The Washington Commanders are headed to the NFC Championship for the first time since the 1991 season after a thrilling 45-31 win against the No. 1 seed Detroit Lions. Quarterback Jayden Daniels, wide receiver Dyami Brown, running back Brian Robinson Jr. and the entire Washington defense had heavy-hitting performances during the historic night in the Motor City.
Jayden Daniels
Arguably the most significant rookie quarterback campaign in NFL history keeps getting better. Daniels showed that no moment is too big or the odds too great if he's suited up for Washington.
The Lions' defense did everything in their power to rattle the rookie in the pocket, throwing blitz after blitz throughout the night. Unfortunately for Detroit, the approach didn't have the desired effect, and No. 5 remained composed. He avoided pressure to get his passes off for 22-of-31 completions. Some of those were smart, quick dump-offs like the pass to Terry McLaurin that resulted in a go-ahead second-quarter touchdown for Washington. Others were downfield bombs like the 38-yard deep shot to Dyami Brown.
And when he didn't see a teammate as an option, Daniels showed what he has demonstrated over and over this season -- he is already one of the deadliest quarterbacks in the league with his legs. Daniels' rushing prowess led to significant gains, such as his 15-yard scramble in the second quarter, which kept the chains moving like his conversion on fourth-and-short in the third.
Daniels' journey into the lion's den of Ford Field ended with 350 combined (passing and rushing) yards, two touchdowns and a 122.9 quarterback rating. He is the first rookie in NFL history with 300-plus total yards in two playoff games. It doesn't matter the opponent or the situation; the unbelievable or unprecedented can happen whenever the ball is in Daniels' hands.
Dyami Brown
In a long NFL season, teams will look to players who may not have had all the attention on them to step up. The combination of injuries or certain edges to take advantage of in particular games requires it. The question then becomes, "Who can do that?"
Brown has been the answer for Washington over the last two weeks. The wide receiver had a massive performance in the Wild Card win in Tampa, registering five catches for 89 yards with a team-high average of 17.8 yards per catch. In any sport, if a player is hot, coaches and teammates want to lean into that. So, perhaps it makes a lot of sense that Brown would be a favorite target for Daniels in the Divisional round in Detroit.
A handful of Washington's most explosive offensive plays came from Brown. In the first play of the second quarter, on what would end up being the second-longest play of the game, Brown lost his defender crisscrossing with McLaurin and hauled in a pass for a 42-yard gain. That got Washington inside Detroit's 20-yard line, setting up an eventual punch-in touchdown by Robinson.
The second quarter also featured not only one of the best catches of the game but one of the best in the last few weeks for Washington. On second-and-8 with just over two minutes to go in the period, Daniels floated a pass deep right to Brown, and the wideout made a fantastic catch as safety Kerby Joseph brought him to the ground. Replays would show that Brown likely couldn't see much -- if anything -- on the catch as Joseph's hand covered his facemask. That reception was critical in setting up another Washington touchdown three plays later.
Brown's night finished with a team-high six receptions for 98 yards. The fourth-year wideout said earlier in the week that he's "grateful" for any opportunities given in big playoff moments. He's rewarding the coaches' faith in him, and the way Brown's shown up so far in the postseason is a testament to his patient, disciplined hard work.
Brian Robinson Jr.
It wasn't a big secret heading into the Divisional round: establishing the run game would be key for the Burgundy & Gold to out a win on the road against a tough Lions team. Throughout the season, Detroit's defensive front hadn't been tested against the run as much as the stats may lead to believe. Plus, the unit was hampered by injuries.
Wanting to execute a game plan is one thing; doing it is another. And Washington executed in Detroit. Robinson was pivotal to the Commanders' success on the ground against the Lions. In the first quarter, the Commanders' leading rusher put defenders on notice with two strong runs for 15 and 14 yards, respectively. He gave Washington its first lead of the game less than five minutes into the second by churning his legs for a two-yard touchdown.
On the first play of the second half, Robinson signaled that the Commanders' fiery first-half offense wouldn't dwindle as he found a hole and ran for 14 yards. Robinson punched in his second touchdown in the fourth quarter and put Washington up by 10. It was Robinson's second multi-touchdown performance of the season.
In addition to the two touchdowns, the running back finished with a team-high 77 yards on 15 carries. The Commanders needed their top rusher, looked for their top rusher and he did exactly what his team knew he was capable of in the win.
The defense
The Lions possessed one of the most potent offenses in the league coming into the Divisional round matchup, ranking second in total yards per game and first in points per game. Containing this unit would be a tall order for the Commanders, but defensive players all over the field came up huge to make life difficult for the Lions.
Let's start with the front seven. Dorance Armstrong had arguably his best outing in the burgundy and gold, accumulating three tackles, two sacks, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble. His two tackles for loss are tied for most in a postseason game in franchise history. Dante Fowler Jr. also gave an excellent performance, recording three tackles, one tackle for loss and one quarterback hit.
Jonathan Allen, who is just a few games back from a near season-ending injury, also brought his best, registering six pressures (his most in a single game since 2022), four hurries, two quarterback hits and a tackle for loss. Linebacker Frankie Luvu did what he's been doing all season long: arriving violently and making huge plays. His biggest at Ford Field came in the form of a fumble recovery in the first quarter, the first postseason fumble recovery of his career.
Moving backward to the secondary, Mike Sainristil notched four tackles, two interceptions and two pass breakups. He is the first Washington player to record two interceptions in a single game since the 1988 Super Bowl against Denver. He wasn't the only one to get in on the interception fun as Quan Martin also picked off Jared Goff and took it the house for his first career pick-six. Marshon Lattimore had an excellent bounce-back game, as he was only targeted once and allowed zero catches and zero yards.
Forcing five turnovers on one of the NFL's best offenses in the biggest game of the season was simply a stellar performance from Joe Whitt's unit.
