The Detroit Lions got back to their winning ways in Arizona, handily defeating the Cardinals 45-21. The Lions got off to a slow start, falling behind 7-0 in the first quarter, but they responded with 24 consecutive points in the second quarter, along with five consecutive three-and-outs forced by the defense. The Lions scored another touchdown on their first offensive possession of the second half, and it was pretty much a wrap from there.
Let’s look at the snap counts from this game and see what
they mean for the depth chart hierarchy and what we can ascertain moving forward.
Quarterback
- Jared Goff: 63 (95%)
- Josh Dobbs: 3 (5%)
Goff was once again terrific. His efficiency was impressive, registering a 125.8 passer rating (he averages 111.3 for the season, third-best in the NFL), and his 271 passing yards vault him to the top of the NFL passing yards list (save for the results of Monday Night Football).
Here’s coach Dan Campbell on Goff’s performance:
“Goff is just Goff. He’s as good as they come. I’ve just been so impressed with the way he’s played these five games here. I thought he’s just gotten better every year, and here we are five in, and he’s even better than last year. He’s the real deal.”
Dobbs got in the game for the final drive, after the Lions pulled their starters, but he didn’t attempt a pass and simply handed the ball off to Sione Vaki three times to run the clock.
Running back
- Jahmyr Gibbs: 46 (70%)
- Sione Vaki: 23 (35%) — 21 special teams snaps (66%)
- Jacob Saylors: 0 (0%) — 21 (66%)
With the Cardinals’ run defense checking in fourth in DVOA, most analysts didn’t anticipate the Lions working hard to establish their rushing attack. While it wasn’t perfect early, the offensive line leaned on the Cardinals’ front, and Gibbs gashed them for chunk yards, amassing 151 rushing yards on 25 carries, while Vaki added another 11, and Goff earned a yard on a goal-line QB sneak for a score.
Gibbs also caught five receptions for 56 receiving yards, and probably could have had more had the Lions not started scaling his touches back late in the game. Both Gibbs and Vaki were also very solid in their pass-protection roles as well.
Wide receiver
- Jameson Williams: 59 (89%)
- Amon-Ra St. Brown: 57 (86%)
- Isaac TeSlaa: 26 (39%)
- Tay Martin: 3 (5%) — 21 (66%)
- Tom Kennedy: 0 (0%) — 4 (12%) — INJURED
St. Brown fumbled twice in this game (the Lions recovered both), once on offense and once on his first punt return after taking over for an injured Kennedy, but Goff never lost his trust in the All-Pro, who led the team with 11 targets and six receptions. Williams caught only two of his four targets, but both went for long touchdowns and helped open things up for the rest of the offense.
Martin was once again stellar on special teams. He recovered St. Brown’s fumble and downed a Jack Fox punt inside the five-yard line.
The unfortunate news from this group came via injury, as Kennedy looks like he’ll miss some time, according to Campbell:
“It doesn’t look good. As far as anything short-term, we’ll know a lot more tomorrow. I think it could be a sprain somewhere in there – a pretty good sprain. Neither one of them (Kennedy and LB Devin White) are going to be around here for a while so I hate that. Both players have done a really good job for us.
“‘TK’ I really thought he really hit it. We challenged him on hitting some of these returns. His first was outstanding, and I thought his second one – he caught it, put his foot in the ground, and he took it to heart. I hate it for him that (it) happened. I don’t think it’s long-term — I think it is something where we’ll miss him for a little bit. We will see.”
Tight end
- Sam LaPorta: 59 (89%)
- Brock Wright: 44 (67%) — 11 (34%)
- Tyler Conklin: 8 (12%)
- Jackson Meeks: DNP (INACTIVE)
When the Lions were stuck in an offensive rut in the first quarter, LaPorta pulled them out, converting a tough fourth-down on the Lions’ first scoring drive and then scoring a touchdown on the next drive to help them gain momentum.
Among the reserves, Wright saw his snaps increase as the Lions deployed more 12-personnel sets, while Conklin got the nod over Meeks, allowing the Lions to use more 13-personnel.
Offensive line
- LG Christian Mahogany: 66 (100%) — 7 (21%)
- RT Blake Miller: 66 (100%) — 7 (22%)
- LT Penei Sewell: 63 (95%)
- C Juice Scruggs: 63 (95%) — 7 (22%)
- RG Tate Ratledge: 63 (95%) — 7 (22%)
- LT/6th OL: Larry Borom: 8 (12%) — 7 (22%)
- C Seth McLaughlin: 3 (5%)
- RG Miles Frazier: 3 (5%)
- LG Ben Bartch: DNP (INJURED)
The Lions offensive line made a pass-blocking mistake on each of the Lions’ first two drives, causing them to stall, but they cleaned it up quickly and dominated the rest of the game. In the run game, they routinely moved bodies around, opening holes for Gibbs.
Here’s more from Campbell:
“We have a young (team). Our right tackle is young, our right guard is young, our left guard is young. So when your O-line has some youth in it, they have to continue to grow and you have to be able to trust if we get certain looks, or we get a curveball, (or) it’s 4th down. There’s a lot that goes into it, and I really feel like they’re growing. They did a heck of a job today.”
On the final drive, the Lions rested Sewell, Scruggs, and Ratledge, letting Borom, McLaughlin, and Frazier fill in at left tackle, center, and right guard, respectively. Borom also saw the field in Jumbo packages as a sixth offensive lineman five times.
Interior defensive line
- 3T Alim McNeill: 52 (71%) — 4 (12%)
- DT Tyleik Williams: 35 (48%)
- 3T Skyler Gill-Howard: 35 (48%) — 4 (12%)
- DL Levi Onwuzurike: 16 (22%)
- 3T Mekhi Wingo: DNP (INACTIVE)
McNeill continues to wreck linemen gap responsibilities, plugging holes, freeing up rush lanes, and generating pressures (3 vs. Cardinals) and sacks (1) on a weekly basis. With Aidan Hutchinson drawing doubles, McNeill is benefiting from single blocks and thriving.
“We closed the pocket in and made some huge plays there. Just to get that many 3-and-outs back-to-back-to-back, and then you answer offensively — that’s the white squall. Here comes the massive wave that’s coming at you, and it felt that way a little bit, so that’s good.”
Williams and Gill-Howard provide a solid complementary 1-2 punch opposite McNeill, while Onwuzurike could be in danger of losing reps to Wingo if he keeps making mistakes.
EDGE
- EDGE Aidan Hutchinson: 66 (90%)
- Rush End DJ Wonnum: 36 (49%)
- Big End Tyler Lacy: 26 (36%) — 11 (34%)
- Rush End Derrick Moore: 20 (27%) — 4 (12%)
- Rush End Eric O’Neill: 3 (4%) — 16 (50%)
- Big End Ahmed Hassanein: DNP (INACTIVE)
Despite the extra attention, Hutchinson is still finding ways to be productive. In addition to creating opportunities for his teammates (like McNeill and Wonnum—who added two more sacks in this game), Hutchinson earned three more pressures and a key fourth-down stop, sacking Jacoby Brissett.
Linebacker
- MIKE Jack Campbell: 73 (100%) — 4 (12%)
- SAM Derrick Barnes: 60 (82%) — 4 (12%)
- WILL Malcolm Rodriguez: 23 (32%) — 16 (50%)
- WILL Devin White: 16 (22%) — INJURED
- SAM Trevor Nowaske: 9 (12%) — 25 (78%)
- WILL Amen Ogbongbemiga: 0 (0%) — 25 (78%)
- MIKE Jimmy Rolder: 0 (0%) — 21 (66%)
The Lions shook up their linebacking group once again, as they continue to rotate their LB3 role situationally. After being inactive the previous two games, the Lions inserted White into the starting lineup in this game. He started out defending the run very well, but unfortunately, Campbell informed the media after the game that the veteran broke his forearm and will miss an extended period of time.
“It doesn’t look good — I think Devin’s probably going to need surgery. It’s a broken forearm; it’s unfortunate. I hate it because he was doing some good things for us in this game.”
Rodriguez and Nowaske filled in for White, splitting reps and performing well in coverage.
Cornerback
- CB/NB Roger McCreary: 73 (100%) — 4 (12%)
- CB D.J. Reed: 72 (99%)
- CB Ennis Rakestraw: 35 (48%) — 5 (16%)
- CB Khalil Dorsey: 0 (0%) — 23 (72%)
- CB Rock Ya-Sin: DNP (INJURED)
McCreary got the start on the outside, kicking inside in subpackages, and registered a whopping six (!) pass breakups. Now, he was targeted a ridiculous 18 times, so the opportunities were there, but still, for a secondary that was routinely getting gashed, it was a step in the right direction.
“I just love the pass defense. ‘PDs’ (passes defensed), man. We got our hands on some footballs (and) we knocked some footballs down. I didn’t feel like we were stressed. That’s good to see. Roger (McCreary) wasn’t perfect, but I thought Roger really played some sticky coverage today and I thought Reed played some sticky coverage. That was good to see us challenge some footballs on the back end and work in unison.”
While McCreary got a lot of attention—especially on the broadcast—Reed had his best game of the season, and arguably his best as a Lion. He allowed just four receptions, with little to no yards after the catch (YAC), but his run defense was terrific. Reed routinely set the edge, boxing in the Cardinals’ rushing attack, and was credited with a team-leading 5 (!) run STOPs (forcing an offensive “failure”), per PFF.
Rakestraw filled in on the outside in subpackage sets and showed well, while Dorsey filled in on kick returns after Kennedy was injured and forced from the game.
Safety
- S Chuck Clark: 72 (99%) — 4 (12%)
- DB Keith Abney: 59 (81%) — 5 (16%)
- S Jalen Mills: 22 (30%)
- DB Christian Izien: 0 (0%) — 17 (53%)
- S Bishop Fitzgerald: DNP (INACTIVE)
Abney’s first game at safety was bit up and down, but his athleticism and range are exactly what the secondary needs at free safety. With Abney covering a lot of ground, it tightens the target windows in the secondary and gives the corners easier levels of responsibility. He also filled his gaps well against the run, which was a bit of a concern given he’s more of a coverage specialist, but he was very solid.
With Abney manning center field, Clark shifted to a more natural strong safety role, moving back to free only when Mills was on the field. Clark has shown well as a tackler, and his veteran knowledge is a valuable asset, but his limited range is something the Lions need to look at more closely during the bye week.
With Brian Branch closing in on his return, it’ll be interesting to see whether the Lions favor veteran Mills or the rangy, upside rookie in Abney at free safety. In my opinion, I saw enough progress in coverage and reduced space in zones in this game that I would want to stick with Abney.
Specialists
- K Jake Bates: 15 (47%)
- P Jack Fox: 11 (34%)
- LS Hogan Hatten: 11 (34%)
More from Campbell:
“I thought special teams played with some enthusiasm, some energy, which we were looking for. Our specialists did a heck of a job (Lions P Jack) Fox and (Lions K Jake) Bates.
“It was a good team effort; good team win.”
