The Albany Gazette - Commanders stun Lions in NFL thriller, Chiefs advance

The ice-cool Daniels threw two touchdowns and finished with 299 passing yards and no interceptions as the sixth-seeded Commanders punished an error-strewn Lions performance to leave Detroit's Ford Field in shellshocked silence.

The Lions were one of the most formidable teams of the regular season, their dynamic offense propelling them to a 15-2 record that encouraged many to believe they were ready to win a first Super Bowl in franchise history.

But their championship dreams imploded in spectacular fashion after a litany of blunders -- including five turnovers -- that allowed Washington to build unstoppable momentum in a gripping slugfest.

Lions quarterback Jared Goff had a nightmare outing, with a costly early fumble leading to a second-uarter Washington touchdown from Brian Robinson Jr. that put the Commanders ahead 10-7.

Soon afterwards, Goff tossed an interception that allowed Washington's Quan Martin to sprint 40 yards into the end zone to give the Commanders a 24-14 lead.

Those scores were part of a frenetic burst of action in the second quarter that saw the two teams combine for an astonishing six touchdowns.

The Lions themselves produced two scintillating moments, with tight end Sam LaPorta snaring a jaw-dropping one-handed touchdown pass, and Jameson Williams racing 61 yards into the end zone after a clever Detroit trick play.

But Washington, led by the nerveless Daniels, always managed to find a response in a contest that at times resembled a heavyweight boxing showdown.

Detroit closed to within three points at 31-28 in the third quarter, but Washington again responded with a Robinson touchdown from one yard out after the Lions helped keep the drive alive with a costly penalty for having too many men on the field.

The game was effectively iced when a risky Detroit trick play saw running back Williams toss an interception, allowing Washington to regain possession and score their sixth touchdown of the night to make it 45-28.

Goff finished a wretched performance with his third interception to end the game in the dying seconds of the fourth quarter.

The Commanders, who finished the season with a 12-5 record, will now face either the Los Angeles Rams or Philadelphia Eagles on the road next week in the NFC Championship game with a place in the Super Bowl at stake.

- Kelce shines as Chiefs roll on -

In Saturday's other NFL playoff game, Travis Kelce scored a touchdown and helped set up another as the Kansas City Chiefs stayed on course for a return to the Super Bowl with a 23-14 win over the Houston Texans.

The Chiefs tight end -- with pop superstar girlfriend Taylor Swift cheering him on from the VIP seats -- produced a vintage performance in tandem with quarterback Patrick Mahomes to overpower a stubborn Texans line-up.

Kelce, 35, finished with 117 receiving yards from seven receptions while Mahomes threw for one touchdown and 177 passing yards.

"You know 87's gonna show up whenever there's a big-time moment and he did that," Mahomes said of Kelce, referring to his teammate's jersey number. "Everybody's been asking 'Where's Travis Kelce at?' I think he showed the world where he's at."

The Chiefs' defense, meanwhile, delivered another ferocious performance, terrorising Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, who was sacked eight times.

The divisional round victory at Arrowhead Stadium sends Kansas City into the AFC Championship game for a seventh straight season, where they will host either the Baltimore Ravens or the Buffalo Bills, who play Sunday.

Saturday's victory also marked a milestone 300th career win for Chiefs head coach Andy Reid -- only the fourth head coach in NFL history to reach that mark.

The Chiefs, who clinched back-to-back Super Bowls with their victory over San Francisco last year, are aiming to become the first team in history to win a hat-trick of NFL championships.

(T.Brown--TAG)