By The Associated Press’s Dave Hogg
DETROIT This time, the Detroit Lions had everything set up the way they desired.
They went 15-2 to secure the top seed in the NFC after losing the NFC championship game against San Francisco the previous season. They knew they would only need to play at Ford Field until the Super Bowl and had the luxury of a first-round playoff bye.
It made no difference.
The Lions lost 45-31 to the Washington Commanders on Saturday night, shattering their own hopes of winning the team’s first Super Bowl by turning the ball over five times.
Coach Dan Campbell, who almost broke down in tears at his postgame press conference, stated, “We just didn’t complement each other.” We turned the ball over when we were given a stop, and we failed to get one when we needed one. Five turnovers is excessive, even if one occurred at the end and there were actually four.
The most of the responsibility fell on Jared Goff, who lost his first fumble of the season and threw three interceptions. Quan Martin returned one of the picks 40 yards for a score, putting the Commanders ahead 24–14.
Do we win if I play better? “Probably,” Goff responded. I will be hurt for a long time because I cost us points by not taking care of the ball.
Even though he wasn’t playing defense, Goff didn’t have a fantastic night. Jayden Daniels, a rookie for Washington, performed similarly to Goff at his peak by completing passes that allowed his receivers to run. After the catch, he gained 188 of his 299 throwing yards.
According to Campbell, we were aware of what the recording revealed about him. We didn’t handle it as well as we would have liked, even though we anticipated we would be busy.
On Saturday, January 18, 2025, in Detroit, Dorance Armstrong, 92, a defensive end for the Washington Commanders, sacks Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) in the second half of an NFL football divisional playoff game. (Seth Wenig/AP Photo)AP
However, that wasn’t the only issue. This season, Detroit’s injury-plagued defense allowed 481 yards, including 182 on the ground, which is the third-highest total. Daniels contributed 51 yards, while Austin Ekeler and Brian Robinson Jr. combined for 124 yards on 21 attempts.
Daniels was not fired by Detroit, a problem that has existed since Aidan Hutchinson suffered a fractured leg in October. Getting back in time for the Super Bowl had been Hutchinson’s goal.
Early in the game, the Lions also lost cornerback Amik Robertson to a fractured arm, which was yet another serious setback for a team that was already severely thin.
“Kindle Vildor came in and played well, but that hurt us a little,” Campbell said. He was vying for us.
However, the mental errors were not explained by the injuries. Early in the fourth quarter, Detroit came within 31-28, and the Commanders were facing a fourth-and-2 from the Lions 5. The Lions were penalized for 12 men on the field, but a halt could have impacted the outcome of the game. Robinson’s goal two plays later put the score at 38-28.
Although Campbell accepted responsibility for the mistake, there was still time to rally before Jameson Williams made the incomprehensible choice to pass to Jahmyr Gibbs. Williams rolled right and threw into coverage, looking hesitant. After grabbing his second interception of the evening, rookie Mike Sainristil helped Washington run 4:33 off the clock and score another touchdown, bringing the score to 45-28.
Campbell remarked, “Obviously, I wish he had run the ball.”
Campbell spoke extensively last year about how difficult it is to set oneself to win a Super Bowl and how the Lions’ greatest shot may have been lost due to the 49ers’ defeat.
On Sunday, January 19, 2025, in Detroit, Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell speaks to the media following a divisional playoff NFL football game against the Washington Commanders. (Photo by Mike Mulholland for AP)
He was unable to even discuss that subject this time.
He stated, “This isn’t the time that this hurts too much.” Talking about our fantastic season and all of our victories is not appropriate at this time. We didn’t make it to the biggest game, which is the whole purpose of playing.
https://apnews.com/hub/nfl is the AP NFL.
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