We have our first shock result of the playoffs. The Detroit Lions, the Super Bowl favorites, bowed out early in the divisional round, losing to the Washington Commanders. Detroit’s defense had no answer all night to rookie QB Jayden Daniels and Co. And Jared Goff’s mistakes compounded the problems for the home team in the 31-45 loss. Shannon Sharpe, while dissecting the game, placed the blame squarely on the quarterback.
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“When your defense is a little sus with all those injuries, the last thing you can do is turn the ball over. You definitely can’t turn it over 4 times. You played double,” Sharpe said on Nightcap.
Goff can do nothing but accept responsibility for the gut-wrenching loss. He threw for 313 yards, completing only 57.5 percent of his passes. He had one TD pass and four critical turnovers, which included three interceptions and one fumble.
One of his picks was a pick-six, and the fumble gave the Commanders a short field to get a TD. Goff’s pass — originally intended for Jameson Williams — was intercepted by Mike Sainristil in the end zone. The Lions were in the red zone and could have scored on that crucial drive.
Shannon pointed out that Detroit’s defense had no answers for Washington’s high-scoring offense. Daniels threw for 299 yards and 2 TDs. They had almost 500 yards of offense on the night and punted the ball only once.
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Ocho agreed with Sharpe, stressing the need for Goff to play better in clutch games. He pointed out that the Lions’ defense was already down to bare bones. The only way they could have won was through their offense. But not when the team’s QB turns the ball over repeatedly.
“Obviously the Lions lost and Goff has to play better, with the defense being held together by duct tape. Basically, they have third-stringers out there. They have a few playmakers and that’s pretty much it. Goff has to understand that in order to have a winning chance, you can’t turn the ball over. You just can’t,” said Johnson.
Chad pointed out that players like Daniels are the reason why teams invest so much in getting their franchise QBs. One player can turn the fortunes of a team around. And the rookie has done that for the Commanders.
Yes, the Lions turned the ball over many times. However, the Commanders’ offense, led by Daniels, ensured they capitalized on the mistakes.
As for the Lions, their Super Bowl drought continues. And, it seems more woes are in store for them in the coming days.
If reports are to be believed, the Lions could lose their offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, in the offseason. No one knows how the team will adapt to that and what their offense will look like next season.
The Commanders, meanwhile, head to their first NFC Championship game in 33 years.
