Locally, it may seem like both Detroit Lions fans and analysts were a little let down by the team’s opening performance. They blew a 14-point second half lead, so that is certainly understandable in some fashion.
That said, beating an extremely motivated Los Angeles Rams team whose quarterback was absolutely cooking despite a decimated offensive line was impressive. And the national media seemed to grasp that in this week’s NFL power rankings round up. For most analysts, the Lions solidified their status as a top-three team, and anyone that had them outside of their top five corrected that error after watching them play on Sunday night.
Unsurprisingly, most of the praise came in the form of DAN CAMPBELL FOOTBALL happening in overtime, with Detroit’s run game looking unstoppable. Only a couple moved the Lions down a spot or two, but pretty much only had positive things to say.
Here’s a look at the Week 2 power rankings across the web:
How much of a flex was Dan Campbell’s team taking the overtime coin flip and absolutely jamming the ball down the Rams’ throats? The fact that Detroit can call on this physicality and ride it like a superpower during the more rigorous moments of the game should have put the league on notice. If that wasn’t scary enough, Jameson Williams is as good as advertised and is playing like he heard all the snide remarks while he rehabbed from a draft year torn ACL.
Did we mention this club might be unstoppable if WR Jameson Williams (5 catches for 121 yards and a TD in Sunday night’s win) consistently plays up to his ability? (Hint: We did.)
There was a fourth-and-2 play early Sunday night in which the Lions ran it up the middle and got it. How many other teams would run up the middle in that situation? That’s what happens when you have what might be the NFL’s best offensive line. It was a precursor for overtime, when the Lions got the ball first and ran it on seven of eight plays to score the walk-off winner.
The Lions won the game with an eight-play, 70-yard touchdown drive in overtime. Seven of those plays were runs that covered 60 yards. It was Dan Campbell’s dream drive. This might be his dream team, too. Jared Goff was fine. David Montgomery had 91 rushing yards. Maybe most importantly, Jameson Williams had his first 100-yard receiving game, finishing with five catches for 121 yards.
The eight-play game-winning drive in overtime perfectly captured what makes Detroit unique. The Lions offense changed gears in crunch time. They stopped looking for explosive plays in the passing game, opting to mash the Rams with seven runs that totaled 60 yards, culminating with a David Montgomery touchdown. Earlier in the game, Detroit gave us a glimpse of what receiver Jameson Williams’s combination of speed and route running adds to this offense, as he averaged an impressive 24.2 yards per reception. The threat of his field stretching alone will open the game up for tight end Sam LaPorta and slot receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown in the future.
The defense’s struggles in coverage in Week 1 made me consider moving the team out of the no. 2 spot, but I’ll wait to see its upcoming matchup with Tampa Bay before making any judgment on whether this secondary is in better shape than it was last season.
The Lions almost had a carbon copy tough test against the Rams at home like they did in the playoffs, but they once again dug deep and showed they can be resilient offensively and defensively — and work overtime if needed — under Dan Campbell.
The Detroit Lions got a gritty, tough win against the Rams on Sunday Night Football.
They held a 17-3 lead in the second half but needed overtime to take down Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford. Detroit is loaded with talent, and now it is finding ways to close out games they usually lose. That is a sign of a real contender.
The Lions won in a playoff-like atmosphere against a Rams team they barely put away in the playoffs eight months ago. It was not the explosive offensive performance we’ve come to expect from Detroit, but it was an impressive show of toughness and will nonetheless. I say it’s a good thing and a sign of relative growth that Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown can have the kinds of performances they did and the Lions can still win. The Jameson Williams breakout was a terrific development, and the run game closed it out. But that also doesn’t mean the secondary questions on defense have suddenly gone away. Matthew Stafford kinda gutted that group for stretches. First-round CB Terrion Arnold was up against it all night. The Lions are real, but they remain imperfect.
[Editor’s Note: Prisco, who had the Packers #2 to start the year, dropped Green Bay all the way to 15th. lol.]
They nearly fretted away a lead against the Rams, but showed their physical toughness to win it in overtime. The pass defense has to tighten up a bit.
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