It’s a great time to be a Lions fan, and this former Wolverine helped them get to the conference title.
There are only four teams left in the NFL Playoffs , and a handful of Michigan Wolverines helped those four squads reach their respective conference championship games.
Here are the best performance from former Michigan Wolverines in the Divisional Round, kicking things off with one of the best pass rushers in the NFL.
Aidan Hutchinson with a key sack in Lions win
As our friends over at Pride of Detroit know, it is a great time to be a Detroit Lions . Dan Campbell and the Lions are heading to the NFC Championship for the first time since 1991 after beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home.
A few former Wolverines helped the Lions get to this point, including Michigan legend Aidan Hutchinson, who has been on an absolute tear lately. He has eight sacks in his last four games, including this one in the second half of Sunday’s win.
HUTCH UNTOUCHED.
: #TBvsDET on NBC
: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/frRD38ClOq pic.twitter.com/PFlhuKKJ5X— NFL (@NFL) January 21, 2024
Hutchinson, who led the league in pressures by a wide margin and was named to his first Pro Bow l, finished this game with four tackles and two quarterback hits, including that sack.
On the other side of the ball, guard Graham Glasgow helped the Lions rush for 114 yards and two rushing touchdowns, while only allowing Jared Goff to be sacked once. And while Donovan Peoples-Jones didn’t catch a pass, he did return two punts for 18 yards.
Money Moody strikes again
To open the fourth quarter in the San Francisco 49ers ’ win over the Green Bay Packers , Jake Moody nailed a clutch 52-yard field goal.
It’s not a Victory Sunday without this clutch 52 yard FG from Jake Moody pic.twitter.com/Oc68TxuIX4
— OurSF49ers (@OurSf49ers) January 21, 2024
His first postseason field goal attempt, a 45-yarder, did not go as planned, as it was blocked late in the second quarter.
His teammate, cornerback Ambry Thomas, was called for pass interference midway through the third quarter, and it ended up being very costly. Packers quarterback Jordan Love hit Bo Melton for a 19-yard touchdown to take the lead on the very next play.
HOW DID BO MELTON GET THIS WIDE OPEN? pic.twitter.com/IUokkGCn7l
— PFF (@PFF) January 21, 2024
Brutal time for Ambry Thomas to have the worst possible game for a CB to have. Pass interference on 3rd & 15. Can’t make this up.
— Niners Nation (@NinersNation) January 21, 2024
Another favorable moment for the Niners that the officials blew.
But they rightly get Ambry Thomas’ pass interference. #GBvsSF
And a good dumb move pump fake by Jordan Love for the score. LaFleur made up for it there. pic.twitter.com/zasBTc0cSQ
— The Whole Delivery (@TWDTV1) January 21, 2024
Thomas didn’t have his best game, but he still had five total tackles, three of them solo.
Wolverines to watch in AFC, NFC championships on Sunday
Mike Danna (Kansas City Chiefs) vs. Baltimore Ravens, 3 p.m. EST on CBS
Aidan Hutchinson, Graham Glasgow and Donovan People-Jones (Detroit Lions) vs. Ambry Thomas, Jake Moody and Ronnie Bell (San Francisco 49ers), 6:30 p.m. EST on FOX
Other notable performances
-In a win over the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Mike Danna had one tackle.
-In a loss to the Baltimore Ravens , Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins had five catches for 68 yards. The future is bright for Collins, who is the No. 1 receiver on a good Texans offense and paired with a pretty solid young quarterback in C.J. Stroud. It should be noted the former Ohio State quarterback was thwarted by Ravens defensive coordinator and former Michigan defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald.
-In a loss to the San Francisco 49ers, linebacker Rashan Gary had four tackles and a quarterback hit. In that same game, guard Jon Runyan was part of a Packers offensive line that helped Green Bay rush for 136 yards and did not allow Jordan Love to be sacked.