The Washington Commanders delivered a stunning 45-31 upset over the top-seeded Detroit Lions on Saturday night, earning their first trip to the NFC championship game in 33 years.
Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels led the way with yet another terrific performance, throwing for 299 yards and two touchdowns while adding 51 rushing yards without recording a single turnover-worthy play.
The Lions’ downfall was their inability to protect the ball, as their five turnovers ultimately sealed their fate. Jared Goff struggled under pressure, throwing three interceptions and losing a fumble, with three of those turnovers coming in the first half.
Washington’s defense capitalized on Detroit's mistakes. Rookie Mike Sainristil snagged two interceptions, with one of those picks coming courtesy of a failed trick play in the fourth quarter when receiver Jameson Williams threw into tight coverage on a reverse. Quan Martin added to the defensive dominance by returning an interception 40 yards for a touchdown.
PFF's dedicated team of graders was hard at work, analyzing every player on every play in real time. The grades and data will be available after a thorough review tomorrow at noon ET.
In the meantime, we’ve gathered some high-level data and snap counts from the game to give you an early look. Our expert graders have also nominated the standout player of the game, highlighting exceptional performance on the field.
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HIGHEST-GRADED PLAYERS
- S Brian Branch, Detroit Lions (92.6)
- S Quan Martin, Washington Commanders (90.6)
- WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions (87.3)
Note: Follow along with PFF's in-game grading as our analysts evaluate every player on every play in real time! Grades will then be relocked 90 minutes after the final whistle as our first-run analysis is reviewed. Click here to see PFF's initial grades from this game!
PLAYER OF THE GAME
The Lions’ playoff run may have come to an end, but Brian Branch left it all on the field in the divisional round. Branch excelled in both run defense and coverage, earning grades above 84.0 in each category and finishing with a game-high 92.6 PFF grade on first review.
Branch was targeted seven times in coverage, and while he allowed six receptions, they totaled just 38 yards and only one first down. He forced one incompletion and made three defensive stops on passing plays.
Branch’s impact extended to the ground game, where he added two more defensive stops, including a tackle for loss.
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