Post by D6 on Oct 22, 2023 22:08:11 GMT -5
Thoughts in ****
Instant observations: Lions’ winning streak snapped in 38-6 embarrassment vs Ravens
Instant observations: Lions’ winning streak snapped in 38-6 embarrassment vs Ravens
Updated: Oct. 22, 2023, 6:09 p.m.|Published: Oct. 22, 2023, 4:10 p.m.
By Kyle Meinke | kmeinke@mlive.com
BALTIMORE, Md. -- Weren’t the Detroit Lions past this kind of thing?
They were not only off an NFL-best 5-1 start, but did it with four straight double-digit victories that had many believing they could be on the shortlist for best teams in the NFC. They were tied with Philadelphia and San Francisco atop the conference heading into the weekend, and with a forgiving schedule the rest of the way, they were being coronated as a potential candidate for the No. 1 seed.
Losses were always going to happen along the way. Taking one against Baltimore, perhaps the best team left on their schedule, would be understandable.
But a 38-6 laugher?
What’s understandable about that?
The Lions (5-2) like to think of themselves as a mature team ready to not only win the NFC North -- which they continue to lead despite the tire marks left on their body at M&T Bank Stadium -- but actually make noise once they get to the playoffs. Then they flew to Baltimore and watched Lamar Jackson throw for two touchdowns and run for one more, all before they got around to moving the sticks for the first time.
**** The Lions didn't handle adversity well in this game. Instead of responding from bad play outcomes, the Lions made more mistakes, resulting in additional bad play outcomes. This wasn't the 2023 version of the Lions through the first 6 games combined. This was a reminder of far too many Lions teams in past seasons.****-
Heck, they hadn’t even run 10 plays before they already trailed 28-0. Then they finally got that elusive first down, and promptly turned over the ball on downs when quarterback Jared Goff threw to a well-covered Amon-Ra St. Brown.
****The Lions Defense was the unit that was most responsible for today's Ravens rout over the Lions. The Lions Offense wasn't that far behind the Lions Defense in this dubious category. The Lions got outplayed and outcoached on both sides of the ball. Missed assignments/ lack of discipline appeared to be the # 1 issue with the Lions Defense in this game. The Lions Offense seemed out of sync most of the game. The Ravens Passing Game was highly effective, despite the strong wind. The Lions Passing game was clearly adversely affected by the wind. ****
They finally got into Ravens territory just before halftime, but penalties by Penei Sewell (holding) and Goff (intentional grounding) backed them into a fourth-and-forever. They actually picked up that fourth-and-forever, only Sewell was flagged for holding again, forcing yet another Jack Fox punt.
**** The Lions didn't move the chains on Offense until approximately 7:35 remaining in the 2nd QTR.
The first holding penalty on Penei Sewell probably resulted in a miscommunication between Jared Goff and the Lions Offensive Line. Sewell didn't anticipate Goff moving to his right outside the pocket, by design.
The Ravens Offensive Line appeared to have committed holding on a number of plays that the officials didn't call. It probably wouldn't have made a difference in the Lions even being close to winning the game, based on the mistakes and poor execution by the Lions/ lack of synchronization by the Lions in this game. But it could have had a much greater impact in the game if the Lions played substantially better.****
Then they ran out of the tunnel for the second half, had another drive die on fourth down -- then got fileted for 94 yards on just four plays coming back the other way, and Jackson threw another touchdown pass to tight end Mark Andrews that made it 35-0.
****Any remote chance the Lions had in being competitive in this game ended after that sequence in the early part of the 3rd QTR. ****
For as bad as the offense was, the defense was somehow worse. They flailed against Jackson all day, including on a fourth-down touchdown run to open the onslaught. Jackson went on to complete 21 of 27 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns, plus ran for another 36 yards and one touchdown.
**** The Lions saw an MVP version of Lamar Jackson in this game. Having said that, the Lions Defense and the Officials substantially contributed to Jackson and the Ravens overall Offense being very highly effective in the game. ****
Jackson is one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the league, and a former NFL MVP. That guy will go off sometimes. But the Lions have struggled against guys like him during the entire Aaron Glenn era in Detroit, and while they don’t have a dual-threat QB that good left on their schedule, they just might have Philadelphia standing in their way in the playoffs, and they’ll need to find answers if Jalen Hurts is blocking their path forward.
Because on Sunday, once again and unlike ever before, they had none.
**** The Lions have to play MUCH better than in this game to even possibly have a chance at playing the Eagles in the playoffs. There isn't a game on the Lions schedule that the Lions can remotely take for granted. ****
Let’s get to some more instant observations:
-- The loss snaps Detroit’s four-game winning streak on the road, and a four-game winning streak overall that had sent them to the league’s best record. This is Detroit’s first loss on the road since getting blasted 37-23 by a really bad Panthers team in Carolina late last season. It’s odd, isn’t it? The Lions won four straight games on the road, which is really tough to do in the NFL -- it was the second-longest active streak heading into the weekend -- but got blasted in non-competitive efforts on both sides of it.
**** Much like at Carolina last December, the Lions didn't handle the elements well today. The trip to Chicago in December is the next game the Lions could be adversely affected by the outdoors elements. ****
-- The Lions are now 0-5 against Ravens coach John Harbaugh, the brother of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. Tampa is the only other team against which John Harbaugh is unbeaten.
**** The Lions hammered by the Ravens all 3 times in Baltimore during this time span. ****
-- The Lions finally got on the board when Jahmyr Gibbs sprinted into the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. They still trailed 35-6 at the time, but it was a nice moment for a kid still trying to find his way in the NFL. The 12th overall pick in the draft, Gibbs has mostly served in a backup role to David Montgomery before missing the last two games because of a hamstring injury. Now Montgomery is out because of a rib injury, forcing the Lions to lean on Gibbs more than they would like in his return from injury. Gibbs delivered 126 total yards on 20 touches, nine of which came through the air, although none of it affected the game before it was way, way too late.
**** If the decision was mine, Jahmyr Gibbs and many other Lions players would have been out of the game after the 2 Point Conversion and Onside Kick failed.
The stats by Jahmyr Gibbs after the Ravens led 35-0 are prime illustration why Fantasy Football is a farce. ****
-- Jared Goff played one of his worst games in a long time, fumbling multiple times and taking five sacks while leading Detroit to just six points. Those three straight three-and-outs were killer to open the game, as was his erratic accuracy on third and fourth down. Goff -- who held the highest adjusted completion percentage in the league -- finished 33 of 53 passing for 284 yards, and did not throw a touchdown pass for the first time this season.
**** Jared Goff wasn't the only one on the Lions Offense who 'contributed' heavily to the loss. ****
-- Goff also threw an interception when he wasn’t on the same page with Jameson Williams. Hard to say who was to blame for sure, but it seemed Williams drifted toward the middle of the field while Goff expected him to stay on the right hash. Baltimore picked off the pass easily in the end zone, and Williams finished with zero catches on six targets overall, a big step back for a guy who was trying to build some positive momentum after the 45-yard touchdown last week.
****Jameson Williams should have caught a long pass near the Ravens Goal Line in the 4th QTR. I don't fault Williams for not catching the deep ball in the 4th QTR, that bounced off his helmet. Williams was held before the ball reached him. He probably did make the route mistake on the Interception, which was in the 3rd QTR. ****
-- Safety Kerby Joseph left the game in the fourth quarter to be evaluated for a brain injury and did not return. That left Detroit without both safeties -- C.J. Gardner-Johnson is on injured reserve while recovering from pectoral surgery -- and four defensive backs overall. Emmanuel Moseley is also on IR after blowing out his ACL, while Jerry Jacobs was a late scratch because of a knee injury he sustained on Friday. That forced Will Harris to make his first career start at outside cornerback. He finished with one tackle.
****Hopefully, Kerby Joseph didn't suffer a Concussion.
I'm not sure if the Lions CBs were playing looser on Defense early in the game, because Jerry Jacobs was Inactive because of injury.
The Lions Secondary and overall Pass Defense was out of sync far too often in this game. ****
-- Malcolm Rodriguez made a surprise start at a surprise position, moving from linebacker to fullback in Baltimore. That’s a novel way to get the former “Hard Knocks” star on the field after he was displaced by the rise of the linebackers on defense, but he left the game in the second half with an ankle injury. The Lions are running short on options at fullback, where Jason Cabinda remains on injured reserve and Darrell Daniels was cut last week.
**** Darnell Daniels will probably end up back on the Lions Practice Squad. If that happens, I believe Daniels still has 2 games in which the Lions could elevate him from the P.S..
****Malcolm Rodriguez looked solid as a run blocker. Hopefully, he will be able to play vs. the Raiders on MNF, 8 days from tonight. ****
-- Mo Ibrahim was carted to the locker room after returning a kick in the third quarter, yet another tough setback for the undrafted rookie. He was in camp with Detroit over the summer, but was cut after sustaining an injury in the preseason. Then he signed with the practice squad this week and was temporarily elevated for the game because of all the injuries at running back. And in his NFL debut, he suffered another injury that could threaten his rookie season.
**** Mo Ibrahim suffered a hip injury that he needed emergency surgery for. Hopefully, he will make a full recovery. His NFL playing career appears to be in serious jeopardy. ****
-- As the injuries mounted in the fourth quarter, star punt returner Kalif Raymond left the game with an unknown injury. The health of this team -- not to mention its morale -- will be a huge storyline next week as Detroit prepares to host Las Vegas on Monday Night Football. The good news is they have an extra day to heal up before that game, then the bye looming after it. And after this game, they could use the rest.
**** Big mistake in having Kalif Raymond in the game as a Punt Returner with only a few minutes remaining in the Ravens rout of the Lions. ****
-- Graham Glasgow’s versatility is a curse. After opening the season on the bench, he’s been a top-three guard in the league since entering the lineup for injured right guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai in Week 2. But now Vaitai is healthy again, and with left guard Jonah Jackson still shelved by an ankle injury, Detroit opted to move Glasgow from right guard -- where he’s been one of the best in the league -- to left guard in Baltimore. That got the best five offensive linemen on the field, but was also yet more movement for Glasgow, who has split his time across the interior since re-signing with Detroit over the offseason.
In an effort to get their five best offensive linemen on the field, the Lions moved Graham Glasgow to left guard and returned Halapoulivaati Vaitai to right guard. Vaitai beat out Glasgow for the right guard job in training camp, but hadn’t played since Week 2 because of a knee injury. Glasgow starred in his place, allowing just one sack and ranking among the three-best guards in the league overall according to ProFootballFocus. But Vaitai has returned to health, and with Jonah Jackson unavailable on the left side, Detroit opted to move Glasgow there to get the best five on the field.
**** While I'm not sure who was responsible for the sack on the CB blitz in the 2nd QTR of the game, taking that play out of the equation, I thought Graham Glasgow had the best performance by any of the Lions Offensive Lineman in this game. On the other hand, Big V looked rusty, especially earlier in the game. Big V got beat on the first sack of Goff in the game. His running blocking wasn't close to the level that he usually played at RG (2020 season and the 2022 season opener in Kansas City. ****
............
This new thread is a continuation of the following thread:
Lions at Ravens preview: Game # 7 ( 2023 )
detroit-lions-forum.proboards.com/thread/1922/lions-ravens-preview-game-2023