Post by D6 on Nov 17, 2024 23:42:55 GMT -5
Thoughts in ****
Observations: Detroit Lions stomp Jaguars with record offensive showing
Observations: Detroit Lions stomp Jaguars with record offensive showing
Updated: Nov. 17, 2024, 10:36 p.m.|Published: Nov. 17, 2024, 4:00 p.m.
By Benjamin Raven | braven@mlive.com
DETROIT -- Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions didn’t need any late-game heroics this week. Detroit rolled all over the Jacksonville Jaguars, winning 52-6 back at Ford Field for the first time in a couple of weeks.
After falling into a 3-0 hole via a 59-yard field goal on Jacksonville’s first drive, the Lions put together four straight touchdown drives in the first half. Goff and the offense ended up scoring touchdowns on all seven drives the first-team group touched the ball.
****A huge key to this being a rout was the Lions didn't let up on the Jaguars, in essence not opening the door for them to have the confidence and the will to make this a competitive game even before the middle of the 3rd QTR. ****
It’s the first time an offense has scored seven touchdowns on their first seven drives since the 2007 New England Patriots did so against the Buffalo Bills. Detroit also finished with a franchise record 645 yards.
**** Historic performance by the Lions Offense! This was amongst the most dominant Offensive performances I've seen in the NFL. The Lions were on the other side of a performance like this when the Saints beat the Lions 42-7 in Game # 15 of the 2008 season, the season the Lions went 0-16. The job that Brad Holmes, Dan Campbell, their staffs, and the Lions players have done has been extraordinary, that much more when considering the Lions were 1-6 to begin the 2022 season and were in horrible shape as a franchise as recently as the 2020 season. ****
Goff was back to his ultra-efficient ways after tossing five interceptions in last week’s win over the Houston Texans. Goff finished 24 of 29 passing for 412 yards, four touchdowns and a perfect quarterback rating (158.3).
**** Jared Goff certainly warrants consideration for NFC Offensive Player of the Week. He's not the only one on the Lions Offense that warrants consideration for NFC Offensive Player of the Week. ****
Those 412 passing yards are the most by Goff during his time in Detroit. For the Lions, it’s their highest-scoring six-game stretch in team history, with 232 points in that span.
**** That's more than 38 points per game in this 6 game stretch! The Lions scored 42 points vs. Seattle, which was right before the 6 game stretch! ****
Goff had things clicking at the highest levels with receivers Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown. Williams had four catches for 124 yards and one touchdown. St. Brown caught all 11 targets sent his way for 161 yards and two scores.
****Amon-Ra St. Brown looked like a 1st Team All-Pro in this game. It's an award he won last season. Jameson Williams wasn't quite as consistent as ARSB in this game but he certainly was impactful and played at a winning level. ****
The Lions are 9-1, their best start to a season since the 1934 team opened 10-0. For what it’s worth, 1934 was the first season they were known as the “Detroit Lions.”
**** The 1934 season didn't end well for the Lions, as the team lost the last 3 games, including 2 to the Bears, which won the Division Title. The Lions certainly have the potential for the 2024 season to end better. ****
The eight-game winning streak is the franchise’s longest of the Super Bowl era.
**** I've never experienced an 8 game Lions stretch as good as this one! ****
Here are some observations from the game:
-- Za’Darius Smith was in the starting lineup for his Lions debut. Smith set the tone with an electric pre-game introduction, getting the loudest roar of approval from the Ford Field crowd. The veteran pass rusher doused himself with blue Kool-Aid on his way out of the tunnel. Smith finished with a bang, grabbing his first sack with the team to force a late turnover on downs.
**** For much of the game, it looked like Za'Darius Smith was trying to adapt to the Lions Defense. He wasn't making his presence felt much. It was going to see Smith make a couple of impact plays as the game went on, including the sack. He should improve with more practice time and game snaps in the Lions Defense. ****
-- No Sam LaPorta, no problem. Shane Zylstra opened the game with a 22-yard catch on the first play from scrimmage. Fellow tight end Brock Wright added a touchdown in the third quarter, putting the game well out of reach.
**** Shane Zylstra's 22 yard reception was huge, as it came right after the Jaguars went up 3-0. It was the first step in the Lions taking apart the Jaguars Defense in many different ways. ****
-- St. Brown remains as dependable as they come. The receiver extended his franchise record, securing a touchdown grab in eight straight games. He went into the half with seven catches on seven targets for 81 yards and the score, finishing by securing all 11 balls sent his way for 161 yards and two scores.
****Amon-Ra St. Brown put on a clinic as a WR, including as a blocker!****
-- David Montgomery enjoyed his fifth-straight game with a rushing touchdown at Ford Field. That matches legendary running back Billy Sims’ record set back in 1981.
****David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs were terrific! Great effort by both! ****
Sunday’s win also represented the ninth time both Jahmyr Gibbs and Montgomery scored in the same game. That’s a franchise record for a Lions running back duo. Each back rushed for at least eight scores apiece in back-to-back seasons. That makes them the first duo to do that since Paul Hornung and Jim Taylor did it for the Green Bay Packers in 1960-61.
**** This is one of the best pair of RBs on a team in NFL history! As well as the Lions Offensive Line run blocked, Montgomery and Gibbs got many additional yards with their efforts and skills.****
Montgomery and Gibbs finished with a combined 218 total yards and three touchdowns against the Jaguars. Gibbs has also hit a 15-plus yard rush in nine straight games, the longest streak since Barry Sanders in 1997.
****Jahmyr Gibbs is probably the best big play RB in the NFL this season. ****
-- But wait, there’s more Gibbs, Montgomery and St. Brown have scored touchdowns in the same game for the eighth time since joining forces. That’s the most for a trio in NFL history, which is not too bad for this being only their second season together.
**** There's still 7 games remaining in the 2024 regular season! ****
-- Alex Anzalone exited with a forearm injury in the first half. He finished with five tackles, including one for loss. Jack Campbell, Ben Niemann and Malcolm Rodriguez, along with Trevor Nowaske, picked up the slack in the captain’s absence.
****The injury to Alex Anzalone, which is expected to sideline him 6 to 8 weeks, clouds the tremendous Lions win over the Jaguars. Major concern moving forward. Ezekiel Turner, who was signed to the Lions 53 man roster on Saturday, also had LB snaps. I expect him to remain on the 53 man roster, now that Anzalone is almost certainly going to be placed on IR. ****
-- Kerby Joseph grabbed his seventh interception of the season. The Jaguars were driving in the third quarter, and Joseph managed to keep them out of the end zone with the pick of Mac Jones. The defense hasn’t allowed a touchdown in six straight quarters; Aaron Glenn’s group is hitting another level.
****Kerby Joseph also had a strong game against the run. He's playing at a high level and certainly is having a Pro Bowl caliber season. Tremendous ball skills! ****
-- The Lions entered this game favored by more than 13 points. That spread represented the first time the franchise had been favored by that wide of a margin since 1995.
****The spread was warranted. It seemed high but the Lions played like the spread should have been MUCH higher than 13 to 14 points! ****
..........
This new thread is a continuation of the following thread:
Lions vs. Jaguars preview: Game # 10 (2024)
detroit-lions-forum.proboards.com/thread/2312/lions-jaguars-preview-game-2024