NFL deals Commanders double blow hours before Eagles game as Jared Goff pays worse price

Washington Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu has been fined a total of $33,766 for two incidents during their upset win over the Detroit Lions.

The Commanders stunned the Lions at Ford Field on Jan. 18 to advance to the NFC Championship game, eliminating the No. 1 seed in the conference. Lions quarterback Jared Goff had a game to forget, throwing three interceptions during the contest, one of which was returned by Commanders safety Quan Martin for a 40-yard touchdown.

On that play, Goff scrambled to try and stop Martin from reaching the end zone, but was knocked to the ground by Luvu, who appeared to initiate head contact when delivering the hit. No flags were thrown at the time, but the NFL has since issued Luvu a fine of $16,883 for roughing the passer.

Luvu received the fine as his hit was determined to be a clear blow to the head/neck. Lions personnel demanded a flag at the time, but Luvu and the Commanders managed to escape punishment until now.

The NFL has also handed Luvu a second fine for his tackle on Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, which occurred shortly after Goff’s costly interception. The NFL determined that Luvu’s tackle was a hip-drop and therefore illegal, and have fined him an additional $16,883.

Once again, there were no flags thrown on the play, but these instances were pivotal in the result of the game. While a flag for his tackle on Gibbs would have moved the Lions further up the field, if the hit on Goff was spotted, it could have dramatically changed the game.

Lions fans will never know, and after a memorable season which saw them achieve a regular-season record of 15-2, they faltered in their first playoff game. The Lions received a bye to the Divisional Round and were heavy favorites ahead of facing the Commanders, and were a popular pick among fans to reach the Super Bowl.

Instead, the Commanders and the Philadelphia Eagles will meet in the NFC Championship game for the very first time. The NFC East rivals were 1-1 in the regular season, although Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was forced off when the Commanders won after suffering a concussion in the first half.

The Eagles are favorites to win the NFC Championship game and reach the Super Bowl for the second time in three seasons, but the Commanders are performing well as underdogs. Not only was Washington a major underdog when facing the Lions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers also suffered an upset in the Wild Card round.

The Eagles may have the experience, but Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels is on the verge of making NFL history. No rookie quarterback has ever started in the Super Bowl, and the No. 2 pick of the 2024 NFL Draft is one win away from becoming the first.