The Washington Commanders have the NFC Conference championship game in their sights. Beating the Detroit Lions on the road represents the toughest challenge to date for Dan Quinn's squad, but writing them off entirely would be foolish.
It's been the stuff of dreams for fans this season. There was a significant amount of intrigue surrounding the Commanders after wholesale changes across the franchise during one of the most dramatic offseasons in franchise history. Nobody expected them to reach these heights in Year 1 under the new regime.
Quinn's been keen to focus on the next task at hand and nothing more. That's served the Commanders well, gaining 12 wins during the regular season and digging deep to achieve a memorable Wild Card triumph at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They are a dangerous outfit capable of coming through in the clutch, so the Lions won't be taking them lightly that's for sure.
The Commanders are heavy underdogs with sportsbooks, which isn't a great shock. Detroit is a formidable adversary with a strong home-field advantage. This will be the loudest environment Washington has experienced so far this season. But they've proven capable of thriving on the biggest stages and hope to do the same again.
A fascinating primetime battle awaits. Before then, here are five bold predictions for the Commanders' game at the Lions.
Bold predictions for the Commanders in the Divisional Round at Lions
Austin Ekeler gains 100+ all-purpose yards
Much has been made about Brian Robinson Jr.'s regression in recent weeks. The explosiveness and contact balance to break tackles have deserted the running back slightly. This could lead the Washington Commanders to put more on Austin Ekeler's plate in a high-stakes situation.
Ekeler's experience and proven capabilities in pressurized situations are tremendous assets for the Commanders to call upon. They are entering unchartered territory as a group. Having the savvy veteran accumulate carries and become a dependable pass-catching asset out of the backfield is only going to aid their cause.
These are the moments every player lives for. Ekeler is no different, working his way back from a serious concussion suffered against the Dallas Cowboys to assist Washington's postseason quest. No health complications have come to light over the two games since his return, so giving him a heftier workload is something offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury should contemplate in a hostile environment.
If Ekeler can rise to the occasion and gain 100 all-purpose yards (receiving and rushing), that'll be a huge positive for the Commanders in pursuit of their biggest scalp to date.