Post by D6 on Dec 12, 2022 15:53:34 GMT -5
Instant observations: Lions’ playoff hopes heat up with huge win against Vikings
Thoughts in ****
Instant observations: Lions’ playoff hopes heat up with huge win against Vikings
Updated: Dec. 11, 2022, 5:46 p.m.|Published: Dec. 11, 2022, 4:18 p.m.
By Kyle Meinke | kmeinke@mlive.com
DETROIT -- Playoffs? We’re talking playoffs?
In Detroit, we’re talking about playoffs.
The white-hot Lions welcomed the division-leading Minnesota Vikings to Ford Field for the biggest December game in this town in a half-decade, then rolled to a convincing 34-23 win that has turned up the temperature on their playoff fortunes. They’ve now won five of their last six games to improve to 6-7, and have pulled within 1.5 games of Seattle for the final spot in the playoff field. The Seahawks host Carolina later Sunday.
****Tremendous win for the Lions. On top of this, Carolina upset Seattle on the road. The Lions are seriously in the NFC Playoff Race, after a 1-6 start to the season! ****
The Lions also have to jump Washington too, which is idle this week. Jumping at least two teams in four weeks is a tall order. But they’re in the conversation, which is more than we could have said about Detroit this late in a season since 2017, and they also have a favorable schedule in the final month.
**** The Lions would clinch a playoff spot by winning the final 4 regular season games and jumping the Giants and Seahawks, even if the Lions don't jump Washington. ****
The Lions head back to New York next week for a game against the Jets, who just lost their third game in four weeks on Sunday, before closing with games against losing teams like Carolina, Chicago and Green Bay.
**** None of these games are remotely easy. The Jets Defense ranks with the Cowboys as the best Defense the Lions will face all season, barring the injury factor. The Panthers beat the Lions 20-0 in November, 2020. They have much of that team in place and are playing their best football. The Panthers look like the best team in the NFC South at present and are only 1 game out of a tie for 1st place. As long as the Bears and Packers have Justin Fields and Aaron Rodgers, respectively, at QB, they are dangerous. ****
They may have to win out.
With the way they’re going, they just might do it.
**** It won't be easy but the Lions are capable of winning out. ****
The Vikings had won nine of their last 10 games to climb to the No. 2 seed in the NFC. Then for the second time this season, Detroit exploded to a 14-point lead against them. Prized rookie Jameson Williams scored on a 41-yard touchdown catch -- the first catch of his career -- to get the Lions on the board, then DJ Chark added a 48-yarder to build a 14-7 halftime lead.
**** Terrific moment with Jamison Williams catching his first NFL pass, with it being for a TD. Then celebrating the moment, including handing the ball to his dad.
Great job by Jared Goff and Ben Johnson, taking advantage on both plays Vikings S Harrison Smith not playing because of neck injury. The relative lack of experience of former Michigan S Josh Metellus, Smith's replacement, was costly for the Vikings. ****
Rookie safety Kerby Joseph protected that lead just before halftime by pouncing on a Dalvin Cook fumble near the goal line. Then the Lions came out for the second half, and facing a fourth-and-8 from their own 26-yard line, head coach Dan Campbell decided to go for yet another fake punt. Six of his first seven fakes were successful, so why not, right? Minnesota was caught back-footed too, and C.J. Moore took the direct snap 42 yards up the right sideline before he was finally hauled down.
****Excellent play by Isaiah Buggs and Josh Paschal in forcing the fumble on Dalvin Cook. Buggs was one of the Lions best overall players in this game and has far exceeded my expectations for him when the Lions signed him in July. While Kerby Joseph secured the football, he should have fallen on the ball instead of trying to scoop it up. The penalty was the right call by the Officials. Horrible decision by Williams. Fortunately, the Lions still ended up scoring a TD (Josh Reynolds 5 yd TD reception, on a play action pass).
The Fake Punt had significant risk but great execution during the play. The CB Jarren Williams, who was elevated from the Practice Squad for the game, was called for a Taunting Penalty after the play. ****
Quarterback Jared Goff turned the play into seven points by finding Josh Reynolds on a post route to the end zone, and the Lions stretched their lead to 14 points -- the same lead they coughed up back in Minneapolis.
Minnesota kept coming in this one too. Former Michigan State star Kirk Cousins led a 12-play, 76-yard touchdown drive back the other way. He’s become a Lion killer over the years, throwing 15 touchdowns and no interceptions against them coming into this game.
**** The illness that kept Jeff Okudah out of practice on Wednesday and Thursday apparently substantially limited his snaps in this game. That much more in the 2nd Half. This was a huge factor in the Vikings passing Offense keeping the Vikings in the game and Justin Jefferson having an all-time team record setting day of receiving yardage for the Vikings. Jefferson has arguably has overtaken Aaron Donald and Patrick Mahomes as the best NFL player! ****
But this time, the Lions answered every punch with a right hook to Minnesota’s jaw.
Running back Justin Jackson kept the next drive going with a 12-yard catch on third-and-long, then beat the Minnesota defense to the left pylon for a 15-yard touchdown. The Vikings were never within single digits again.
**** Brock Wright might have had his best run block (vs. edge player D.J. Wonnum) in his first 2 NFL seasons, since coming to the Lions as an UDRFA from Notre Dame on the Justin Jackson 15 yard TD run. ****
The Lions are rolling on all sides of the ball, and even special teams too, where Kalif Raymond ripped another explosive punt return, this one a 35-yarder that led directly to Chark’s 48-yard touchdown. Hell, they finished off Minnesota by throwing the ball to Penei Sewell -- yes, Penei Sewell -- to move the sticks one more time on third down.
**** On Punt Returns, Kalif Raymond and his blocking did a great job on this play and overall in this game. Raymond also had a key 14 yard reception, on 3rd and 12 at the Vikings 19, on the play before Josh Reynolds' 5 yd TD reception and continued to be an asset as a blocker, despite his size.
The Penei Sewell play call (and the decision by Dan Campbell and Ben Johnson to call it) on a critical 3rd Down and 7 situation, is the play that comes to mind that reflects the 2022 Lions as more than any through the first 13 games of the season. Great execution on the play by Penei Sewell and the overall Lions Offense. ****
****
Their margin for error is nil. But at this rate, you have to wonder who on the schedule is going to stop this team.
Let’s get to some more observations:
-- The Lions have become a lot of things under Dan Campbell. Among them: The best fake-punt team in the NFL. Campbell has been daring on fourth down throughout his tenure, going for it more than anyone else. But he’s also dialed up a league-high seven fake punts too, six of which have been successful. And none was more successful than the one they drew up against Minnesota on fourth-and-8 from their own 26-yard line. That’s a risky spot, but C.J. Moore received the direct snap and didn’t stop running until he was 42 yards downfield, yet another explosive play for Detroit. Jared Goff used the short field to throw a third touchdown pass, this one to Josh Reynolds, that stretched Detroit’s lead to 21-7. Say what you will about Dan Campbell, but he has a deft touch for the fake punt -- having a punter with a cannon helps -- and this one changed the whole complexion of the game.
**** I wouldn't have taken the Punt Fake risk. But in this game the risk turned out to be the most impactful decision in the Lions winning the game.****
-- Hello, Jameson Williams. On his first play of the game, the rookie finally got his hands on his first football, and he didn’t stop running until he was in the end zone for a 41-yard touchdown that had the bricks shaking out of the walls at Ford Field. Williams was feeling it, too. He raced to his father in the stands to hand him the football, then ran along the stands behind the team’s bench, begging the crowd for more. And they gave it to him. Williams played a more significant role in the offense than in his debut, although finished with just the one catch, while dropping one pass. He’s so fast, that much is clear, but also has a long way to go, that also is clear. Which you’d expect from any rookie two games into his career, much less one that also is coming off an 11-month layoff.
**** Having Jamison Williams for what has become a legit playoff race push for the Lions already made huge dividends. ****
-- While Williams has already won over the heart of Lions fans, Amon-Ra St. Brown continues to show why he’s WR1. He caught six more passes for 68 more yards, plus ran for 6 yards to move the chains on third-and-1. With that, St. Brown has become the first receiver in NFL history to rack up 150 catches and 150 rushing yards in his first 30 games. Nobody has ever done what that guy is doing. Ben Johnson said last week he believes St. Brown is already among the five or 10 best wideouts in the league, and St. Brown is making it harder and harder to call that coachspeak.
**** Amon-Ra St. Brown is a Pro Bowl WR / overall Offensive player. His contribution is far beyond his tangible stats. St. Brown was enormous part of other Lions making plays in this game. ****
-- Quarterback Jared Goff continued his midseason roll, completing 27 of 39 passes for 330 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Since Week 9, Goff has completed 67.2% of his passes for 1,448 yards, 10 touchdowns and one pick. With all his weapons on the field, Goff is feasting. It really makes you wonder whether the Lions will opt to build around him rather than replace him with their top pick.
**** This was amongst Jared Goff's best games with the Lions and probably overall in since being taken # 1 overall by the LA Rams in the 2016 Draft. ****
-- All James Houston does is sack quarterbacks. He racked Josh Allen twice in his NFL debut on Thanksgiving, then skipped right past the offensive tackle to get to Trevor Lawrence again last week. On Sunday, he made sure Kirk Cousins wouldn’t uncork a Hail Mary at the end of the first half by dropping his fourth sack in three NFL games. He entered the game second among all the league’s rookies in sacks -- trailing only Aidan Hutchinson -- and has now joined Cliff Avril (2008) and Tracy Scroggins (1992) as the only rookies with sacks in each of their first three games in franchise history. For more on Houston’s amazing rise from training-camp cut to the hottest pass-rushing rookie in the league, check out his appearance on this week’s Dungeon of Doom podcast. He was outstanding.
**** Aidan Hutchinson was a key part of the James Houston sack as well. Preventing Kirk Cousins from attempting a desperation pass (he completed one for a TD at the end of the 1st Half in Detroit, in Dec. 2018) was impactful. Houston is already a differential pass rusher. In this game, Hutch might have had his best combined Run Defense and Pass Rushing performance in his first 13 games with the Lions. ****
-- Sticking with the rookies for a moment, Aidan Hutchinson racked up his seventh sack of the season -- a league-high for rookies -- while Kerby Joseph pounced on his sixth takeaway since entering the lineup 10 games ago. This one was among his biggest too, coming near Detroit’s goal line at the end of the first half. Then Isaiah Buggs punched out the ball from Dalvin Cook, and Joseph raced the other way with it, not only taking points off the board for Minnesota, but setting up a field-goal opportunity for Detroit in the final seconds. Michael Badgley missed the attempt, but the play helped ensure Detroit would hold onto a 14-7 lead heading into halftime. There might not be a better class of rookie defenders in the league than Detroit’s, and they came up big once again.
**** Malcolm Rodriguez was impactful as well in this game, vs. the run and as a blocker on the Fake Punt. ****
-- Top cornerback Jeff Okudah started the game despite being listed as questionable to play because of an illness he’s battled all week, but the bug he’s dealing with seemed to affect him. He left the game in the second quarter, then opened the second half on the bench. He was replaced by Amani Oruwariye, who was benched for poor play this season. Oruwariye continued to play poorly against Minnesota, including allowing a 42-yard pass to Justin Jefferson on Minnesota’s first touchdown drive of the second half. Two plays later, Okudah came back in to replace him.
**** It took PLENTY of complimentary football on the Lions overall team and gutsy coaching decisions to overcome Jeff Okudah's illness in the 2nd half of this game.****
-- Jamaal Williams has drawn a lot of love this season, and very deservedly so. The man is on pace for the best season by a Lions ruhunning back in two decades, and threatening Barry Sanders’ franchise record for touchdown runs in a season. But can we take a moment to appreciate Justin Jackson, too? He was a mid-camp signing late in the summer, then rose into the RB3 role after Craig Reynolds went on injured reserve. And he’s played well, although never better -- or bigger -- than he did in the second half against Minnesota. After the Vikings scored a touchdown to cut into Detroit’s 14-point lead, Jackson answered with a 12-yard catch on third-and-8, then punched in the ball himself when he cut left and beat the only man to the pylon for a 15-yard TD. After the huge collapse against Minnesota back in Week 3, it was just the sort of counterpunch Detroit needed.
**** Justin Jackson, along with John Cominsky, and Isaiah Buggs, have all been major bargains for the Lions. None were even with the Lions until Cominsky was claimed off waivers from the Falcons in June. ****
-- It was a big win for Detroit, but not without its blemishes. The penalties were a particular concern, especially early. They were flagged for jumping offside on a fourth-and-6 on Minnesota’s first drive, which actually worked out for them once the Vikings decided to go for it and Detroit got a stop. But on their second series, the Lions were flagged three more times, including Kerby Joseph drawing a flag for defensive holding on a third-down stop, then Jeff Okudah getting flagged for unnecessary roughness and pass interference on back-to-back plays to set up a touchdown that tied up the game 7-all. The lack of discipline was a regression to early-season form, although they tightened up on the second half too.
**** The Taunting penalty I mentioned earlier in the article, occurred in the 2nd Half. The Lions overcame that penalty and a holding Penalty by Logan Stenberg on a D'Andre Swift Red Zone running play. Though in Stenberg's Defense, he was contacted by D.J. Chark on the play, leading to the hold. Thankfully, Kalif Raymond's 3rd Down 14 yard reception enabled the Lions to overcome the Holding Penalty. ****
-- Detroit scored at least 30 points for the seventh time this season, a league high.
-- With four of their top five guards out with injuries, the Lions turned to Logan Stenberg for another start.
-- Romeo Okwara played in his first game since blowing out his Achilles in the first month of last season. He was announced with the starters, but did not record a statistic while coming off the bench.
**** Romeo Okwara made subtle contributions. For Okwara's first game back, he can build off it, coming off a win! ****
..........
This new thread is a continuation of the following thread:
Lions vs. Vikings preview: Game # 13 ( 2022 )
detroit-lions-forum.proboards.com/thread/1625/lions-vikings-preview-game-2022