In a big NFL playoff game, there can be many key plays, and there often are, in fact.
Sometimes, you can also point to a play that marked a significant game change. Such was the case Saturday night in the Commanders’ 45-31 upset win over the Lions in Detroit.
Detroit had needed only six plays to drive 71 yards, taking an early 7-0 lead. Washington had responded with 41 yards but was stopped, having to settle for a field goal to reduce the deficit to 7-3.
Back came the Lions: Lions quarterback Jared Goff to tight end Sam LaPorta for 14 yards, running back Jahmyr Gibbs off left tackle for 33 yards, Goff again to LaPorta for six yards to the Washington 20, and then running back David Montgomery ran for three to the Commanders’ 17.
In four plays, Detroit had driven to the Washington 17 and, on third-and-1, would certainly again have Gibbs run for another first down, setting the stage for the Lions to go up by 11 (14-3), still only in the first quarter.
But then, the Commanders stepped up, not only making a play but creating a turnover, giving the ball back to Washington.
For some strange reason, Ben Johnson, the Lions’ offensive coordinator, had the Lions line up in an empty backfield on third-and-1. Now, it could be that he was thinking if the pass were incomplete, they would come back and have Gibbs run for the first down on 4th & 1. So, I’ll grant him that possibility.
Yet, the backfield being empty, there was no one to provide a late block on Commanders DE Dorrance Armstrong, who had quickly beaten Lions’ tackle Graham Glasgow.
Goff made his drop to the 26, stepped up to the 25, and was quickly hit by Armstrong. The ball popped out, and an alert Frankie Luvu went to the turf, recovering the fumble at the 22.
Turnover! Huge strip by Dorrance Armstrong!
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Had Johnson simply had a back in the backfield, the pass rush would have been slowed, realizing they needed to play the run first because the Lions only needed one yard. But wanting to make a splash offensive play left Goff with insufficient protection. The replay shows Dante Fowler was about to make the sack if Armstrong did not.
The Lions pounded the Commanders’ defense on this drive, and they were within a whisker of going up 14-3 in the first quarter.
However, the Commanders suddenly energized and drove 78 yards in 11 plays, taking a 10-7 lead.
It was now game on.