Lions Game Ball, Unsung Hero of Week 15: Bills blow the barn doors off

Handing out the game ball and unsung hero from the Lions’ home loss to the Bills

The Super Bowl matchup in the Motor City did not go as the Detroit Lions coaches, players and fans, had hoped.

MVP favorite Josh Allen and Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady put on a clinic against the Lions as they scored 30-plus points, and then some, in their eighth consecutive games. Allen had all day to find his bevy of weapons against the depleted Lions defense. He went 23/34 passing for 362 yards and two passing touchdowns.

Everything was going Allen’s way, but luckily after a slow start, the Lions offense got going and fought back to get within 10 multiple times in the fourth quarter and even closer towards the end. The Lions were due for a loss after winning 11straight, and luckily won’t have to face the juggernaut that is Josh Allen again until the Super Bowl. Maybe the Lions can exorcise their demons against the Bills, five straight losses dating back to 2006, on the biggest stage when they’re a little healthier.

Game Ball: Jared Goff

The Lions couldn’t run the ball. They couldn’t stop the run. They couldn’t rush the passer. They couldn’t force turnovers. But they sure could pass the pigskin with Jared Goff.

The Lions unfortunately started slow, with two punts and 3 total yards on the first two drives, while quickly digging into a 14-0 hole. From there on out, they had an urgency to pass the ball and Goff lead two touchdown drives in the first half and four touchdown drives in the second half. It was one of Goff’s best games of his Lions career.

Goff completed 38 of his 59 passes for 494 yards and five touchdowns in Week 15 against the Bills, totaling 276 yards and three touchdowns on in-rhythm dropbacks (time to throw between 2.5 and 4.0 seconds), his most in a game since Week 4, 2019. He did it while targeting both Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta each double-digit times and Tim Patrick and Jahmyr Gibbs at least seven times each. St. Brown even set career-highs in catches (14) and receiving yards (193) and made a big catch and run on one of Goff’s tightest window throws of the day.

Goff was dealing from the pocket on mostly a straight dropback approach and without any ground game (48 rushing yards). He utilized play action on a season-low 14.1% of dropbacks, completing 6-of-8 passes for 73 yards and a touchdown, while taking just one sack. Entering Week 15, Goff had used play action on a league-high 38.6% of dropbacks.

Goff was also pressured on 39.1% of his dropbacks, which was the third highest mark of the season. Yet he still managed to keep his composure and thrived. Goff maneuvered in the pocket well, only taking three sacks, but also scrambled outside the pocket and completed a few off-script passes and ran twice for 13 yards.

Goff became the first player in NFL history with 400+ passing yards, 5+ passing TDs, and 0 interceptions in a loss (previous QBs were 16-0). Goff showed he can be a gusty gunslinger in a shootout if the team needs him to be in the right situation and gets my game ball.

Unsung Heroes: Penei Sewell and Amik Robertson

Typically, Penei Sewell is highlighted when he is steamrolling people in the run game or in space on screens and pulls. Unfortunately, based on game script, the Lions abandoned their rushing attack. But Sewell still was able to prove how valuable he is.

Goff dropped back 66 times and Sewell only gave up a single quarterback hurry (no sacks or hits). He faced off often with Bills breakout star Gregory Rousseau (lowest PFF grade since Week 4) and Von Miller—two pass rushers with very different body types and rush approaches—and held it down.

The interior of the offensive line allowed 19 total quarterback pressures, including two sacks and four quarterbacks hits, while the left side of the offensive line allowed 21 total quarterback pressures. All the while, Sewell was Goff’s dependable rock in pass protection. One of the few instances where one of the best players in the NFL will be my unsung hero.

Despite the Lions playing primarily out of their base, three-linebacker defense, my second unsung hero goes to Amik Robertson. Robertson only played 24 snaps as the Lions nickel cornerback but he had one of his best games of the season as a key member of the Lions secondary.

Khalil Shakir is near the top of wide receiver leaders in catch rate and yards after catch on the season, but he still produced one of his lowest receiving totals against the Lions and Robertson gets a lot of credit for locking him up.

Shakir recorded six catches for 39 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown (shovel pass play). Robertson only gave up two catches for 14 receiving yards on the day (both to Shakir). Robertson’s biggest play of the day was running step-for-step with Shakir on a third down crossing route and gobbling him up short of the sticks to force the punt.

With Carlton Davis’ jaw injury, the crafty veteran Robertson could be relied upon more and potentially as an outside cornerback at times.