MichiganCardinal

My gut tells me it’ll be closer than I’d like. Washington is hot and playing with house money. The Lions have the benefit in that they’re not really cold, at least not in the same way the Chiefs are (who haven’t played a meaningful game in nearly a month). But the Commanders are the prototypical young and scrappy underdog team that has far exceeded expectations, now with nothing to lose. They think they can beat anybody. Thats a dangerous team to play when it’s a one-and-done. Position by position it’s hard to name one where Washington is better, but this isn’t a best-of-five series. You can’t afford to go down 21-0, or cough up multiple turnovers. Ultimately, talent beats spirit more often than not (and it’s not like Detroit doesn’t have plenty of spirit of their own). I think that’s the case here too, but it’s not as easy a matchup as an apples to apples roster comparison might suggest.

As long as Jerry Jones treats the team like his toy to play GM with on weekends, they’ll never be a real contender.

Cowboys job is officially open. My wildcard picks have been awful, but maybe these will be better. Realizing I didn’t name the Raiders, I think that’s where Ben goes, if he goes this cycle. But I’ll predict Pete Carroll to the Raiders. Ben will get his job eventually, but I think it’ll be a scenario where he can have his handpicked GM join him.

Lions -8.5 is the opening spread. Commanders haven't lost a game by more than 8 since week one.

I agree, though I wonder what a really high level coach could do with him. Dan Campbell probably loves him, he bleeds grit. But instead he's gone through Hue Jackson, Freddie Kitchens, Kevin Stefanski, Matt Rhule, Sean McVay (for four games), and now Todd Bowles. It's insane that he's still around the league, let alone being as strong a leader as he is.

vs. Setting: 01/18/2025 8:00pm EST on FOX Site: Ford Field in Detroit, MI Weather: Climate Controlled Opening Spread: Lions -8.5 All-Time Series Record: Commanders lead, 31-16 Last Meeting: 09/18/2022, Lions won 36-27 #6 Washington Commanders (13-5) Head Coach: Dan Quinn (7th Season: 55-47, 4-2 in Playoffs) Projected Starting QB: Jayden Daniels (1st Season: 12-5, 1-0 in Playoffs) Last Week: 23-20 W @ #3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-8) Your #1 Detroit Lions (15-2) Head Coach: Dan Campbell (4th Season: 39-28-1, 2-1 in Playoffs) Projected Starting QB: Jared Goff (9th Season: 81-52-1, 4-4 in Playoffs) Last Week: BYE (following 31-9 W v. Minnesota Vikings (14-3)) Elsewhere in the NFL Saturday: #4 Houston Texans @ #1 Kansas City Chiefs (4:30pm on ESPN/ABC) Sunday: [Winner of #5 Minnesota Vikings @ #4 Los Angeles Rams] @ #2 Philadelphia Eagles (3:00pm on NBC), #3 Baltimore Ravens @ #2 Buffalo Bills (6:30pm on CBS)

..... maybe those of you who were alive haven't.

Sure enough, Saturday Night at 8pm on FOX.

They should announce it when they are back from this break, but my guess is Saturday Night.

Baker is such a baller. He deserved better than Cleveland, and he deserves better than Todd Bowles.

Bring on the Commies!

I was thinking the same thing. Campbell would go for it again.

One first down and they're a kick away.

All of Washington's runs are just punching a brick wall right now.

Both of these teams play up or down to their opponent. A Wildcard or Divisional Round exit sounds about right for both, but Washington hasn't lost by more than 8 since week one. I'm guessing it would be closer than comfortable. I'm confident the Lions would win though. Tampa is similar, has lost only twice by more than 8 all season.

Didn't they go to the same high school as Clayton Kershaw?

Commanders are getting a million and a half chances.

Jayden Daniels had two looks in those four plays that would have been 6 and missed on them both. I'd love to play these guys.

On cue!! 1st and Goal from the 1.

Leave it to Kliff Kingsbury to see both starting corners get knocked out in an already bad Tampa secondary and start calling a steady diet of screens and draws.

The broadcast team just reported that they would announce the times for next week's games before this game ends.

How is Dan Quinn an NFL head coach? He has the option of kicking off at the 50, where a pooch kick will pin them deep, or a squib will put them at the 20. Instead, he says "give me a 26-yard extra point instead of a 33-yard extra point."

They had the name Red Hogs there for the taking and chose Commanders instead. Unfortunate shortenings is what they deserve.

I agree. If I was a betting man, I think Chiefs/Texans is a 4pm game and Bills/Ravens is an 8pm game. If the Commies win, it would put Lions/Commies on Saturday at 8pm (Chiefs/Texans 4pm Saturday, Eagles/Rams-Vikings 4pm Sunday, Ravens/Bills 8pm Sunday). If the Bucs win, Lions/Rams is an 8pm Sunday game, bumping Ravens/Bills to 8pm Saturday and Chiefs/Texans to 4pm Sunday, Eagles/Bucs to 4pm Saturday... Lions/Vikings I'm not so sure. That might get 4pm Sunday, with Eagles/Bucs taking 8pm Sunday. on edit, I'm not so sure about Lions/Commies either. It's probably an 8pm game, but they might like Eagles/Rams more.

I believe that they put the Monday Night wildcard winner in the Sunday Night divisional round game, so I think this is correct.