5 Plays That Will Haunt the Detroit Lions After Playoff Meltdown Against Commanders

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5 Plays That Will Haunt the Detroit Lions After Playoff Meltdown Against Commanders

5 Plays That Will Haunt the Detroit Lions After Playoff Meltdown Against Commanders
Image Credit: @49ersSportsTalk

Jeremy Chinn, Mike Sainristil Wave Goodbye as Commanders Stun Lions in Playoff Meltdown

Jeremy Chinn and Mike Sainristil waved farewell to Detroit Lions fans as they reluctantly headed for the exits. Chinn’s interception of Jared Goff’s pass at the goal line sealed a shocking 45-31 upset for the Washington Commanders in the NFC divisional round at Ford Field, capping a night of frustration and missed opportunities for Detroit.

The Lions, who had their best season in franchise history, fell apart in crucial moments, squandering an early lead and succumbing to costly mistakes.

“At the end of the day, we just didn’t play clean football,” center Frank Ragnow said. “Especially in the playoffs, you can’t win like that.”

A Promising Start Derails

Detroit opened strong, stopping Washington on fourth down and converting the momentum into a touchdown by Jahmyr Gibbs. However, turnovers and missed opportunities soon shifted the tide.

Goff fumbled on the Lions’ next possession, leading to a Commanders touchdown and their first lead of the night. Despite flashes of brilliance, such as Sam LaPorta’s diving touchdown catch, Detroit couldn’t overcome their errors as Washington scored twice in under a minute to take control.

Key Moments That Sank the Lions

  1. Goff’s Fumble Sparks Washington’s Rally
    With Detroit poised to extend their lead early, Goff fumbled on a third-and-1, setting up Brian Robinson’s first touchdown after a deep pass to Dyami Brown. “It’s a chain reaction,” coach Dan Campbell said. “A little trip here, a reset there, and suddenly it’s a turnover.”
  2. Missed Tackles on McLaurin’s Screen TD
    After regaining the lead, Detroit’s defense faltered as Terry McLaurin turned a short screen pass into a long touchdown, aided by poor tackling and missed assignments. “We’ve got to get off the block and make that play,” cornerback Kindle Vildor said.
  3. Pick-6 by Quan Martin
    Goff’s attempt to find Tim Patrick sailed high, landing in Martin’s hands for a pick-six that extended Washington’s lead to 24-14. “That’s the one I’d really like back,” Goff admitted. “It was just a poor decision by me.”
  4. Fourth-Down Defensive Breakdown
    Trailing 31-28, the Lions’ defense allowed Washington to convert twice on fourth down during a grueling 15-play drive. A critical penalty for too many men on the field negated a chance to stop the Commanders, leading to another Robinson touchdown. “That’s on me,” Campbell said. “We can’t have those kinds of errors.”
  5. Trick Play Backfires
    A double-reverse pass by Jameson Williams ended with an interception by Sainristil, killing a potential comeback drive. “I would’ve liked for him to run, but we took a risk, and it didn’t work out,” Campbell said.

What Could Have Been

The Lions rallied late, but Goff’s third interception ended their hopes, leaving fans and players alike wondering what might have been.

“I’m so painfully disappointed and sorry to our fans,” Goff said.

As the Commanders celebrated their upset, Detroit was left to reflect on a season of promise undone by a night of mistakes.

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