Underdog Commanders look to repeat last postseason’s upset against Lions

Ten months ago, the underdog Commanders rode a six-game win streak into a playoff game against the Detroit Lions with an NFC championship game berth on the line. On Sunday, Washington takes a four-game skid into the rematch with its season at stake.

Sunday’s matchup with Detroit has a completely inverted atmosphere from last year’s upset win, which sent Washington to its first conference championship game in more than 30 years. 

The 3-6 Commanders are still underdogs, but morale is at an all-time low for coach Dan Quinn’s tenure. Washington is mired in a skid that could jeopardize their season, with three straight losses by more than 21 points.

The fanbase is ready to bury this Commanders’ season and look ahead to 2026. Despite steep odds to defeat the 5-3 Lions at home on Sunday, Washington’s locker room isn’t ready to give up. 

“I’m not concerned,” linebacker Bobby Wagner said, referencing some of the frustrations apparent in his teammates during recent losses. “I wouldn’t want it the other way, where you don’t care. … Let’s channel the energy in a good way.”

The Commanders’ defense needs every advantage it can get against a potent Lions offense. Despite losing offensive coordinator Ben Johnson this offseason, Detroit hasn’t slowed down. 

The Lions rank second in the league in points per game under new offensive play-caller John Morton. 

Orchestrated by quarterback Jared Goff, the Detroit attack boasts an arsenal of weapons, including speedsters Jameson Williams and Jahmyr Gibbs at wide receiver and running back and Sam LaPorta at tight end. 

“It starts with the quarterback. He throws with anticipation; he’s calm in the pocket,” Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. said. “His eligibles … they just have just so much speed and then versatility.”

For years, the Lions’ offensive line has been the envy of quarterbacks around the league. Right tackle Penei Sewell anchors a mauling group that allowed a season-high five sacks during last week’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings. 

The Commanders see a juggernaut in the Lions’ offense. Detroit sees a work in progress.

“The frustrating part is we are explosive but inefficient,” Shaw said. “Too many negatives, too many dropped passes, too many little mistakes, too many second-and-10, too many third-and-9 for us to be the team we’re capable of.”

At their best, the Lions can be the “Showtime” Lakers of the 1980s, he said. 

“We can be running down and dishing and who knows who’s going to get the dunk and who knows who’s going to spot up and hit the three,” Shaw, in his first season with the Lions, said. “Now it’s just for us to do the little things.”

The Commanders’ defense has offered little resistance to the opposition this season, ranking near the bottom of the league in points and yards allowed. Washington will take the field Sunday without starting cornerback Marshon Lattimore, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury during last week’s blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks. 

Washington is making changes. Whitt is moving from the booth to the sideline to call plays. Defensive backs like cornerback Mike Sainristil and safety Jeremy Reaves could see their roles changing as the coaching staff tries to plug the holes left by mounting injuries. 

The coaching staff has changed its approach, too. Practices are mostly the same, but the team has added more walkthroughs and “homework” for players — film assignments designed to help them prepare for the Lions as the week progresses.

“It starts in the film room, film study, everything,” cornerback Trey Amos said. “Just got to go out there and play fast, know our keys. It’s just backyard football — go out there and play free.”

Despite key absences on defense, the Commanders’ offense is even more ravaged by injuries. The team will miss quarterback Jayden Daniels and three of their top four receivers — Terry McLaurin, Noah Brown and Luke McCaffrey — due to injuries. 

Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury will need a creative game plan to help his group of reserves, led by backup quarterback Marcus Mariota, keep up with Detroit. 

“Building a rapport with the quarterback and getting the amount of reps you’d like to get, that’s hard this time of year. It’s just hard to get time on task together. …” Kingsbury said. “So, that’s the biggest thing. It’s just getting the timing down on the field, full speed.”

A loss on Sunday could extinguish any simmering hope of a late-season run. At 3-6, the Commanders are already 3 1/2 games behind the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East and well behind the Lions for the final playoff spot in the NFC. 

A win would boost Washington’s playoff odds to a still-slim 7%, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats. But a loss would drop their chances of a second straight postseason appearance to 2% with seven games left in the season.