The Washington Commanders may have gotten a little too cute on fourth down early in Saturday’s NFC Divisional Round matchup against the Detroit Lions.
The Commanders had 4th-and-1 at the Lions’ 28 on their opening drive at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich. Washington unsurprisingly decided to go for it.
The Commanders brought in backup quarterback Marcus Mariota to receive the snap. Whatever offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury had cooked up was immediately spoiled by the Lions’ defense.
🛑🛑🛑#WASvsDET | 📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/lwFvMkDS7R
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) January 19, 2025
Mariota was immediately stuffed on what initially looked like a half-hearted attempt at a QB sneak. Replays showed that Mariota may have been trying to fake a sneak before shoveling the ball to Jayden Daniels in the backfield. But Detroit linebacker Al-Quadin Muhammad got to Mariota before the trick play could develop any further.
Several fans on X piled on the Commanders for (1) getting too cute on their trick play and (2) relying on Mariota during a pivotal playoff moment.
The commanders getting cute on 4th and short with Mariota pic.twitter.com/IPGPbyBNTn
— PacingPete, Spokesman for Dorsia (@PacingPete) January 19, 2025
I’m not trusting my playoff life to Marcus Mariota pic.twitter.com/Pw2YaxM7eo
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) January 19, 2025
Commanders fans: “let’s get this 1st down”
Marcus Mariota : pic.twitter.com/NujJ7hnVli
— 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯 (@xJahstin) January 19, 2025
Marcus Mariota gimmick in a playoff game with an nfc championship game on the line ? Lmao don’t take the ball out of Jayden Daniels hands
— John (@iam_johnw) January 19, 2025
Using Mariota seemed even more foolish considering the Commanders’ primary quarterback is the ultra-quick Daniels. The Commanders rookie rushed for 891 yards during the regular season. Only Lamar Jackson had more rushing yards than Daniels in 2024.
Deploying Daniels to get one yard probably would have been the safer bet.
