Post by D6 on Oct 8, 2023 23:45:59 GMT -5
Thoughts in ****
Instant observations: Lions cruise to third straight win by pummeling Panthers
Instant observations: Lions cruise to third straight win by pummeling Panthers
Updated: Oct. 08, 2023, 5:44 p.m.|Published: Oct. 08, 2023, 4:15 p.m.
By Kyle Meinke | kmeinke@mlive.com
DETROIT -- The Lions have been so bad for so long, you could understand how the burden of expectation might weigh heavy on their shoulders. It’s one thing to hunt in this league, and quite another to be the hunted.
But so far, so very good.
One week after throttling Green Bay to take over control of the NFC North, the Lions put an even bigger whooping on the Carolina Panthers in a 42-24 bloodletting on Sunday at Ford Field. They’ve now won back-to-back games by a combined 32 points, ripped off three straight victories overall, and have taken 12 of their last 15 games dating back to last season. At 4-1, they’re off to their best five-game start since 2011.
Of course, beating Carolina (0-5) is nothing special. Carolina has done nothing but get beat this season, after all. But letdowns happen all the time in this league. Remember what Chicago did to Washington on Thursday night? Or what Arizona did to Dallas last week? Or what this Carolina team did to Detroit last year?
**** Overall, the Lions did a very good job in focusing on the Panthers. Great job by Dan Campbell and his staff getting the message across that in the NFL, there are no games that can be taken for granted. The Lions had 3 Takeaways, 0 Turnovers. The Lions scored a TD on the drives that immediately followed the takeaways. This is winning football, and it was reflected on the scoreboard. All 3 Lions units contributed to the win. The Lions Special Teams were better than solid. The Lions Offense and Defense were much more. ****
The Lions had just won three straight games to move onto the periphery of the playoff chase, and would have made the postseason if they would have taken care of business in Charlotte. Instead, they allowed two 100-yard rushers in the first half of that game alone, were gashed for a franchise-record 320 yards on the ground overall, and somehow lost 37-23 against one of the worst teams in the league.
It’s the NFL. Letdowns happen.
**** This is true. But the Panthers late last season were a noticeably better team than the current Panthers. They beat Seattle on the road earlier in December. They had a big time Running Game, a more experienced QB starting (Sam Darnold) a legit # 1 WR in DJ Moore, and a healthier Secondary. The Panthers were also at home in a place the Lions haven't won in this Century. Also, the current Lions are a better team than was the case even late last season, when the Lions won 8 out of 10 games". While it was surprising how poorly the Lions played at Carolina last December 24, it was at most a mild surprise on this end that the Panthers beat the Lions in that game. In today's game, even factoring the Lions key injuries, it would have been a huge surprise to me if the Lions didn't win. Even factoring in concern of a letdown and/ or the Lions looking ahead to the game at Tampa next Sunday, and the current Panthers team situation going into the game. Thankfully, the Lions didn't let the Panthers get close following the Jared Goff to Josh Reynolds 1 yd TD pass that made the score Lions 21-7, following the successful PAT. ****
But this Lions team continues to show its different than, well, basically all the ones that came before it. They asserted control of the division by winning in prime time at Arrowhead Stadium and Lambeau Field, two of the most hostile environments in the league. Then they faced a tackling dummy on Sunday, and took care of that business too.
Running back David Montgomery -- fresh off a three-touchdown outburst in Green Bay -- got the scoring started with a 42-yard touchdown on his first touch of the day. Then the Lions turned three turnovers into another 21 first-half points, 14 of which came on touchdown catches by standout rookie tight end Sam LaPorta.
****Another very strong performance by David Montgomery. Sam LaPorta has already exceeded my expectations for him, especially as a rookie, even factoring some inconsistency as a run blocker and as a receiver. ****
That guy was coming off the best opening month by a rookie tight end ever, then scored two more times on his only two catches of the first half of this one, including a 31-yarder on a halfback pitch reverse flea-flicker. At least I think I have that right.
**** Tremendous execution by the entire Offensive Unit on the 31 yd Flea-Flicker TD!****
Detroit -- playing without star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and top draft pick Jahmyr Gibbs -- sprinted to a 28-10 halftime lead, and has now outscored its last two opponents by a combined score of 53-10 before intermission. Hard to lose like that. And for the third straight week, they never came close.
**** The Falcons and Packers games had scary moments in the 2nd Half, though not late in the 4th QTR. The Panthers didn't get back into today's game in the 2nd Half. ****
Let’s get to some more observations from another landslide victory by the Lions, who resume play next week in Tampa.
-- What more can be said of David Montgomery that hasn’t been said before? He scored go-ahead second-half touchdowns in each of his first two games after signing with Detroit, then scored three more times while running for 121 yards in Green Bay, the best day by any Lions running back in that series in a generation. On Sunday, he was needed more than ever with Jahmyr Gibbs in street clothes, and delivered another 109 yards and one touchdown. He’s the first Lions player to rush for 100 yards and score in back-to-back games in nearly two decades (Kevin Jones, 2004).
Montgomery wasted no time getting started either, immediately delivering a 42-yard touchdown run on his first touch. Montgomery also moved the chains on a tough fourth-down down pitch toward the left sideline (which led to a score), and later moved the chains again when he took a direct snap between the legs of Jared Goff on third-and-6 deep inside the red zone (which led to another score). Again, say it with me: Jamaal Williams was good, but David Montgomery is clearly better.
**** David Montgomery has been one of the best UFA signings from another team in the NFL through this point of the season. ****
-- Montgomery shouldered the running duties almost exclusively until the fourth quarter, at which point the Lions gave him a much-deserved breather. Then Craig Reynolds picked up where D-Mo left off, running for 52 yards on just seven carries and scoring a touchdown that stretched Detroit’s lead to 42-17. It was the first career touchdown for the much-loved backup. Not bad for a guy they call “Netflex” because he was literally on his couch when preseason injuries forced the Lions to go find a running back who could just help them get through an exhibition a few years ago. Reynolds wound up scoring before he had even practiced with the team, and all these years later, now has his first official score.
**** Craig Reynolds did a terrific job as a RB in this game, in addition to having a good Special Teams performance. Huge credit though should be given to the Lions Offensive Line and overall blocking, including by WRs. ****
-- The Lions scored 20 points for the 14th straight game, which not only leads the league, but breaks a franchise record that had stood since 1995. Under offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Detroit is 19 of 22 at reaching the 20-point barrier, tops in the league during that span.
**** Ben Johnson might have multiple NFL HC opportunities to choose from in 2024. ****
-- Jameson Williams made his season debut in the most fitting way possible. He ran away from coverage on his first target of the season, and might still be running if he simply caught the pass. But he didn’t. The ball hit him on the money, but sailed through both hands and fell to the turf. Fans seem sensitive to talking about the Jamo drops, but the truth is he’s dropped a lot of passes since joining the team late last year. He dropped them in practice, he dropped them in games, he dropped them throughout training camp this past summer, and he dropped three more while working against air during warmups on Sunday at Ford Field. Then the game kicked off, and he dropped the first ball that came his way, without a man in sight. He did catch his next two targets, but both were behind the line of scrimmage and combined to gain 2 yards.
**** While the drops remain a major issue with Jameson Williams, he did a very good job as a blocker. ****
Williams is so damn electric that it’s easy to get carried away with the possibilities, but he very clearly remains a developmental player. He needs to work on his hands, and he needs to work on his route definition. Even Dan Campbell said he might never be an elite catcher of the football, and the bar for Williams is set at running dependable routes right now. That’s not what you want to hear about any 12th overall pick at this point in Year 2. Of course, Williams has good reason to be behind the curve after missing so many games with the ACL last year and suspension this year. But behind the curve, he is. There’s a lot of work to go before he’s even sniffing the player Detroit thought it was drafting.
-- That all being said, go check out the 42-yard touchdown by David Montgomery to open that game, and check out who delivered the final block that sprung the score. His name: Jameson Williams. He’s clearly a willing blocker, and while he had a tough debut catching the football, that’s a play that will be celebrated in the film room next week, and will help build some trust with the coaching staff.
**** Jameson Williams was highly effective as a blocker on some other plays. Only on a running play to Craig Reynolds at the beginning of a 4th QTR drive after the Panthers cut the Lions lead to 35 to 17, following the TD reception by DJ Chark, did Williams clearly got beat as a run blocker in this game. Jamo definitely has plays he can build on from this game.****
-- The Lions have wasted away at the bottom of the league in takeaways for so long, Dan Campbell and Aaron Glenn prioritized finding ways to generate turnovers this offseason. That was true in personnel decisions, most notably signing reigning interceptions leader C.J. Gardner-Johnson in free agency. Now Gardner-Johnson is out for the foreseeable while recovering from pectoral surgery, but the Lions have continued to take away the football in bunches anyway. Last week, Jerry Jacobs picked off two passes in the win in Green Bay. This week, Jacobs picked off another pass (which led to a score), Alim McNeill forced a fumble that Will Harris recovered (which led to a score) and Aidan Hutchinson picked off a pass (which led to, you guessed it, a score). Those plays led directly to 21 of Detroit’s 28 first-half points.
**** All 3 takeaways were great plays. Yet, the Interception by Aidan Hutchinson might end up being somewhere in the Lions top 5 plays of the entire season, when the season is complete. Spectacular awareness, concentration, and athleticism! ****
Jacobs’ pick party is particularly encouraging. The young cornerback wasn’t even supposed to start this season, but held onto that outside job because of the Emmanuel Moseley injury situation. Jacobs endured some early struggles, and Dan Campbell warned a couple weeks ago that Jacobs would come off the field whenever Moseley returned. Then Jacobs immediately picked off three passes in two games. That dude -- often called a “pitbull” inside Allen Park -- isn’t leaving the lineup without a fight. And with Moseley now battling another injury, Jacobs looks like he’s on the rise.
**** Great job by Jerry Jacoby in responding to the adversity from the Seahawks game! Unfortunately, Emmanuel Moseley might be done for the season or at least for many games. Moseley has an MRI scheduled tomorrow. Dan Campbell isn't optimistic about the results of the MRI. ****
-- Let’s not overlook Aidan Hutchinson either. That guy led all rookies in sacks in Year 1, is leading all players in pressures in Year 2 -- and oh by the way, just added his fourth career interception too, an NFL record for a defensive lineman through two seasons. This might have been the most impressive of them all too, spearing a Bryce Young pass with one hand while in the middle of a pass rush.
**** Even for a DB, that would have been a highlight reel Interception, let alone for a DE! ****
-- While the Lions were shorthanded on offense, they got stronger on defense with the return of cornerback Emmanuel Moseley, safety Kerby Joseph and edge rusher Julian Okwara. But Moseley made it only a handful of plays before going down with another knee injury on his first series. Moseley was signed to start for Detroit at cornerback this season, but missed the first month after undergoing a second knee operation, plus suffering a hamstring injury upon his return to practice. Then he made his Lions debut against Carolina, and immediately went down with another knee injury. He spent some time near the training table on the sideline trying to shake off the injury, but ultimately returned to the locker room and was eventually ruled out.
**** I'm not even sure if Emmanuel Moseley equaled the # or snaps (4) that QB Aaron Rodgers had for the Jets in their MNF opener vs the Bills. ****
-- Left tackle Taylor Decker played in his 100th game in Detroit, all of which were starts at left tackle. A first-round pick in the 2016 draft, Decker is now the longest-tenured player in Detroit. He did miss two games with a high ankle sprain and bone bruise this season, but has been an iron man over the years, including once playing through appendicitis. He’s drawn high praise from teammates and coaches for playing through pain this season, and has played well too. He didn’t allow a sack until Sunday, when he was beaten by star pass rusher Brian Burns for a drive-killer to open the third quarter.
****All things considering, this was a good/ winning level performance by Taylor Decker. Brian Burns is a heck of a player, especially as a pass rusher. While Burns was sometimes lined up on the Defensive Left side, Decker had a much better performance than his first 2 games against Burns. ****
-- The Lions continued to roll with Graham Glasgow at right guard, despite Halapoulivaati Vaitai returning to the team after missing a couple games with a knee injury. Vaitai won a close battle in training camp for the starting job, but Glasgow has played really well in his place, and continues to flash the biggest thing Vaitai has always lacked in Detroit -- durability.
**** Big V is a higher level Guard than Graham Glasgow, though the latter provides the Lions with quality depth, and did a good overall job in this game. Jonah Jackson wasn't in the game at the end and was in a walking boot after the game. If Jackson is unavailable for one or more games, Glasgow will probably be playing LG. ****
-- Zonovan Knight earned the start at kick returner and even got a little action on offense, but was carted off the field with an injury late in the third quarter.
**** Hopefully, the injury isn't serious but there's reason for concern.
It was great to see that Panthers LG Chandler Zavala was able to return to Charlotte with the rest of the Panthers team, after he suffered a neck injury in the 1st Half of the game, and was sent to a Detroit hospital. Zavala was one of the players who had a Pre-Draft visit with the Lions. The Panthers drafted him with Pick # 114, in the early part of Round 4. Injuries at Guard led to Zavala becoming a starter. ****
-- Add local rap icon Eminem, NBA All-Star Devin Booker, former Pistons great Isaiah Thomas and none other than Calvin Johnson -- whose rift with the Lions is well known, but finally coming to a resolution -- to the growing list of celebrities who have passed through Ford Field this season.
**** Calvin Johnson at the request of Panthers WR Coach Shawn Jefferson, who was a Lions team, spoke to the Panthers WRs on Saturday Night. ****
...........
This new thread is a continuation of the following thread:
Lions vs. Panthers preview: Game # 5 ( 2023 )
detroit-lions-forum.proboards.com/thread/1912/lions-panthers-preview-game-2023