Here are four observations after having a night to ponder the Detroit Lions’ 19-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
First down
Before the game-winning field goal, and before the potentially missed delay-of-game infraction, the Lions were in prime position to finish off the Ravens after a pair of sacks had them facing a seemingly insurmountable fourth-and-19.
On first down, the Lions had rushed four and kept a linebacker as a spy to protect against the lethal running ability of quarterback Lamar Jackson. That netted a sack for edge rusher Charles Harris. On second down, the defense brought pressure with four again as Jackson threw into triple coverage, leading to an incompletion. And on third down, the Lions loaded up at the line, feigning a blitz, before once again reverting to a four-man pass rush with the insurance of a spy in case Jackson tried to scramble, resulting in a second sack.
But ahead of fourth down, the Lions called a timeout and came back with a three-man rush and prevent coverage. That pass rush, fighting against six Ravens blockers, generated zero pressure on Jackson, allowing him to sit comfortably in the pocket and progress through his reads before he ultimately found receiver Sammy Watkins for a 36-yard gain between the second and third layers of Detroit’s deep zone.
After the game, Jackson expressed surprise and appreciation for Detroit’s decisions to call timeout and rush three. He noted the break in action allowed his tired linemen to catch their breath while giving the coaching staff time to switch to a different, better play call.
“I think I got sacked every play on the drive,” Jackson said. “I’m like, ‘Dang, I’m trying to buy time.’ They went three-down, gave us a lot of time.”
Lions coach Dan Campbell wasn’t asked about the timeout, but defended the defensive call after the game, saying the execution didn’t live up to the play’s design.
Regardless, it brought to mind other plays from recent memory. Against the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019, the Lions had the opposition in a similar situation, facing fourth-and-8 with the game on the line. And just like they did to Jackson, the Lions rushed three, only to see quarterback Patrick Mahomes take advantage by scrambling up the gut for the first down.
Five plays later, the Chiefs were in the end zone, scoring a game-winning touchdown.
And in 2015, the Lions made the inexplicable decision to have two defenders protect the sideline 45 yards away from the goal line on Aaron Rodgers’ Hail Mary pass that gave the Packers a stunning 27-23 victory on primetime television.
Football is a game that lends itself to second-guessing, particularly when a coaching staff departs from a strategy that is working and it leads to a catastrophic failure. This isn’t noted to let the officiating off the hook, or to take away from the improbability of Justin Tucker’s remarkable kick, but the Lions had a chance to end the game definitively, yet made a decision that allowed one of the league’s greatest playmakers to sit back, unpressured, and make a throw to beat them.
Sure, the execution could have been better, but the call could have been better, too.
Second down
This is the type of heartbreaking loss that will be an early litmus test of the roster’s character under Campbell’s leadership. Through three games, the Lions largely have been outclassed by their opposition, but netted merited praise for their fight.
In the opener, the Lions fell behind 28 points to the 49ers, but had a shot in the closing seconds to tie the game. Against the Packers in Week 2, as double-digit underdogs, the Lions came out swinging before turnovers derailed their chances down the stretch. Then in Sunday’s game vs. the Ravens, it was the defense exceeding expectations much of the contest, allowing the offense to get in gear to erase a 13-point comeback after a sluggish start.
It hasn’t led to a win, but that competitive spirit is something this team can hang its hat on in the early stages of its rebuild.
But the way the Lions lost this one, it’s the kind of back-breaking defeat that has the potential to linger. A good comparison would be the primetime loss to Green Bay in 2019, when defensive end Trey Flowers was called for a pair of questionable hands to the face penalties on what ended up being a game-winning drive for the Packers.
You can safely point to that game as the beginning of the end, not just for that season, but Matt Patricia’s tenure as Detroit’s coach.
Unlike his predecessor, Campbell projects a different energy in the locker room and on the practice field. While many coaches talk about moving on to the next one, he lives it. His comments from a week earlier, after the loss to Green Bay, continue to ring true.
“I’m not a sulker,” Campbell said. “You’re not going to get me down. And those are the types of people I want around me. I want guys who are looking for solutions. You know, we’re going to fix our mess because we put ourselves in this mess. That’s what I’m looking for. I think we’re going to be just fine. We’re going to be upbeat. And you know what? It should sting. I hope it does sting. It stings me. And that’s OK. But that doesn’t mean you have to be negative or kick the dirt or anything else. And I don’t want those types of guys around here.”
The Lions have a real opportunity to get their first win of the season, and first under Campbell, next week in Chicago. Whether they manage to pull it off, the energy they bring into that game has the potential to be tone-setting for Campbell’s tenure with the franchise.
Third down
Looking ahead to next week’s Chicago game, the Lions should be excited about the opportunity to face Bears rookie quarterback Justin Fields after his less-than-ideal first start. In a 26-6 thumping at the hand of the Cleveland Browns, he completed just six passes while eating nine sacks.
Chicago’s 47 yards of offense is stunning, regardless of the circumstances. And while Fields — a first-round pick the Lions passed on in favor of taking offensive tackle Penei Sewell — could still end up being a fine NFL starter, the Lions are catching him at the right time, when his offensive line is struggling and he isn’t close to figuring things out.
After running a gauntlet of brilliant offensive play-callers and a pair of former MVP quarterbacks, the Lions are deserving of catching a break.
Fourth down
Injuries are the worst part about football, but also a reality. It’s a brutal game. But injuries also bring opportunity, and with Flowers sidelined by knee and shoulder issues, the Lions had a chance to get some of their younger pass rushers extended playing time.
Coming into the game, Julian Okwara and Austin Bryant had combined for five snaps. Against the Ravens, they saw 23. Sure, not an overwhelming workload, but both flashed potential that commands increased looks in the future.
Okwara, in particular, maximized his reps, generating pressure on the quarterback four times on nine pass-rush opportunities. Meanwhile, Bryant pressured Jackson twice on the same number of rushes, including the first sack of his three-year career.
Charles Harris, who got the start in place of Flowers and saw a 45 snaps, also had a nice day with six pressures and the aforementioned sack on the Ravens’ final possession.
The Lions started the season with Flowers playing nearly 90% of the defensive snaps in the opener against San Francisco, but even after he’s cleared to return to the lineup, perhaps it’s time to reduce the captain’s workload in favor of getting Okwara, Bryant and Harris more involved. This is especially worthy of consideration when you realize there’s a good chance the Lions move on from Flowers at season’s end, with more than $10 million in cap savings hinging on that decision.
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers