It’s tough to label a regular season game in September as a statement win, but sometimes you just have to call a spade a spade. The Detroit Lions walked into M&T Bank Stadium on Monday night, and repeatedly
punched the Baltimore Ravens in the mouth. Defensively, they controlled the trenches, sacking two-time MVP Lamar Jackson seven times, while also limiting Baltimore running back Derrick Henry’s production on the ground. On offense, it was another clinic put on by Detroit as they amassed 224 rushing yards to go along with four touchdowns on the evening.
For this week’s film study, we are focusing on how the Lions were able to push the Ravens around with their running game, while also taking a look at a couple of big-time throws in key moments from quarterback Jared Goff.
Bully ball
To start things off we begin with just under 12 minutes left in the second quarter, and the Lions in 12 personnel with both tight ends lined up outside of left tackle Taylor Decker. The play is a quick-pitch that is designed to get running back David Montgomery the ball early on, so that he can get up to speed as he approaches the line of scrimmage.
Watch as both Decker and center Graham Glasgow climb to the second level to wall off the linebackers, while guards Christian Mahogany and Tate Ratledge both execute clean reach-blocks. The result is a big crease in the middle of the defense, allowing Montgomery to get upfield in a hurry.
Moving on to a bit later in the same series as the above clip, we have a shining example of the Lions perfectly executing duo. Now if you are wondering what duo actually is as a concept, it is relatively simple. Think of it as, “power without the pullers.” It is a concept that is focused on the double teams, where everyone else along the line is focused on blocking down in an attempt to pin the defense to the backside of the run.
Detroit ran this quite a bit against Baltimore, and for good reason. Just look at the surge the line creates at the snap, and how clean the blocks from Mahogany and Ratledge are once they climb to the linebackers.
In our last play from this series, we jump to a second-and-9 situation with just over eight minutes remaining in the first half. And what do we know? More duo! This time, Lions’ running back Jahmyr Gibbs receives the handoff from Goff, where he runs right off Ratledge’s hip, as he, Glasgow, and Mahogany once again create a giant running lane right through the heart of Baltimore’s defense.
The 18-play drive is eventually capped off with a Montgomery touchdown in what was the first of two series for the Lions that were over 95 yards.
Next up, we have Montgomery’s 72-yard scamper that really opened things up for the Lions. With just under three minutes left in the third quarter, Goff comes out under center in 11 personnel with LaPorta in-line with Sewell, and Amon-Ra St. Brown on the line of scrimmage just to the right of the tight end.
Watch the displacement Ratledge immediately creates on the one-technique, while Sewell is able to completely erase Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith. From there, Sam LaPorta, Kalif Raymond, and Jameson Williams come up with big blocks, springing Montgomery into the secondary. Great job by the veteran back of finding the running room and getting vertical in a hurry.
And for the last clip of this segment, we get the final nail in the coffin for Baltimore on the evening. Pre-snap, you will find Ratledge and Sewell circled, where they will be attempting to open up a running lane off of Ratledge’s right hip.
I want people to understand how difficult Ratledge’s block is from an alignment standpoint. The Ravens have six defenders along the line of scrimmage, with the rookie’s assignment being the three-technique lined up on his outside shoulder. Ratledge completely walls off the defensive tackle, putting his body between the defender and the ball-carrier, while Sewell simultaneously displaces the edge defender to the point where he is no longer a factor.
The result is Montgomery going untouched until about the 11-yardline, and the final score for Detroit on a night where they really took it to one of the better teams in the NFL.
Jared Goff dropping dimes
Along with the running game, Goff was another player that had a really strong performance in the win over the Ravens. To kick this second section off, we go back to the first quarter where Goff delivers a perfectly thrown strike to Williams to move the chains.
Thanks to a two-for-one special from Sewell, and a perfect pass off between Mahogany and Decker on a stunt—Goff has a clean pocket to work from, allowing him to rip this throw to Williams that moves the Lions’ offense into the redzone.
In the next clip, Baltimore is showing like they might bring extra pressure, forcing Goff to make pre-snap changes at the line of scrimmage. It’s a third-and-7 situation with the Lions backed up inside of their own 5-yard line. Watch Montgomery’s excellent blitz pickup of Smith, while Goff instantly recognizes Baltimore is in man-coverage. He knows where he wants to go with the ball right away, LaPorta runs a great route that gives Goff a clean throwing window, and the result is a big first down that gives Detroit some much-needed breathing room.
Jumping to under six minutes to play in the third quarter in what was my second favorite throw of Goff’s on the evening. The Lions use a cheetah motion for St. Brown to ensure he gets a clean release off the line, and the receiver runs a gorgeous double-move that gives him just enough separation. Goff puts it right on his face for the Sun God’s fourth score of the year.
Lastly, we jump to the play that happened right before the aforementioned nail-in-the-coffin run that we broke down earlier by Montgomery. It’s fourth-and-2 with under two minutes remaining in the game, and the Lions don’t want to give the ball back to Jackson and Baltimore’s offense.
Lions offensive coordinator John Morton pulls out one more wrinkle that is built off of his unit running duo so well all night. St. Brown motions towards the center pre-snap, giving the illusion that he is going to insert as a blocker as Goff hands the ball off to Montgomery. Instead of handing it off, Goff executes a playfake while St. Brown slips through the line where he is able to get a few steps on Baltimore cornerback Marlon Humphrey.
It’s another picture-perfect throw from Goff on a night where he was nothing less than surgical in the pocket. St. Brown comes down with the catch despite being held earlier in the route, and what little hope Baltimore had for a comeback is effectively ended.
