In the Detroit Lions Week 10 Report Card, we get to talk about a win. The Lions took down a division rival in the Chicago Bears 31-30 and they did it in an interesting manner. The defense scored a touchdown among their normal playmakers making plays on both sides of the ball. Let’s see what groups helped the Lions to this win. Â
Detroit Week 10 Report Card: Offense
Quarterback
Jared Goff played a turnover-free game, which for him has only happened three times this season; two of those games resulted in a win, including this past weekend. Goff completed 19 of the 26 passes he attempted, throwing for 236 yards with the biggest play of the day coming on the last scoring drive of the game when he connected with Tom Kennedy for a 44-yard pass getting the Lions to the Bears’ 14-yard line. This was a game Goff needed to get some confidence back. Week in and week out the question has been what Goff will the Lions get and if it continues to be this Goff this team can be a problem.
Overall Grade: B
Running Back
The Lions’ running game has been a key focal point of this team’s success as the season has progressed. Jamaal Williams was the main running back in this game, rushing for 59 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown. D’Andre Swift, on the other hand, just couldn’t get going as he had 6 carries for 6 yards; not a great stat line for someone who’s supposed to be one of your big playmakers, he did, however, have a rushing touchdown.
The real reason that this team gets a B+, besides Jamaal Williams’s day, is the stellar block Justin Jackson delivered for the Goff to Brock Wright touchdown pass; he took on two defenders and allowed Goff time to complete the pass to Wright, Jackson also managed to rush for 14 yards on four carries but that block needs to be talked about more.
Overall Grade: B+
Wide Receiver
Between the three wide receivers that played and were targeted in this game, only two passes were not completed. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Kalif Raymond, and Tom Kennedy were targeted for 16 passes and caught 14 of them. St. Brown led the way with 10 catches for 119 yards, he was all over the field for the Lions and continues to show what a steal he was when the Lions took him in the 4th round at pick 112 in the 2021 NFL Draft. Kennedy’s lone catch was the 44-yarder from Goff and Raymond caught all three balls thrown to him for 47 yards.
Overall Grade: A-
Tight End
When the Lions traded TJ Hockenson to Minnesota it was pointed out by multiple people that the Lions don’t utilize the Tight End position for the spot, they end up drafting guys in. All three tight ends on the roster were targeted but only James Mitchell and Brock Wright made catches. Wright caught the lone passing touchdown from Goff on a four-yard completion, it was Wright’s only catch of the day but a big one for sure.
Overall Grade: C
Offensive Line
The Lions’ offensive line looked fantastic as they allowed only two sacks on Goff, but they also gave him time in the pocket to make the passes needed to get the Lions down the field to score and keep them in this game. The Line also allowed the Lions to rush for 95 yards on 31 carries.
Overall Grade: B
Offense Overall Grade: B
Detroit Week 10 Report Card: Defense and Special Teams
Defensive Line
I would have loved to give the Defensive Line an A- but the fact Justin Fields ran all over this team takes them down a few grades. Aidan Hutchinson was a force and all over the field, recording a sack, giving him 5.5 on the season. He also made a nice tackle on David Montgomery when he lifted Montgomery up and slammed him to the ground like he was wrestling. Julian Okwara also recorded two sacks in this one, his first two of the year.
Overall Grade: B
Linebacker
Alex Anzalone and Jarrad Davis each had pass breakups in this one and Anzalone led the Lions in total tackles in this one with 10. They did struggle in run support, specifically with Justin Fields, which impacts their grade significantly.
Overall Grade: C+
Defensive Backs
B just seems like the right grade for the Secondary unit as they made a big play when Jeff Okudah picked off Justin Fields and returned it to the house. However, the unit also allowed Cole Kmet, who had been relatively quiet this season, to have his best game with four catches for 74 yards and one of those catches was for a 50-yard touchdown. They also lost DeShon Elliott early in the first quarter when he left with a concussion on a collision with Justin Fields on Fields’ one-yard touchdown run.
Overall Grade: B
Special Teams
The Lions have had their punter of the future and now it looks like the Lions finally have their kicker as Michael Badgley went 4/4 on extra points one of those being the game-winning point. The Bears kicker missed their extra point a drive earlier, leaving the door open for the Lions and Badgley also drilled a 25-yard field goal earlier in the game.
Jack Fox continues to show week in and week out that he really is the best punter in the league averaging 46.3 yards per punt and pinning the Bears back, his longest punt of the day was a 59-yarder that had the Bears starting a drive at their own nine. The lone kickoff that was returned was returned by Justin Jackson for 39 yards which gave the Lions great field position for their drive that started the 2nd quarter.
Overall Grade: B+
Defense and Special Teams Overall Grade: B-
Coaching
In the weeks prior to the Packers and Bears game, the coaching staff has been questioned weekly with the idea of Dan Campbell‘s aggressiveness on fourth down and avoiding his special teams, but it looks like his staff has had a conversation and he’s starting to figure it out.
The coordinators have seemed to put a little something together with Ben Johnson having this offense making the plays it needs to and on the defensive side Aaron Glenn has turned a little something around for a defense that had been in question for weeks. Yes, the defensive unit let up some big plays but they also made some plays when it mattered. It looks like the execution is coming
Overall Grade: B
