offseason,” Goff said.
