The Washington Commanders delivered a stunning 45-31 upset over the top-seeded Detroit Lions on Saturday night, earning their first trip to the NFC championship game in 33 years. Premium Content Sign Up NFL Divisional Round Recap: Washington Commanders 45, Detroit Lions 31 2S785EM Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) runs the ball past Detroit Lions defensive end Levi Onwuzurike (91) during the second half of an NFL football divisional playoff game, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) By Mark Chichester Posted Jan 19, 2025 12:07 am EST • Washington Commanders • Detroit Lions The Washington Commanders delivered a stunning 45-31 upset over the top-seeded Detroit Lions on Saturday night, earning their first trip to the NFC championship game in 33 years. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels led the way with yet another terrific performance, throwing for 299 yards and two touchdowns while adding 51 rushing yards without recording a single turnover-worthy play. The Lions’ downfall was their inability to protect the ball, as their five turnovers ultimately sealed their fate. Jared Goff struggled under pressure, throwing three interceptions and losing a fumble, with three of those turnovers coming in the first half. Washington’s defense capitalized on Detroit’s mistakes. Rookie Mike Sainristil snagged two interceptions, with one of those picks coming courtesy of a failed trick play in the fourth quarter when receiver Jameson Williams threw into tight coverage on a reverse. Quan Martin added to the defensive dominance by returning an interception 40 yards for a touchdown. PFF’s dedicated team of graders was hard at work, analyzing every player on every play in real time. The grades and data will be available after a thorough review tomorrow at noon ET. In the meantime, we’ve gathered some high-level data and snap counts from the game to give you an early look. Our expert graders have also nominated the standout player of the game, highlighting exceptional performance on the field. Sign up for PFF+ for in-depth analysis, PFF grades, Premium Stats, fantasy football tools, betting dashboards and much more! HIGHEST-GRADED PLAYERS Note: Follow along with PFF’s in-game grading as our analysts evaluate every player on every play in real time! Grades will then be relocked 90 minutes after the final whistle as our first-run analysis is reviewed. Click here to see PFF’s initial grades from this game! PLAYER OF THE GAME The Lions’ playoff run may have come to an end, but Brian Branch left it all on the field in the divisional round. Branch excelled in both run defense and coverage, earning grades above 84.0 in each category and finishing with a game-high 92.6 PFF grade on first review. Branch was targeted seven times in coverage, and while he allowed six receptions, they totaled just 38 yards and only one first down. He forced one incompletion and made three defensive stops on passing plays. Branch’s impact extended to the ground game, where he added two more defensive stops, including a tackle for loss. ADVANCED BOX SCORE
NFL Divisional Round Recap: Washington Commanders 45, Detroit Lions 31
NFL Divisional Round Recap: Washington Commanders 45, Detroit Lions 31
The Washington Commanders delivered a stunning 45-31 upset over the top-seeded Detroit Lions on Saturday night, earning their first trip to the NFC championship game in 33 years. Premium Content Sign Up NFL Divisional Round Recap: Washington Commanders 45, Detroit Lions 31 2S785EM Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) runs the ball past Detroit Lions defensive end Levi Onwuzurike (91) during the second half of an NFL football divisional playoff game, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) By Mark Chichester Posted Jan 19, 2025 12:07 am EST • Washington Commanders • Detroit Lions The Washington Commanders delivered a stunning 45-31 upset over the top-seeded Detroit Lions on Saturday night, earning their first trip to the NFC championship game in 33 years. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels led the way with yet another terrific performance, throwing for 299 yards and two touchdowns while adding 51 rushing yards without recording a single turnover-worthy play. The Lions’ downfall was their inability to protect the ball, as their five turnovers ultimately sealed their fate. Jared Goff struggled under pressure, throwing three interceptions and losing a fumble, with three of those turnovers coming in the first half. Washington’s defense capitalized on Detroit’s mistakes. Rookie Mike Sainristil snagged two interceptions, with one of those picks coming courtesy of a failed trick play in the fourth quarter when receiver Jameson Williams threw into tight coverage on a reverse. Quan Martin added to the defensive dominance by returning an interception 40 yards for a touchdown. PFF’s dedicated team of graders was hard at work, analyzing every player on every play in real time. The grades and data will be available after a thorough review tomorrow at noon ET. In the meantime, we’ve gathered some high-level data and snap counts from the game to give you an early look. Our expert graders have also nominated the standout player of the game, highlighting exceptional performance on the field. Sign up for PFF+ for in-depth analysis, PFF grades, Premium Stats, fantasy football tools, betting dashboards and much more! HIGHEST-GRADED PLAYERS Note: Follow along with PFF’s in-game grading as our analysts evaluate every player on every play in real time! Grades will then be relocked 90 minutes after the final whistle as our first-run analysis is reviewed. Click here to see PFF’s initial grades from this game! PLAYER OF THE GAME The Lions’ playoff run may have come to an end, but Brian Branch left it all on the field in the divisional round. Branch excelled in both run defense and coverage, earning grades above 84.0 in each category and finishing with a game-high 92.6 PFF grade on first review. Branch was targeted seven times in coverage, and while he allowed six receptions, they totaled just 38 yards and only one first down. He forced one incompletion and made three defensive stops on passing plays. Branch’s impact extended to the ground game, where he added two more defensive stops, including a tackle for loss. ADVANCED BOX SCORE
This little known Rams coach could make key difference on Sunday
Photo by Bruce Yeung/Getty Images John Streicher could be the incremental difference versus Eagles Sean McVay made a key coaching hire after last year’s playoff loss to the Detroit Lions, and now it’s time to see if that decision will pay dividends for the Los Angeles Rams. They’ll need every advantage they can get this weekend against the Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round of the postseason. Game management has been a weakness for #Rams HC Sean McVay, but that may change in 2024 After the playoff loss to Detroit, McVay repeatedly expressed remorse for not being aggressive enough on 4th down Last week, he hired John Streicher to be his coordinator of football… pic.twitter.com/1rZgFLyQ2U — The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) February 23, 2024 John Streicher, game management coordinator, was brought in to help McVay with clock management, fourth down decisions, and other areas to find a competitive edge over opponents. Before joining the Rams, he spent the previous six years with the Tennessee Titans with his most recent role being director of football administration. There’s not much known about Streicher himself or his exact contributions to the team; however, his presence has clearly made a difference in how the Rams approach fourth down. Here’s an excerpt from Turf Show Times’ own Blaine Grisak in October: Again, it made a lot of sense that the Rams would want to take a different, more modern approach here when it comes to fourth downs. They ranked 27th in win percentage gained from going for it on fourth down in 2023. Hiring a coach that could take that responsibility off of McVay’s plate made a lot of sense. The hire of Streicher has already paid off five weeks into the 2024 season. Through the first five weeks, the Rams have gone from one of the most conservative teams to one of the most aggressive. So far this season, the Rams are 6-for-11 on fourth downs. Their 11 attempts are tied for the fifth most. Among teams with at least five fourth down attempts, their 54.6 percent success rate is the 11th best. It can be difficult to make a clear decision when the results don’t always have a positive outcome. It’s certainly possible that negative experience led to McVay not going for it as often as he should have in the past. By hiring Streicher, McVay brought in somebody who could help make an unbiased decision for him. Why Streicher could be key for Rams vs Eagles Los Angeles is a clear underdog in the divisional round. They’ll also be traveling to Philadelphia where the weather forecast suggests a high likelihood of snow. If the Rams can create an advantage in terms of game management—scoring before the half, stealing possessions, conserving timeouts, and more—then they can whittle away the margin that the Eagles have on paper as the favorite. McVay has to feel confident with the way the offense performed last week. Give Matthew Stafford, Kyren Williams, et al every opportunity to keep drives alive and put touchdowns instead of field goals on the board. It’s not that you feel confident in your defense. There’s no reason to think that after last week. It’s a chance to be the aggressor and dictate the terms against a team that might is heavily favored to win.
This little known Rams coach could make key difference on Sunday
Photo by Bruce Yeung/Getty Images John Streicher could be the incremental difference versus Eagles Sean McVay made a key coaching hire after last year’s playoff loss to the Detroit Lions, and now it’s time to see if that decision will pay dividends for the Los Angeles Rams. They’ll need every advantage they can get this weekend against the Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round of the postseason. Game management has been a weakness for #Rams HC Sean McVay, but that may change in 2024 After the playoff loss to Detroit, McVay repeatedly expressed remorse for not being aggressive enough on 4th down Last week, he hired John Streicher to be his coordinator of football… pic.twitter.com/1rZgFLyQ2U — The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) February 23, 2024 John Streicher, game management coordinator, was brought in to help McVay with clock management, fourth down decisions, and other areas to find a competitive edge over opponents. Before joining the Rams, he spent the previous six years with the Tennessee Titans with his most recent role being director of football administration. There’s not much known about Streicher himself or his exact contributions to the team; however, his presence has clearly made a difference in how the Rams approach fourth down. Here’s an excerpt from Turf Show Times’ own Blaine Grisak in October: Again, it made a lot of sense that the Rams would want to take a different, more modern approach here when it comes to fourth downs. They ranked 27th in win percentage gained from going for it on fourth down in 2023. Hiring a coach that could take that responsibility off of McVay’s plate made a lot of sense. The hire of Streicher has already paid off five weeks into the 2024 season. Through the first five weeks, the Rams have gone from one of the most conservative teams to one of the most aggressive. So far this season, the Rams are 6-for-11 on fourth downs. Their 11 attempts are tied for the fifth most. Among teams with at least five fourth down attempts, their 54.6 percent success rate is the 11th best. It can be difficult to make a clear decision when the results don’t always have a positive outcome. It’s certainly possible that negative experience led to McVay not going for it as often as he should have in the past. By hiring Streicher, McVay brought in somebody who could help make an unbiased decision for him. Why Streicher could be key for Rams vs Eagles Los Angeles is a clear underdog in the divisional round. They’ll also be traveling to Philadelphia where the weather forecast suggests a high likelihood of snow. If the Rams can create an advantage in terms of game management—scoring before the half, stealing possessions, conserving timeouts, and more—then they can whittle away the margin that the Eagles have on paper as the favorite. McVay has to feel confident with the way the offense performed last week. Give Matthew Stafford, Kyren Williams, et al every opportunity to keep drives alive and put touchdowns instead of field goals on the board. It’s not that you feel confident in your defense. There’s no reason to think that after last week. It’s a chance to be the aggressor and dictate the terms against a team that might is heavily favored to win.
Mark Andrews player props odds, tips and betting trends for the NFL Playoffs | Ravens vs. Bills
Ahead of Sunday’s 6:30 PM ET game airing live on CBS, bookmakers have listed player prop bet markets for Mark Andrews. Andrews’ Baltimore Ravens hit the field against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in the AFC Divisional Round. Watch Mark Andrews and the Ravens vs. Bills on Fubo! Mark Andrews props for AFC Divisional round Matchup: Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills Time: 6:30 PM ET Date: January 19, 2025 Rushing yards prop: Over 0.5 (-139) Receiving yards prop: Over 40.5 (-118) National Football League odds courtesy of BetMGM. Odds updated Saturday at 10:31 PM ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub. Andrews receiving stats and trends Andrews records 39.6 receiving yards per game, 0.9 less than his prop total set for Sunday’s matchup. In nine out of 17 games this year, he has collected over 40.5 receiving yards. Andrews picks up 39.6 receiving yards per game, 7.4 more than his average over/under (32.2). Andrews has hit the over on his prop for receiving yards in 10 of 16 games this year. He has caught a touchdown pass in 10 of 17 games this season, including more than one TD pass on one occasion. Ravens vs. Bills stats and trends The Bills have the NFL’s 24th-ranked pass defense this season, yielding 226.1 yards per game through the air. The Ravens own the seventh-ranked passing offense this season (237.4 passing yards per game), and they’ve been less effective defensively, ranking second-worst with 244.1 passing yards allowed per game. The Ravens have been shining on both sides of the ball in the running game, ranking best in rushing offense (187.6 rushing yards per game) and best in rushing defense (80.1 rushing yards allowed per game). On offense, the Ravens have been a top-five unit in terms of yards per play, ranking best in the NFL by averaging 7 yards per play. They rank seventh on defense (5.5 yards per play allowed). Watch the NFL on Fubo! Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside. We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Ravens Wire operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
Mark Andrews player props odds, tips and betting trends for the NFL Playoffs | Ravens vs. Bills
Ahead of Sunday’s 6:30 PM ET game airing live on CBS, bookmakers have listed player prop bet markets for Mark Andrews. Andrews’ Baltimore Ravens hit the field against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in the AFC Divisional Round. Watch Mark Andrews and the Ravens vs. Bills on Fubo! Mark Andrews props for AFC Divisional round Matchup: Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills Time: 6:30 PM ET Date: January 19, 2025 Rushing yards prop: Over 0.5 (-139) Receiving yards prop: Over 40.5 (-118) National Football League odds courtesy of BetMGM. Odds updated Saturday at 10:31 PM ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub. Andrews receiving stats and trends Andrews records 39.6 receiving yards per game, 0.9 less than his prop total set for Sunday’s matchup. In nine out of 17 games this year, he has collected over 40.5 receiving yards. Andrews picks up 39.6 receiving yards per game, 7.4 more than his average over/under (32.2). Andrews has hit the over on his prop for receiving yards in 10 of 16 games this year. He has caught a touchdown pass in 10 of 17 games this season, including more than one TD pass on one occasion. Ravens vs. Bills stats and trends The Bills have the NFL’s 24th-ranked pass defense this season, yielding 226.1 yards per game through the air. The Ravens own the seventh-ranked passing offense this season (237.4 passing yards per game), and they’ve been less effective defensively, ranking second-worst with 244.1 passing yards allowed per game. The Ravens have been shining on both sides of the ball in the running game, ranking best in rushing offense (187.6 rushing yards per game) and best in rushing defense (80.1 rushing yards allowed per game). On offense, the Ravens have been a top-five unit in terms of yards per play, ranking best in the NFL by averaging 7 yards per play. They rank seventh on defense (5.5 yards per play allowed). Watch the NFL on Fubo! Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside. We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Ravens Wire operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
Chiefs depend on big plays from Mahomes and Kelce against tough Texans team
What’s new at Arrowhead Pride Premier? If you want more Chiefs, our newsletter is the answer for you. Three times a week we deliver a new edition to your inbox. Don’t miss Tuesdays with the full hour of our video podcast, the Editors Show, with Pete Sweeney and John Dixon. Check out a free trial below.
Chiefs depend on big plays from Mahomes and Kelce against tough Texans team
What’s new at Arrowhead Pride Premier? If you want more Chiefs, our newsletter is the answer for you. Three times a week we deliver a new edition to your inbox. Don’t miss Tuesdays with the full hour of our video podcast, the Editors Show, with Pete Sweeney and John Dixon. Check out a free trial below.
6 takeaways from the Detroit Lions’ playoff loss to the Washington Commanders
Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images 6 takeaways from the Detroit Lions’ playoff loss to the Washington Commanders I hope you enjoyed the ride because the ending was a crash landing. The Detroit Lions, arguably the top team in the NFL with an electric offense, collapsed under the playoff lights in an embarrassing fashion. An incredible 15-2 regular season yielded just one playoff game and one playoff loss. The Lions outclassed the Washington Commanders in nearly every facet on paper, but it mattered not. The Commanders were the better team on Saturday night, and the Lions shot themselves in every possible extremity. The defense continued to be a liability. The offense had its trickery, but the bad far outweighed the good in this one. It was only fitting that the season all but ended with a Jameson Williams interception—live by the sword, die by the sword. On a night when the offense needed to be perfect, it only added to the implosion. The Super Bowl dreams are dead for now. For the last time this season, let’s examine some takeaways. A near-perfect season wasted The Lions chose the worst possible time to earn their third loss of the season. Earn is the key word here, since Detroit was just as damaging to themselves as the Commanders were. This loss is on the Lions, plain and simple. They were a Super Bowl-caliber team and they lost against a team that, frankly, is not. The Lions set themselves a high bar with their regular season dominance, sure, but the expectations were high for good reason: they were a damn good team. Instead, it’s a quick offseason exit and wasting of a 15-win season. With coordinators Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson as potential head coaching candidates, the Lions coaching staff could get gutted this offseason. Not only could they lose two top coordinators, but they could take an assistant coach or two with them. The Lions have built themselves up as a team whose whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and it seems possible that they may lose two of their most important parts. The Lions will get back players for injury, sure, but it is difficult to rebound from something like this. The entire phenomenal regular season ended up not mattering because the team could not show up when it mattered. The Lions now have back-to-back devastating playoff loses when factoring in the NFC Championship loss to the San Francisco 49ers last season. That track record is painful, plain and simple. Adding to the woe is a difficult-looking schedule for 2025 featuring multiple playoff teams. Sure, great teams should beat playoff-caliber teams, but it could be a gauntlet for the Lions if they want to win the division and top NFC seed yet again. This was one of Detroit’s best chance at a Super Bowl in franchise history. They had a beatable opponent. They had a high-octane offense. They had one of the best coaching staffs in the NFL. All of it amounted to a single playoff loss. The Lions will be competitive in 2025, but a loss like this stings nonetheless. It is going to take a lot for the Lions to get back to where they were—and as we learned tonight, even that might not be enough. I legit feel like crying right now! — Golden Tate (@ShowtimeTate) January 19, 2025 Me too, Golden. Me too. Goff implodes at the worst possible time Many of us dunked on the Minnesota Vikings when Sam Darnold turned into a pumpkin over their final two games. Karma hit us hard, for quarterback Jared Goff had one of his worst outings of the season on the biggest stage. Goff had three interceptions, two of which came in the first half. One was returned for a touchdown, albeit the return should have been called back for a blatant missed helmet-to-helmet hit that nearly concussed Goff. He also had a strip sack, taking points off the board on a promising drive—points that Detroit could ill afford to lose given the sieve that was the defense. It is difficult to say if the illegal hit rattled Goff or not, but he was not his usual crisp self even before the hit. He was airmailing throws at inopportune times, and some of his decision-making was subpar. The offense still put up 31 points—a winning effort for most teams—so the entirety of the blame is not on Goff. Yet in a game where the Lions needed him at his near-best, he was at his near-worst. More injured defensive starters to cap off a cursed season Of course, the Lions season ended thanks partly to more defensive injuries. This time around, it was a trio of secondary starters. Amik Robertson suffered a scary injury that resulted in a hospital visit. Robertson had been the star of the Lions defense of late, including a shutdown performance of Justin Jefferson just two weeks ago. Ifeatu Melifonwu left midway through the third quarter. Fellow safety Brian Branch was injured on a tackle during that same drive. With the injuries, the Lions had to turn to Kindle Vildor at outside corner, a player who was their sixth-string cornerback at one point. Yet with Robertson, Carlton Davis, Ennis Rakestraw, and Khalil Dorsey out with injury, it had to be Vildor across from rookie Terrion Arnold. At safety, meanwhile, undrafted rookie Morice Norris was forced into a starting spot, a player who was on the practice squad for most of the season. There is no other way to describe this defense other than cursed. This is not a training staff issue or a play style issue. The Lions have suffered wild and unpredictable injuries all season long—their list of broken bones would frighten any skeleton, not to mention the multitude of torn knees and pectorals. This was purely historically bad injury luck. No edge to the defense The Lions had a phenomenal outing against the Vikings in Week 18, pressuring Sam Darnold on nearly every
6 takeaways from the Detroit Lions’ playoff loss to the Washington Commanders
Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images 6 takeaways from the Detroit Lions’ playoff loss to the Washington Commanders I hope you enjoyed the ride because the ending was a crash landing. The Detroit Lions, arguably the top team in the NFL with an electric offense, collapsed under the playoff lights in an embarrassing fashion. An incredible 15-2 regular season yielded just one playoff game and one playoff loss. The Lions outclassed the Washington Commanders in nearly every facet on paper, but it mattered not. The Commanders were the better team on Saturday night, and the Lions shot themselves in every possible extremity. The defense continued to be a liability. The offense had its trickery, but the bad far outweighed the good in this one. It was only fitting that the season all but ended with a Jameson Williams interception—live by the sword, die by the sword. On a night when the offense needed to be perfect, it only added to the implosion. The Super Bowl dreams are dead for now. For the last time this season, let’s examine some takeaways. A near-perfect season wasted The Lions chose the worst possible time to earn their third loss of the season. Earn is the key word here, since Detroit was just as damaging to themselves as the Commanders were. This loss is on the Lions, plain and simple. They were a Super Bowl-caliber team and they lost against a team that, frankly, is not. The Lions set themselves a high bar with their regular season dominance, sure, but the expectations were high for good reason: they were a damn good team. Instead, it’s a quick offseason exit and wasting of a 15-win season. With coordinators Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson as potential head coaching candidates, the Lions coaching staff could get gutted this offseason. Not only could they lose two top coordinators, but they could take an assistant coach or two with them. The Lions have built themselves up as a team whose whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and it seems possible that they may lose two of their most important parts. The Lions will get back players for injury, sure, but it is difficult to rebound from something like this. The entire phenomenal regular season ended up not mattering because the team could not show up when it mattered. The Lions now have back-to-back devastating playoff loses when factoring in the NFC Championship loss to the San Francisco 49ers last season. That track record is painful, plain and simple. Adding to the woe is a difficult-looking schedule for 2025 featuring multiple playoff teams. Sure, great teams should beat playoff-caliber teams, but it could be a gauntlet for the Lions if they want to win the division and top NFC seed yet again. This was one of Detroit’s best chance at a Super Bowl in franchise history. They had a beatable opponent. They had a high-octane offense. They had one of the best coaching staffs in the NFL. All of it amounted to a single playoff loss. The Lions will be competitive in 2025, but a loss like this stings nonetheless. It is going to take a lot for the Lions to get back to where they were—and as we learned tonight, even that might not be enough. I legit feel like crying right now! — Golden Tate (@ShowtimeTate) January 19, 2025 Me too, Golden. Me too. Goff implodes at the worst possible time Many of us dunked on the Minnesota Vikings when Sam Darnold turned into a pumpkin over their final two games. Karma hit us hard, for quarterback Jared Goff had one of his worst outings of the season on the biggest stage. Goff had three interceptions, two of which came in the first half. One was returned for a touchdown, albeit the return should have been called back for a blatant missed helmet-to-helmet hit that nearly concussed Goff. He also had a strip sack, taking points off the board on a promising drive—points that Detroit could ill afford to lose given the sieve that was the defense. It is difficult to say if the illegal hit rattled Goff or not, but he was not his usual crisp self even before the hit. He was airmailing throws at inopportune times, and some of his decision-making was subpar. The offense still put up 31 points—a winning effort for most teams—so the entirety of the blame is not on Goff. Yet in a game where the Lions needed him at his near-best, he was at his near-worst. More injured defensive starters to cap off a cursed season Of course, the Lions season ended thanks partly to more defensive injuries. This time around, it was a trio of secondary starters. Amik Robertson suffered a scary injury that resulted in a hospital visit. Robertson had been the star of the Lions defense of late, including a shutdown performance of Justin Jefferson just two weeks ago. Ifeatu Melifonwu left midway through the third quarter. Fellow safety Brian Branch was injured on a tackle during that same drive. With the injuries, the Lions had to turn to Kindle Vildor at outside corner, a player who was their sixth-string cornerback at one point. Yet with Robertson, Carlton Davis, Ennis Rakestraw, and Khalil Dorsey out with injury, it had to be Vildor across from rookie Terrion Arnold. At safety, meanwhile, undrafted rookie Morice Norris was forced into a starting spot, a player who was on the practice squad for most of the season. There is no other way to describe this defense other than cursed. This is not a training staff issue or a play style issue. The Lions have suffered wild and unpredictable injuries all season long—their list of broken bones would frighten any skeleton, not to mention the multitude of torn knees and pectorals. This was purely historically bad injury luck. No edge to the defense The Lions had a phenomenal outing against the Vikings in Week 18, pressuring Sam Darnold on nearly every
