Post by D6 on Nov 7, 2022 2:47:03 GMT -5
Thoughts in ****
Instant observations: Rookies help Lions bust losing streak with win vs Packers
Instant observations: Rookies help Lions bust losing streak with win vs Packers
Updated: Nov. 06, 2022, 5:51 p.m.|Published: Nov. 06, 2022, 4:20 p.m.
By Kyle Meinke | kmeinke@mlive.com
DETROIT -- The present has become so bad that it’s easy to lose sight of the future, which continues to look like it could be bright.
Rookies Kerby Joseph, Aidan Hutchinson and James Mitchell offered helpful reminders of what could be, powering the Lions to a 15-9 win on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. That snaps a five-game losing streak that sunk their season, plus led to the firing of defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant and trade of T.J. Hockenson to a division rival.
**** Great resilience by the Lions in this game against a desperate Green Bay Packers team. Wins are probably going to be hard to come by for the Lions until the team is healthier at WR. But this win gives the Lions something tangible to build on. ****
That’s a brutal week. Then Detroit (2-6) responded with its best effort in more than a month, with its emerging rookie class leading the charge. Mitchell caught a touchdown pass while playing increased snaps for the dearly departed Hockenson, helping the Lions build a 15-6 lead against the Packers. Then the worst defense in the league stood up tall to Aaron Rodgers, which is something we haven’t said in, well, ever?
****Prior to the Lions 15-9 win over the Packers, the last time the Lions stood up tall to Aaron Rodgers in a game the Lions won was Game # 5 in the 2018 season. It hasn't happened often in Aaron Rodgers 15 seasons as the Packers starting QB. ****
Joseph was a big reason for that, picking off two passes -- one of which was in the end zone -- and breaking up another that might have been a touchdown on third down. It was a monster game for the third-round pick, who just might be the most improved player of the season. He didn’t even move to safety until his final season at Illinois, and didn’t play a defensive snap for Detroit until Tracy Walker went down with an Achilles injury in Week 3. Now he’s had a hand in four turnovers in the last three weeks alone, two of which helped the league’s worst defense bend and bend and bend some more against Green Bay.
**** Kerby Joseph is a prime candidate for NFC Defensive Player of the Week and NFL Rookie of the Week. Unfortunately, Joseph suffered a Concussion in the 4th QTR, in a collision with Jeff Okudah. Great job by C.J. Moore filling in for Joseph. Including, breaking up the Packers 3rd Down pass on their final set of downs.****
Hutchinson added a pick of his own too -- and in the end zone as well -- marking the first time the Lions have had two rookies intercept passes in the same game in the Super Bowl era. But this being Aaron Rodgers and all, Green Bay kept coming until the final seconds. Rodgers connected with Samori Toure on a 32-yard pass, a wild fourth-down play where Jeff Okudah jarred the ball loose, but it squirted out of bounds before Detroit could recover.
**** The play should have been reviewed much more closely than the NFL reviewed the play. It looked close to whether Jeff Okudah had a clean fumble recovery in-bounds. ****
That gave Rodgers four shots from Detroit’s 17-yard line in the final minute of a six-point game. That’s dangerous stuff, and we’ve seen the Lions lose like that so many times over the last five years. But this time, the secondary -- last in the league by every measure, from completion percentage allowed to yards allowed and QB rating allowed too -- forced four straight incompletions.
After Rodgers misfired on back-to-back throws to Allen Lazard, safety C.J. Moore -- playing in place of Joseph after the rookie entered concussions protocol -- broke up a pass to Amari Rodgers in the end zone. Just one stop from victory, the Lions sent a blitz after Rodgers, who heaved a ball for Sammy Watkins in the end zone.
The ball landed harmlessly, and the Lions held on for a win they badly needed to stop the bleeding in Allen Park.
**** The Lions could have been called for two penalties on the final set of Downs for the Packers Offense. Both, on Jerry Jacobs. On 2nd Down, it was close to whether he committed Pass Interference, especially if the ball was catchable. I've seen similar plays called against the Lions many times. On 4th Down, it was close to whether Jerry Jacobs Illegally Contacted Sammy Watkins. Much more often than not, the Lions are on the wrong end of officiating calls late in games. In this game, the Lions were on the right side of officiating decisions when it mattered the most. ****
Let’s get to some more instant observations:
-- Once again, the Lions were bombarded by injuries. There was one second-half play where their top safety right now (Kerby Joseph) collided with their top cornerback (Jeff Okudah), forcing both players into the locker room. Okudah came back quickly, but Joseph never returned while being evaluated for a brain injury. That cut short a remarkable day for the rookie, who picked off Aaron Rodgers twice and also broke up a third-down bomb that might have wound up in the end zone if not for Joseph’s diving stab.
Joseph also forced fumbles in each of the last two games, meaning he’s had a hand in four turnovers in the last three weeks. That’s an all-time heater for a rookie safety. Here’s the best part: He didn’t start playing the position until his final season at the University of Illinois, and didn’t start playing for this defense until the Tracy Walker injury in September. That guy is a new-born pup as a safety, and now he’s making big play after big play, something the Lions have been missing at that position for years. Yes, Detroit’s defense has been the worst in the league. Yes, that secondary has been the worst in the league, and the defensive backs coach was just fired because of it. And yes, the future still seems bright.
**** The Lions future in the Secondary indeed seems brighter. Jeff Okudah, Jerry Jacobs, Kerby Joseph, and Tracy Walker (if he regains all or the vast majority of his pre-Achilles tear injury skills) are a strong foundation. Jacobs' run Defense and Tackling are already a huge upgrade over every CB on the roster, with the exception of Jeff Okudah.****
-- After playing just one defensive snap in his first two games back from a long recovery from an ACL tear, Jerry Jacobs finally re-entered the defensive game plan against Green Bay. And what a return it was. Jacobs returned to the physical form that made him a Dan Campbell favorite as an undrafted rookie last year, and the sort of physicality Detroit was lacking at that position throughout the first seven games of the season. That physicality got him in some trouble -- he was flagged for pass interference at a critical moment in the fourth quarter -- but also helped bail him out, breaking up a third-down pass that forced Green Bay to lay up for a field goal on that drive, and preserved a 15-9 lead. Throw in the improved play of Jeff Okudah and the breakout performance from Kerby Joseph, and you have to figure better days are coming for the league’s worst secondary.
****Agreed.****
-- D’Andre Swift was cleared to play despite shoulder and ankle injuries that have nagged him for going on two months now. Once again, he was on something of a pitch count, carrying the ball just twice for 10 yards. But for the second straight week, Swift did make his brief presence felt in the passing game, collecting a 20-yard pass on the first drive of the game, then a 7-yard pass near the goal line in the final seconds of the first half. That set up a touchdown pass to Shane Zylstra, giving Detroit an 8-0 lead heading into the break. It was good to have Swift out there, but once again he left so much to be desired. He’s not himself, and it remains unclear when -- or if? -- he will be so again this season. Either way, you have to figure running back is becoming an emerging need heading into 2023, especially with Jamaal Williams now in the final weeks of his contract.
**** Another play involving D'Andre Swift could have been one of the key plays of the game if the Lions would have finished off the 4th QTR Drive that ended on a 4th and 3 incomplete pass intended for Amon-Ra St Brown. After a Holding Penalty by Brock Wright, on a run by Justin Jackson, the Lions were in a 1st and 20 situation. Then, an Incomplete Pass intended for Tom Kennedy occurred to make it 2nd and 20. D'Andre Swift caught a pass for 8 yards, Packers LB Kyrs Barnes made contact with his helmet on Swift's helmet, resulting in a Personal Foul-1st Down and Barnes being injured on the play. While an incomplete pass intended for Swift occurred earlier in the game when Swift stopped on the play, instead of continuing his route, Swift remains a weapon for the Lions in the passing game. This is even with Swift limited to a much smaller role, because of his ankle and shoulder injuries. The mistake by Swift might have resulted because he's missed so much practice time during the season. ****
-- Tight end Brock Wright earned the start for T.J. Hockenson, who was traded to the rival Vikings this week, but it was rookie James Mitchell who stepped into the spotlight. He caught a touchdown pass that gave Detroit a 15-6 lead, then added a 5-yard catch that helped Detroit move the chains on third down late in the fourth quarter,and milked precious time off the clock.
**** James Mitchell also did a very good job as a run blocker. Impressive performance for # 82. Mitchell stepped up with his limited opportunities. ****
-- Cornerback Amani Oruwarye was benched for the second time in four games, first losing his job to Will Harris in New England, then again to Mike Hughes against Green Bay, who himself was benched after a sluggish start to the season in the slot. Harris, meanwhile, started for Hughes and the injured A.J. Parker.
****Amani Oruwariye's days with the Lions are almost certainly coming to an end. The question is whether Oruwariye will even last with the Lions the remainder of the season?
-- Aidan Hutchinson picked off Aaron Rodgers on the second series of the game. Rogers was looking for his left tackle leaking out on the back side of the play, but the pass was underthrown, and Hutchinson made an athletic play to pick it off in the end zone. He joined Ndamukong Suh as the only Lions rookie defensive linemen to pick off a pass in the Super Bowl era.
**** Great play by Aidan Hutchinson. The pressure by DT Isaiah Buggs, with a subtle play by John Cominsky, in helping free up Buggs, played a huge role in Aaron Rodgers' pass being underthrown. The interception enabled the Lions to get the ball at the 20, compared to getting the ball on Downs at the 1 yard line. ****
-- The Lions keep saying Derrick Barnes is coming, and while Barnes hasn’t done nearly enough for us to believe it, Barnes did just play the best game of his professional career. He deflected the pass that Hutchinson picked off -- the ball caromed right off his helmet -- plus had one sack and a third-down run stop at the goal line. He finished with a team-high 12 tackles overall.
****Derrick Barnes has definitely improved but still was out of position on two 3rd Down plays that resulted in 1st Downs. The completion to TE Mercedes Lewis was the first. Aaron Rodgers' long 3rd Down run much later on in the game was the other play. ****
-- Facing a fourth-and-1 deep in Green Bay territory on the game’s first drive, Dan Campbell elected to go for it -- surprise, surprise -- rather than take the points. There’s a lot to like about the move from an analytics perspective, although the play call itself left a lot to be desired. The Lions passed the ball, despite playing the game without four receivers and Hockenson. The pass landed at Tom Kennedy’s feet, killing an early opportunity to get on the board.
**** I would have settled for the short FG attempt, because of the depleted supporting cast for Jared Goff. ****
-- When the Lions didn’t score in the second half of last week’s loss against Miami, they bemoaned the penalties. Fine. They didn’t score in the second half of their previous two games either, but whatever, penalties were a big reason their failed drives against the Dolphins. The problem is they didn’t bother to clean those up against Green Bay. Taylor Decker blew up the second drive of the game with a holding call, then Tom Kennedy was flagged for another on the very next drive, blowing up yet another possession. Frank Ragnow was flagged for a false start to kick off a second-half series, and then the defense joined the party too, with Will Harris getting flagged for holding away from a play -- that’s automatic first down -- and Jerry Jacobs getting a pass interference midway through the fourth quarter. This team is a lot of things, but disciplined is not one of them. At this point, they seem helpless to find solutions to the penalty woes.
**** What was mentioned doesn't even include the Brock Wright holding penalty that I previously mentioned and penalties that easily could have been called. Including, an obvious Hold by Josh Jackson on the Jaamal Williams 3 yard Run on 2nd and 4, on the series of downs the Lions failed on 4th Down with 2 minutes remaining in the 4th QTR. Taylor Decker was beat by edge player Preston Smith on the 4th Down passing play. Decker has been too erratic in recent games. ****
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This new thread is a continuation of the following thread:
Lions vs. Packers preview: Game # 8 ( 2022 )
detroit-lions-forum.proboards.com/thread/1593/lions-packers-preview-game-2022