Many NFL analysts and experts believed the Detroit Lions’ first playoff opponent would be determined by the winner of the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams game on Monday, January 13. However, that wasn’t the case. The Lions already know who they’ll face this coming weekend, thanks to an unexpected playoff upset.
The Lions are set to take on the lowest-seeded winner from the NFC Wild Card round. Heading into Sunday’s games, their potential opponents included the Rams (No. 4 seed), Vikings (No. 5 seed), Washington Commanders (No. 6 seed), or Green Bay Packers (No. 7 seed).
Commanders’ Upset Secures Lions’ Playoff Matchup
The Washington Commanders were widely expected to lose to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, given the Bucs’ higher seed. However, the Commanders pulled off an upset at Raymond James Stadium. Since Washington was the lowest seed remaining after the Packers lost to the Eagles, they will face the Lions in the divisional round.
The Lions and Commanders will clash on Saturday, January 18, at 8 p.m. Eastern at Ford Field. If the Buccaneers had won, they would have traveled to face the Eagles next weekend.
The Lions and Commanders have met 47 times, including three postseason games. According to the Football Database, the Commanders have won 31 of those matchups, while the Lions have secured 16 victories.
Their upcoming playoff encounter will be particularly intriguing, as the two teams haven’t played each other since September 2022. In that game, the Lions defeated the Commanders 36-27. However, Washington now has Dan Quinn at the helm as head coach, adding a new dynamic to the matchup.
Lions’ Defense Key to Success Against Commanders
Despite facing a lower-seeded opponent, the Lions understand they can’t afford to take the Commanders lightly. Washington has been surging late in the season under Quinn’s leadership.
The Lions’ defense shone in last Sunday’s victory over the Vikings. Following the game, quarterback Jared Goff praised the unit’s performance.
“I can’t say enough good things about what they did today,” Goff said. “It’s unbelievable. Everyone keeps talking about how injured and depleted they are, but they don’t care—it’s next man up. They played their absolute tails off today. That’s a good offense they just faced, and no touchdowns, right?”
Goff also acknowledged that the defense “bailed me out a couple times” after his turnovers and described the win as a complete team effort.
Head coach Dan Campbell also had high praise for the defense after the game.
“With where we’re at, there’s no secret. We have to play a certain way, and the recipe works as long as our guys play lights out,” Campbell said. “They do exactly what they’re asked to do, work as one unit, and attack the football. If we do those things, we can be effective—and they did that today.”
Campbell emphasized the defense’s energy, adding, “They played with high, high energy and did exactly what the coaches asked them to do.”
