Post by D6 on Nov 15, 2021 4:19:04 GMT -5
Instant observations: Hey, at least the Detroit Lions won’t go 0-17 after ugly tie with Steelers
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Thoughts in ****
Instant observations: Hey, at least the Detroit Lions won’t go 0-17 after ugly tie with Steelers
Updated: Nov. 14, 2021, 7:10 p.m. | Published: Nov. 14, 2021, 4:55 p.m.
Detroit Lions at Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 10
By Kyle Meinke | kmeinke@mlive.com
PITTSBURGH -- Ugly.
That’s what the Detroit Lions were when they lost their first eight games of the season, an NFL worst, and that’s exactly what the Detroit Lions were on Sunday in a 16-16 tie against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Stadium.
Knotting up an AFC playoff contender on a four-game winning streak seems like something of a moral win for the league’s last winless team. So does taking the possibility of the first 0-17 season in league history off the table. So at least there’s that.
**** As ugly as this game was from an Offense and penalty standpoint, the Lions avoiding yet another loss is significant. As exasperating as the Lions not getting a win in Pittsburgh was ( and is ), a loss after so many opportunities to win the game weren't capitalized on, would have been devastating. ****
Then again, the Lions had so many opportunities to steal their first win against a Steelers team that was playing without its starting quarterback, yet just couldn’t do it, over and over and over again on a cold rainy day in Pittsburgh. That includes Ryan Santoso missing a point-after attempt in regulation, which allowed the Steelers to tie up the game with two field goals in the fourth quarter, before he missed again on a would-be winner from 48 yards in the extra period.
**** The missed Extra Point changed the entire game. The missed PAT might have actually ended up helping the Lions, as the Steelers weren't aggressive on 4th Downs in the 4th QTR. If they would have gone for a 1st Down on the 4th Down situations when they had good field position and converted even one of them, that could have very realistically led to a Steelers win. Of course, not getting a 1st Down on a 4th Down attempt could have backfired for the Steelers. It's all speculation. Having said all of this, the moment the PAT was missed, the Lions task of winning the game became more difficult as a result.
On the other hand, the missed FG in OT cost the Lions a win. T.J. Hockenson's foolish holding penalty might have been the difference in whether Ryan Santaso would have made a Game Winning FG.
The bottom line is Santaso failed on a PAT and a Game Winning FG. I think the Lions should try to replace him before Wednesday but so much depends on the options available. ****
Pittsburgh nearly made the Lions pay for it by driving into position for a go-ahead field goal in the final seconds of extra time, but safety Will Harris forced another fumble -- the Steelers’ second of the overtime -- and Trey Flowers recovered the ball with 8 seconds left to preserve the tie.
**** This was definitely Will Harris' most positive impactful play since he was drafted by the Lions in 2019. Trey Flowers did a great job securing the ball inbounds, for the recovery. This after it looked like Flowers suffered a serious leg related injury in the 2nd half in a pass rushing situation. ****
On a very ugly day for football, at least there’s that.
Quarterback Jared Goff was especially bad, netting minus-1 passing yards during an ominous first quarter, the second time in four games he’s been in the red after 15 minutes. He had just 11 yards in the first half and finished with 54 in regulation, the fewest yards by a Lions quarterback who played an entire regulation since Joey Harrington went 5 of 22 passing for 47 yards against Green Bay in 2004.
In an awful season for the former No. 1 overall pick, this -- a game where at times it was unclear whether he even could pass the ball downfield -- was a new low. Turns out he did strain his oblique in the loss, which contributed to his meager output. The cold and rain didn’t help either.
**** The question is why did Dan Campbell keep Jared Goff in the game? David Blough as a running threat could have made the Lions running game more effective. The Steelers not needing to respect Goff as a runner didn't have to respect Goff keeping the ball and running. That contributed substantially to the Steelers strong run Defense on most plays after Godwin Igwebuike's ultra impressive TD run. With the Lions emphasis on the run, I wish an injured Goff was removed from the game. He certainly wasn't elevating the Lions passing game. ****
On a day where Goff’s season-long struggles reached new levels of embarrassment, the running game kept the Lions alive with a season-high 229 yards. They hadn’t run for that many yards in a game since toasting Miami for 248 back in 2018. D’Andre Swift led the way with a career-high 130 yards, while rookie Jermar Jefferson chipped in a 28-yard touchdown run off the bench. That was actually Detroit’s longest rushing touchdown of the season -- until Jefferson left the game with an ankle injury, then converted safety Godwin Igwebuike ran onto the field and sliced through the Pittsburgh defense for a 42-yard touchdown run.
**** The blocking on the Igwebuike TD run, combined with the run itself, was superb. One of the best Lions TD rushing plays I've seen over the decades. ****
That gave Detroit a 16-10 lead early in the third quarter, but Santoso proceeded to miss the point-after attempt. Santoso was playing for Austin Seibert, a reliable kicker who went on injured reserve a day earlier with a right hip issue.
**** Austin Seibert was having a good season but his 2 misses ( vs. SF and Philadelphia ) were very costly. Both occurred when the score was 0-0. The Lions fell behind soon after in both games and were playing uphill the rest of those games. ****
Santoso’s miss loomed large, allowing Pittsburgh to pull even with field goals of 23 and 51 yards down the stretch. But neither team could push ahead during a sloppy fourth quarter, where the teams traded a combined seven straight empty possessions to the final whistle.
Goff opened overtime by throwing a 30-yard pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown, his longest completion of the day, but then he took a 9-yard sack on third down to foil a field-goal try. The Lions had a great opportunity to win the game when Steelers receiver Diontae Johnson fumbled the ball after a 39-yard catch on the ensuing possession, and a roughing penalty against Pittsburgh safety Tre Norwood two plays later gave Detroit the ball at Pittsburgh’s 34-yard line.
**** Jared Goff's instincts in the pocket, as it relates to his decision making, have been problematic too often. Even factoring in Goff playing with a significant injury, he doesn't look like a long term solution. ****
But Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson was flagged for holding, which pushed Santoso’s field-goal attempt to 48 yards. The backup kicker missed that too.
The Lions were still able to hang on for the win thanks to another fumble in the final seconds of the extra period, although there isn’t much to feel good about after this one. Hey, at least they won’t become the first to go 0-17.
**** Hang on for the tie. ****
Then again, with the way they’re playing, the Lions seem to have an awfully good chance of becoming the first to go 0-16-1.
**** The Lions were + 3 in takeaways vs. turnovers in this game and only ended up with a tie. This as much as anything illustrates the difficulty of the Lions winning this season. ****
Let’s get to some instant observations:
-- The Lions have done a lot of talking about cleaning up their unforced mistakes. But to this point, that’s all it is -- just a bunch of talk. Given an extra week to rest up, watch film and make changes, well, they continued to make the same sort of mistakes that dug them in the 0-8 hole in the first place. They opened the game by getting gashed for an 83-yard touchdown drive where Amani Oruwariye was flagged for pass interference, then a blown coverage left Steelers receiver James Washington all alone in the end zone. A.J. Parker tried to pass off Washington to fellow corner Jerry Jacobs, but Jacobs stuck with his man to the inside and Washington was left all alone.
Really, really bad stuff from a defense that already ranked as the league’s worst in the red zone.
**** The Defense made too many mental and concentration errors in this game. A better opposing QB would likely have made the Lions pay heavily. Having said this, after the Steelers first drive, they didn't score a TD. The Lions forced 3 Steelers turnovers. The Lions Defense, even with their numerous unforced mistakes, along with the Lions Special Teams ( not including Ryan Santaso ), kept the Lions in the game and prevented a loss. ****
-- Congratulations, you. Yes, you. Because you, sitting at home on your couch, passed for more yards than Jared Goff in the first quarter (minus-1). Considering this is the second time in four games Goff has lost yardage while trying to pass in the first quarter, well, it just speaks to the unbelievable dysfunction in Detroit’s passing game. There aren’t many facets of this team that compare to the dreadful 0-16 team in 2008, but the passing game is reaching that kind of ineptitude.
****The Lions passing game was better in the 2008 season than in the 2020 season. ****
Goff passed for just 11 yards in the first half, 30 yards in the first three quarters and never hit triple digits until the very ugly overtime period. Yes, the rain was bad and Goff was playing through an injury. But no starting quarterback had produced so little through four quarters since Joey Harrington, who once completed just 5 of 22 passes for 47 yards in a 2004 game against Green Bay.
In Goff’s defense, he doesn’t have a lot of help at receiver. With Breshad Perriman in Tampa and Tyrell Williams on his couch someplace, he’s without both projected starters for a receiver group that was always expected to be among the worst in the league anyway. Even the recently acquired Josh Reynolds was inactive as well. Still, those excuses only go so far. Because even when Goff had Kalif Raymond wide open over the middle of the field for a bomb in the red zone, he threw short, allowing the defense to catch up to Raymond and make a play on the ball.
Goff missed guys short and long and everywhere in between. He took bad sacks. He missed open targets. He was really bad before the bye, and the extra rest didn’t magically solve the profound talent and schematic issues in this passing game. It’s looking more and more like the Lions still need their quarterback of the future, because this is getting ugly.
**** The Lions passing game problems are much larger than just Jared Goff. But his play is a major reason why the Lions haven't scored 20 or more points in 8 straight games! ****
-- Considering what was happening in the passing game, the Steelers defense could cheat against the run. Which made what the Lions were able to do on the ground that much more remarkable. Their 229 rushing yards crushed their previous season high. They hadn’t run for that many yards since rolling up 248 against Miami on Oct. 21, 2018. D’Andre Swift had 73 yards in the first half alone, a season high, and reached triple digits for the second time in his career early in the third quarter. He finished with 130 yards on 33 carries, matching the most carries by a Lions running back since Kevin Jones in 2004.
**** The injury to Matt Nelson was a contributing factor in the Lions running game decline after Godwin Igwebuike's TD made the score 16-10 in the 3rd QTR. Goff's injury and the Steelers overall adjustments on Defense also were factors in the Lions running game coming to a halt or worse, far too often after that point of the game. Nelson is much better in the role as an extra blocker than as a RT. ****
Swift is so good, and at the end of the first half, when he rushed for more than 60 yards on a single drive, he was magnificent. But it wasn’t just him. Rookie Jermar Jefferson had some big runs off the bench, including a 9-yarder the first time he touched the football, then a 28-yard touchdown the last time he touched it, on a brilliant run where he dragged two defenders into the end zone. But he injured his ankle on the play and did not return.
With starting running back Jamaal Williams in street clothes with a thigh injury, the Lions suddenly found themselves down two of their top three running backs. With Jared Goff doing Jared Goff things in the air, that could have been disastrous. But Swift just kept churning out tough yards on the ground, while Godwin Igwebuike, a converted safety, came up big off the bench. He ran through the teeth of the defense for a 42-yard touchdown run, Detroit’s longest of the season, giving the Lions a 16-10 lead in the third quarter.
**** That was also Godwin Igwebuike's final run. Though Igwebuike was in the game again at RB, he never touched the ball on Offense again. I question that decision.****
-- D’Andre Swift, Godwin Igwebuike and Jermar Jefferson drew a lot of attention for their work on the ground, and rightfully so. But don’t overlook the importance of what was going on up front either. It’s no coincidence Detroit’s best rushing performance in forever coincided with the return of Taylor Decker, who played very well in the running game at left tackle. That also allowed Penei Sewell to move to right tackle, the position he was supposed to play all along. He was pretty good there on Sunday, too.
**** Penei Sewell will likely have a high overall PFF grade for this game. He abilities in space are especially impressive. Taylor Decker had a False Start penalty and eventually a Holding Penalty ( though Jared Goff was at least partially responsible for the latter. ). Decker or Jonah Jackson made a mental mistake that caused a very costly OT sack. Overall, I thought Decker was clearly an asset in the running game and was at least average on passing plays. For Decker's first game back, I think he has plenty to build on. ****
That also got Matt Nelson out of the starting lineup at right tackle, which is best for everyone involved. Nelson allowed the most pressures in the NFL in the first eight weeks of the season. It wasn’t pretty. But give the Lions coaching staff a lot of credit, because where a lot of people just saw a struggling bench guy in the starting lineup, the offensive staff saw a guy who could still be an asset as an extra blocker in the running game. Nelson came on the field for the first play of the second series, and delivered a key block on Jefferson’s 9-yard run. Nelson did the same thing later in the half, and delivered the key block on Jefferson’s 28-yard touchdown run. He was a staple on the final drive of the half, then was back out there for the start of the third quarter, delivering key blocks all over the place until leaving the game with an injury.
****Agreed.****
Again, give a ton of credit to Detroit’s coaching staff. I don’t think anyone anticipated this kind of role for Nelson, and that includes Pittsburgh. Because time and time and time again, Nelson did his job, and Swift kept making the Steelers pay.
**** Agreed.****
-- Injuries really began to take their toll down the stretch, with guys like Jefferson, safety Tracy Walker (brain), cornerback Jerry Jacobs (groin), offensive lineman Matt Nelson (ankle) and edge defender Trey Flowers (ankle) all leaving the game at various points. Walker was run over by Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph in the second half, underwent concussion testing and was later ruled out. Considering Walker has been among the best safeties in the league, and perhaps Detroit’s best defensive player, that was a big loss. Will Harris and Dean Marlowe finished the game at safety.
**** Tracy Walker put himself at risk on that play. He's fortunate he didn't also suffer a neck injury.****
The Jacobs injury caused even more problems in the secondary, with fellow cornerbacks like Jeff Okudah and Ifeati Melifonwu already out. Detroit was forced to finish the game with Mark Gilbert, a cornerback who was signed off Pittsburgh’s practice squad a couple weeks ago.
****Mark Gilbert did a good job in coverage except for one play. On the play he was beat in coverage in OT, Gilbert forced a fumble that Amari Oruwariye recovered. On the other hand, Gilbert was overmatched as a tackler against Najee Harris on a pass in the flat. Every play that Harris didn't touch the ball was a relief on this end. The Steelers have a special player in Harris. ****
**** This new thread is a continuation of the following thread:
Lions at Steelers preview: Game # 9 ( 2021 )
detroit-lions-forum.proboards.com/thread/1251/lions-steelers-preview-game-2021
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Thoughts in ****
Instant observations: Hey, at least the Detroit Lions won’t go 0-17 after ugly tie with Steelers
Updated: Nov. 14, 2021, 7:10 p.m. | Published: Nov. 14, 2021, 4:55 p.m.
Detroit Lions at Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 10
By Kyle Meinke | kmeinke@mlive.com
PITTSBURGH -- Ugly.
That’s what the Detroit Lions were when they lost their first eight games of the season, an NFL worst, and that’s exactly what the Detroit Lions were on Sunday in a 16-16 tie against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Stadium.
Knotting up an AFC playoff contender on a four-game winning streak seems like something of a moral win for the league’s last winless team. So does taking the possibility of the first 0-17 season in league history off the table. So at least there’s that.
**** As ugly as this game was from an Offense and penalty standpoint, the Lions avoiding yet another loss is significant. As exasperating as the Lions not getting a win in Pittsburgh was ( and is ), a loss after so many opportunities to win the game weren't capitalized on, would have been devastating. ****
Then again, the Lions had so many opportunities to steal their first win against a Steelers team that was playing without its starting quarterback, yet just couldn’t do it, over and over and over again on a cold rainy day in Pittsburgh. That includes Ryan Santoso missing a point-after attempt in regulation, which allowed the Steelers to tie up the game with two field goals in the fourth quarter, before he missed again on a would-be winner from 48 yards in the extra period.
**** The missed Extra Point changed the entire game. The missed PAT might have actually ended up helping the Lions, as the Steelers weren't aggressive on 4th Downs in the 4th QTR. If they would have gone for a 1st Down on the 4th Down situations when they had good field position and converted even one of them, that could have very realistically led to a Steelers win. Of course, not getting a 1st Down on a 4th Down attempt could have backfired for the Steelers. It's all speculation. Having said all of this, the moment the PAT was missed, the Lions task of winning the game became more difficult as a result.
On the other hand, the missed FG in OT cost the Lions a win. T.J. Hockenson's foolish holding penalty might have been the difference in whether Ryan Santaso would have made a Game Winning FG.
The bottom line is Santaso failed on a PAT and a Game Winning FG. I think the Lions should try to replace him before Wednesday but so much depends on the options available. ****
Pittsburgh nearly made the Lions pay for it by driving into position for a go-ahead field goal in the final seconds of extra time, but safety Will Harris forced another fumble -- the Steelers’ second of the overtime -- and Trey Flowers recovered the ball with 8 seconds left to preserve the tie.
**** This was definitely Will Harris' most positive impactful play since he was drafted by the Lions in 2019. Trey Flowers did a great job securing the ball inbounds, for the recovery. This after it looked like Flowers suffered a serious leg related injury in the 2nd half in a pass rushing situation. ****
On a very ugly day for football, at least there’s that.
Quarterback Jared Goff was especially bad, netting minus-1 passing yards during an ominous first quarter, the second time in four games he’s been in the red after 15 minutes. He had just 11 yards in the first half and finished with 54 in regulation, the fewest yards by a Lions quarterback who played an entire regulation since Joey Harrington went 5 of 22 passing for 47 yards against Green Bay in 2004.
In an awful season for the former No. 1 overall pick, this -- a game where at times it was unclear whether he even could pass the ball downfield -- was a new low. Turns out he did strain his oblique in the loss, which contributed to his meager output. The cold and rain didn’t help either.
**** The question is why did Dan Campbell keep Jared Goff in the game? David Blough as a running threat could have made the Lions running game more effective. The Steelers not needing to respect Goff as a runner didn't have to respect Goff keeping the ball and running. That contributed substantially to the Steelers strong run Defense on most plays after Godwin Igwebuike's ultra impressive TD run. With the Lions emphasis on the run, I wish an injured Goff was removed from the game. He certainly wasn't elevating the Lions passing game. ****
On a day where Goff’s season-long struggles reached new levels of embarrassment, the running game kept the Lions alive with a season-high 229 yards. They hadn’t run for that many yards in a game since toasting Miami for 248 back in 2018. D’Andre Swift led the way with a career-high 130 yards, while rookie Jermar Jefferson chipped in a 28-yard touchdown run off the bench. That was actually Detroit’s longest rushing touchdown of the season -- until Jefferson left the game with an ankle injury, then converted safety Godwin Igwebuike ran onto the field and sliced through the Pittsburgh defense for a 42-yard touchdown run.
**** The blocking on the Igwebuike TD run, combined with the run itself, was superb. One of the best Lions TD rushing plays I've seen over the decades. ****
That gave Detroit a 16-10 lead early in the third quarter, but Santoso proceeded to miss the point-after attempt. Santoso was playing for Austin Seibert, a reliable kicker who went on injured reserve a day earlier with a right hip issue.
**** Austin Seibert was having a good season but his 2 misses ( vs. SF and Philadelphia ) were very costly. Both occurred when the score was 0-0. The Lions fell behind soon after in both games and were playing uphill the rest of those games. ****
Santoso’s miss loomed large, allowing Pittsburgh to pull even with field goals of 23 and 51 yards down the stretch. But neither team could push ahead during a sloppy fourth quarter, where the teams traded a combined seven straight empty possessions to the final whistle.
Goff opened overtime by throwing a 30-yard pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown, his longest completion of the day, but then he took a 9-yard sack on third down to foil a field-goal try. The Lions had a great opportunity to win the game when Steelers receiver Diontae Johnson fumbled the ball after a 39-yard catch on the ensuing possession, and a roughing penalty against Pittsburgh safety Tre Norwood two plays later gave Detroit the ball at Pittsburgh’s 34-yard line.
**** Jared Goff's instincts in the pocket, as it relates to his decision making, have been problematic too often. Even factoring in Goff playing with a significant injury, he doesn't look like a long term solution. ****
But Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson was flagged for holding, which pushed Santoso’s field-goal attempt to 48 yards. The backup kicker missed that too.
The Lions were still able to hang on for the win thanks to another fumble in the final seconds of the extra period, although there isn’t much to feel good about after this one. Hey, at least they won’t become the first to go 0-17.
**** Hang on for the tie. ****
Then again, with the way they’re playing, the Lions seem to have an awfully good chance of becoming the first to go 0-16-1.
**** The Lions were + 3 in takeaways vs. turnovers in this game and only ended up with a tie. This as much as anything illustrates the difficulty of the Lions winning this season. ****
Let’s get to some instant observations:
-- The Lions have done a lot of talking about cleaning up their unforced mistakes. But to this point, that’s all it is -- just a bunch of talk. Given an extra week to rest up, watch film and make changes, well, they continued to make the same sort of mistakes that dug them in the 0-8 hole in the first place. They opened the game by getting gashed for an 83-yard touchdown drive where Amani Oruwariye was flagged for pass interference, then a blown coverage left Steelers receiver James Washington all alone in the end zone. A.J. Parker tried to pass off Washington to fellow corner Jerry Jacobs, but Jacobs stuck with his man to the inside and Washington was left all alone.
Really, really bad stuff from a defense that already ranked as the league’s worst in the red zone.
**** The Defense made too many mental and concentration errors in this game. A better opposing QB would likely have made the Lions pay heavily. Having said this, after the Steelers first drive, they didn't score a TD. The Lions forced 3 Steelers turnovers. The Lions Defense, even with their numerous unforced mistakes, along with the Lions Special Teams ( not including Ryan Santaso ), kept the Lions in the game and prevented a loss. ****
-- Congratulations, you. Yes, you. Because you, sitting at home on your couch, passed for more yards than Jared Goff in the first quarter (minus-1). Considering this is the second time in four games Goff has lost yardage while trying to pass in the first quarter, well, it just speaks to the unbelievable dysfunction in Detroit’s passing game. There aren’t many facets of this team that compare to the dreadful 0-16 team in 2008, but the passing game is reaching that kind of ineptitude.
****The Lions passing game was better in the 2008 season than in the 2020 season. ****
Goff passed for just 11 yards in the first half, 30 yards in the first three quarters and never hit triple digits until the very ugly overtime period. Yes, the rain was bad and Goff was playing through an injury. But no starting quarterback had produced so little through four quarters since Joey Harrington, who once completed just 5 of 22 passes for 47 yards in a 2004 game against Green Bay.
In Goff’s defense, he doesn’t have a lot of help at receiver. With Breshad Perriman in Tampa and Tyrell Williams on his couch someplace, he’s without both projected starters for a receiver group that was always expected to be among the worst in the league anyway. Even the recently acquired Josh Reynolds was inactive as well. Still, those excuses only go so far. Because even when Goff had Kalif Raymond wide open over the middle of the field for a bomb in the red zone, he threw short, allowing the defense to catch up to Raymond and make a play on the ball.
Goff missed guys short and long and everywhere in between. He took bad sacks. He missed open targets. He was really bad before the bye, and the extra rest didn’t magically solve the profound talent and schematic issues in this passing game. It’s looking more and more like the Lions still need their quarterback of the future, because this is getting ugly.
**** The Lions passing game problems are much larger than just Jared Goff. But his play is a major reason why the Lions haven't scored 20 or more points in 8 straight games! ****
-- Considering what was happening in the passing game, the Steelers defense could cheat against the run. Which made what the Lions were able to do on the ground that much more remarkable. Their 229 rushing yards crushed their previous season high. They hadn’t run for that many yards since rolling up 248 against Miami on Oct. 21, 2018. D’Andre Swift had 73 yards in the first half alone, a season high, and reached triple digits for the second time in his career early in the third quarter. He finished with 130 yards on 33 carries, matching the most carries by a Lions running back since Kevin Jones in 2004.
**** The injury to Matt Nelson was a contributing factor in the Lions running game decline after Godwin Igwebuike's TD made the score 16-10 in the 3rd QTR. Goff's injury and the Steelers overall adjustments on Defense also were factors in the Lions running game coming to a halt or worse, far too often after that point of the game. Nelson is much better in the role as an extra blocker than as a RT. ****
Swift is so good, and at the end of the first half, when he rushed for more than 60 yards on a single drive, he was magnificent. But it wasn’t just him. Rookie Jermar Jefferson had some big runs off the bench, including a 9-yarder the first time he touched the football, then a 28-yard touchdown the last time he touched it, on a brilliant run where he dragged two defenders into the end zone. But he injured his ankle on the play and did not return.
With starting running back Jamaal Williams in street clothes with a thigh injury, the Lions suddenly found themselves down two of their top three running backs. With Jared Goff doing Jared Goff things in the air, that could have been disastrous. But Swift just kept churning out tough yards on the ground, while Godwin Igwebuike, a converted safety, came up big off the bench. He ran through the teeth of the defense for a 42-yard touchdown run, Detroit’s longest of the season, giving the Lions a 16-10 lead in the third quarter.
**** That was also Godwin Igwebuike's final run. Though Igwebuike was in the game again at RB, he never touched the ball on Offense again. I question that decision.****
-- D’Andre Swift, Godwin Igwebuike and Jermar Jefferson drew a lot of attention for their work on the ground, and rightfully so. But don’t overlook the importance of what was going on up front either. It’s no coincidence Detroit’s best rushing performance in forever coincided with the return of Taylor Decker, who played very well in the running game at left tackle. That also allowed Penei Sewell to move to right tackle, the position he was supposed to play all along. He was pretty good there on Sunday, too.
**** Penei Sewell will likely have a high overall PFF grade for this game. He abilities in space are especially impressive. Taylor Decker had a False Start penalty and eventually a Holding Penalty ( though Jared Goff was at least partially responsible for the latter. ). Decker or Jonah Jackson made a mental mistake that caused a very costly OT sack. Overall, I thought Decker was clearly an asset in the running game and was at least average on passing plays. For Decker's first game back, I think he has plenty to build on. ****
That also got Matt Nelson out of the starting lineup at right tackle, which is best for everyone involved. Nelson allowed the most pressures in the NFL in the first eight weeks of the season. It wasn’t pretty. But give the Lions coaching staff a lot of credit, because where a lot of people just saw a struggling bench guy in the starting lineup, the offensive staff saw a guy who could still be an asset as an extra blocker in the running game. Nelson came on the field for the first play of the second series, and delivered a key block on Jefferson’s 9-yard run. Nelson did the same thing later in the half, and delivered the key block on Jefferson’s 28-yard touchdown run. He was a staple on the final drive of the half, then was back out there for the start of the third quarter, delivering key blocks all over the place until leaving the game with an injury.
****Agreed.****
Again, give a ton of credit to Detroit’s coaching staff. I don’t think anyone anticipated this kind of role for Nelson, and that includes Pittsburgh. Because time and time and time again, Nelson did his job, and Swift kept making the Steelers pay.
**** Agreed.****
-- Injuries really began to take their toll down the stretch, with guys like Jefferson, safety Tracy Walker (brain), cornerback Jerry Jacobs (groin), offensive lineman Matt Nelson (ankle) and edge defender Trey Flowers (ankle) all leaving the game at various points. Walker was run over by Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph in the second half, underwent concussion testing and was later ruled out. Considering Walker has been among the best safeties in the league, and perhaps Detroit’s best defensive player, that was a big loss. Will Harris and Dean Marlowe finished the game at safety.
**** Tracy Walker put himself at risk on that play. He's fortunate he didn't also suffer a neck injury.****
The Jacobs injury caused even more problems in the secondary, with fellow cornerbacks like Jeff Okudah and Ifeati Melifonwu already out. Detroit was forced to finish the game with Mark Gilbert, a cornerback who was signed off Pittsburgh’s practice squad a couple weeks ago.
****Mark Gilbert did a good job in coverage except for one play. On the play he was beat in coverage in OT, Gilbert forced a fumble that Amari Oruwariye recovered. On the other hand, Gilbert was overmatched as a tackler against Najee Harris on a pass in the flat. Every play that Harris didn't touch the ball was a relief on this end. The Steelers have a special player in Harris. ****
**** This new thread is a continuation of the following thread:
Lions at Steelers preview: Game # 9 ( 2021 )
detroit-lions-forum.proboards.com/thread/1251/lions-steelers-preview-game-2021
