Even after a rough loss on Sunday, here are three players who get game balls for the Detroit Lions in Week 4.
The Detroit Lions fell to 1-3 this season with a 48-45 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, as their defense got run (and passed) up and down the field by Geno Smith, Rashaad Penny, DK Metcalf and company. Except perhaps for rookie linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (11 tackles; 83.8 PFF grade), no one on the defense is anywhere near consideration for a Week 4 game ball.
If there’s positivity to be taken out of Week 4 for the Lions, it’s the offense putting up 45 points without Amon-Ra St. Brown, D’Andre Swift, DJ Chark and two starting guards. That kind of offensive performance wins the majority of games, and it’s a good mark for all involved in that side of the ball on Sunday.
Game balls could be given out widely some weeks, but any week we do this only three will be given out to maintain the exclusivity and special-ness of it. This week, the game ball candidates can be focused strictly on the Lions’ offense.
So, here are our three SideLion Report game ball recipients for the Detroit Lions in Week 4.
3 Detroit Lions game ball recipients for Week 4
Credit: Nic Antaya/Getty Images
3. QB Jared Goff
Despite being down all the weapons he was, Goff went 26-for-39 for 378 yards with four touchdowns and an interception against the Seahawks. He completed passes to several different pass catchers, but he also relied on his most trusted targets frequently.
Dan Campbell, for some reason, wanted to point out how the pick-six he threw technically accounted for the losing score in a game the Lions’ defense allowed 41 points and 555 yards. But Goff was otherwise very good against the Seahawks, and with the circumstances that were going against him he gets the first game ball here.