The Commanders and Lions have met three times in the NFC Playoffs during the NFL’s Super Bowl era.
First, isn’t it odd that in 58 NFL seasons since 1966, Washington and Detroit have only met in the playoffs three times? The three meetings took place in the 1982, 1991, and 1999 seasons, and interestingly enough, Washington won all three.
- 1982: The season being cut short by the players’ strike, the owners moved to allow eight teams in each conference, rather than the usual five, to qualify for the playoffs. Washington sailed through the nine-game season at 8-1, was the top seed, and thus matched against the eighth-seeded Lions (4-6) at RFK Stadium in Washington. Jeris White returned an interception 77 yards, and Joe Theismann threw three touchdown passes to Alvin Garrett. Washington led 24-0 at the half, winning 31-7.
Jeris White became the first player in Washington history to score a defensive touchdown in playoffs as he returned an interception 77 yards for a touchdown in Redskins’ 31-7 win over the Lions in the 1982 NFC First Round-Playoff game at RFK Stadium. #HTTR #WashingtonFootball pic.twitter.com/ob54BzIbO7
— David Menassé (@Frekiwolf) January 8, 2021
- 1991: The Lions, led by Barry Sanders, had won the NFC Central Division at 12-4 and walloped the Cowboys 38-6 in Detroit in the playoff’s first round. However, they had to travel to Washington for the NFC Championship game because that Redskins team was the best in franchise history, going 14-2. The Lions kept things close early, trailing only 17-10 at the half. However, the Redskins outscored the Lions 24-0 in the second half for a 41-10 win and a trip to Super Bowl XXVI, where they defeated the Buffalo Bills 37-24.
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On the Lions first offensive play in the 1991 NFC Championship game, Charles Mann blew past Lions rookie T Scott Conover and caused Erik Kramer to fumble, which the Redskins recovered inside the Lions 5 yd line. I knew it would be a very long day for the Lions. pic.twitter.com/suPZ6ONpuI
— FB_Helmet_Guy (@FB_Helmet_Guy) January 28, 2024
- 1999: The Redskins (10-6) won the NFC East facing the last team to qualify, the Lions (8-8) at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium. On this day, former Washington quarterback Gus Frerotte was the Lions quarterback going up against Brad Johnson for Washington. The Redskins defense held the Lions to 45 rushing yards, led 27-0 at the half and coasted to a 27-13 win. However, they would lose the next weekend to the Bucs in Tampa, 14-13.
On this day in 2000, Stephen Davis rushed for 119 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries as the Redskins beat the Lions 27-13 in the 1999 NFC Wild Card game at FedEx Field. #HTTR #WashingtonFootball pic.twitter.com/NXKCpVUBWC
— David Menassé (@Frekiwolf) January 8, 2021
Though Washington has won all three previous playoff meetings, it has absolutely no bearing on this current group of coaches and players.
The Lions enter Saturday’s game well rested, having earned a bye last week, being the NFC’s top-seeded team. Detroit is the NFL’s highest-scoring team, averaging 33 points a game.
The sixth-seed Commanders are coming off a 23-20 win over the third-seeded Tampa Bay Bucs last weekend in Tampa.