Grades: Lions Take Over Lambeau Field
The Detroit Lions went into Lambeau Field and slayed the metaphorical dragon.
Spurned by a superb effort from several young players, the Lions stayed in the fight against the Green Bay Packers to land the knockout blow at the end. Though Dan Campbell’s team was eliminated from the playoffs by the Seattle Seahawks’ victory, it ensured its hated NFC North rivals would not take the NFC’s final postseason seed.
It’s the first time the Lions have finished a season with a winning record since 2017.
Here are the grades for each positional group, based on the performance of each group in the Lions’ 20-16 win.
Quarterback: B-
Jared Goff didn’t have his best stuff Sunday night, as he struggled with inaccuracy and underthrows. Still, he finished 23-of-34 for 224 yards.
He failed to lead DJ Chark on a third-down pass early in the second half, and misfired on a throw to Amon-Ra St. Brown in the opening quarter, with both having the potential to result in first downs.
There were positive moment from the signal-caller, though, too. He hit on a deep ball to Jameson Williams -- which was called back due to holding -- and made a superb throw, rolling left across his body, to wideout Kalif Raymond in the third quarter.
However, the signal-caller remained poised and confident in the clutch. On the team’s go-ahead drive, he completed all five of his passes, including a fourth-down conversion throw to DJ Chark.
Running backs: B+
Jamaal Williams etched his name into the record books, breaking Barry Sanders’ franchise record for rushing touchdowns in a season. The sixth-year back scored his 16th rushing score of the year in the third quarter, and then the record-breaker to give his team the lead with under 6:00 to play.
Williams was the team’s leading rusher with 72 yards, but D’Andre Swift contributed both on the ground and through the air.
The young back delivered 25 yards rushing, and added 61 yards receiving on seven catches. He converted two first downs on Detroit’s go-ahead scoring drive, including an 11-yard run on a first down to move the team further into the red zone.
Swift also was on the receiving end of a lateral, on a well-executed hook-and-ladder play.
Justin Jackson added just one carry for two yards.
Wide receivers: B
St. Brown and Chark delivered in the clutch, as both made impactful plays when Detroit needed them most.
St. Brown, who finished with 49 yards on six catches, made an incredible tumbling catch in the fourth quarter that he secured between his legs. After preventing the ball from hitting the ground, he transferred the ball into his hands.
Chark, meanwhile, made two clutch fourth-down conversions, one each on the Lions’ final two drives. He finished with just 14 yards, but had the game-winning catch on fourth-and-2.
Kalif Raymond was the team’s leading receiver, catching four passes for 66 yards. He had a critical, over-the-shoulder grab in the third quarter that brought the offense to the 1-yard line, with Williams scoring the very next play.
Jeff Hanisch, USA TODAY Sports
Rookie Jameson Williams looked to make an impact and had a touchdown negated, as he burned the Packers' defense on a flea-flicker play that was called back due to holding.
Tight ends: B-
James Mitchell was the only tight end to record a catch, notching seven yards on the play. However, he was called for holding, too.
Shane Zylstra and Brock Wright were not involved in the passing game, but both were key as blockers. Zylstra, in particular, was key, as he pulled across the formation to clear a running lane for Jamaal Williams’ game-winning touchdown run.
Offensive line: B
Detroit’s offensive line helped control the line of scrimmage throughout Sunday’s matchup. Goff was kept on his feet for most of the night, getting sacked just one time.
Matt Nelson was called for a key penalty, as his holding penalty prevented the Lions from striking with a flea-flicker pass to Jameson Williams. However, the effort was sound for most of the evening.
Penei Sewell asserted his dominance up front, while Jonah Jackson helped set the tone on the interior, including key blocks on both touchdown runs. Dan Skipper and Nelson both played plenty of snaps as extra linemen.
Defensive line: B+
In the final game of his rookie season, Aidan Hutchinson shined. In front of a national audience, the Michigan product notched two sacks of veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Fellow defensive end John Cominsky put constant pressure on the signal-caller, and finished with four tackles and a forced fumble. He was whistled for a hands-to-the-face penalty, though, that negated a Kerby Joseph interception.
Isaiah Buggs finished with seven tackles against the Packers’ rushing attack, helping to neutralize the impact of Green Bay running backs Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon.
Alim McNeill recorded one tackle, but made an impact play in the second quarter. He prevented Packers tight end Robert Tonyan from falling on a fumble, which wound up being recovered by the Lions.
Rookie defensive end James Houston was held without a sack for the first time in his career, as he struggled to make an impact. He had just one tackle and twice over-pursued, as the Packers targeted his aggressiveness in their gameplan.
Linebackers: A-
Alex Anzalone and Malcom Rodriguez put forth solid efforts. Anzalone, a veteran leader, finished with a team-high eight tackles, including one for loss.
Rodriguez, meanwhile, finished with four tackles. The duo was impeccable in its run-stopping efforts. It prevented Dillon and Jones from getting loose. The longest run in the contest was 17 yards, but the backs were held in check for most of the night.
Secondary: B-
The Lions struggled early to get their bearings against Rodgers, as his veteran savvy caused problems for the back-half of the defense. Both Jerry Jacobs and Amani Oruwariye were flagged for pass interference.
Joseph, however, became a star late. He picked off Rodgers in the third quarter, but the play was negated due to a penalty. He got another chance, though, as he snatched Rodgers’ final pass of the night. The Lions would never give the ball back to Green Bay.
Mike Hughes, who got the start in the absence of Jeff Okudah, finished with seven tackles. DeShon Elliott added five in his return from injury. Will Harris, meanwhile, recovered a fumble.
Special teams: C
Jack Fox was asked to punt four times, totaling 157 yards, with a long of 58. Michael Badgley finished two-of-three on field goals, missing a 46-yarder wide left.
Jackson and Zylstra split kick return duties, with each returning two. There were no punt return attempts.
Coaching: A
It was an exquisite effort from Detroit’s coaching staff, which grew with its team throughout the season. Campbell showed he’s shaken off the decision-making woes that plagued him early in the year, remaining composed and calling all the right shots.
Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson flashed his creativity throughout the night, with the flea-flicker that would’ve gone for a touchdown and the hook-and-ladder serving as prime examples. His running schemes were also solid, as the Lions found ways to gain tough yards.
Detroit defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn also had a good night, scheming up good stunts to put pressure on Rodgers. There were struggles in the secondary, but the pressure created by the interior helped to offset the struggles.
This young Lions team has the makings of something special in the future. With Campbell and company at the helm, the unit grew together.
Sunday’s game was the feather in the cap, with the team making the right moves in crunch time in a place that has haunted the organization for decades.
Campbell has molded this team in his image. It finished the 2022 season fearless, plus as winners of eight of their last 10 games. The ending to this season will only create more optimism for future seasons.
