NFL 2024/25: Lions – Commanders
Jayden Daniels’ mobility in the Commanders’ pocket has ensured that they have successfully overcome the first hurdle of the NFL playoffs from their role as outsiders.
In the Divisional Round, however, my Lions Commanders tip says it should soon be over anyway. DET has been preparing for this match for too long and too hard to be knocked out at home of all places!
The Washington Commanders have had a solid playoff run this season, and their triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was a real step forward – their first playoff win since 2005.
But now Coach Dan Quinn’s team is in for a real challenge: in the Divisional Round, they face the Detroit Lions, who, after a bye on Wild Card Weekend, will go into this game at full strength and well prepared.
Washington won’t have it easy with a third away game in a row, especially against a team like Detroit, which has averaged an impressive 36.4 points at Ford Field in its last five NFL home games alone.
The Lions have shown on several occasions this season that they have what it takes, and they will definitely want to test the Commanders, who are still completely inexperienced in the NFL playoffs, on Sunday.
What makes Detroit stand out is not only the team itself, but also the coaching. Dan Campbell, Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn have really brought out the best in the players!
The team has an absolutely top quarterback in Jared Goff, who has impressed with a 72.4% completion rate and 8.6 yards per attempt this season.
On top of that, Detroit has a deep offense and, when needed, has several key players who can single-handedly decide the game in their favor!
But it’s not just the offense that’s strong, the defense under Aaron Glenn is anything but weak – it could even successfully thwart the opposing offense for long stretches of the game.
Washington won’t just be able to run the ball to win this game. DET’s front seven is too resilient for that!
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The Washington Commanders have their strengths, no question about that, but against a team like the Lions, it will be difficult for them to be truly dangerous. The return of David Montgomery from his knee injury will be especially important in this game.
Detroit will almost certainly focus on the run and Washington’s weak run defense with the running back who has just recovered.
The Commanders will have to fight through long drives, but that could prove to be a real challenge given their lack of big play capabilities.
WHAT is missing are players with superstar qualities in the secondary who can unexpectedly turn the tide of the game with a forced turnover in their hour of need.
Once the Lions take the lead on Sunday, it will be even more difficult for Washington to pull off an upset.
Detroit has not only had the third-longest drives on average this season, but they have also ensured that opposing offenses have often spent little time on the field – they simply control the clock very successfully!
And when they are in the lead, Detroit will, as usual, slow down the flow of the game and bring the game home safely.
Washington will then come under even more pressure and probably make their work easier with several clumsy penalties and mistakes!
DET will therefore win this game primarily through the playoff experience gained last year, their individual class and their often time-consuming moves. Washington will learn the hard way on Sunday.
David Montgomery wouldn’t play if he wasn’t at 100%. Therefore, I expect the home team’s running back, who runs a lot, to be in good shape next Sunday.
Sometimes a good Lions Commanders tip is not a Lions Commanders tip.
Because I personally would not want to place a bet at odds of just 1.33 for a touchdown by the Lions running back, which are currently being offered by almost all sports betting providers on the markets.
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Of course, you can also give the host a generous handicap. In my opinion, there should be at least a 10-point difference between the Commanders and the Lions in the end.
Conclusion: It’s an uneven duel. The hosts can do everything the Commanders can do, and do it even better.
The return of David Montgomery also helps Detroit to establish its own running game even more strongly and to unsettle the guests’ not always completely stable front seven early on.
As soon as Washington falls behind, additional nervousness arises, which, coupled with the Lions’ ruthless time-wasting, should put an end to the Commanders’ Super Bowl hopes.
My Lions Commanders tip: Detroit scores in all quarters.