Lions' Grades: Goff, Offensive Line, Coaching Disappoint
Detroit Lions fans were served a plate of heartbreak, with a side of disappointment, at the conclusion of the team's annual Thanksgiving Day game.
After going toe-to-toe with the heavyweight Buffalo Bills for the majority of the game, the Lions’ late-game woes once again reared their ugly head, as the team fell, 28-25, on a last-second field goal.
Detroit tied the game with Michael Badgley’s 51-yard field goal with 0:23 left, but Buffalo drove 48 yards in the game’s waning moments to set up Tyler Bass’ game-winning 45-yard kick.
With the loss, Detroit dropped to 4-7, and its three-game win streak was snapped. The Lions will return to action on Sunday, Dec. 4, against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Here are the grades for the Lions' position groups, based on the performance of each in Thursday’s game.
Quarterback: C-
Jared Goff played well enough to keep the Lions in the game Thursday, throwing for 240 yards and two scores without turning the ball over. However, the critical mistakes he did make doomed Detroit in key situations.
He took a sack in the end zone for a third-quarter safety while displaying poor pocket management, and missed an open DJ Chark for what would’ve been an enormous third-down conversion on Detroit’s final drive.
That incompletion -- a third-and-1 misfire that was underthrown to an open receiver -- forced the Lions to kick a game-tying field goal rather than continue trying to win the game. This backfired hugely, as the 0:23 left on the clock was too much for Buffalo and superstar quarterback Josh Allen.
There were good moments sprinkled in, though. The veteran was poised in his effort, marching Detroit down for a go-ahead scoring drive after falling behind, 19-14. He concluded that possession with a strike to Chark in the end zone.
The issue remains Goff’s struggles in key situations. Buffalo saw Allen make the key plays, such as his 36-yard laser to Diggs in the game’s closing seconds. Meanwhile, Detroit didn’t get the big throw from its quarterback.
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Running backs: B-
Jamaal Williams once again received the majority of the carries, as D’Andre Swift worked to get back into a consistent role on the field. Williams finished with 66 yards on 18 carries, including his NFL-best 13th rushing touchdown.
Yet, the sixth-year back also lost a fumble in the second quarter that Buffalo turned into seven points. He made up for it on the ensuing drive, converting a fourth-and-1 from Detroit’s own 33-yard-line.
Swift, meanwhile, rushed for 19 yards on five carries. He appeared to get into the end zone in the second quarter, though he was ruled down upon review after his knee hit the turf at the 2-yard-line.
The Georgia product did make an impact in the passing game with four catches for 24 yards. Justin Jackson added a 15-yard catch, while running for just four yards on four carries.
Though Detroit’s running game was limited, the backs were running behind an offensive line starting two backup guards.
Wide receivers: B+
Amon-Ra St. Brown set another new career-high in receiving yards, with 122 on nine catches. The USC product was superb, as he caught all but one of his targets during the game and also converted a fourth-and-1 with a jet sweep on Detroit’s final drive.
St. Brown reached the end zone for the first time since Week 2 in the second quarter, catching a short pass from Goff on fourth-and-goal from one yard out.
Elsewhere, Chark caught his first touchdown pass since the season opener, capping off Detroit’s go-ahead scoring drive. He finished with two catches for 16 yards (on two catches).
Kalif Raymond was once again Detroit’s second-leading receiver. He caught four passes for 35 yards, giving him eight straight games with at least three catches. With all the injuries Detroit has faced at the wide receiver position, Raymond has proven to be a steady and strong contributor throughout.
Tight ends: B-
James Mitchell notched the longest reception of his young career Thursday, taking a short pass from Goff and turning it into a 23-yard gain. The play was well designed, as Goff rolled out and drew the momentum of the defense before slipping the ball to Mitchell.
Brock Wright caught two passes for six yards, but dropped a pass, as well. Detroit also deployed backup tackle Matt Nelson as a tight end in certain situations, using him as an extra blocker.
Offensive line: D
Without Jonah Jackson, Detroit was forced to start a pair of backup guards in Dan Skipper and Kayode Awosika. The result was not ideal, as both struggled against Buffalo’s potent defensive line.
Skipper was beaten out of his stance multiple times, including during the sack that resulted in a safety (when Ed Oliver bull-rushed the guard into Goff).
The guard-play struggles made it difficult for the run game, though the work of tackles Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell kept Goff upright. The quarterback was sacked just twice, though one resulted in the aforementioned back-breaking safety.
Defensive line: B-
James Houston made history in his first game with two sacks, becoming the first Lions rookie to record that stat line in team history. The sixth-round pick, out of Jackson State, had spent the entirety of the season on the practice squad prior to Thanksgiving, and has yet to be officially added to the active roster.
He notched both of his sacks on third downs, helping the defense get off the field in situations that it struggled to capitalize on for the majority of the game.
Nose tackle Alim McNeill left briefly with an injury, but returned and had another solid performance. John Cominsky and Aidan Hutchinson, meanwhile, were in constant pursuit of Allen, but failed to take the signal-caller to the turf.
Additionally, Austin Bryant had a head-scratching roughing-the-passer penalty on Buffalo’s go-ahead touchdown drive in the fourth quarter.
The defensive line was able to put pressure on Allen; however, his mobility caused problems. He rushed 10 times for a game-high 78 yards.
Kirthmon F. Dozier, USA TODAY NETWORK
Linebackers: B
Alex Anzalone made a team-high nine tackles and secured a key interception in the red-zone. The interception was made possible by the deflection of fellow linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez. Anzalone nearly had a second pick on a pass that bounced just before it entered his grasp.
Rodriguez had six tackles, one of which was for loss. Derrick Barnes had three tackles, while Chris Board added one.
Together, the linebackers limited the impact that Buffalo’s running backs were able to have on the passing game. James Cook had two catches for 14 yards, while Devin Singletary had one catch for eight.
Secondary: C-
It was an up-and-down affair for Detroit’s secondary. There were excellent moments throughout, as Mike Hughes had a good day working in the back-half. However, the struggles of Jerry Jacobs and Will Harris made it difficult for Detroit to get off the field in third down situations.
With Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, Buffalo has a receiving corps among the best in the league. Diggs beat Harris for the big gain to set up the game-winning field goal, while Isaiah McKenzie beat Harris for Buffalo’s first touchdown.
Jacobs was penalized twice on one drive — once for illegal contact (declined) and the other for pass interference against Davis. Anzalone’s interception bailed out the defense to end that drive.
At safety, DeShon Elliott had eight tackles, and Kerby Joseph had six. Joseph was just a moment late covering Diggs on the late-game pass, and his hit wasn’t enough to jar the ball loose.
In all, Allen completed 24 passes for 253 yards and two scores. The second score was a short pass to Diggs working against Hughes.
Special teams: B
Michael Badgley nailed the 51-yard field goal to tie the game, but missed a 29-yard chip shot that would’ve tied the game at 17 in the third quarter.
Jack Fox was forced to punt just twice. His first traveled 57 yards, while the second was shorter. He averaged 51.5 yards per attempt, and dropped both inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
Raymond fumbled on his first return attempt, which Houston secured. However, his second went for 41 yards, and set Detroit up for a touchdown.
Coaching: C-
The late-game management by Dan Campbell and his staff will be heavily scrutinized. Based on the lack of urgency on the team’s final offensive drive, it appeared that the Lions were content to take the game to overtime.
Campbell’s decision to approach the late-game situation in a conservative matter once again bit the Lions, as the time left on the clock -- 0:23 -- was just enough for Allen to drive his team into field-goal range.
Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson once again designed a scheme that made the most of his top playmakers, such as St. Brown.
On defense, coordinator Aaron Glenn called one of his better games. Without top cornerback Jeff Okudah, the Lions were vulnerable against Buffalo’s passing attack. Though the defense bent plenty and conceded the big plays in key situations, it was competitive against one of the league’s best offenses.
It was an admirable performance for the Lions on a national stage and against one of the league’s best. Though the disparity in record between the teams will call for a moral victory, this loss is ultimately frustrating, because it comes in a game the Lions were more than capable of winning.
