It’s been more than 24 hours, but the Detroit fanbase is still reeling from the Washington Commanders’ shocking 45-31 win over the Lions in the Divisional Round. It will likely be a while before they get over it. Heading into the contest, Dan Campbell’s team was heavy favorites. But Washington’s rookie QB Jayden Daniels balled out, and the Commanders’ secondary outplayed every trick play the Lions offense threw their way. Jon Gruden believes this is exactly what the Lions deserved.
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In the latest episode of The Shred Line, Gruden minced no words as he lived up to the show’s name, shredding the Lions’ costly mistakes into pieces that ultimately cost them the game. To start, Gruden couldn’t come to terms with the tactics the Lions’ defense employed against a rookie after having more than a week to prepare.
The offense struggled significantly as well, turning the ball over five times. While the veteran coach understood that Dan Campbell had injuries to contend with, he believes these turnovers should have been avoided.
That could have started with steering clear of the “Double Reverse Counter Flicker” trick play, which didn’t impress Gruden. He asserted that these trick plays became the theme of the night, ultimately leading to the Lions’ fall.
“They got a little stack formation almost by the sideline and they throw a freaking quick screen out there on an RPO?… I know they have some injuries but… there’s a lot of recognizable faces and they turned it over 5 times… Then they ran a double reverse counter flicker with a WR late in the game. Too cute, too many Gadget plays and they got what they deserved, they got eliminated.”
As crushing as the loss must be for Dan Campbell & Co., what will hurt them more is the fact they didn’t perform to their potential on the day. That said, things won’t get any easier for the Lions from here on out. For starters, Campbell will need to go into hiring mode, as both Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn are strongly linked with HC roles at multiple NFL teams.
On top of this, there is a massive list of star players becoming free agents in the offseason. From CB Carlton Davis to G Kevin Zeitler, key defensive players’ contracts need to be extended. While retaining players should be the easier part, scouting apt replacements in the OC and DC positions could prove tricky.
