By Roy J. Akers-www.skyviewsports.net
The Detroit Lions go on the road for the first time in 2024 and hope to redeem a winnable game loss against Tampa Game into a road victory against Arizona. Play calling was an issue last week. Jared Goff threw 55 times against Tampa and many of the throws were very short routes to running backs short of the first down marker or runs into the line. Did you see Sam LaPorta last week? Me neither. It wasted a terrific game by the defensive line and Aid en Hutchinson had 4.5 sacks, forced a fumble and additional tackles against Baker Mayfield.
First Quarter
The Detroit Lions take the opening drive and open up the playbook and work David Montgomery for a first down run and Sam LaPorta on a short numbers route for a first down grab. Montgomery goes for nine on first and ten at the AZ 24. Then a Lions rumble with Monty following the convoy nets 14 more to the Cardinal one. DM punches it in one play later for the score. Monty is the ‘Who’s Your Lion on the drive with six carries for 39 yards. Lions 7-0. Drive takes 4:44 and goes for nine plays and 70 yards.
The Cardinals went on their own long drive and it featured a QB vapor known as Kyler Murray. The Lions are not bad against running quarterbacks, they are TERRIBLE. Murray rushed twice for 34 yards and completed four more passes for an eventual score to superstar rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. Lions and the NFL, this Harrison kid is a big problem to 31 teams not named the Arizona Cardinals. 8 Plays, 70 yards. 5:08 7-7.
Key Lions 1st Quarter Play: David Montgomery 1 Yard Run behind offensive line
Second Quarter
Detroit used a solid mix of pass and run plays in their final first quarter drive that bled into the second quarter. Goff hits St. Brown three times on throws totalling x yards including a five yard TD throw. Jake Bates misses the XP. Detroit 13- AZ 7. 13 plays, 70 yards, 7:41
The Lions defensive line had a superb stand against the Cardinals although Hutchinson had nothing to do with it. He is being double and triple teamed leaving Levi.Onwuzurike loose to wreck havoc. The Cards and Lions have traded punts for the first time in the game.
The Lions final drive of the half appeared to be going nowhere. Goff threw an an iterception but the play was whistled dead and Detroit worked a third and 12 into a Jahmyr Gibbs 13 yard first down run. Jameson Williams caught his first of the game, a nine yard completion that gives the Lions another first down. Then, the razzle-dazzle. A hook and ladder from St. Brown to Gibbs catches 18 yards out catches everyone off guard and Detroit has a two score lead. Seven plays, 72 yards. 3:54. Detroit 20- AZ 7.
Key Play for Detroit in the second quarter was the 18 yard hook and ladder from Goff to St. Brown, lateralled to Gibbs.
AZ goes 6 plays and 46 yards and kicks a 42 yard field goal going into the half. Former Lion Matt Prater boots it through. Lions 20- AZ 10.
Third Quarter
The Lions did little to move the football and appeared to have the Falcons backed up near their own end zone. Arizona frustrated the Detroit defense Multiple players took turns and the Lions gave up multiple first downs. On a naked bootleg, Murray ran to the right side and reached out for what appeared to be a Cardinals first down.
Campbell Challenge is won by Detroit
As Campbell challenged, Detroit won the argument and took over first and ten at the Det. 24. Gibbs runs for 18 and Goff connects with St Brown for 15 more getting the visitors into Cardinal territory. Jameson Williams was wide open on a sideline route but Goff leads the pass out of bounds. The third and short play gives Detroit 4th and inches. Detroit is stuffed on fourth and short and AZ takes over at their own 40 with 3:10 to go in the quarter.
Fourth Quarter
Arizona stopped Detroit on a drive early in the fourth quarter and had took over deep in their own territory. The Lions’ blanketing secondary forced a three and out as Murray went 0-3.
The Cards go 50 yards in two minutes and keep the visitors off balance. Arizona, trailing by two scores methodically took advantage of Detroit’s bend, but do not break defense and Higgins hauls in a key catch for 11 yards. Aiden Hutchinson finally sacks Murray for an eight yard loss. The Cards elect to kick a field goal from 44 yards out with Prater making it a 20-13 game.
The Lions, up by a score take their final drive and were on the ropes until Goff connects with Amon-Ra St. Brown for 17 yards. Goff’s eight yard scramble ices the game with the Cards out of timeouts. Detroit continues their streak of not losing back to back games for two years as the Lions win 20-13.
Three Stars
First Star
David Montgomery is the diesel for the Lions. He both gives and receives a pounding for Detroit and is the poster player for Dan Campbell’s GRIT persona for the team. No play showed this more than the TD where his offensive line basically willed him over the goal line in the first half. He added three receptions for 17 yards as he gained 106 yards on 23 carries for a 4.6 yard average.
Second Star
The Lions offensive line. Detroit’s starting five not only opened holes for Gibbs and Montgomery, but they protected Goff who went 18-23 for 198 yards and a QB rating of over 113. They did give up two sacks on the day.
Third Star
Lions safety Brian Branch had nine tackles including six solo on the day. This includes a TFL. Branch did go out of the game in the second half with an injury.
Factoid that may interest only me
Detroit has NOT lost two consecutive regular season games since the first half of the 2022 season. No one does that anymore in the NFL except for Your Detroit Lions.
If it fits in the box
Roy J. Akers is a multi-media reporter and covers several sports for www.skyviewsports.net
