Everyone has an opinion of who watches the NFL, but what about when the one offering his opinion is a former NFL head coach?
So, what did Eric Mangini say about the Commanders, the biggest underdog of the NFL playoff weekend, going into Detroit and beating the top-seeded Lions by two touchdowns (45-31)?
The former New York Jets head coach for three seasons (2006-08) offered high praise for Jayden Daniels on Monday. Mangini, who frequently appears during the NFL season on Fox Sports television show “First Things First,” opened by saying, “I wasn’t shocked.”
“I was a little bit torn going into the game because Detroit was my Super Bowl pick (from NFC). I was shocked the most by how clean a game he (Daniels) had.”
“I thought that was really impressive. I didn’t think he would be able to go with no interceptions, no sacks, and the quarterback rating he had (Passer Rating 122.9).”
Dyami Brown has changed the trajectory of his career in the last few games.
I love the way he’s been playing. What a grab.
pic.twitter.com/Dc0CyI8pJD— 🚀 DC Rising 🚀 (@DC__Rising) January 19, 2025
“But the thing this reminds me of, and I talked about this prior to the playoffs, is momentum counts. So, they went into the playoffs with a five-game winning streak. That’s meaningful, and it’s powerful.”
The first year we won the Super Bowl in New England, we went in with a six-game winning streak. We lost to the Rams, and then, we didn’t lose a game after that.” Mangini was an assistant coach for Bill Belichick with the New England Patriots, which led to his becoming head coach of the NY Jets.
“Each week, you build up a level of confidence, and even though you may not be considered to be as good as the other teams, that confidence builds. And I think that is what we are seeing here (Washington). Now, they have built up another level of confidence, winning this game.”
Mangini then closed teasing the other panelists, reminding them that in the preseason, he was the lone panelist of the four to select the Commanders to make the playoffs.
Indeed, the Commanders have now won their final five regular-season games, and now the first two rounds of playoff games, both on the road in Tampa and Detroit.
If they are to make the Super Bowl, they will have to win an eighth consecutive game and third road playoff game, this one in Philadelphia.
