The NFC divisional round is set for Saturday as the Washington Commanders will face the top-seeded Detroit Lions.
Washington is coming off a nail-biting 23-20 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that was headlined by a stunning performance from rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Daniels threw for 268 yards with two touchdowns — and he also set up Commanders kicker Zane Gonzalez for a walk-off 37-yard field goal to keep their Super Bowl hopes alive.
The win marked the Commanders' first playoff win since the 2005 season, snapping the third-longest active playoff drought, according to ESPN Research.
Under the leadership of head coach Dan Campbell, the Lions are once again Super Bowl contenders.
Last season, the Lions charged their way to the NFC Championship Game, where they built a commanding 24-7 halftime lead over the San Francisco 49ers. However, a 17-point rally by the 49ers ended the Lions' chance of appearing in Super Bowl LVIII.
The fight for an NFC championship berth comes with high stakes — and impressive statistics. Here are some notable numbers heading into Saturday's matchup.
3-0: History will be written on Saturday between the Lions and Commanders, but this isn't their first rodeo. Washington and Detroit have clashed three times in the postseason, making this weekend's NFC divisional round meeting their fourth meeting. Washington won all three previous matchups — twice in the wild-card round (1982, 1999) and once in the conference championship (1991) — with Super Bowl victories following in 1982 and 1991.
5: Daniels thrives under pressure. Including Washington's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild card, Daniels led five game-winning drives this season — the third most by a rookie quarterback since
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