6 Takeaways from Lions' 48-45 Loss to Seahawks
The Detroit Lions were seeking to rebound after a tough loss to the Minnesota Vikings last week with a victory at home over the Seattle Seahawks.
Detroit opened the week as a significant betting favorite, but a disastrous performance at home in front of the home fans at Ford Field saw the team fall to 1-3 after a 48-45 loss to Seattle.
An injury ravaged team simply failed to execute well on defense and mistakes in every phase of the game were far too punitive for this team to overcome.
Here are six takeaways from the Lions latest loss at Ford Field.
Aaron Glenn's message is not reaching the players
The Lions' defense made the Seahawks look like one of the most prolific NFL offenses.
Recall, coming into Week 3, the Seahawks were averaging approximately 16 points per game.
An argument can me made the Lions should have chosen to start the game with the football after winning the opening coin toss.
Instead of imposing their will, the Lions defense wilted time and time again.
Quarterback Geno Smith was able to easily pick apart the Lions secondary and found early rushing lanes in the first half.
Trailing 31-23 in the third quarter, Glenn's defense found some life, as pressure forced Smith into taking an intentional grounding penalty, stalling a drive that was promising.
© David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports
Jared Goff can't raise his game when his team needs it most
With several key players out dealing with injury, Goff needed to play a clean game.
Instead, the veteran signal-caller opened the second half, with the Lions trailing 24-15, with a costly interception.
Goff's pass intended for tight end T.J. Hockenson was intercepted by rookie defensive back Tariq Woolen and returned 40-yards for a pick-six interception, extending the Seahawks lead to 31-15.
David Reginek, USA TODAY Sports
Jamaal Williams has the heart of a Lion
Williams has been a reliable contributor all season. Prior to the start of his sixth NFL season, the veteran running back expressed that he wanted to showcase he was more than just a backup.
In Swift's absence, the 27-year-old running back has produced multi-touchdown games and carried the team on his shoulders.
Williams is the first Lions player with three multi-rushing touchdown games in a season since Barry Sanders back in 1997.
He's the first Lion to record a 100-yard rushing performance and two touchdowns at Ford Field since 2011.
His 51-yard burst put a spark into the Lions in the second half and helped trim the Seahawks lead to 31-23 in the third quarter.
David Reginek, USA TODAY Sports
Dominik Eberle is not an NFL kicker
The inexperienced kicker hurt the Lions with multiple missed extra points.
In his lone appearance with the Houston Texans in 2021, Eberle was 5-for-5 on extra point attempts.
Inexcusably, the 26-year-old missed two extra points in his debut for the Lions.
Even more punitive, after the Lions trimmed the Seahawks lead to 14-9 in the first half, Eberle sent a kickoff out of bounds, setting up the Seahawks next offensive drive on the 40-yard line.
Play clock issue embarrassing and proves costly
Running back Rashaad Penny's third quarter 36-yard touchdown will go down as another example of a highly unusual happening in the game proving costly.
It was explained by the official, through a chorus of boos, that after the Lions actually made a defensive stop, the play clock had started late. The clock was set at 25, then reset to 40.
As a result, the third down play was run again and Penny busted through the defense to put the Seahawks ahead 38-23.
T.J. Hockenson steps up and has a solid performance
After concerns started to arise regarding the start of his 2022 season, Hockenson's comments to reporters this week regarding his confidence in his abilities proved to be accurate.
Goff found a renewed connection with the team's former first round pick.
The talented tight end had two touchdowns and showcased an ability to get open, secure yards after the catch and being a reliable red zone target.
