Quotes: What the Lions Are Saying About the Commanders

Head Coach Dan Quinn

On his level of respect for what Washington has been able to do in one season of building under Commanders Head Coach Dan Quinn: “I’ve got a lot of respect for Dan Quinn. I’ve known Dan – from afar I know him, but it’s not like we hang out on a daily basis or anything or talk like that, but I’ve known him for a while, and certainly when he was in Atlanta, having to play him twice a year, I mean, those guys – you gain a high level of respect for what they do, and (Commanders Defensive Coordinator) Joe Whitt (Jr.), the defensive coordinator, I mean, those guys were all there. And so, inevitably, his teams are always going to be competitive and they’re going to be ready to go and they’re going to try to do things the right way, so I’ve got a lot of respect for what he’s done, and I’m not surprised that they’re where they’re at just knowing kind of the way he builds things, the way his attitude is. So, it’s impressive.”

On how quickly he started to gameplan for Washington: "Yeah, I mean I think you’re – like anybody else, you’re taking your notes as the game’s going on like last night and you’re taking note as much as you can with what you can see on the TV, and then really it’s been – I mean, full force today, you get in early and you start going. I had stuff with me at home, so yeah, I mean, you go, but it’s like anything else. We’re going to have plenty of time to gameplan and get a really good feel of who this opponent is to put a good plan in.”

On the challenge Commanders QB Jayden Daniels presents: “He is dangerous. He’s dangerous, he poses a major threat. He does not play the position like a rookie quarterback. He’s composed, he understands how to progress, he sees the field well, he can buy time with his legs, he’s a dangerous runner, he’s smart, you can tell he understands how to run that offense, what they’re asking him to do, and then he’s got weapons. He’s got weapons around him. I mean, his receiver’s pretty dang good, (Commanders WR Terry McLaurin) 17’s a hell of a player, he’s got a good back, he’s got more than one receiver, (Commanders TE Zach) Ertz at tight end, I mean, they’ve got weapons, O-line plays hard. But he’s a difference maker.”

On if not having faced Washington during the regular season makes him leery about the unknown: "No, I don’t – no, I think there’s a level of excitement. Part of it is, you see another team you faced twice, let’s say, you know each other, you know them, they know you, it’s a different level of game planning because you’re into that third level of chess, whereas the opponent you haven’t faced yet, that’s exciting too because you don’t really, entirely know them, they don’t entirely know you, you just know each other from afar, and so, now you’re kind of starting from scratch. That’s pretty exciting too, so I just think it’s – either way you go, it’s pretty cool and it’s fun, and so I think it’s – I like it because it’s fresh for this week, I do like the newness of it.”

On if there is anyone that he can think of that stylistically matches Commanders QB Jayden Daniels’ skillset: “That’s tough to say. As a rookie? Because that’s really what you’re trying to compare him to, is really, a rookie of – I can’t. I mean, he’s – that’s like that, that’s been as composed as he is and really been able to function at such a high level without the mistakes or things like that. He’s doing a really good job. I know they’ve got to be happy over there with how he’s progressed every week. Just gotten better and better.”

On how valuable it is to have Lions LB Alex Anzalone when defending Washington’s RPOs: “Yeah, Alex – look, Alex is always going to help. Getting him back, I mean, just having him back the other day paid huge dividends. It was one of the reasons that we did well, that we played a really good game defensively, he’s certainly one of those reasons. So, to get him back, the production he brings, the athlete, but then just the – what he brings mentally, because he understands the game well, he studies, he’ll know this offense, he’ll know what they’re trying to do, and he can kind of help everybody out around him. So yeah, it helps having him.”

On if he sees any similarities between Detroit and Washington’s aggressiveness on fourth down: “I mean, I don’t know, and look, I haven’t been able to watch every game yet, I haven’t gotten into all that, so I’ve got to do my own – I understand what their percentages are, I know they went for it – whatever, five time last night, but I need to look at what the situations are, when he does that, and is this truly their MO, how much of it is run, pass, blah, blah, blah. But I know he wants to he wants to be a little bit more aggressive and they have a quarterback that is mobile and gives you a run-pass option. So, I don’t know, I can’t say that it’s like us or not like us, but I know they have it, they use it, and it’s helped them. It’s helped them win games.”

On if he buys the idea that Detroit struggles against mobile quarterbacks: “Do you buy that, are you buying that? I know this, running quarterbacks are hard, they’re hard to defend, and it’s like, somebody tells you that, ‘We don’t handle running quarterbacks very well.’ Well, tell me the team that does, give me the next team. So now you’re working for whoever, I don’t care who they are, and I’m not going to name a team because somebody will come back and say, ‘Why did you name that team?’ But if you’re on that team and you’re being like, ‘We don’t handle running quarterbacks that well.’ Well, yeah, I mean, it’s kind of – when you’re trying to deal with (Ravens QB) Lamar (Jackson) and you’re trying to deal with a guy like this over there and (Bills QB) Josh Allen, there are a lot of teams that struggle against those guys, they’re not easy to stop and there’s a reason for that. So look, we know we’ve got our hands full, but we’re going to have a plan in place, (Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn) AG’s going to have a hell of a plan, our guys are going to execute it, and you know what, he may make a run, he may pop a run or two. That’s just the nature of the game and the way that some of these guys are able to maneuver, but that doesn’t mean that you win the game.”

On why he thinks that Commanders QB Jayden Daniels has been able to lead Washington to a playoff win on the road as a rookie: “Well look, I think (Commanders Offensive Coordinator) Kliff (Kingsbury)’s done a good job with him, and with the scheme that they’re running, I think it really fits him well, but yet, they’re also – it’s not just about him, it’s about the other weapons that they do have, and I think that all meshes well together and I think they don’t ask him to do everything. I think the scheme they have, he does a good job with it, I think he can get himself out of trouble, I think this O-line plays hard, they don’t just live in the read-run or RPO, they’ve got some gap scheme, so there’s some attitude there, there are cutting the defense type runs, so it’s kind of all been meshed together well. And so, I think, by doing that, you alleviate a lot of pressure off of him, and when he has that ability and you don’t put everything on him, then he’ll make plays for you, and he’s been able to do that and I think he does stay composed and he doesn’t get frazzled. So, I think there’s – that’s a credit to him, but it’s really a credit to the coaches too, and the players that are around him. I think they do a good job of spreading the load, actually.”

 On Commanders CB Marshon Lattimore: “Yeah, I have a lot of respect for Marshon, having him at New Orleans. I think he’s a heck of a football player, he’s feisty, he’s competitive, you know the physical attributes he has. He can run and he’s got hands, he’s got ball skills, he can flip his hips, all that, but it’s really the competitiveness. That’s what you appreciate about him. So, he’s helped them, he’s a good football player, and he’s somebody we have to be aware of.”

On if they tried to keep Commanders TE Zach Ertz at the end of last season and how good he is: “Yeah, I’ll tell you what, he’s a weapon for them in the red zone. That’s where he really, really shows up and then there’s been some critical fourth downs, third downs where he’s shown up out in the field, the pass game, some of these where he gets matched up one-on-one and that’s where he thrives. He can still do that because he’s got hands, he’s got length, he can pluck the ball, and so even if you’re attached to him, he can make those plays. So, he’s somebody particularly in the red zone that we have to know where he’s at, we have to matchup well with him. He’s a pro, he’s a pro’s pro and it’s everything that you would expect out of him. They’re using him exactly the right way, so yeah, he’s a good player.”

On the challenge the defense will face with a no-huddle Washington offense: “Yeah, it’s the same – communication, obviously, and they’ve gotten a number of people with that. They’re back to the ball and then they’re running personnel on straight to the ball and then here they go. And I will tell you, there’s a number of things that have come up where they’re not holding the football and that’s a substitution. So, we’ll be on that, we’ll talk about all of that pregame, we’re going to be able to sub, getting the packages that we need to, and really it’s the – OK when we have our groups that come in, we know we’re matching immediately. We’re not getting in a huddle, we’re hearing the calls, we come out, and we’re matching them because then the official will get out and we’re ready to play. We’ve been working it, talking it, seeing it, but it’s challenging. Because they’ll do some third down now where they run a jumbo tight end and he’s reporting and running and putting his hand in the ground and it’s unbalanced. They’re pretty creative of all of that.”

Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson

On the changes in the Commanders’ defense in the past year and if he has had the chance to look at how much better they have been playing late in the season:“Yeah, hard to say how much they’ve changed from a year ago because we didn’t play them last year, but this is – to me, this is exactly what (Commanders Head Coach) Dan Quinn does everywhere he goes, Atlanta, Dallas and now to Washington. This is a defense that, what stands out when you turn on the tape, they all pursue, they all tackle, they rally around the ball carrier, they play balls to the wall every single snap, and that’s really the first thing that you see. And so, talent-wise, they’ve got guys all across the board, a lot’s been said about the defensive tackles, I’d say their edge players are equally as disruptive here this year, I’ve got a lot of respect for what (Commanders LB Dante) Fowler’s been putting on tape, the two linebackers are flying around and they’re very challenging to pick up in pass-pro, and then on the back end they’re competing – they’re competing, and today’s third down day, you see a lot of man coverage, coming up and challenging, much like what we saw from our own defense in training camp. So, a lot of respect for this crew and it’s going to take our best stuff here Saturday night.”

On if he feels a sense of irony that they are facing the Washington Commanders as a team he interviewed with last year: “No irony. I mean, these guys, they have good coaches, they have good players and they’ve won a lot of games this year, so a very dangerous opponent, and one that we’re certainly not taking lightly.”

On if he needs to feel out where Lions RB David Montgomery is during the flow of the game if they will automatically go back to the way they split things between him and Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs: “It’s to be determined. Gibbs has certainly had a hot hand as of late and I expect David to come in and pick up where he left off. If the last two days are any indication, he’s of the right mindset right now, so we’ll see what it looks like today on the field and tomorrow as well, and we’ll finalize our plan after that.”

On what he has seen from Commanders CB Mike Sainristil:“You know, the thing about him that stood out to me, and this goes back to the springtime, we had a number of Michigan players come into the building, whether it was Top 30 visits or a local pro day, and every single one of those players said that they would bring him along. Every single player said he was the one guy from Michigan that they would want to bring along with them, and to me, that spoke volumes because it’s rare that you see all these same guys from the same school and they say the same person, it’s normally the cliques you hang out with. And so, I see a guy on tape that fits their defense – in a nutshell, same thing we’ve been talking about, they are flying around, reckless almost, borderline reckless, but calculated, and he fits that mold for them perfectly. He’s always around the ball, not afraid to tackle. It’s been a really impressive rookie year for him.”

On how he feels when Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell decides to go for it on fourth down and stay aggressive:“Yeah, I mean, it’s been our identity since Coach came in here, right? So our players, the coaching staff, we’re all behind it, certainly the numbers help support it, and so you’ve got that in your back pocket, but something we emphasize over the course of the week, I know defense has certain calls, we have certain calls on offense, fourth down of the week, and we feel really good about executing it once we get into the gameplan. So, our guys rally behind it, they love it, and it’s certainly helped us score more points this year.”

Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn

On if they ever try to force mobile quarterbacks to a certain direction and play to their weaknesses in their games: “Absolutely, especially when you look at his rush pattern and the way he tries to escape from the pocket. If there’s a guy that really wants to escape to his right or to his left, you try not to let him escape that way for the most part, but as you see, this League is trending toward all these quarterbacks that are just so athletic that it’s hard for your defensive linemen to try to contain these guys, so you have to do a lot as far as being disciplined in your rush, obviously sending more people at him so you can make sure you close up as many lanes as you can, and man, we try our best to do that. Against (Cardinals QB) Kyler (Murray) I think we did a really good job, obviously Buffalo we didn’t do as good of a job, we expect to do a really good job this week against (Commanders QB) Jayden (Daniels).”

On how the team’s aggressiveness on fourth down affects him in the moment and his game planning in a game: “Listen, this is what I teach our guys from OTAs and training camp, that any time we have a sudden change – say, if we don’t make a fourth down, say, if our offense throws an interception, they have a fumble or whatnot, man, it’s more TV time for us, alright, so we look forward to going on the field. So, every time you see something like that happens, our guys immediately run on the field because that’s the mindset. So, listen, we’re behind our head coach 100 percent, I actually believe in that – actually believe in it. So, I’m not surprised, I know everybody else is surprised, but I’m not surprised, the players are not surprised, the coaches are not surprised, we’re just ready to play. Whatever happens, we’re behind him.”

On how playing against a team like Washington that uses all four downs on offense affects how they play on defense: “Yes, so now you look at what they’re going to do on third down, alright? They might tend – it really opens up their offense because they might tend to run the ball more on third-and-5, third-and-6, because they know they’re going for it on fourth down, so we have to be in-tune to that, and that comes from film study. So, we’ve done a good job of understanding who this head coach is, how they try to operate, to try to make sure we’re prepared for all those things.”

On how impressed he is with Commanders QB Jayden Daniels’ mental game and if there are things that he does that you do not often see from rookie quarterbacks: “Absolutely, his demeanor and how calm he is, I mean, it pops out all over the TV copy when you watch the TV copy, and another thing that pops out is, he’s having fun playing this game, which we all should, but you can tell that he’s having fun, and there’s no better way to play this game than when you’re in a situation where you’re having fun. I mean, obviously winning has a lot to do with that, but his ability to go make plays, even when he doesn’t make plays, he’s having fun playing the game, and I think that’s one of the reasons why he’s so successful. He’s not taking this for more than what it is, he understands what his skillset is, and he’s utilizing everybody on that offense to make him better. It’s almost like he’s trying to be a point guard, and he’s just delivering and leading.”

On what makes Commanders WR Terry McLaurin so good and why his touchdown production has increased:“Well, (Commanders QB) Jayden Daniels had a lot to do with that, but he’s highly, highly competitive, he does a really good job on 50-50 balls, which you wouldn’t think that he would because of his stature, but he does a really good job of that. He’s always been a good player, we went against this player several times, but that’s the one thing that really stands out, is his competitive nature. He kind of reminds me of how (Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown) Saint goes about, because he will block, he’ll go across the middle, he’ll take hits, he’ll get back up, get back to the huddle, so he’s a gamer. He’s a gamer, so it doesn’t surprise me, the success he’s having.”

Special Teams Coordinator Dave Fipp

On how happy he was for Commanders K Zane Gonzalez to get the game-winning field goal in the Wild Card Round:“Yeah, I’m fired up for him. I think I say this all of the time, I’ll usually talk to the other teams’ specialists before the game. I wish him the very best and I hope that those guys play as good as they can play and then I hope that we play better and that’s really what the goal is. But I think as a competitor you want your opponent to have played their best game and have no excuses. I think Zane – he's a very good player, he’s made a bunch of big kicks, he made a bunch of big kicks when he was at Arizona and so I’m super happy for him that he made that one at the end there and look forward to playing against him.”

On where the Commanders special teams unit really shines in his metrics: “They’re in all four – so I take everything into consideration. All four plus field goal, field goal block, takeaway, giveaway, field position stuff, it’s all in mind. They’re number one. We’re two.”

On if the Commanders having a high number of special teams tackles is a symptom of them having returnable kickoffs: “Yeah, that would be a product of kicking a lot of returnable balls for sure, yeah.”

On what it is like to be a part of the calls to go for it on fourth down:“Yeah, really that’s all (Lions Head) Coach (Dan) Campbell, the fourth down decision making stuff, what we’re going to do, fake it, go for it, punt it, kick it. He really handles all of that stuff, but we have a lot of trust in him, faith in him. I would say that during the course of the week, we get a pretty good idea of what it’s going to be like going into that game in terms of how aggressive or how many chances we’re taking and where we’re going to take them. So, I don’t feel unprepared going into the game, I have a pretty good idea of what our plan is. And I think that’s the one thing that he does an incredible job with and I’m super fortunate to work for the guy, I love him to death, I think he’s an unbelievable coach, but one of the things that he does very best is that he knows how to win a game and he’s not worried about what anyone thinks and he knows exactly who the other team is and exactly what it’s going to take. He’ll come in during the week and say, ‘This is how I see it going down.’ And damn near every time it’s exactly like that and it’s like, damn. His ability kind of predict how the game is going to go early in the week is better than any coach that I’ve ever been around.”

Quarterback Jared Goff

 if he and Lions Quarterbacks Coach Mark Brunell have talked about his experience with the Commanders as the last quarterback to win them a playoff game: “Yeah, it’s the Mark Brunell revenge game. No, I’m kidding. Yeah, that came across on the screen that night that when we were watching, we had a little chuckle at it. He’s obviously a part of their history and yeah, it’s cool.”

On if it is more challenging or enticing to face an opponent that they do not see that often: “I don’t know, they’re all tough. I think it doesn’t matter. At this point in the season, every team that we’re going to play is going to be a tough matchup and Washington’s obviously no different. They’re a hell of a team, they had a great year, they won 12 games, just won a tough game on the road against a good Tampa team that beat us. So, we have our hands full.”

On Commanders QB Jayden Daniels’ performance as a rookie: “Yeah, it’s extremely impressive, very impressive for anyone that young to do what he’s doing. It doesn’t look like he is a rookie, it doesn’t look like he feels like a rookie. It feels like he understands the moment and is comfortable in it and our job on defense is to try to make him uncomfortable. It’s been a challenge for a lot of teams this year, but I’m excited to see what they do.”

On the Commanders defense: “Really good up front, really good at the second level, (Commanders LB) Bobby Wagner, (Commanders LB Frankie) Luvu we’ve played, he’s a hell of a player on the backend. They’re good, they’re young, they’re feisty. I think the whole team is young and hungry and we’re aware of that and we have to come out and be ready to go.”