Free Press sports writer Rainer Sabin highlights the best and worst performances from the Detroit Lions' 45-21 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Oct. 11, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Winners
TE Sam LaPorta
A week after word got out that contract talks between the tight end and the organization had been tabled for now, LaPorta again made his case for why the Lions should show him the money. He made perhaps the biggest play of the game, a crucial 12-yard catch on fourth down early in the second quarter that moved the chains and jumpstarted an offense flatlining up until that point. Three plays after LaPorta’s catch, Detroit reached the end zone for the first time.
With momentum on their side, the Lions began to kick into overdrive. On their ensuing possession, LaPorta again delivered in the clutch. With Detroit facing a fourth-and-1 at Arizona’s 38, Jared Goff executed a play-action fake and delivered a well-placed throw to LaPorta, who slipped into open space and raced for a touchdown to give the Lions a 14-7 lead. By the time the final whistle sounded, LaPorta had contributed five receptions and a team-high 88 receiving yards.
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WR Jameson Williams
Earlier this week, the Lions’ fleet-footed wideout delivered a harsh assessment of his own performance over the first four games, telling reporters it was “was one of my worst starts [in] my career.” Williams entered this week tied for the most drops in the NFL and had been held under 50 receiving yards in three of his first four games. Associate head coach Scottie Montgomery said Williams needed to raise his level. Well, he did on Sunday.
Late in the second quarter, he beat safety Budda Baker across the face of the end zone to catch an 8-yard touchdown strike on a daring fourth-and-1 call. Then, in the third quarter, he found the end zone for the second time when he blew past Garrett Williams to haul in a 39-yard bomb from Goff. Those were the only two passes Williams caught Sunday. But he made each of his receptions count.
Coach Dan Campbell
After a disconcerting loss to Carolina last Sunday, the Lions had entered a danger zone. They were 2-2. Their defense was among the worst in the NFL and their offense was inconsistent. A loss Sunday to Arizona – a team in the first year of a major rebuild – would be seen as disastrous and could send the season into a downward spiral. The stakes were high. Campbell knew it. He challenged his players this week. They then met the moment.
In the most comprehensive performance of the season, the Lions buried the Cardinals. The Lions pieced together seven straight scoring drives between the second and fourth quarters while forcing three-and-outs on five straight possessions in the first half. The way the Lions responded was a testament to the coaching job Campbell did during the week. Heading into the bye, the Lions gave the impression they’re now back on track.
Lions defensive line
Arizona’s hopes of a comeback were already fading. But in an instant, they were extinguished early in the fourth quarter. On fourth-and-1 at the Lions’ 19, Jacoby Brissett carried out a play-action fake. Aidan Hutchinson wasn’t fooled. He spun off a blocker and tracked down the Cardinals quarterback, dropping him for a 1-yard loss and a turnover on downs. The Lions’ sack was their fifth, with four defensive linemen – Hutchinson, Alim McNeill, Skyler Gill-Howard and DJ Wonnum – contributing to the total. Wonnum, one of the Lions’ top free agent acquisitions this offseason, twice dropped Brissett behind the line of scrimmage. It was another standout effort by a defensive front that has been a strength this season. Entering Sunday, Detroit had the fourth-best pass-rush win rate in the league. On Sunday, the Lions proved again they know how to get to the quarterback.
Losers
DE Derrick Moore
The 2026 second-round pick has yet to contribute much and has spent most game days watching from the sideline. On Sunday, against the Cardinals, he logged a season-high 20 snaps. Still, that total was 15 fewer than fellow rookie Gill-Howard's and the second-lowest among all Lions edge defenders. Considering Brissett dropped back 53 times and the Cardinals had little other choice but to throw the ball to erase a mounting deficit, this game seemed ripe for Moore to be deployed regularly. After all, he is a pass-rush specialist.
Although the former Wolverine did collect the first two tackles of his career and also contributed a quarterback hit Sunday, his limited playing time continues to be a storyline during the early part of the season. Earlier this month, defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said Moore would have his number called only when he proved he deserved the opportunity.
“There has to be validation and merit,” Sheppard told reporters. “There has to be evidence. There has to be reasons why we're giving you more reps. But listen, the Derrick Moore thing I told him, listen, it's coming. It's coming. It's just a matter of when and where, but it's coming.”
On, Moore did get a little more action. But it still wasn’t that much, all things considered.
Contact Rainer Sabin at rsabin@freepress.com. Follow him @RainerSabin on X.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Dan Campbell, Sam LaPorta big winners in Lions' rout of Cardinals
