In the duel of the Dans, Quinn snagged the W while Campbell and the Lions got blindsided. Washington 45, Detroit 31. Feels like a typo when you remember Detroit ran the regular season like a well-oiled two-minute drill—15-2, No. 1 seed, unstoppable, right? But this wasn’t just a bad day at the office. This one stung like a pick-six in overtime.

Dan Campbell didn’t sugarcoat it. “We got to where we wanted to be, and then we didn’t perform,” he admitted. Translation? They were supposed to bring their A-game, and instead, they left it on the bus. Campbell even said their B-game could’ve won it. But, spoiler: they didn’t bring that either.

“Credit to Washington. They did what they needed to do, and played a good game. But a little bit for us, when you feel like, ‘Hey you gotta bring your A game,’ I think if we bring our B game we got a chance to win that game. And we didn’t bring that.” Tough to hear, isn’t it? Especially when a team that looked playoff-bound all year suddenly forgot how to finish drives. So, what went wrong?

First off, let’s be real. Injuries? Sure, they played a role. But when you hit the divisional round, excuses aren’t welcome. You leave them at home. Oh, the irony! The Lions were at home, in their own den, where they should’ve been roaring. They started strong, stopping Washington on fourth down and capitalizing with Jahmyr Gibbs’ first touchdown.

But then, a chain of events turned the tide.

One fumble from Goff, and the Commanders were right back in it. A quick 14-point swing, and suddenly Detroit was scrambling. As if that wasn’t enough, missed tackles became the next issue. After a Sam LaPorta touchdown gave the Lions the lead, Washington answered back fast. Terry McLaurin broke through a pair of missed tackles, and boom, another touchdown. It was looking like the dominoes were falling.

But the real game-changer? Jared Goff’s pick-six. You can almost hear the collective gasp at the Ford Field when he tried to squeeze a ball into tight coverage, only to have it picked off and taken to the house by Quan Martin. “I wish I played a little bit better,” Goff admitted. That mistake alone, yeah, game over. It gave Washington a comfortable 10-point lead. Game. Set. Match.

All that momentum Detroit had built up? Gone. The Commanders slammed the door shut with a final touchdown, and the Lions were left to wonder what could’ve been. As Coach Dan summed up in his presser: “I can look in the mirror and say ‘you know what, ‘you fell man, what are you going to do about it?’ So that’s where we’re at and move forward man.” But looking forward, it seems like he’s going to have to say some HUGE goodbyes.

Dan Campbell says he’s prepared, but is he really?

Dan Campbell isn’t exactly in the business of portraying outright scenes as sunshines and rainbows. So when it came to discussing the future of his coordinators, he got straight to the point. “I haven’t been told anything, I’ve got a feeling, but I’m prepared to lose both,” Campbell said, admitting he expects both offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to land head coaching gigs.

And yet, Campbell’s got a plan: “We’ve got guys on staff that I think are more than qualified to be outstanding in either of those roles.” It’s clear he’s already thinking ahead, but is he really ready to replace two key pieces?

Campbell made it clear that he’s looking for continuity, though. “I want what I believe is going to be as close to what we have been as possible,” he said. After all, the Lions’ identity has been built on that explosive offense and defensive resilience. “If you’re somebody that doesn’t feel comfortable with that, this is not the job for you,” he added, setting the tone for any potential future candidates.

So, what’s the real deal here? Some fans are quick to blame the coaching search for the Lions’ divisional round exit, but that’s just not the full story. Sure, it’s easy to pin the loss on distractions, but let’s be honest—Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn have been vital to the Lions’ success.

Just take a look at Johnson’s offensive numbers: 2nd in total offense (409.5 yds/g), 1st in scoring, and an impressive playoff run. Then, there’s Glenn, who turned Detroit’s defense into a powerhouse (with the limited pieces he had)—20th in total defense, 37 sacks in total.

It wasn’t because of the coaching interviews. No, the blame falls squarely on the lack of preparation on game day. Yes, the loss was a result of poor coaching, but it wasn’t due to distractions. It was about execution, or rather, the lack of it. If Campbell’s truly prepared for the inevitable changes ahead, he’ll need to ensure that Detroit’s identity doesn’t slip through the cracks. Rest, the time and the offseason will tell a better story.