The Detroit Lions’ next opponent will be rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders , fresh off their stunning 23-20 wild card upset over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Detroit Lions Prepare for Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels
Joining C.J. Stroud and Brock Purdy, Daniels becomes only the third rookie to achieve a playoff win in the past three years. The second overall selection in the draft, Daniels has been superb this year, lifting last year’s woeful 4- 13 team to a 12-5 season. Daniels is incredibly poised for a rookie, leading his team with a confident maturity that belies his age and experience.
With his passing efficiency and explosive mobility, Daniels presents a dual threat. Finishing the regular season with 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions on 3,568 yards, Daniels earned a passer rating of 100.07. His biggest threat is an ability to torch defenders on the ground. The rookie added another six touchdowns on 891 rushing yards from 145 carries.
There is little doubt that the Heisman-winning Daniels will soon add another award to his resume. He’ll likely be named the AP Offensive Rookie Of The Year, capping off a sensational first season. But Daniels is about to face his hardest test yet, meeting the Super Bowl-bound Lions at Ford Field.
How the Lions Can Beat Daniels
The Lions had an uphill battle throughout the season. The team faced one of the toughest schedules in the NFL, overcoming injury upon injury, while continuing to find creative ways to beat their opponents. Taking on the upstart Washington Commanders is simply their next hurdle.
The Lions have been exceptional all season, wholly fixated on making the Super Bowl while smashing numerous NFL records along the way. But for a team focused on the ultimate prize, limiting Daniels is just one more challenge they need to overcome to reach the summit.
Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn put together a masterful game plan against the Vikings, pressuring Sam Darnold with a brilliant combination of blitzing and man-to-man coverage. Darnold completed only 43.9% of his passes against the Lions. Detroit’s defense did an exceptional job defanging the Vikings’ lethal superstar Justin Jefferson in week 18. Amik Robertson was smothering in his coverage of Jefferson, limiting him to only three receptions for 54 yards.
Eliminate Receiving Options for Daniels
Count on the Lions coaches to design an equally successful game plan to contain Daniels. Daniels’s favorite target is wide receiver, Terry McLaurin who typically sees double-digit targets. McLaurin finished the regular season with 13 touchdowns on 82 receptions for 1,096 yards. He caught seven of 10 targets on Sunday night for 89 yards and a touchdown.
Taking away McLaurin as an option will force Daniels to rely on other receivers. Dyami Brown had a big game against the Buccaneers with five receptions for 89 yards and one touchdown. Another option is veteran tight end Zach Ertz who notched 66 receptions for 654 yards with seven touchdowns this season.
But throughout the regular season, both Ertz and Brown saw only a handful of catches per game, highlighting Daniel’s lack of experience with them as an option. Limiting Daniel’s options in the passing game will force the rookie to try to do it all himself, which could result in turnovers since Daniels has been known to fumble when pressured.
While he is a dynamic and capable runner, the Lions were able to limit the rushing ability of other mobile quarterbacks including the Arizona Cardinals’ Kyler Murray and the Indianapolis Colts’ Anthony Richardson . Trust the Lions and Glenn to come up with a defensive scheme to counter the effectiveness of Washington’s rookie quarterback.
Lions Compete With Superior Offense
There is a reason why the Lions are favored to win the Super Bowl this year. Their offense continues to obliterate almost every scoring metric in the league. The Lions’ offense boasted five games scoring over 40 points this season, an MVP-caliber quarterback, a great receiving core, and the best two-man rushing attack in the NFL. In Ben Johnson, Detroit has an imaginative offensive coordinator who will find creative ways to match Daniels, Washington’s rookie quarterback.
Just as the Lions’ defense will limit the options of Washington’s outstanding rookie quarterback, Detroit’s offense will be on the field with a considerable wealth of scoring weapons. Jared Goff brings playoff experience along with his calm steady MVP caliber talent and leadership. Jahmyr Gibbs has been exceptional as the Lions’ backfield workhorse. There is a chance that the Lions could potentially see the return of David Montgomery next weekend, making their one-two punch even harder to defend. Buckle up, with the Lions taking on the presumptive offensive rookie of the year, this game promises to be one of this season’s most exciting and competitive.
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