The Detroit Lions needed overtime to secure a 31-30 win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 1, but a win is a win in September as teams adjust to a new season. Let’s look at the snap counts from this game and see what they mean for the depth chart hierarchy and what we can glean moving forward.
Quarterback
- Jared Goff: 77 snaps (100%)
- Josh Dobbs: Did not play (DNP)
With the Lions’ run game clicking, Goff had an average day at the office on Sunday, though the Saints’ fast tempo sped up the game and created more opportunities for both offenses.
Running back
- Jahmyr Gibbs: 57 (74%)
- Sione Vaki: 22 (29%) — 24 special teams (71%)
- Jacob Saylors: 0 (0%) — 24 (71%)
We were told Gibbs would be
the workhorse back, and he certainly was in the opener, carrying the ball a league-leading 29 times and rushing for a league-leading 156 yards. He also added five receptions for another 30 yards for good measure. Despite Gibbs touching the ball a ton, he was still on the field only 74% of the time, leaving 20 opportunities for Vaki and two snaps when they were on the field simultaneously.
It was an up-and-down day for Vaki’s first run as RB2, showing well in pass protection and as a receiver, but in the locker room after the game, he was left frustrated with the mistakes he made. When I asked him to point out the parts of his game he was happy with, he had this to say:
“To be honest, I couldn’t tell you. I feel like there’s nothing but improvement that needs to happen.”
It’s worth noting that, according to PFF, 20 of Vaki’s 22 reps came on passing downs, which points to coaches’ confidence in his ability to hold up in one of the more critical components of a running back’s responsibilities.
Wide receiver
- Amon-Ra St. Brown: 69 (90%)
- Jameson Williams: 65 (84%)
- Isaac TeSlaa: 52 (68%)
- Tay Martin: 0 (0%) — 24 (71%)
- Tom Kennedy: 0 (0%) — 11 (32%)
The Lions rolled with just three receivers on offense, with Martin and Kennedy taking on starting roles on special teams. Martin was fantastic as a gunner on punts and on kickoff coverage, securing a career-high three special teams tackles.
“I just wanted to make sure I made Dan (Campbell) right for believing in me,” Martin said of using special teams to make the active roster. “I’ve been waiting on this chance my whole life, to go out there on the 53-man roster and make some plays.”
Tight end
- Sam LaPorta: 62 (81%)
- Brock Wright: 39 (51%) — 11 (32%)
- Tyler Conklin: 10 (13%)
- Jackson Meeks: 0 (0%) — 18 (53%)
No real surprises here, as the Lions were expected to utilize all three of their top tight ends, and the distribution of snaps is very similar to what we’ve seen in previous years.
Offensive line
- LT Penei Sewell: 77 (100%) — 5 (15%)
- C Juice Scruggs: 77 (100%) — 5 (15%)
- RG Tate Ratledge: 77 (100%) — 5 (15%)
- RT Blake Miller: 77 (100%) — 5 (15%)
- G Ben Bartch: 66 (86%) — 5 (15%)
- LG Christian Mahogany: 11 (14%)
- OT Larry Borom: 9 (12%) — 5 (15%)
- G/T Miles Frazier: 0 (0%) — 5 (15%)
Mahogany got the start, but an awkward injury on the 11th offensive play cost him the rest of the game. The initial scan of his knee was negative, and Mahogany was in good spirits in the locker room, suggesting it’s not a long-term injury, but on a short week, the Lions may continue to lean on Bartch to start at left guard.
Borom found the field nine times in Jumbo sets, and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing was very creative in his usage, lining him up as a tight end and at left tackle. That gave the Lions the opportunity to move Sewell all over the formation, create mismatches in the run game, and was a catalyst in both of Gibbs’ rushing touchdowns.
Interior defensive line
- 3T Alim McNeill: 83 (92%) — 5 (15%)
- 3T Skyler Gill-Howard: 47 (52%) — 5 (15%)
- DT Tyleik Williams: 35 (39%) — 5 (15%)
- DL Ben Stille: 9 (10%)
- 3T Mekhi Wingo — INACTIVE
McNeill seeing the field on 92% of defensive snaps is borderline insane for a big man. So why do it? His positional versatility and ability to impact the game from multiple spots is a massive advantage for defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard.
With the Lions maintaining a double-digit lead for most of the game, the Saints threw the ball often. That situation led the Lions to lean on rookie Gill-Howard more than starter Williams. After the game, he talked with Pride of Detroit about his impact on the game:
“I think I need to pass rush way better. There were times when I was rushing too down the middle, or I got stuck in a gap—I had a few decent rushes for sure, but I felt like the area I took a step (forward) was in the run game. I didn’t get moved (off the ball) at all.”
Gill-Howard’s assessment is backed up by PFF, who assigned him a 76.8 grade for his run defense, the second-highest on the team in Week 1.
EDGE
- EDGE Aidan Hutchinson: 75 (83%)
- Rush End DJ Wonnum: 69 (77%) — 5 (15%)
- EDGE Derrick Moore: 18 (20%)
- Big End Tyler Lacy: 15 (17%)
- Rush End Eric O’Neill: 4 (4%) — 17 (50%)
- Big End Ahmed Hassanein — INACTIVE
Like McNeill, Hutchinson played a ridiculous amount of snaps in this game, but it was surely hard to take him off the field when he was so dominant. Not only did Hutchinson secure two sacks, but he leads the NFL in pressures in both PFF (10) and NFL Pro’s (10) metrics.
With the Lions electing to play more nickel defense in this game, that meant more Wonnum, and he rewarded Sheppard with his performance, forcing six pressures (tied for seventh best in the NFL, per NFL Pro) and a couple of pass breakups at the line of scrimmage.
O’Neill, who was active over Hassanein, showed why with his special teams performance, securing two special teams tackles at critical moments.
Linebacker
- MIKE Jack Campbell: 90 (100%) — 5 (15%)
- SAM Derrick Barnes: 77 (86%) — 13 (38%)
- WILL Malcolm Rodriguez: 20 (22%) — 19 (56%)
- WILL Devin White: 18 (20%)
- SAM Trevor Nowaske: 8 (9%) — 29 (85%)
- MIKE Joe Bachie: 0 (0%) — 18 (53%)
- MIKE Jimmy Rolder — INACTIVE
While Campbell played every down on defense, the rest of the linebackers were used more situationally, with Barnes getting the most opportunities because of his versatility—and he didn’t disappoint. Barnes secured an interception, was credited with three run stops and two pressures (per PFF), while also adding a sack for good measure.
Rodriguez and White split WILL linebacker duties, each finding the field in situation-specific roles. Nowaske came on for more bulk at the line of scrimmage, while Bachie was relegated to special teams.
Cornerback
- CB D.J. Reed: 89 (99%)
- CB Rock Ya-Sin: 89 (99%) — 5 (15%)
- NB/CB Roger McCreary: 39 (43%) — 16 (47%)
- NB Keith Abney: 25 (28%) — 5 (15%)
- CB Khalil Dorsey: 0 (0%) — 23 (68%)
- CB Ennis Rakestraw — INACTIVE
Reed and Ya-Sin only missed one rep each on a grueling 90-play afternoon, while McCreary took over the Christian Izien every-down role in the slot with Abney backing him up in obvious passing situations. Overall, the Lions played nickel roughly 70% of defensive downs, and while some of that was adjusting to the Saints throwing the ball, it also reflects what we have seen in training camp.
Safety
- S Avonte Maddox: 85 (94%)
- S Thomas Harper: 54 (60%) — 17 (50%)
- S Chuck Clark: 41 (46%) — 5 (15%)
- NB/S Christian Izien — INACTIVE
One of the interesting wrinkles to come out of this game is how the Lions utilized their safeties. While Maddox and Clark were the clear starters all training camp, coaches alluded to Harper increasing his role and competing for starter-level snaps. We saw Harper start the majority of the time the Lions were in nickel, while Clark appeared to be the preferred option in the Lions’ base defense. This approach looked effective, as each allowed only one reception on two targets, while Clark also secured an interception. Look for the Lions to continue rotating their safeties moving forward.
Specialists
- P Jack Fox: 12 (35%)
- LS Hogan Hatten: 12 (35%)
- K Jake Bates: 11 (32%)
Outside of Martin and O’Neill looking sharp in kick/punt coverage, the special teams as a whole looked rusty. Bates mishit kicks on kickoffs, while Fox unexpectedly shorted a few of his punts. Nothing was detrimental overall, but there are certainly things to clean up.
