Lions' Grades: Goff Struggles, Defense Bounces Back in Huge Fashion
Two teams on significant losing streaks collided Sunday at Ford Field, and the result was as expected.
For 60 minutes, the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers battled in a sloppy, mistake-filled effort that totaled just 24 points.
It was the Lions (2-6) which emerged victorious, winning, 15-9, in an ugly game. However, the win is a welcome one, and snaps a five-game losing streak. The Packers (3-6), meanwhile, dropped their fifth game in a row.
Without further ado, here are the grades for each position group.
Quarterbacks: C-
Jared Goff threw two short touchdown passes, including a key one right before the half, but struggled to generate big plays. Even though Detroit was down multiple key receivers, the veteran quarterback missed on key attempts and threw an interception.
His interception came on Detroit’s first possession of the second half, and put the Lions' defense in a tough spot. Yet, the defense responded, and negated the impact of the turnover.
Goff threw for just 137 yards, his lowest yardage output as Lions quarterback. He threw an incomplete on two separate fourth-down attempts. The first came on fourth-and-1 from Green Bay’s 7-yard line, while the second came near midfield late in the game.
Running backs: B
D’Andre Swift was active but limited, leaving Jamaal Williams to do the majority of the work in the run game. Williams stepped up, as he has all season, and ran for 81 yards on 24 carries. The running lanes were tough to find, as Green Bay keyed on the run. But, the veteran back was able to find creases.
Williams notched a two-point conversion, running the ball in from the 1-yard line after a penalty moved the offense closer to the goal line.
Justin Jackson stepped up after backup running back Craig Reynolds suffered a rib injury. Jackson ran for 27 yards on four carries.
Swift was limited, but not absent. He had two carries for 10 yards, while hauling in three passes for 40 yards. He made a big play on Detroit’s first drive, as his first touch was a 20-yard swing pass to set up Detroit with a first-and-goal situation. Later, he set up a touchdown, with a 12-yard reception.
Wide receivers: C+
With Josh Reynolds and DJ Chark out with injuries, Amon-Ra St. Brown was Detroit’s only top target available. He finished with four catches for 55 yards, both totals leading the team in their respective categories.
Kalif Raymond became Detroit’s No. 2 target, and he finished with three catches. Tom Kennedy was the only other wide receiver who recorded a catch, but he was also flagged for holding in the second quarter. Kennedy had just one catch (on four targets).
The passing attack was quiet, as Goff struggled to connect with his inexperienced wideouts, outside of St. Brown.
There was also a lack of explosive plays Sunday, as Detroit’s longest completion went for just 25 yards.
Tight ends: B-
After the trade of top passing target T.J. Hockenson, Detroit’s tight ends were not large factors in the passing game. Between Brock Wright, Shane Zylstra and James Mitchell, the unit got just four targets total.
Yet, the trio made the most of its opportunities. Mitchell led with two catches, while Zylstra had one. Both Mitchell and Zylstra recorded their first career touchdowns on short passes.
The trio were key cogs in Detroit’s rushing attack. Additionally, the Lions subbed tackle Dan Skipper in at tight end on occasions to add an extra blocker.
Offensive line: B+
Goff was kept upright for most of Sunday, as he was not sacked save for one time that was negated by a roughing the passer penalty. The unit set the tone on the first drive, creating run lanes for Williams and giving Goff time to throw on a drive that spanned all the way to Green Bay’s 7 before ending on a fourth down incompletion.
Despite the success, the group continued to struggle with penalties. Left tackle Taylor Decker was penalized for holding and also committed a false start. Center Frank Ragnow was also called for a false start in the third quarter.
Detroit averaged just 3.8 yards per carry and sputtered out at times offensively. Yet, the line held its footing often. On Goff’s second touchdown, the blocking held up long enough for him to go through all of his reads, eventually leading to Mitchell’s first career score.
Defensive line: A-
Outside of four Aaron Rodgers runs, Detroit’s defense held Green Bay to just 66 rushing yards on 21 attempts. Green Bay running backs A.J. Dillon and Aaron Jones were swarmed by Lions defenders for most of the afternoons, as each had a long of just nine yards.
Isaiah Buggs and Benito Jones each had solid afternoons. Buggs hit Rodgers twice, while Jones teamed up with linebacker Derrick Barnes to make a tackle near the goal line. Both played key roles in putting pressure on Rodgers.
Rookie Aidan Hutchinson notched his first career interception, picking off a pass in the end zone on fourth-and-goal. Julian Okwara led the defensive line with five tackles. Meanwhile, Alim McNeill, John Cominsky and Josh Paschal all played key roles in the run-stopping effort.
David Reginek, USA TODAY Sports
Linebackers: B+
Detroit received solid efforts from three different linebackers. Malcolm Rodriguez left briefly with an injury but returned and had four tackles, while Alex Anzalone had seven.
Yet, Derrick Barnes was the star of the afternoon. He led the defense with 12 tackles and recorded a sack, a tackle for loss on the goal line and a deflection off his helmet that led to an interception.
Barnes bullied his way through Dillon and Green Bay’s offensive line in the second quarter to notch the Lions’ only sack of the game. His helmet deflection led to an interception by Kerby Joseph, which ended Green Bay’s first drive.
Barnes has played sparingly at times, as he’s received limited run in some of Detroit’s outings. On Sunday, though, he made the most of an increased role.
Secondary: B
Joseph became the first Lions rookie to intercept two passes in a game since Devon Mitchell did it in 1986. The Illinois rookie has now forced four turnovers in his last three games. However, he collided with teammate Jeff Okudah on his second pick and has entered the NFL’s concussion protocol.
Okudah had a difficult day matched up with Allen Lazard. The wideout led his team with 87 yards on four receptions, three of which came against Okudah. The biggest play was the Packers’ lone touchdown, where Lazard beat the third-year corner.
Jerry Jacobs saw increased playing time and had a solid day. He showed the ability to use the sideline as an extra defender, making it difficult for Rodgers to connect with receivers on his side.
The Lions allowed 291 passing yards but just nine points, the epitome of bending but not breaking. In total, the unit recorded nine passes defensed led by Joseph’s three.
C.J. Moore, who entered after Joseph’s injury, recorded a key pass break-up in the end zone on Green Bay’s final drive.
Special teams: B-
Jack Fox dropped a dime of a punt in the second quarter, placing the ball at Green Bay’s 1 after a good bounce. He finished with an average of 45.3 yards on three punts, his lowest average of the season.
The Lions were also bailed out of a missed extra point after Jaire Alexander ran into kicker Michael Badgley. The miss came because of a poor snap from Scott Daly that Fox struggled to hold properly.
The return game was limited, as there were no punt returns and Detroit averaged just 22 yards on kick returns between Justin Jackson and Brandon Zylstra.
Coaching: C
The Lions had plenty go their way defensively, as Rodgers was visibly frustrated with the performance of both him and his receivers at times. Yet, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn schemed a gameplan good enough to hold Green Bay to just nine points.
The defense, as mentioned earlier, bent but didn’t break. There were big completions, but each time, the defense responded. All three of Detroit’s interceptions came in its own red zone, with two being recorded in the end zone.
On offense, the Lions dedicated the gameplan to the run. Goff struggled in the passing game, and the unit was unable to generate many explosive plays. Detroit went 0-for-2 on fourth downs, with both play calls being puzzling short passes.
Campbell’s decision to roll the dice on a fourth-and-2 from Green Bay’s 43 nearly cost the team its second win, as fans believed Rodgers would lead the Packers to victory following Goff’s incompletion. The defense stood tall one last time, though, and Detroit claimed the victory.
The win was far from mistake free, but it’s a win nonetheless. For a team and fan base starving for wins like this, the effort suffices for one Sunday afternoon.
