Jayden Daniels’ Offensive Rookie of the Year case is solidified. After the doink-in field goal against Tampa Bay, the Washington Commanders will head to Detroit on Saturday night for a chance to play in the NFC Championship. There is a slight problem for the Commanders, however. They have to go through a hungry Lions team to get there.  

The Detroit Lions are coming off of a much-needed bye week after not having one since Week 5. With several key players injured, the team is looking to get back faces like RB David Montgomery and DB Terrion Arnold. In order to take down this Cinderella story of a team, the Lions will have to do some things on both sides of the ball.  

Key #1: Make the rookie look like a rookie.  

Jayden Daniels has been playing out of his mind this season. With a 70.5 QBR that ranks 4^th in the league, Daniels has been a threat in both the ground game and the pass game. The Commanders QB has a combined 4,459 yards and a total of 31 touchdowns with just 9 interceptions. To say that the Commanders offense runs through him would be an understatement.  

The Lions need to put pressure on Daniels if they want to put on an encore of their dominant performance in Week 18. With LB Alex Anzalone back in the lineup, the defense looked more like their early season self. Defensive linemen Za’Darius Smith and Al-Quadin Muhammad must keep Daniels contained and hopefully get home a couple of times. Although the Commanders failed to convert two 4^th down tries, the Tampa Bay defense did not do anything to make him look uncomfortable. Washington did not punt a single time. Not once. Expect the Lions defense to be in peak playoff form, and keep this offense contained. Key player to watch: LB Alex Anzalone.  

Key #2: Gibbs and Montgomery must be unstoppable.   

Knuckles may be back for the divisional round! After three doctor visits, David Montgomery has a chance to come back this Saturday after suffering an MCL injury against the Bills in Week 15. In Montgomery’s absence, RB Jahmyr Gibbs has been on a tear. With a combined 487 yards and 6 touchdowns, Sonic has felt pretty comfortable in his duo’s absence. The Commanders Walk into Ford Field with a near-bottom 30^th ranked run defense, giving up 137.47 yards per game. The Buccaneers had 101 yards on the ground, with RB Bucky Irving fighting for every yard. Although the Bucs had a better statistical ground game, look for Gibbs and Montgomery to exploit this weakness and have big games. Key player to watch: RB Jahmyr Gibbs.  

Key #3: Ford Field has to be loud.  

Now, this is not necessarily something that Dan Campbell can control, but home field advantage has to play a factor. Hearing the Buccaneers crowd fade into a chant of “MVP” when Jayden Daniels ran for the game-winning first down was sad. I do not expect Ford Field to be as docile, as last year’s playoff run was something to remember. In Week 18 against the Vikings, the crowd was deafening and may have had a hand in making QB Sam Darnold see some ghosts. If the crowd can get loud again, and perhaps throughout the playoffs, we’re looking at playing in February. Key factor: Get loud.  

Historical Rematch: 1991-92 NFC Championship Game.  

Back in the days of old, Barry Sanders and Wayne Fontes had the Lions rolling. Until they ran into the Washington Redskins, who stomped the Lions 41-10. The Lions went on to have one of the longest playoff-win droughts in the league, while the Redskins won the Super Bowl in the next game. In the last 7 games, Detroit holds a decisive 6-1 record against the various Washington teams. I expect this game to be a fun one, but the Lions take care of business and look forward to their franchise-first consecutive NFC Championship appearances.  

Final Prediction: 35-21 Lions. Game MVP: RB Jahmyr Gibbs.