By Roy J. Akers-www.skyviewsports.net
The Lions first two home games of the 2024 season were teams looking to avenge playoff losses to Detroit at Ford Field. The Lions took care of the Rams in the season opener. The Bucs took care of the Lions in game 2. Seattle comes into Detroit for the third straight season and looks to win its third in the row in front of a raucous crowd in Detroit. The Lions have other plans. Both teams are pretty banged up and for Detroit, their most important player on the sidelines is their all-pro center Frank Ragnow. “We made the adjustments on the go. Graham (Glasgow) did a great job preparing” referring to Glasgow filling in for all-pro center Ragnow in the pregame interview on ESPN.
First Quarter
Detroit rarely takes the ball to open a football game but Dan Campbell rolled the dice and his offense rolled snake eyes. Jared Goff was sacked on third and six for a 14 yard loss by Jarren Reed. Seattle earned one first down on their initial drive with DK Metcalf hauling in a superb 14 yard grab. The Lions stiffened from their and Seattle punted. Goff goes to the air to hit Jameson Williams for a ten yard gain, spinning out a near certain sack. He hits St. Brown for two straight connections. Then the Lions, after loosening up the secondary, go to the ground with consecutive runs by David Montgomery for nice gains. Jahmyr Gibbs goes for 20 and Monty comes in and finishes the drive with a TD with a beautiful job of stretching and balancing to score the Lions TD. Scoring: Monty 1yd TD run- 12 plays, 93 yards. 7:21
The Seahawks Geno Smith uses short strikes to move the ball
Smith starts the drive with an incompletion and a pair of completions to J.Smith-Njigba and Bobo before a smart completion to DK Metcalf. Earning Yards after Catch (YAC) The Lions Jack Campbell strips the ball and Detroit takes over at the Seatlle 14. A complete pass from Goff to Brock Wright goes for ten yards for a first and ten inside the Seattle five. The quarter ends Detroit 7, Seattle 0.
Second Quarter
One play later, Gibbs scores from three yards out. This is the first time the Seahawks have given up a TD following a turnover in nearly two years. Jahmyr Gibbs 3 Yd Rush, J.Bates extra point is GOOD, Center-H.Hatten, Holder-J.Fox. 3 plays, 14 yards, 0:53
Seattle was on the run early in their drive but a completion for a first down to Smith- Njigba and a holding penalty on the Lions Carlton Davis extends the Seahawks drive. A couple of plays later, Smith connects on a 29 yard pitch and catch to …. DK Metcalf and he is ruled out of bounds at the Detroit one. Two plays later, Kenneth WalkerIII scores from a yard out. Kenneth Walker III 1 Yd Rush, J.Myers extra point is GOOD, Center-C.Stoll, Holder-M.Dickson. 11 plays, 70 yards, 4:50 Det. 14- Sea. 7
The Lions are on the march
Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson mixed the pass with the run very well in the counterpunch drive after the Seahawks TD. Four different Detroit players touched the ball for Detroit on the drive. Gibbs scores from two yards out. Its his second TD of the night. When a team scores on you, what are you going to do? The key play is a five yard naked bootleg pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown. Jahmyr Gibbs 1 Yd Rush, J.Bates extra point is GOOD, Center-H.Hatten, Holder-J.Fox. 9 plays, 70 yards, 4:57
Key Stat- Halftime
The Lions secondary needs to tighten up against Smith
Both teams finish out the half with non productive drives. Halftime. Lions 21- Seattle 7.
Third Quarter
Seattle only ran the ball five times for 18 yards in the first half against Detroit and were determined to do better against vaunted defense. Walker III runs for a first down early in the drive. After a first down catch by Metcalf moves the chains for a second time, Noah Fant catches one over the middle and Seattle has it first and ten on the Lions 30. Then the Lions are called for pass interference as Carlton Davis is whistled at the Lions 8. The Next play gives AJ Barner a grab for the TD. AJ Barner Pass From Geno Smith for 9 Yds. 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:14 Drive Key Play: 2nd & 4 at DET 46. (10:34 – 3rd) (Shotgun) G.Smith pass short middle to N.Fant to DET 30 for 16 yards (B.Joseph). Detroit 21- Seattle 14.
Will Detroit respond? You Bet
David Montgomery catches a pass into the flat and bulldozes a Seahawks defender and rumbles 40 yards. Tim Patrick gets his first grab for 23 yards. After another run by Monty, the Lions use razzle dazzle as St. Brown takes the pitch and throws it to Goff in the end zone for the score .“I was fired up,” Goff told ESPN. “We’ve been cooking that thing for a long time. I think it’s my first career touchdown catch ever.” Jared Goff Pass From Amon-Ra St. Brown for 7 Yds, J.Bates extra point is GOOD, Center-H.Hatten, Holder-J.Fox. Key Play: Plenty but Montgomery makes a 40 yard gain after stiff arming a Seahawk and the Lions were rolling. 5 plays, 70 yards, 2:49 Detroit 28- Seattle 14.
Seattle’s moment to fight to get back in the game. The Lions had plenty of pressure on the Seattle QB but he escaped multiple times. Grabs by Smith-Njigba for 11 yards and to Lockett for 29 more get the Seahawks cooking and a Detroit holding call on Terrion Arnold puts them on the goal line as Walker III scores. Seattle goes for two and after a Detroit penalty, the visitors fail to convert. Kenneth Walker III 1 Yd Rush, TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. G.Smith pass to J.Bobo is incomplete. ATTEMPT FAILS. 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:54 Lions 28- Seattle 20.
The Very Next Play
Detroit goes to the air as Jameson Williams catches the deep out with St. Brown acting as a decoy and Williams turned on the jets and scored on a 70 yard pass play. Jameson Williams Pass From Jared Goff for 70 Yds, J.Bates extra point is GOOD, Center-H.Hatten, Holder-J.Fox. 1 play, 70 yards, 0:11. Det. 35- Seattle 20.
Kenneth Walker III is rumbling
Walker did little in the first half, but the second half is a much different story. He catches a pass for seven yards to open the drive and then runs for 23 more lowering his shoulder and driving Detroit tacklers back. Carlton Davis III is injured on the play. The Lions have put plenty of pressure on Smith and DJ Reader finally earns a sack from the defensive line. The final play of the quarter gave Smith apass short left to Shenault to DET 21 for 18 yards. The quarter ends. Detroit 35- Seattle 20.
Fourth Quarter
Walker takes the pitch and has a cross field cutback and goes 21 yards for the score. Once again, Lions cornerback blows a play. He has three pass interference penalties, an injury and a blown assignment plus whatever the coaches see on film. Kenneth Walker III 21 Yd Rush, J.Myers extra point is GOOD, Center-C.Stoll, Holder-M.Dickson. 7 plays, 70 yards, 3:04 Key Play, the Walker III run. Detroit 35-Seattle 27.
The Lions have done a great job of scoring after a Seattle TD, but three Detroit runs earn them a three and out.
Seattle rolls down the field
The Seahawks do a nice job mixing the run and the pass and both prove to be successful. Smith-Njigba for eight on a pass, Charbonnet rumbles for 12 yards. Barner catches another ball for 18 yards. Detroit stiffens from there and an offensive pass interference call and a fourth down offensive offside call force the Seahawks to punt. There is just under 9:00 to play.
The Lions are grinding up the Seahawks
Detroit is determined to use their physicality to move the chains. Goff completes a 29 yarder to Tim Patrick to the Lions 49. They add to runs by Gibbs for 11 more. Goff then hits LaPorta for 30 more to the Seattle 10. After a Detroit penalty, its Gibbs for eight more. A sideline endzone grab to St. Brown for a 7 yard score never got an official TD signal, but was clearly good on the ESPN replay. Amon-Ra St. Brown Pass From Jared Goff for 8 Yds, J.Bates extra point is GOOD, Center-H.Hatten, Holder-J.Fox. 7 plays, 80 yards, 3:34 Detroit 42- Seattle 27. Key Play: The 30 yard catch by LaPorta. Detroit 42- Seattle 27.
The Seahawks Return the favor
Seattle used their own version of the Detroit offense getting most members of their offense in the play calls for both the run and the pass. Five Seahawks got their numbers called for at least one play. The Lions also helped out with holding and offsides calls. Between Davis III and Arnold, they received quite a few calls for pass interference and holding. Seattle went for a score on a do or die fourth down call and Smith overthrows his intended targe Lockett.
Not really a safety
Jared Goff appeared to barely avoid a safety when looking to complete a pass going into the two minute warning. After looking at the play, the officials changed the play from a rushing attempt to a two-point play for Seattle. .
Three Stars- Star One
The Seattle Seahawks QB could have been a victim of the Lions onslaught of a passrush. Detroit got to Smith three times during the night, but Smith threw for 395 yards on 38-56 passing. He sidestepped the pass rush and gained valuable scramble yardage on the game.
Star Two
The Lions Jared Goff was 18 for 18 passing for 292 yards and had 2 TD passes and caught a touchdown on a St. Brown throw. “It’s a cool thing,” Goff said. “I’m just happy we got the win.” Goff did throw an incomplete pass, but it was negated by a penalty. “I was like, does that count?” he recalled wondering.
Star Three
MSU grad Kenneth Walker III was silent in the first half of the game but broke through with 12 carries for 80 yards and three TD’s. Add four receptions for 36 yards on five targets and Walker helped keep drives alive for Seattle.
The Bad
Terrion Arnold has been called for eight fouls this season. He had two holding and a pass interference call against Seattle. The veteran Carlton Davis III had three pass interference calls during the game.
Crazy Stat
Jared Goff was 18-18 for 292 yards. He had more TD receptions with one than incompletions, zero. That has to be an NFL history first.
Seattle had the football more than eight minutes more than Detroit
Side by Side stats
