Tag: Dorrance Armstrong

Analyzing the turning point in Commanders win over Lions

Analyzing the play that turned the game in favor of the Commanders in their win over the Lions.

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.

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.

Quick facts from Commanders’ 30-23 loss to the Ravens

Several facts and stats from Commanders’ loss to Ravens.

The Commanders’ inability to stop the Ravens’ offense was the most significant factor in Washington’s 30-23 loss at Baltimore on Sunday.

Perhaps the second most essential component of the day was the absence of running back Brian Robinson Jr. As a result, the Commanders struggled running inside and didn’t have the success running to utilize more effective play-action passing of Jayden Daniels.

Here are some of the quick facts from the sixth game of the Commanders’ season:

  • The loss snapped the Commanders’ four-game winning streak.
  • The Commanders lost Jonathan Allen (pectoral injury) and Dorrance Armstrong (shoulder) and were already without starting running back Brian Robinson (knee).
  • The Ravens outgained the Commanders 484-305.
  • K Austin Seibert connected on a 55-yard field goal, a new career-long. Seibert had previously made a 53-yard field goal in 2019.
  • The Commanders’ defense could not keep the Ravens off the field. Baltimore had the ball for 36:08, compared to only 23:52 for Washington.
  • The Ravens defense refused to allow Jayden Daniels to become a dual-threat quarterback. He gained a season-low 22 yards on six carries, with a long of only 9 yards.
  • DE Dante Fowler contributed three tackles for a loss, including two quarterback sacks.
  • WR Terry McLaurin caught two touchdown passes for the third game of his career and for the first time since Week 4 of the 2021 season.
  • Terry McLaurin only caught four touchdown passes all of 2023. He now has four for the season.
  • The Commanders had three receivers today totaling over 50 yards in receptions: Zach Ertz (68 yards), Noah Brown (58 yards), and McLaurin (53 yards).
  • The Commanders came into the game averaging 175 rushing yards. Today, without Brian Robinson Jr., they managed only 52 yards on 18 attempts.
  • Lamar Jackson was the story of the game, completing 20 of 26 for 323 passing yards.
  • Commanders’ corner Mike Sainristil ended the first Ravens possession with his first NFL interception. It was also the first Commanders’ interception of the 2024 season, not coming until the sixth game.
  • The Commanders keying on the Ravens’ running game were still unable to keep them under control. Derrick Henry gained 132 yards on 24 carries and Lamar Jackson contributed another 40 yards.