Remember the 1991 NFC Championship? If you’re old enough, you probably wish you didn’t. The Lions finally made it to the big stage, only to get absolutely demolished by Washington 41-10. Barry Sanders, the greatest running back of all time, was held to just 44 rushing yards and never got another shot at reaching the Super Bowl after that beating.
Lions are on the verge of history: Before this season, the highest Detroit ever had been seeded is 2, in 1991, when the Lions lost the NFC Championship game in Washington, 41-10.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 6, 2025
Now here we are, over 30 years later, and these same teams are meeting in the playoffs again after Washington’s first playoff victory since the 2005 divisional round. The Commanders might have a new name, but they’re looking just as dangerous as that ’91 squad. They’ve won 12 games this season – their best mark since that same year – and their rookie quarterback is doing things we’ve never seen before.
FIRST PLAYOFF WIN SINCE 2005@budlight | #EasytoCelebrate pic.twitter.com/enh3XaNVlS
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) January 13, 2025
Speaking of Jayden Daniels – this kid’s special. He just went into Tampa and threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns in his playoff debut. Even more impressive? It was the third time this season he’s led the Commanders to a game with zero turnovers and zero punts – something no other rookie QB has done even once in NFL history.
All about the ball pic.twitter.com/bSlxMD6iYL
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) January 13, 2025
But this Lions team? They’re different. We’re talking about a 15-2 squad that’s dominated opponents all season. Jared Goff’s playing the best football of his career, our offense is putting up 30 points like it’s nothing, and even with all our defensive injuries, we keep finding ways to win. This isn’t even last year’s Lions team that came up short in the playoffs – they’re the real kings of the NFL jungle now.
TURN DOWN FOR WHAT
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) January 12, 2025
Check out some of this season's cellys as they get more and more lit! pic.twitter.com/rGsfEIhZVH
Detroit’s been waiting three decades to get even. With a tour of revenge games dished out this season against the likes of the Cowboys and the 49ers, it’s only fitting to keep riding the wave. Ford Field’s going to be louder than it’s ever been, and this Lions team has something to prove. It’s not just about moving on to the NFC Championship – it’s about erasing one of the most painful memories in franchise history.
The Commanders might have their own Cinderella story going with their rookie phenom and first-year coach Dan Quinn, but they’re walking into a hornets’ nest. This Lions team remembers what Washington did to us back then, even if most of the players didn’t even exist yet. We’ll call it resolving generational trauma.
This is different than any playoff game we’ve had before. Sure, beating the Rams was huge – our first playoff win since that same year. But this? This is personal. This is about that day they made Barry Sanders look ordinary. About every “same old Lions” joke we’ve had to endure since then.
See you Saturday @fordfield #OnePride #WeWantMore pic.twitter.com/zUOOVJtMqs
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) January 13, 2025
This Saturday night, we’ve got a chance to exorcise some demons. The ghosts of RFK Stadium have haunted this franchise long enough. Time to make some new history, and what better way than by taking down the team that started all those years of playoff misery? Watch along January 18th at 8:00 PM on Fox to see who comes out on top.
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