The Detroit Lions crashed out of the NFL playoffs with a heartbreaking loss against the Washington Commanders in the Divisional Round. Quarterback Jared Goff wasn’t at his best, completing only 23 of 40 passes and throwing a pick-six in the second quarter.
After a franchise turnaround, Detroit lost against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game last season, but the Lions came back with even more force in 2024. They clinched the NFC North and the No. 1 seed with a 15-2 record. But their dreams were crushed by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.
The Lions were gutted after the loss, and the locker room was filled with anger, frustration, and disbelief. Nevertheless, Detroit’s veteran center Frank Ragnow supported Goff after the painful Divisional Round loss.
Frank Ragnow Compliments Jared Goff After Loss vs. Commanders
The Lions dominated the second quarter all season, outscoring their opponents by 128 points during the regular season. However, the Commanders flipped the script on Saturday night, outscoring the Lions 28-14.
Dan Campbell’s side failed to turn it around from there.
Goff played his worst game of the season, scoring 68.9 points and earning a D+ grade per PFN’s QB+ metric. Despite his performance and the result, Ragnow backed the Lions’ quarterback after the defeat, yet seemed to be battling tears in the locker room.
“So, so, so disappointed…Frustrated, sad,” Ragnow said about the loss.
“It’s just you put a lot of work into it, a lot of things that people don’t see and to fall short is so, so frustrating,” he added.
The reporter asked Ragnow about the hate and criticism Goff would likely receive for his performance.
“I will ride with Jared Goff until the day I die.”
VIDEO: #Lions standout OL Frank Ragnow says Jared Goff is the guy.
“I will ride with Jared Goff until the day I die”
“Any aspect of life, football, no matter what it is. One of the most standup human beings, players, leaders, I’ll always have his back” pic.twitter.com/TKONJ7zpuW
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) January 19, 2025
“Any aspect of life, football, no matter what it is. One of the most standup human beings, players, leaders, you name it, and I’ll always have his back,” he concluded.
Ragnow believes the execution could have been better in their game against the Commanders.
“Again and again, we just didn’t play clean football. Especially in the playoffs, you just can’t win like that,” he admitted.
Goff finished the game with 313 passing yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. His 57.5 completion rate was way below the 72.4% mark he registered in the regular season.
The Lions had a take-all-comers attitude all year, taken directly from Campbell. It led to a 15-2 record and the No. 1 seed in the NFC, giving them the best offense and fifth-ranked defense in the league, according to PFN’s Offense+ and Defense+ metrics, respectively.
Injuries hampered their potential, however, particularly on the defensive end, and Detroit squandered their chance to host the NFC Championship Game. After the game, Campbell took the blame.
“It’s my fault. My fault,” the Lions HC said.
Dan Campbell is devastated.pic.twitter.com/geLFIR3Ff6
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) January 19, 2025
With a mournful voice, Campbell defended his players and expressed appreciation for their sacrifices and efforts throughout the season.
Two interceptions when pressured, along with a lost fumble, gave Washington far too many chances to capitalize. Nonetheless, Campbell took full responsibility for the team’s shortcomings.