3 Detroit Lions to blame for not showing up against the underdog Commanders

The Detroit Lions were 15-2, easily the best team in the NFC all season. There wasn't much that could tear this team down... except injuries. It's always injuries.

With several noteworthy absences on the defensive end, Detroit hobbled into Saturday's Divisional Round showdown with the Washington Commanders as, still, a heavy favorite. Pretty quickly, it became clear that we underrated the Commanders and overrated the (severely depleted) Lions.

The score at halftime was 31-21, Washington. This game literally set an NFL postseason record for second quarter scoring. The first half was a succession of highlight-reel plays on both sides, with Jahmyr Gibbs damn near averaging double digit yards per carry and Jayden Daniels slinging the football like prime Tom Brady (just ask Tom Brady, who was in the booth all game).

Washington didn't do a great job of keeping the Detroit offense in check, but the Lions made a few too many mistakes in the end. Five turnovers is going to lose you a game in the playoffs, even if everything else goes your way. The Commanders came up with takeaways when it mattered and capped the Lions' momentum at every turn.

The result was a 45-31 victory. A true "we are here" announcement from the Commanders.

As for Detroit, it's back to the drawing board. Here's who deserves the most blame for Saturday's stinker.

3. Ben Johnson... WYD?

Ben Johnson is widely considered the best head coaching candidate in the carousel this winter. The Lions' offensive coordinator has made a name for himself with aggressive play-calls and unbridled creativity. So high is Johnson's stock, that he actually declined job offers last offseason to stick with Detroit for another year. Now he's in the driver's seat for a number of vacant positions.

So, this lackluster outing comes at an awkward time. One mixed performance probably won't cost him a head coaching opportunity, but Johnson is notably in the running for the Raiders job. Tom Brady, a Raiders minority owner, did not sound too impressed in the booth (and that is definitely not a conflict of interest, NFL! Not at all!)

The "trick play" in question was this baffling pitch and throw on first down in the fourth quarter. Detroit, down 10, staked their comeback odds on Jameson Williams' ability to deliver a throw into traffic. It did not end well, resulting in Mike Sainristil's second INT of the game.

Johnson had plenty of great calls, too, but this was a truly confounding and back-breaking mistake when the Lions could least afford it. That interception essentially ended the game. Washington went on to score a touchdown and put the game out of reach. A 14-point swing, potentially.

Not great, Bob!

2. Aaron Glenn's head coaching odds also took a hit

Detroit's defense was utterly hapless in the first half. So was Washington's, to be fair, but to the winner goes the spoils. The loser just gets blame, and Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn might get a few more pointed questions in his next head coaching interview as a result of this game.

Nobody can deny the job Glenn has done in Detroit, nor can he be held accountable for the freakish nature of injuries. But, on Saturday, Glenn got cooked. Fair and square. Kliff Kingsbury dialed up the right play on seemingly every snap. Detroit's tendency to blitz and lean on man coverage did not pan out. Jayden Daniels was cool as a cucumber under pressure, delivering throws to Washington's speedy wide receivers (and tight ends), who found ways to get open against one-on-one coverage.

Detroit made a few adjustments in the second half, but it proved futile. Most egregious of Detroit's defensive mistakes was this 12 men on the field penalty in the fourth quarter, which transformed a Commanders fourth-and-two on the five-yard line into a first-and-goal, which led to a touchdown.

That is bad communication and discipline, which reflects directly on Glenn. Dan Campbell has to call a timeout there. Glenn cannot shoulder all the criticism. But, when your team gives up 45 points in the Divisional Round, the injury excuse only goes so far. This was an embarrassing flameout for the Detroit D.

1. Jared Goff was too erratic under pressure for the Lions

The Lions lost 45-31, a 14-point margin of defeat. Detroit committed five turnovers — four stemming directly from Jared Goff, who tossed a trio of picks and committed one costly fumble.

If the Lions had been just a little less loosey-goosey with the football, we could very well be talking about a Detroit victory right now. Again, it's not like the Lions couldn't move the chains and pick up yards. They just made ill-timed mistakes when the Commanders did not.

Goff's third interception ended the game — poetic, but not exactly a glaring mistake with any real weight to it.

His first couple interceptions, however, were entirely avoidable. The Lions are a dome team with a dominant run game. Jahmyr Gibbs averaged 7.5 yards per carry in this game. It's fair to wonder why some of these throws were even tried in the first place (circle back to Johnson, Ben).

Here is Goff severely underthrowing a post route to the end zone.

Oh, and here was the god-awful pick six he threw earlier that very same quarter.

Just bad throws. Unnecessary and bad. Goff has never been immune to the turnover bug, but after such a dominant regular season, it's a bit unfortunate to see his worst habits crop back up.

The Lions were a great team hampered by injuries, but don't let anybody tell you the Commanders didn't deserve this. Detroit threw its season away and Washington out-executed the Lions for four straight quarters.