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One-handed catches. Pick-sixes. Fourth-down conversions. Trick plays.
Saturday’s Divisional Round tilt between the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders — a 45-31 upset win by Jayden Daniels and Co. — had a little bit of everything...and those plays all happened in only the first half!
The teams traded big play after big play, particularly in the second quarter, when they combined for 42 points.
The Lions started the stretch of thrills with a touchdown pass from Jared Goff to Sam LaPorta. Goff made the throw as he fell to the ground because of an almost-sack, and LaPorta finished the play with a slick one-handed grab.
Less than two minutes later, Terry McLaurin made a house call for the Commanders, running free for a 58-yard touchdown after catching a short screen pass.
And then only 58 seconds after that, Washington was back in the end zone thanks to a Quan Martin 40-yard interception return for a score.
Goff had to leave the game to be checked for an injury after the pick. So what did Detroit do with Teddy Bridgewater under center three plays into its next drive? Run a reverse for receiver Jameson Williams, who ran for a 61-yard touchdown.
Only seven plays after the Williams score, the Commanders answered withanothertouchdown. And that was set up because of a perfect deep shot from Jayden Daniels to Dyami Brown.
Detroit tried to answer that touchdown on its final possession of the first half, only for Goff to be picked off for the second time on a throw to the end zone.
The Lions did manage to score on their first drive of the second half. That possession featured something Tom Brady said he’d literally never seen before: A toss-turned-shovel pass.
Detroit’s next trick play wasn’t quite as successful, however, and maybe cost the team the game. The Lions tried to dial up a reverse/end around/throw by receiver Jameson Williams in the fourth quarter, and the non-quarterback foolishly threw into double coverage and was picked off.
On the ensuing possession, Washington converted a huge 4th-and-2. A field goal would have made it a two-score game. Instead, the Commanders converted a third fourth-down attempt, and one play later got in the end zone.
That final touchdown proved to be insurmountable for Detroit. Fittingly, on the Lions last play, Goff was picked off for the third time.
And with all that, Washington is headed to the NFC Championship Game in a massive upset.
[1 link] Rohan Nadkarni [2 link]
Rohan Nadkarni is a sports reporter for NBC News.
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