Nobody gave the Washington Commanders much hope of keeping up with the Detroit Lions. A rousing effort ensured they added another chapter to what's quickly becoming one of the most remarkable campaigns in franchise history.
The Commanders were more than a match for the Lions. They gained the advantage early on and never relinquished it. Dan Quinn had his men ready for battle. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury called a brilliant game. Defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. schemed up an opportunistic masterclass that resulted in no fewer than five turnovers.
Washington shocked the NFL world, not for the first time this season. The Commanders are now in the NFC Conference championship game, which sees them lock horns with the division rival Philadelphia Eagles for a place in the Super Bowl.
It was a collective effort from top to bottom. Everyone played a role. The higher-profile coaches and players got the attention, but this triumph doesn't happen without some outstanding contributions from those who go under the radar.
With this in mind, here are five Commanders' unsung heroes from their stunning Divisional Round triumph at the Lions. We'll start with rookie left tackle Brandon Coleman.
Commanders' unsung heroes from playoff win at the Lions
Brandon Coleman - Commanders OT
The Detroit Lions were under-strength defensively. However, coordinator Aaron Glenn has a creative approach that kept things ticking over nicely. One only had to examine how Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold floundered against his unit in Week 18 to see what problems could arise.
This piled additional pressure on the Washington Commanders' offensive line. Glenn blitzes more than most coordinators around the league. There was no room for passengers. Everyone had to step up in pursuit of another significant scalp on the road.
The microscope was on Brandon Coleman more than most. Washington's rookie left tackle had a stern test on his hands in the form of edge rusher Za'Darius Smith, who seemed confident he could cause havoc after taking on the Commanders once already this season when part of the Cleveland Browns.
Coleman rose to the challenge and then some. The third-round pick out of TCU gave up just one quarterback hurry from 37 pass-blocking snaps. He was a physical presence on running plays, displaying aggressiveness to the contact point and helping Washington's ground game flourish at Ford Field.
This was a major plus for the Commanders. Coleman got some significant responsibilities in Year 1 of his professional career. It's not been perfect — nobody expected it to be — but this was a tremendous pick by general manager Adam Peters that could become a core foundational piece with additional polish this offseason.