Detroit ‘officially’ kicks off Super Bowl quest
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) signals during the first half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Lions are riding high, elevated to a status they’ve never had as Super Bowl favorites.
Detroit will host the Washington Commanders on Saturday night in the divisional round as the NFC’s No. 1 seed for the first time in franchise history, an advantage it earned by winning a team-record 15 games.
The Lions (15-2) are favored to beat Washington (13-5) by more than a touchdown, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, in the first step toward ending an NFL championship drought that dates to 1957.
“We were the hunters and now we’re the hunted in the lions’ den,” All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph said.
Detroit has the best odds to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, according to BetMGM, ahead of the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Buffalo.
Dan Campbell, though, knows this is just the latest take on his team.
“We’ve been so good, we’ve been so bad, we’re a laughingstock, now we’re great,” said Detroit’s coach, who was 4-18-1 more than a year into his four-season tenure. “It’s just been this roller coaster of ups and downs. This is nothing new for me, for the coaches, for the players.
“We’re in the middle of the circus, man, and it’s about time to perform.”
Washington, meanwhile, has nothing to lose.
With a new quarterback, coach and general manager, the Commanders were predicted to win about six games.
Jayden Daniels had other ideas.
He had the most comeback wins in the regular season and playoffs when trailing in the fourth quarter by an NFL quarterback since the start of the 1950 season, helping his team rally from late deficits to win six games, including last week’s wild-card victory at Tampa Bay — Washington’s first playoff triumph in 19 years.
Daniels became the first rookie in NFL history to lead his team in yards rushing and passing in a playoff win and the first rookie quarterback to throw at least two touchdown passes in a road playoff victory since Washington’s Sammy Baugh threw for three TDs against Chicago in the 1937 NFL title game.
The Commanders say it would be foolish to count them out now.
“Even before the season, they wrote us out and they counted us out over and over again throughout the season,” running back Brian Robinson Jr. said. “We see that. We feel that energy. We just want to continue to leave no doubt that we are who we say we are and prove people wrong.”
Going for itCampbell and Commanders coach Dan Quinn are two of the most aggressive and effective coaches on fourth down.
Detroit converted 22 of 33 attempts on fourth down and Washington was 20 of 23 during the regular season, an 87% rate that was the best in the NFL since since 2000.
The Lions have kept their offense on the field, instead of kicking field goals or punting, a league-high 151 times on fourth down over the last four seasons. Campbell is the only NFL coach to go for it that many times in a four-year span since at least 1991.
Washington went for it on fourth down five times against the Buccaneers and was successful three times, including a late touchdown pass from Daniels to Terry McLaurin.
“They’re excellent at it, we’re excellent at it,” Quinn said. “Obviously big parts of the game to go through.”
Night movesThe Lions are 11-2 in prime time under Campbell, another metric that favors the home team Saturday night.
“We thrive in this,” he said.
Five the hard wayThe Commanders are on a five-game streak of winning on the final play from scrimmage, including the game-ending field goal against Tampa Bay.
“That’s what you kind of play the sport for — when it’s time, to go out there and make plays,” Daniels said. “You’re going to see who rises to the occasion and makes plays.”
Bolstered backfieldDetroit’s determination to run the ball should get a boost with the return of David Montgomery from a knee injury that kept him out of the lineup for a month. He rejoins Jahmyr Gibbs in the backfield.
The dynamic and powerful duo combined to average 138.5 yards rushing during the regular season while Washington was among the worst against the run, allowing an average of 137.5 yards per game on the ground — 30th in the league.
