ALLEN PARK – Aidan Hutchinson has seen quite a bit during his four years with the Detroit Lions, and their ability to bounce back after a loss is one of them.
Since Week 8 of the 2022 season, the Lions haven’t lost back-to-back games – a streak that is once again on the line as they head into their Week 10 road matchup against the Washington Commanders.
When asked what goes into the week of preparation after a loss that prepares them to get back into the win column, Hutchinson appeared to be a bit puzzled before offering his perspective.
“I’m not even sure,” Hutchinson shared. “I just feel like we have a winning culture here, and when losses happen, we know it can’t happen twice in a row. It’s a credit to this coaching staff and the guys on this team. We know the Commanders are going to be rolling, so we’ve got to go out there and execute.”
Hutchinson shared that he felt Sunday’s 27-24 division loss to the Minnesota Vikings would be beneficial in the long run, effectively sharpening their focus as they understand they’re at a critical time in the season with Super Bowl aspirations in sight.
When speaking to reporters immediately after the game, Lions coach Dan Campbell stated his team appeared to be rusty and took ownership for not having them prepared in a key division matchup. Hutchinson echoed similar sentiments as he detailed his frustrations over the team’s performance.
“There was not a lot of flow in that game, I feel like, in all three phases,” Hutchinson said. “It’s something we’ve got to do a better job at. When the flow doesn’t seem to be there, we’ve got to find a way to win those games — and we almost did.
“If we had gotten that stop on that third down, we could’ve given our offense a chance to tie it or win it. So yeah, we just have to be better in the games where we’re not playing our best and find a way to win.”
The play Hutchinson is referring to happened with 1:41 left in regulation. The Vikings were 3rd & 5 on their own 28-yard line.
Holding a three-point lead over the Lions, who had one timeout remaining, former Michigan standout and Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy connected with receiver Jalen Nailor – a former Michigan State standout – on a 16-yard pass to give them a new set of downs and essentially end the game.
Now with their sights set on Washington, in what some could view as a “revenge game” stemming from last year’s defeat at the hands of the Commanders in the divisional round, Hutchinson agreed that it could be used as fuel for the pivotal matchup, despite it being a different team from last season.
“Absolutely. I think any good team will use anything they can for motivation,” Hutchinson said. “Some guys weren’t here for that, but Dan is using it for motivation, and that’s how we’re looking at it.
“But again, this is a new year and we understand the task at hand, so we’re just going to prepare the best we can and give it everything we’ve got.”
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