The Detroit Lions are 9-3 after getting back in the win column with a 33-28 win in New Orleans over the host Saints. The path to the win was equal parts exhilaration and intense anxiety.
The Lions surged out to a 21-0 lead midway through the first quarter. The early success proved too easy, unfortunately. New Orleans was the better team the rest of the way, but Detroit’s early margin proved just enough to hold on for the important road win.
Here’s what stood out from watching Sunday’s game in real-time.
What a brilliant start!
The first 10 minutes of the game were a cathartic celebration of the best football the Detroit Lions can play. Coming on the heels of the underwhelming loss on Thanksgiving, Detroit needed to come out and make a statement, and they did just that.
Detroit marched down the field for an easy touchdown. They covered 70 yards in seven plays, six of them runs. On the Saints’ first pass, QB Derek Carr threw it to Lions safety Brian Branch after a deflection by LB Jack Campbell. Three plays later, it was 14-0 Detroit. Three more plays for each team, and it was 21-0.
New Orleans gained minus-6 yards on their first three drives. Yeah, negative yardage. The Lions defense was aggressive and disciplined, not to mention effective. The offense posted 156 yards with an almost even run/pass split.
It didn’t last, but the buzz from that glorious start was amazing.
Bad day for Ben Johnson
The Lions offensive coordinator has earned all kinds of praise for his aggressive, innovative scheming and play-calling. It’s put him in line as one of the leading head coach candidates this coming offseason. But Johnson won’t want to put this game call on his resume.
To make it brief: Johnson got away from what was working early. He got away from the attributes that make him a brilliant young mind. He took his foot off the gas and left the car in neutral for far too long.
Dan Campbell talks all the time about complementary football — the need for the offense and defense to help one another. Johnson letting the offense idle with predictable, conservative play-calling for far too long negatively impacted the Lions struggling defense (more on them below). Losing center Frank Ragnow hurt, no doubt. But where was the power run game and smashmouth blocking? Where was the play-action? Where was getting the ball to the playmakers (aside from Sam Laporta) in space? You know, the hallmarks of the Lions explosive offense…Hint: they weren’t in Johnson’s game script.
When Johnson did step on the gas, his offense ran over the Saints. The end-around TD to Jameson Williams was a brilliant call. A play-action pass to Sam LaPorta (unstoppable in this one) was a great call. Too few and far between for the normally excellent Johnson and it darn near cost his team a win.
Defense remains tough to stomach
It’s been a rough few weeks for the Detroit defense. That unfortunate trend continued in New Orleans against a Saints offense that itself had been struggling of late.
Once the Saints caught their breath after the early onslaught, Derek Carr and Alvin Kamara found success a little too easily. Their two third-quarter drives, both resulting in touchdowns, were an unsavory mix of effective play-calling by the Saints and some really poor execution by the Lions that bled into the fourth quarter, too.
There were missed coverage assignments, like two LBs both covering the same receiver or a very late safety rotation on a deep throw to Chris Olave where CB Jerry Jacobs was beaten and never located a ball he could have made a play on. There was a dumb penalty by Bruce Irvin for driving Carr into the turf on a 3rd-and-long that resulted in an eventual touchdown. There were missed tackle opportunities that likely won’t be credited as missed tackles because the Detroit defender was beaten so badly that he didn’t touch the ball carrier. There was even bad luck, like when Branch tipped a pass that wound up being caught for a big Saints gain.
The defense did step up on two of the final three drives. Tracy Walker pounced on a fumbled snap, a critical turnover that led to the Jameson Williams touchdown. On the Saints final drive, a good blitz call pressured Jameis Winston (in for an injured Carr) into an inaccurate throw on fourth-and-long. It made for ra very anxious but ultimately satisfying victory.
Top 3 stars of the game
3rd star: DB Brian Branch – seven tackles, one INT
2nd star: RB David Montgomery – 18 carries for 56 yards and a touchdown
1st star: TE Sam LaPorta with a truly monster game:
Quick hits
–I thought rookie LB Jack Campbell had his best game of the year. Wasn’t perfect by any means, but playing more MIKE sure seemed to fit his skills well. He wore the green dot capably.
–Jahmyr Gibbs getting one target in the passing game against a Saints defense playing without regulars at LB is a glaring misstep.
–Jameson Williams needed the ball more in this one, too. One target–which he caught despite being held on the catch–and the end around weren’t enough Jamo against a slow Saints defense.
–If the Lions are going to continue to have CB Jerry Jacobs play outside technique in man coverage, they’re going to have to get better safety play. Jacobs is struggling badly of late. He’s also getting let down by his schemed help in those situations way too often.
–Penei Sewell gave up a sack and (for him) struggled for the second straight game in pass protection. Sewell is still outstanding, but he’s not been anywhere close to his best since about halftime of the Week 11 game against Chicago.
–Jared Goff when not throwing to Sam LaPorta: 7-of-16, 73 yards, one TD
–The Lions completed their sweep of the NFC South, a division that could very well have no teams finish with a winning record.