Commanders fans traveling to Detroit for Saturday night’s NFL playoff game

Washington (7News) — With the Washington Commanders having their most successful season in years, some local fans are traveling to Ford Field in Detroit this weekend to watch the team take on the Lions in a Divisional playoff game.

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“I grew up a Skins fan. I’m from the Gibbs era. So to see this, and to have this energy and this coach, reminds me of old school times,” said Priya Grewal of Bethesda. Grewal spoke to 7News as she and her son Rehan prepared to fly from Reagan National Airport to Detroit on Friday.

Rehan had already been to last week’s playoff win in Tampa.

“I thought it was a dream, to be honest,” said Rehan, who at 14 years old is far too young to have seen the team’s previous last playoff win in January 2006. “[It’s hard to] picture my team doing that well because of all the Sundays I’ve pretty much wasted until this year.”

“To bring your kids to the games and have this family-oriented environment where we’re actually winning is wonderful,” Priya Grewal said as she stood next to her son, both of them decked out in Commanders gear.

Unless they are at least in their mid-20s, Commanders fans are unlikely to remember any playoff wins before last Sunday. And unless they are at least in their late 30s, they are unlikely to remember a Super Bowl win.

Over a ten-year period from the early ’80s to the early ’90s, the team won three Super Bowls and appeared in another one that they lost.

But after previous owner Dan Snyder bought the team in 1999, the team began a period in which they were mediocre at best most seasons, only winning two playoff games during the entire 24 years Snyder owned the team.

One of those wins was the first season he owned them, the other one the win in 2006. Ironically, the 1999 win was over the Lions, followed by a loss to Tampa, and the 2006 win was over Tampa.

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“I booked a flight right after we won in Tampa,” said Commanders fan Connor Bloxton of Woodbridge, who was also flying to Detroit from Reagan National Friday. “I’ve seen one playoff game win in my life and that was last week, so I’m ready for another one.”

The Commanders will play the Lions on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. in Detroit.