Commanders Three Keys to Victory
Last week the Washington Commanders bested the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20, marking their first playoff victory in 19 years. While this was a monumental moment for the team on Sunday, the Commanders are already focused on their next opponent this Saturday: the Detroit Lions. Washington is set to face one of the premier teams in the NFL, who finished the season 15-2, good enough for the first seed in the NFC.
Detroit is flat-out loaded on all fronts. They have the number one scoring offense while allowing the seventh-lowest number of points on defense. They are led by QB Jared Goff, who has been nothing but efficient for the Lions. He is aided by an elite offensive line, coupled with the rushing attack of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Their offense has been unstoppable this season and has led them through multiple shootouts.
In addition to the multitude of superstars they boast, they also have three top-notch coaches, two of whom are expected to leave in the offseason for Head Coaching jobs. Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson and Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn were both candidates for Washingtonβs vacancy last season, but Johnson declined his interview when Commanders GM Adam Peters and company were mid-flight, and current Coach Dan Quinn was chosen over Aaron Glenn. Regardless of this, Washington will have their work cut out for them to out-scheme Detroit’s talented coaching staff.
In order to win this game, Washington will have to be near-perfect on both sides of the ball. Below, I give my top three keys that Washington needs to execute to advance to the NFC Championship.
#1: Establish a run game outside of Jayden Daniels
In the last six out of seven games, Jayden Daniels has had more rushing yards than every other Commanders running back. This is a glaring issue, and it not only puts more pressure on Daniels to be perfect but less stress on opposing defenses and their corresponding scheme. Teams have been rushing three and leaving a QB Spy against Washington, which leaves more defensive backs on the field, therefore limiting the passing attack, although to no avail so far. Whether running back Brian Robinson Jr is struggling or the run blocking is subpar, Washington will need to establish the run game to be effective. It’s unrealistic to expect Daniels to account for over 80% of the offensive yards every game, even if he is a superstar.
#2 Focus on and neutralize Jahmyr Gibbs
Detroit has one of if not the most lethal rushing attacks in the NFL, with their duo of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs decimating defenses. However, Montgomery has been out for the last couple of weeks, and Gibbs has undertaken a bigger role within the offense. Not only is he dangerous in the running attack, but can also function as a receiver, which makes him difficult to contain. Gibbs is the X-Factor of the offense, and if somehow shut down, would throw a wrench in Detroitβs offensive operations. With Montgomery being rumored to return this week, Gibbs would still likely have the main role in the offense, as they would ease Montgomery in. If the Commanders defense can force Ben Johnson to turn to other options, they may be able to get key stops and give the team a good chance to win.
#3 Any wide receiver not named Terry Mclaurin
The lack of receiving options has been a storyline all season, with different players stepping up every week. Whether it was Noah Brown, Zach Ertz, Olamide Zaccheaus, or even Dyami Brown last week, Washington has had different receiving options step up every week. However, this is no longer the regular season, and the playoffs provide no mercy to losing teams. Detroit will attempt to take away any weapons Jayden Daniels has, which is primarily 2nd team All-Pro Terry Mclaurin. They successfully did the same thing to the Vikings two weeks ago, and their offense crumbled. Justin Jefferson was held to three catches and 54 yards and forced Darnold to look beyond his first read. This resulted in nine sacks and a dominant win for Detroit. The Commanders will need to make sure their offense is varied and unpredictable if they want to overcome the formidable Lions defense.