Grades: Turnovers, Poor Coaching, Defensive Woes Topple Lions
The Detroit Lions' offense hummed with efficiency for most of Sunday's game against Seattle.
The defense, meanwhile, struggled to get off the field. The result was a frustrating 37-31 loss in overtime, one that saw the offense sidelined for the duration of the overtime period.
Here are grades for each position group based on performance in Sunday's game:
Quarterbacks: B+
Goff entered the game 43 passes shy of an NFL record for attempts without an interception. He didn't get there, coming up short with an interception that was returned for a touchdown by Tre Brown in the fourth quarter.
That was the lone blemish on the day for Goff. He was otherwise solid, finishing with a passer rating of 121.8 and three touchdowns.
The veteran passer displayed strong confidence in Josh Reynolds, who had another solid performance working all over the field for the offense. The two connected for two touchdowns.
Interception aside, it was a good day for Detroit's signal-caller. He was poised in the clutch, leading the team down to tie the game on Riley Patterson's field goal.
Running backs: B-
David Montgomery had a strong afternoon that, like Goff, was impeded by a turnover. On the first play of the second half, he lost a fumble in Detroit's territory that led to the game-tying touchdown.
He bounced back with a strong effort and the eventual go-ahead touchdown, only to suffer what has been diagnosed as a thigh bruise. More will be known about his status in the coming days.
Rookie Jahmyr Gibbs had an up-and-down game. He showed off his ability as a receiver once again, but had a costly drop right before the half that halted the Lions' offensive momentum.
He also will bear some of the blame on Goff's pick-six, as Campbell said the miscue had more to do with the route run than the throw.
Gibbs finished with just 17 rushing yards on seven carries, while Montgomery had 67 yards on 17 touches. When the veteran was sidelined, Craig Reynolds stepped in and provided three carries for seven yards.
Wide receivers: B
Amon-Ra St. Brown and Josh Reynolds provided another valiant effort. Together, the duo combined for 11 catches. St. Brown had a game-high 102 yards, while Reynolds had 66 yards and two touchdowns.
St. Brown fumbled on the final play of the first half while running up the sideline. It was an inconsequential play as the snap came with one second left, but it was one of the team's three turnovers on the day.
Kalif Raymond also notched his first receiving touchdown since 2021 when he caught a 36-yard flea-flicker pass from Goff in the second quarter. There were very little issues from a receiving perspective.
However, Josh Reynolds was called for a questionable offensive pass interference that negated a screen pass to Montgomery that went for a score.
Injuries kept St. Brown off the field for key points during the fourth quarter, but Reynolds stepped up to answer the bell each time. Antoine Green also made his NFL debut and caught one pass for two yards before leaving with an injury.
Tight ends: C+
Blocking was an issue for this position group early in the game. Both Brock Wright and Sam LaPorta were beat on their assignments in the first half, leading to negative plays.
Yet, LaPorta bounced back with a nice block on Montgomery's touchdown run and became a key part of the passing attack in the second half.
He finished with five catches for 63 yards, including an impressive catch-and-run on the penultimate drive that led to Reynolds' second touchdown.
Offensive line: B
Without Taylor Decker, the offensive line took its lumps but kept Goff upright most of the night. He had plenty of time to throw on most drop backs, a testament to the depth up front.
Halapoulivaati Vaitai went down in the fourth quarter with an injury, which could be a detrimental loss to the unit if he is forced to miss time. Graham Glasgow stepped in to replace him.
Defensive line: C
The Lions' defensive line couldn't get enough pressure on Geno Smith to cause trouble. Aidan Hutchinson and company put forth a valiant effort but couldn't get home.
The run-stopping effort had its moments, as Kenneth Walker III was bottled up for much of the first half. After a 14-yard run on his first carry, he was held to 29 yards on his other 16 carries. Still, he managed two touchdowns.
Ultimately, the line failed to capitalize on what was a very favorable situation for the Lions. Without both of their starting tackles, Seattle was able to keep Smith upright save for one sack.
Linebackers: B-
Alex Anzalone had the game's only sack, an impressive, never-ending effort that resulted in a 17-yard loss. He had seven tackles, as did Derrick Barnes.
The Purdue product had a strong showing early in the game, shooting through gaps to stymie Walker and Zach Charbonnet in the run game. Jack Campbell allowed a completion in coverage and had five tackles.
Coverage was an issue for this group, as Seattle's tight ends caused problems in play-action and short-passing situations. Noah Fant, Colby Parkinson and Will Dissly all had catches of at least 16 yards.
Secondary: C-
Jerry Jacobs struggled from the start, including a pass-interference penalty in the end zone on the game's first drive. Kerby Joseph was also flagged for interference in the end zone and narrowly missed what might've been a pick-six on a dropped interception.
D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett once again dominated Detroit's secondary. Both had big games last season and followed them up with a combined total of 134 yards. Lockett caught two touchdowns, including the game-winner in overtime.
Special teams: B
Riley Patterson converted his first field goal attempt of the season to send the game in overtime. The Lions punted just once, and Jack Fox's boot went for 53 yards.
Kalif Raymond set the Lions up nicely with a big return on their final offensive drive. However, the offense could only put that good start into a field goal that sent the game into the extra period.
The Lions also experimented with shorter kickoffs, which coordinator Dave Fipp had hinted at in an effort to force a return. Seattle's DeeJay Dallas averaged 22 yards on his three return attempts.
Coaching: C-
Ever the aggressor, Campbell decided to be more conservative toward the end of Sunday's game. The offense took a methodical approach on its final drive and settled for a field goal after burning all their timeouts.
While the effort is understandable, it's worth wondering if Detroit may had been better suited to take a chance at the end zone against a defense that Goff had cut up for most of the afternoon.
For the most part, the offense was creative. There was a unique reverse that saw the Lions convert a fourth down in the red zone, while a flea-flicker went for a touchdown in the second quarter.
Defensively, the effort was frustrating and disappointing. Aaron Glenn's unit couldn't so much as rattle Smith's rhythm, as he hit on continuous timing routes and quick throws.
The Lions failed to adjust defensively, leading to the overtime drive that saw Seattle face little resistance. Smith had time to throw despite playing without both starting tackles, and the defense couldn't disrupt his rhythm.
