The Detroit Lions were breathing a sigh of relief after winning in Week 18 to get the first-round bye, and after the Rams’ emphatic win over the Vikings, Dan Campbell and crew are not just happy for the extra rest. Avoiding an early bump in the road when you can is usually beneficial, and the Lions will look to take advantage of that against the emerging Washington Commanders. Washington entered the season with lower expectations, but now arrives in the divisional round with the presumptive NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in Jayden Daniels and coming off a road win over the Buccaneers in the wild-card round — the only road team to win in the first weekend of the playoffs.
For Detroit, David Montgomery is expected back in the lineup after missing the final three games of the regular season with a knee injury — he returned to practice on Tuesday. Montgomery rushed for 775 yards and 12 touchdowns in his 14 games this season and would reunited the “Sonic and Knuckles” tandem with Jahmyr Gibbs in the Detroit backfield. That duo powered the Lions to finish sixth in the NFL in rushing this season and second in the league in rushing touchdowns.
With a win, Washington would make it to the NFC championship game for the first time since their Super Bowl win at the end of the 1991 season.
How to watch Commanders vs. Lions: NFC divisional playoff
Time: 8:00 pm ET Location: Ford Field | Detroit TV Channel: Fox Streaming: Fox Sports App, Fubo
Live16 updates
There’s a heck of a catch-and-run for Austin Ekeler, who spins to break a tackle and takes it 24 yards, into Lions territory.
Robertson is being helped to the locker room. Looks like he took some friendly fire from Lions LB Jack Campbell.
First play from scrimmage and I couldn’t hear anything besides the LOUD crowd.
Good news is Jayden Daniels doesn’t care about your noise. Two completions and a first down off the bat =.
Lions starting cornerback Amik Robertson is down with an injury after a Commanders first down. The Lions have already weathered too many defensive injuries
Great first drive for the Commanders defense. Not only stopped the run but forced 3rd and long, which puts Jared Goff where the Lions don’t want him (empty, true dropback).
