Lions 26, LA Rams 20 (OT): Game # 1 ( 2024 )

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Thoughts in ****

'Closer' David Montgomery's clutch finish delivers Detroit Lions' 26-20 victory over Rams


'Closer' David Montgomery's clutch finish delivers Detroit Lions' 26-20 victory over Rams
Portrait of Dave BirkettDave Birkett
Detroit Free Press



David Montgomery is the Detroit Lions’ closer.

Dan Campbell said as much Friday, praising Montgomery’s ability to set a tone to start games and finish out strong when others tire, and the running back delivered on those words Sunday, rushing for 45 of his 91 yards on five carries in overtime as the Lions beat the Los Angeles Rams, 26-20, in the season opener at Ford Field.

Montgomery had a big 21-yard gain on the second play of overtime, after the Lions nearly blew a 17-3 second-half lead only to rally for the game-tying field goal with 17 seconds left, then followed with runs of 9, 9 and 8 yards before plunging into the end zone on a 1-yard run.


Montgomery is sometimes overlooked on a Lions offense loaded with weapons, but he’s as big a reason as any why the team is 1-0 one week into the 2024 season.


**** David Montgomery made a strong case for being the Lions best player on either side of the ball in this game. Jahmyr Gibbs also had a strong to very strong performance. The Lions RB duo was a differential factor in the Lions comeback OT win over the LA Rams. Both deserve game balls.

The Lions Offensive Line stepped up in crunch time, with the run blocking in the OT being one of the best OT running blocking performances in NFL history. Penei Sewell and Frank Ragnow showed in OT the run blocking skills that heavily contributed to them being the highest ranking T and C respectively by PFT last season. To Ragnow's credit, he overcame a very costly at the time False Start on a 2nd and 3 situation when the Lions were in FG range. On the 2nd and 8 play that followed, Rams S Johnnie Johnson made a great play in coming down with an interception on a Jared Goff pass intended to Amon-Ra St. Brown over the middle. ****

Jameson Williams comes up big
Everyone in the Lions organization sang Jameson Williams’ praise this offseason, and the third-year receiver had maybe the best game of his career Sunday.

Williams caught five passes for 121 yards and scored on a 52-yard touchdown in the third quarter and was a catalyst for just about everything good the Lions did offensively.

With the Rams determined to take Amon-Ra St. Brown (three catches, 13 yards) out of the game, Williams emerged as Goff’s favorite target. He helped the Lions take a 10-3 lead in the first half with a 36-yard catch on an over route, when he ran away from safety Quentin Lake, and had a 13-yard gain on an end-around later in the series.


Williams scored on a double move, faking a hitch and drawing a pass interference penalty as he blew by cornerback Tre’Davious White. He won’t have 100 yards every week, but his speed is a nuclear weapon.

**** Jameson Williams definitely had a strong performance, including as a blocker. The only mistake Williams made that jumped out is on the Lions Final Drive in OT was on 2nd and 10, Williams should have run downfield after securing a pass, instead of trying to make something happen towards the sideline. That was the difference between at least 2nd and 3 (probably another yard), compared to 3rd and 5. The good news is Williams can learn from the mistake following a win in which he was an enormous factor in the win. ****


Hands off
First-round pick Terrion Arnold was flagged twice for pass interference penalties in the second half, both near the goal line to keep alive Rams scoring drives.

Neither of Arnold’s penalties were egregious. He grabbed Cooper Kupp by the shoulder pads on the first, and made contact in the end zone with Demarcus Robinson early on the second. But Arnold was known as a handsy player in college and will have to learn when and where he can get away with extra contact in the pros.

**** Overall, a good performance by Terrion Arnold in coverage, though he needs to adapt to the NFL rules/ how NFL games are normally called by officials. ****

I thought the Lions’ new-look secondary played well overall Sunday, though Brian Branch and Carlton Davis III dropped interceptions in addition to Arnold’s penalties. Branch and Davis had pass breakups four plays apart midway through the second quarter, with Davis’ stop coming on fourth-and-3 to force a turnover on downs, and Kerby Joseph had an interception in the end zone.

Clearly, the Lions’ offseason additions were the upgrade they hoped for their secondary.

**** The Secondary was definitely improved from last season. However, in addition to the dropped interceptions mentioned, Brian Branch missed two tackles, which isn't the norm for him. Carlton Davis also missed a tackle on a 2nd and 12 play, on a great move by Rams WR Tyler Johnson, which ended up in a 63 yard gain. That set up the Rams FG that cut the Lions lead to 17-13.

Regarding LB coverage, it looked like (I'm not certain by any means) that Jack Campbell was out of position on two Rams receptions. ****

Hutchinson comes up big

Aidan Hutchinson is going to have a monster year.

Hutchinson had five tackles, four quarterback hits and a sack on the final play of regulation Sunday, and that stat line doesn’t come close to describing all that he meant to the Lions defense.

Hutchinson also drew two holding penalties when the Lions held the Rams to a field goal after L.A. reached the Detroit 1-yard line early in the fourth quarter. His ability to get consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks is something only a few pass rushers — T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett, Micah Parsons and Maxx Crosby — in the NFL can match.

The third-year defensive end did have a roughing-the-passer penalty, but he could have easily had three sacks if not for one of the holding penalties and letting Matthew Stafford slip out of his hands another time.

**** Aidan Hutchinson had a great game, minus the Roughing the Passer penalty. That penalty came on the Rams final drive in the 2nd QTR. Fortunately, Kerby Joseph came down with an interception in the Lions end zone, which prevented the Rams from getting at least a FG at the end of the 2nd QTR. Rams RT warren McClendon Jr., who started in place of Rob Havenstein, got away with a Tripping penalty against Hutch, in the 4th QTR.

As dominant as Hutch was, it definitely should be kept in mind that the Rams were playing with a depleted Offensive Line. That much more from the late 2nd QTR on. A.J. Arcuri, who was elevated from the Rams P.S. on Saturday for the game, came in for an injured Joe Noteboom at LT. Noteboom was starting because of the 2 game NFL suspension of Alaric Jackson. LG Steve Avila was injured late in the 2nd QTR and didn't come back in the game. That resulted in the Rams moving former Lion Jonah Jackson from C to LG, the position he played for the Lions the vast majority of time. That resulted in rookie 6th Round Pick Beaux Limmer, who like Frank Ragnow played his college ball with Arkansas, coming into the game at Center. The Rams Offensive Line was depleted but they came back from 17-3 to take a 20-17 lead. The Lions came close to letting a game that should NOT have even been close with the Rams Offensive Line being depleted, get away. To the Lions credit, the team displayed enough resolve to get the ball back, tie the game on a Jake Bates 32 yard FG, prevent Matthew Stafford from helping get the Rams into game winning FG range, and then driving in OT for the game winning TD in OT. Yet, as much as the Rams deserve praise for their comeback from 14 down to take the lead, the Lions players and coaches need to learn from and correct their mistakes that resulted in the Rams taking the lead. ****

Dave Birkett is the author of the new book, "Detroit Lions: An Illustrated Timeline." Preorder it now from Reedy Press.

Contact him at [e-mail]. Follow him on X and Instagram at @davebirkett.


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This new thread is a continuation of the following thread:

Lions vs. LA Rams preview: Game # 1 (2024)

detroit-lions-forum.proboards.com/thread/2244/lions-rams-preview-game-2024

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Matthew Stafford was not amused by the 'Jared Goff' chants

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Matthew Stafford played a heck of a game for the LA Rams, even when factoring in the interception by Kerby Joseph late in the 2nd QTR and what should have been an interception by Carlton Davis on the first of 2 Rams Offensive plays on the final possession in regulation time. Stafford made some throws under pressure, including after he eluded pressure, that not many QBs in NFL history would have made resulting in completions. Stafford, along with WR Cooper Kupp, and the Rams Defense, are the primary reasons the Rams came back from 17-3 to take a 20-17 lead. With Stafford then making probably his most difficult completion of the game (to WR Demarcus Robinson) on the 3rd Down and 5 situation on the first set of downs of the Rams 2nd to last possession. Stafford was under siege by DEs Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport on the play, yet still somehow threw an accurate pass in an awkward position. Stafford gives the Rams a legitimate chance to be a Super Bowl contender. Stafford's reaction to the questions (mentioned in the article) he was asked after a very difficult OT loss for his Rams team is more than understandable.

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Inside the locker room: Lions kicker answers call in first high-pressure chance

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There's no such thing as an automatic Kick (FG or PAT). Jake Bates handled the pressure of each of his kicks very well. His overall attitude and approach is great and certainly appreciated on this end.

I believe Sean McVay is a top 5 NFL HC. LA Rams new Defensive Coordinator Chris Shula did a great job in helping keep the Rams in the game.

Jared Goff did just enough to help the Lions come away with an OT win. He was fortunate that Rams CB Cobie Durant didn't come down with a 3rd Down interception on a 4th QTR pass intended to Jameson Williams. This after the interception he threw on the Lions previous drive that I mentioned in the initial post of this thread.

David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs did a great job in moving the chains with power and determination. Gibbs' rushing decision seemed much better in this game than many of his rushing decisions in his rookie season. The Montgomery / Gibbs duo is at the very least in the conversation of which is the pair RB duo in the NFL.

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Studs and Duds from the Lions victory over the Rams

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While Brian Branch had the opportunity to tackle Tyler Johnson on the reception that ended up as a 63 yard gain, Carlton Davis was covering Johnson in man-to-man coverage. The reverse pivot move after the catch that Johnson put on Davis was the primary reason for the long gain.

Dan Campbell gave out two game balls. One to David Montgomery. The other to Alex Anzalone. This speaks volumes of the performance of both players. Anzalone set the tone for the Lions Defense on the first play from scrimmage with a tackle of RB Kyren Williams in the backfield on a completed pass from Matthew Stafford.

There were plenty of positives with Terrion Arnold in coverage, even when especially factoring in the two Pass Interference penalties.

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Best and worst PFF grades for Lions in Week 1 vs. Rams

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Regarding the PFF grades mentioned in the article:

I'm surprised Graham Glasgow graded as high as the low 80s and that Frank Ragnow graded as low as the low 70s. I thought Ragnow had the better all around game.

I'm surprised that Jared Goff graded as low as the low 40s and Parker Hesse graded as low as the upper 40s.

Derrick Barnes graded around 10 points higher than I expected. Barnes' play seemed solid or a little better but not quite as high as the upper 70s.

One positive is no Lions defender with enough snaps to qualify had a lower than a 54.0 grade. That's not the norm for any NFL unit.

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Rams-Lions drew 22.7 million viewers on Sunday Night Football

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The Lions continue to get high TV Ratings. The Lions-LA Rams rematch matchup, with it being a close game that ended up with the Lions winning in OT, are also major factors to why last night's SNF opener had a high TV rating.

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Rams set mark for pre-snap motion in Week 1 loss to the Lions

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The version of Cooper Kupp from the 2021 LA Rams Super Bowl winning season was on display in Detroit this past Sunday Night. This was quite a challenge for the Lions Defense. That much more with the Lions Defense not playing together as a unit in a game, prior to this game. While it will be difficult for most teams to duplicate the combo that Sean McVay, Matthew Stafford, and Cooper Kupp bring to the table, there are definitely learning/ teaching points for the Lions Defense from the Motion and overall Offensive Strategies the Rams used.

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Detroit Lions grades vs. LA Rams: David Montgomery, defensive line earn high marks

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Graham Glasgow had one of the Lions 2 False Starts, with Frank Ragnow having the other.

I would lower the Lions QB grade to a B- at most.

I would lower the Lions DB grade to a B-.

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Lions vs. Rams snap counts: Detroit makes surprising choices at LB, CB

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The RB snap numbers don't add up. I can't imagine the Lions having 9 snaps in which the Lions didn't have a RB in the game.

Jack Campbell is a work in progress, especially against the pass.

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NFL Snap Count Summary by Team

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The Lions having 61 snaps on Offense, not 70, is the correction from the previous article.