Post by D6 on Nov 20, 2023 1:22:04 GMT -5
Thoughts in ****
Instant observations: Lions stun Bears, improve to 8-2 for first time since 1962
Instant observations: Lions stun Bears, improve to 8-2 for first time since 1962
Updated: Nov. 19, 2023, 5:35 p.m.|Published: Nov. 19, 2023, 4:14 p.m.
Detroit Lions host Chicago Bears: Week 10
By Kyle Meinke | kmeinke@mlive.com
DETROIT -- Jared Goff threw three interceptions for the first time since those very dark final days with the Los Angeles Rams. He threw two more balls into the hands of Chicago defenders that were dropped.
**** Bears CB Jaylon Johnson dropped what would have been a pick 6 red zone interception, around the length of the field in the 2nd QTR, when the Bears led 7-0. This was the worst decision Jared Goff made in the game and amongst the worst decisions he's made with the Lions in his 3 seasons with the team. Jahmyr Gibbs scored on the next play, a 2 yard TD run (great play call by Ben Johnson), with the Lions tying up the game 7-7. This was a 14 point swing. Huge break for the Lions. ****
This was his worst game since in two years. It could have been so much worse.
****In addition to the drop by CB Jaylon Johnson, one of the 3 interceptions throw by Goff was a bad read by the QB- the interception by LB T.J. Edwards. I don't think Goff is at fault on the other two interceptions. Regardless, the Lions lost the ball on 3 interceptions and a fumble by Craig Reynolds on a 3rd QTR Kickoff Return was a sizable return before the forced fumble by the Bears. The turnovers put the Lions in a very bad situation that much more often than not would have resulted in a loss. ****
But he didn’t flinch, and delivered when it mattered most.
With the Lions facing a 12-point deficit in the final 4 minutes, Goff heaved a 32-yard touchdown bomb to Jameson Williams that drew Detroit within one score, then was near-perfect on an 11-play drive that led the Lions to Chicago’s 1-yard line with 26 seconds left.
**** Jared Goff deserves high praise for putting the miscues behind him (including taking a 1st Down sack that ultimately killed a 4th QTR possession, with the Lions trailing 23-14 at the time). Goff was sensational on the Lions two TD drives late in the game. Tremendous overall comeback by the Lions!!! ****
To get that final yard, the Lions sent David Montgomery onto the field to hammer the final nail into his old team’s coffin. And that’s exactly what he did, barrelling into the end zone for a touchdown that sent Detroit to a wild 31-26 win on Sunday against the Bears.
****David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs were terrific on the Lions final 2 drives. It was evident how much this Lions comeback win means to Montgomery. He always plays with passion and purpose. Yet, in this game, Montgomery took it to an even higher level!****
The Lions improve to 8-2 for the first time since 1962, and just the fourth time in franchise history. They are now a half-game behind Philadelphia (8-1) for the top spot in the NFC, pending whatever the Eagles do against Kansas City (7-2) in a Super Bowl rematch on Monday Night Football.
They now lead the NFC North by two games over the Minnesota Vikings (6-4), who face the Broncos in Denver tonight on Sunday Night Football. Detroit has won seven straight games over the division overall, a franchise record, and will look to make it eight straight when it hosts the Green Bay Packers in four days on Thanksgiving.
**** The Lions got outplayed by the Bears in this game. But what matters most (taking injuries out of the equation) in NFL games is the final score. The Lions came up with an improbable win, in a game that a loss would have been a huge setback for the Lions. Losing a home game vs. a divisional opponent that was 3-7 going into the game is not a formula that usually leads to winning a Division Title that season and being in serious contention for a Conference # 1 seed.)****
But man, it was not easy.
The Bears are one of the worst teams in the league, but the Lions played one of their worst games of the season against them. Goff opened the game with back-to-back interceptions, added another as the Lions fell behind by double digits in the third quarter, and could have two more that were dropped.
**** The Bears at present are noticeably better than a team that entered this game at 3-7. Regardless, the Lions shouldn't have put themselves collectively in a situation in which the team was 12 points down late in the 4th QTR. ****
Will Harris was flagged for pass interference in the end zone, leading to a touchdown. Brian Branch was flagged twice on third-down stops, one of which came on third-and-15 and led to a field goal. Kerby Joseph blew a tackle on third-and-12, leading to another field goal.
**** Brian Branch was terrific vs. the run in this game but he made two rookie mistakes that contributed greatly to the Lions being in a huge hole late in the game. Kerby Joseph continues to struggle as a tackler. Major concern moving forward. ****
The Lions still managed to take a 14-10 halftime lead on a touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown just 11 seconds before intermission, but gave away the momentum immediately coming out of the break. They went three-and-out on offense, allowed a field goal on defense, then Craig Reynolds fumbled the ensuing kickoff. Justin Fields turned that into a 39-yard touchdown pass to D.J. Moore getting behind Jerry Jacobs, and the Lions trailed again.
****Amon -Ra St. Brown had another great game!
The Lions began the 2nd half with a 20 yd run by David Montgomery. After Montgomery gained 8 yards on 2nd Down following an incompletion, in which a pass to Kalif Raymond was low, Jared Goff got sacked by LB Jack Sanborn on a blitz. Good job by the Bears coaches with the call. The sack was costly at the time, as the Lions had to punt when leading `14-10. If the Lions would have ended up losing the game, the 3rd and 2 sack would have been a key turning point in the outcome of the game. ****
The game continued to spiral out of control as Goff threw a third pick on a tipped pass, and suddenly a four-point lead turned into a 12-point deficit, and fans that have serenaded this team from coast to coast were booing the quarterback and playcalls.
**** The fans understandably expected much better from the Lions at the time when the boos came down.****
Then the quarterback responded, throwing a 32-yard bomb to Jameson Williams that drew Detroit within 26-21 with 3:06 left. Then the defense joined in, forcing a three-and-out by stuffing two runs and defending a bomb down the field.
**** Because the Lions Defense was on the field close to 40 minutes in game time, I thought that the Onside Kickoff was the better option, though it was subjective enough that I respected the decision to Kickoff, following the Jameson Williams TD/ PAT that followed. I'm glad that Dan Campbell elected to kick off. The Lions Defense came up big in crunch time.****
Goff retook the field in a five-point game, and was sublime. He couldn’t connected with Williams on another deep shot, then completed five of his next six passes to lead Detroit all the way to the 1-yard line. Montgomery chipped in four touches for 44 yards along the way, and then reported back into the game once Detroit was at the goal line.
And the former Bears back -- who left Chicago because he was sick with the losing -- hammered in the go-ahead score in a frenetic Ford Field.
Yes, players are coming to Detroit now when they’re sick of losing.
And these days, they’re winning more often than ever since 1962.
**** Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell have built a tremendous Lions football culture. The tangible results, both on the scoreboard and in attracting Free Agents, is evident.****
Let’s get to some more observations:
-- What happened to you, Jared Goff? He’s been one of the best quarterbacks in the league this season, and one of the best quarterbacks at protecting the football, making the fourth-fewest turnover-worthy plays heading into the weekend. On Sunday, he threw back-to-back picks to open the game, added another in the third quarter and had a fourth dropped that could have gone for six points the other way. This is the first time Goff has thrown multiple picks since Oct. 23 of last year, and the first time he’s thrown three picks since Sept. 29, 2019 while he was still with the Rams. He’s just been so good at tightening up after picks, and had a nice little run of touchdown drives going after picks this season. But the giveaways piled up against Chicago, and were the difference as the Bears pulled ahead 20-14 in the third quarter.
**** There will be plenty of teaching material from the game, not only for Jared Goff. Widespread teaching material. Thankfully, the teaching will be coming after a win. ****
Of course, tip your cap to Goff’s steeliness under pressure in the final minutes. He had played his worst game in years, and still delivered back-to-back touchdown drives in the final minutes to come all the way back for the win. That’s good stuff from one of the league’s best quarterbacks, and make no mistake, he’s the face and voice of that locker room. He’s been through a lot, and went through a lot on Sunday, and persevered through it all.
The leadership of Jared Goff was certainly on display under immense football adversity. ****
-- After Montgomery plowed into the end zone for a 29-26 lead in the final seconds, Aidan Hutchinson sealed the dramatic win by taking down Justin Fields for a sack-strip. The ball bounded through the back of the end zone for good measure, adding two points on the safety.
**** Big time clutch play by Aidan Hutchinson. The Bears still had 29 seconds and 2 timeouts prior to Hutch's impact play! It was the first and only play from scrimmage for the Bears, following a touchback. ****
-- Craig Reynolds also lost a fumble in the third quarter, giving Chicago a second straight possession coming out of the break. The Bears had already scored a field goal to draw within 14-13, and then added a 39-yard touchdown pass to D.J. Moore to extend it to 20-14.
Adding injury to insult, Reynolds suffered an injury on the play and did not return. He’s the No. 3 running back on the team, and a trusted agent for Dan Campbell and Ben Johnson. The Lions are in good shape with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs at running back, but losing Reynolds for any length of time is a blow to the depth at that position, and as the injuries to Montgomery and Gibbs have shown, depth is required at that position. Something to watch, as the Packers loom in just four days on Thanksgiving.
**** It looked like (at least to me) that Craig Reynolds did return on another Bears Kickoff, though the play resulted in a touchback. Hopefully, that's the case.****
-- One guy who didn’t struggle was Brian Branch, who might have played his best game since suffering the ankle injury that sidelined him a couple weeks in the first half of the season. Branch dropped running backs D’Onta Foreman and Khalil Herbert for 6-yard losses apiece, plus Fields for a 2-yard loss. Branch now has three games with three tackles for loss, something no rookie defensive back had done even twice since 1999.
Those third-down penalties were back-breakers though, extending drives that had been stopped, both of which led to points. Branch is one of the best young cornerbacks in the league, but those mistakes have to be cleaned up.
**** Absolutely. Brian Branch had a differential positive performance vs. the run. But the two penalties easily could have cost the Lions the game. ****
-- Shoutout to Jameson Williams, who might have put together his best game as a pass-catcher. That’s not saying much of course, but both of his catches were monsters. With Detroit still trailing in the first half, Williams caught a 12-yard pass over the middle on third down. Goff turned that into a touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown with just 11 seconds left before the break, and what proved to be Detroit’s only lead. But with the Lions trailing 26-14 in the fourth quarter, Williams gave Detroit another shot by getting behind the defense for a 32-yard touchdown. Suddenly, the Lions found themselves in a one-score game despite the turnovers.
****Jameson Williams has been making strides with consistency and concentration. This game was his best yet in those categories as a pass catcher! It's great to see the improvement from Williams. ****
-- Running back Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 36 yards and one touchdown, extending his streak of games with a touchdown run to four. That ties for the longest streak by a Lions rookie ever, matching Kevin Jones (2004) and Barry Sanders (1989). Against his old team, Montgomery finished with 76 yards and the winning score.
**** Both Gibbs and Montgomery were key contributors in what became a Lions comeback win, that looked much less likely than not with around 4 minutes remaining in the 4th QTR.****
-- Rookie offensive lineman Colby Sorsdal started for the injured Jonah Jackson at left guard. His most noteworthy play was a first-down holding penalty that backed Detroit behind the sticks, and led to Goff’s second interception of the day.
**** Until the Bears built a 9 point 4th QTR lead, I thought Colby Sorsdal was playing well, with the exception of the holding penalty on a running play, in which he was clearly beat.
****
-- The Lions’ breakout season has made them a destination for A-list celebrities this season, including legendary rapper Eminem, NBA star Devin Booker and former Fab Fiver Jalen Rose. They added to the roster on Sunday by welcoming NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, former Tigers star Willie Horton, Lions all-time sack leader Robert Porcher, and actor Keegan-Michael Key.
****Devin Booker is a Lions fan. ****
..............
This new thread is a continuation of the following thread:
Lions vs. Bears preview: Game # 10 (2023)
detroit-lions-forum.proboards.com/thread/1943/lions-bears-preview-game-2023?page=1&scrollTo=9343
Instant observations: Lions stun Bears, improve to 8-2 for first time since 1962
Instant observations: Lions stun Bears, improve to 8-2 for first time since 1962
Updated: Nov. 19, 2023, 5:35 p.m.|Published: Nov. 19, 2023, 4:14 p.m.
Detroit Lions host Chicago Bears: Week 10
By Kyle Meinke | kmeinke@mlive.com
DETROIT -- Jared Goff threw three interceptions for the first time since those very dark final days with the Los Angeles Rams. He threw two more balls into the hands of Chicago defenders that were dropped.
**** Bears CB Jaylon Johnson dropped what would have been a pick 6 red zone interception, around the length of the field in the 2nd QTR, when the Bears led 7-0. This was the worst decision Jared Goff made in the game and amongst the worst decisions he's made with the Lions in his 3 seasons with the team. Jahmyr Gibbs scored on the next play, a 2 yard TD run (great play call by Ben Johnson), with the Lions tying up the game 7-7. This was a 14 point swing. Huge break for the Lions. ****
This was his worst game since in two years. It could have been so much worse.
****In addition to the drop by CB Jaylon Johnson, one of the 3 interceptions throw by Goff was a bad read by the QB- the interception by LB T.J. Edwards. I don't think Goff is at fault on the other two interceptions. Regardless, the Lions lost the ball on 3 interceptions and a fumble by Craig Reynolds on a 3rd QTR Kickoff Return was a sizable return before the forced fumble by the Bears. The turnovers put the Lions in a very bad situation that much more often than not would have resulted in a loss. ****
But he didn’t flinch, and delivered when it mattered most.
With the Lions facing a 12-point deficit in the final 4 minutes, Goff heaved a 32-yard touchdown bomb to Jameson Williams that drew Detroit within one score, then was near-perfect on an 11-play drive that led the Lions to Chicago’s 1-yard line with 26 seconds left.
**** Jared Goff deserves high praise for putting the miscues behind him (including taking a 1st Down sack that ultimately killed a 4th QTR possession, with the Lions trailing 23-14 at the time). Goff was sensational on the Lions two TD drives late in the game. Tremendous overall comeback by the Lions!!! ****
To get that final yard, the Lions sent David Montgomery onto the field to hammer the final nail into his old team’s coffin. And that’s exactly what he did, barrelling into the end zone for a touchdown that sent Detroit to a wild 31-26 win on Sunday against the Bears.
****David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs were terrific on the Lions final 2 drives. It was evident how much this Lions comeback win means to Montgomery. He always plays with passion and purpose. Yet, in this game, Montgomery took it to an even higher level!****
The Lions improve to 8-2 for the first time since 1962, and just the fourth time in franchise history. They are now a half-game behind Philadelphia (8-1) for the top spot in the NFC, pending whatever the Eagles do against Kansas City (7-2) in a Super Bowl rematch on Monday Night Football.
They now lead the NFC North by two games over the Minnesota Vikings (6-4), who face the Broncos in Denver tonight on Sunday Night Football. Detroit has won seven straight games over the division overall, a franchise record, and will look to make it eight straight when it hosts the Green Bay Packers in four days on Thanksgiving.
**** The Lions got outplayed by the Bears in this game. But what matters most (taking injuries out of the equation) in NFL games is the final score. The Lions came up with an improbable win, in a game that a loss would have been a huge setback for the Lions. Losing a home game vs. a divisional opponent that was 3-7 going into the game is not a formula that usually leads to winning a Division Title that season and being in serious contention for a Conference # 1 seed.)****
But man, it was not easy.
The Bears are one of the worst teams in the league, but the Lions played one of their worst games of the season against them. Goff opened the game with back-to-back interceptions, added another as the Lions fell behind by double digits in the third quarter, and could have two more that were dropped.
**** The Bears at present are noticeably better than a team that entered this game at 3-7. Regardless, the Lions shouldn't have put themselves collectively in a situation in which the team was 12 points down late in the 4th QTR. ****
Will Harris was flagged for pass interference in the end zone, leading to a touchdown. Brian Branch was flagged twice on third-down stops, one of which came on third-and-15 and led to a field goal. Kerby Joseph blew a tackle on third-and-12, leading to another field goal.
**** Brian Branch was terrific vs. the run in this game but he made two rookie mistakes that contributed greatly to the Lions being in a huge hole late in the game. Kerby Joseph continues to struggle as a tackler. Major concern moving forward. ****
The Lions still managed to take a 14-10 halftime lead on a touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown just 11 seconds before intermission, but gave away the momentum immediately coming out of the break. They went three-and-out on offense, allowed a field goal on defense, then Craig Reynolds fumbled the ensuing kickoff. Justin Fields turned that into a 39-yard touchdown pass to D.J. Moore getting behind Jerry Jacobs, and the Lions trailed again.
****Amon -Ra St. Brown had another great game!
The Lions began the 2nd half with a 20 yd run by David Montgomery. After Montgomery gained 8 yards on 2nd Down following an incompletion, in which a pass to Kalif Raymond was low, Jared Goff got sacked by LB Jack Sanborn on a blitz. Good job by the Bears coaches with the call. The sack was costly at the time, as the Lions had to punt when leading `14-10. If the Lions would have ended up losing the game, the 3rd and 2 sack would have been a key turning point in the outcome of the game. ****
The game continued to spiral out of control as Goff threw a third pick on a tipped pass, and suddenly a four-point lead turned into a 12-point deficit, and fans that have serenaded this team from coast to coast were booing the quarterback and playcalls.
**** The fans understandably expected much better from the Lions at the time when the boos came down.****
Then the quarterback responded, throwing a 32-yard bomb to Jameson Williams that drew Detroit within 26-21 with 3:06 left. Then the defense joined in, forcing a three-and-out by stuffing two runs and defending a bomb down the field.
**** Because the Lions Defense was on the field close to 40 minutes in game time, I thought that the Onside Kickoff was the better option, though it was subjective enough that I respected the decision to Kickoff, following the Jameson Williams TD/ PAT that followed. I'm glad that Dan Campbell elected to kick off. The Lions Defense came up big in crunch time.****
Goff retook the field in a five-point game, and was sublime. He couldn’t connected with Williams on another deep shot, then completed five of his next six passes to lead Detroit all the way to the 1-yard line. Montgomery chipped in four touches for 44 yards along the way, and then reported back into the game once Detroit was at the goal line.
And the former Bears back -- who left Chicago because he was sick with the losing -- hammered in the go-ahead score in a frenetic Ford Field.
Yes, players are coming to Detroit now when they’re sick of losing.
And these days, they’re winning more often than ever since 1962.
**** Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell have built a tremendous Lions football culture. The tangible results, both on the scoreboard and in attracting Free Agents, is evident.****
Let’s get to some more observations:
-- What happened to you, Jared Goff? He’s been one of the best quarterbacks in the league this season, and one of the best quarterbacks at protecting the football, making the fourth-fewest turnover-worthy plays heading into the weekend. On Sunday, he threw back-to-back picks to open the game, added another in the third quarter and had a fourth dropped that could have gone for six points the other way. This is the first time Goff has thrown multiple picks since Oct. 23 of last year, and the first time he’s thrown three picks since Sept. 29, 2019 while he was still with the Rams. He’s just been so good at tightening up after picks, and had a nice little run of touchdown drives going after picks this season. But the giveaways piled up against Chicago, and were the difference as the Bears pulled ahead 20-14 in the third quarter.
**** There will be plenty of teaching material from the game, not only for Jared Goff. Widespread teaching material. Thankfully, the teaching will be coming after a win. ****
Of course, tip your cap to Goff’s steeliness under pressure in the final minutes. He had played his worst game in years, and still delivered back-to-back touchdown drives in the final minutes to come all the way back for the win. That’s good stuff from one of the league’s best quarterbacks, and make no mistake, he’s the face and voice of that locker room. He’s been through a lot, and went through a lot on Sunday, and persevered through it all.
The leadership of Jared Goff was certainly on display under immense football adversity. ****
-- After Montgomery plowed into the end zone for a 29-26 lead in the final seconds, Aidan Hutchinson sealed the dramatic win by taking down Justin Fields for a sack-strip. The ball bounded through the back of the end zone for good measure, adding two points on the safety.
**** Big time clutch play by Aidan Hutchinson. The Bears still had 29 seconds and 2 timeouts prior to Hutch's impact play! It was the first and only play from scrimmage for the Bears, following a touchback. ****
-- Craig Reynolds also lost a fumble in the third quarter, giving Chicago a second straight possession coming out of the break. The Bears had already scored a field goal to draw within 14-13, and then added a 39-yard touchdown pass to D.J. Moore to extend it to 20-14.
Adding injury to insult, Reynolds suffered an injury on the play and did not return. He’s the No. 3 running back on the team, and a trusted agent for Dan Campbell and Ben Johnson. The Lions are in good shape with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs at running back, but losing Reynolds for any length of time is a blow to the depth at that position, and as the injuries to Montgomery and Gibbs have shown, depth is required at that position. Something to watch, as the Packers loom in just four days on Thanksgiving.
**** It looked like (at least to me) that Craig Reynolds did return on another Bears Kickoff, though the play resulted in a touchback. Hopefully, that's the case.****
-- One guy who didn’t struggle was Brian Branch, who might have played his best game since suffering the ankle injury that sidelined him a couple weeks in the first half of the season. Branch dropped running backs D’Onta Foreman and Khalil Herbert for 6-yard losses apiece, plus Fields for a 2-yard loss. Branch now has three games with three tackles for loss, something no rookie defensive back had done even twice since 1999.
Those third-down penalties were back-breakers though, extending drives that had been stopped, both of which led to points. Branch is one of the best young cornerbacks in the league, but those mistakes have to be cleaned up.
**** Absolutely. Brian Branch had a differential positive performance vs. the run. But the two penalties easily could have cost the Lions the game. ****
-- Shoutout to Jameson Williams, who might have put together his best game as a pass-catcher. That’s not saying much of course, but both of his catches were monsters. With Detroit still trailing in the first half, Williams caught a 12-yard pass over the middle on third down. Goff turned that into a touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown with just 11 seconds left before the break, and what proved to be Detroit’s only lead. But with the Lions trailing 26-14 in the fourth quarter, Williams gave Detroit another shot by getting behind the defense for a 32-yard touchdown. Suddenly, the Lions found themselves in a one-score game despite the turnovers.
****Jameson Williams has been making strides with consistency and concentration. This game was his best yet in those categories as a pass catcher! It's great to see the improvement from Williams. ****
-- Running back Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 36 yards and one touchdown, extending his streak of games with a touchdown run to four. That ties for the longest streak by a Lions rookie ever, matching Kevin Jones (2004) and Barry Sanders (1989). Against his old team, Montgomery finished with 76 yards and the winning score.
**** Both Gibbs and Montgomery were key contributors in what became a Lions comeback win, that looked much less likely than not with around 4 minutes remaining in the 4th QTR.****
-- Rookie offensive lineman Colby Sorsdal started for the injured Jonah Jackson at left guard. His most noteworthy play was a first-down holding penalty that backed Detroit behind the sticks, and led to Goff’s second interception of the day.
**** Until the Bears built a 9 point 4th QTR lead, I thought Colby Sorsdal was playing well, with the exception of the holding penalty on a running play, in which he was clearly beat.
****
-- The Lions’ breakout season has made them a destination for A-list celebrities this season, including legendary rapper Eminem, NBA star Devin Booker and former Fab Fiver Jalen Rose. They added to the roster on Sunday by welcoming NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, former Tigers star Willie Horton, Lions all-time sack leader Robert Porcher, and actor Keegan-Michael Key.
****Devin Booker is a Lions fan. ****
..............
This new thread is a continuation of the following thread:
Lions vs. Bears preview: Game # 10 (2023)
detroit-lions-forum.proboards.com/thread/1943/lions-bears-preview-game-2023?page=1&scrollTo=9343