Things were grim for the Detroit Lions after a week from hell that included the unretirement of Frank Ragnow, an in-game injury to Amon-Ra St. Brown, more officiating blunders, an injured reserve int for Terrion Arnold and Brock Wright, and multiple losses for the Pride of Detroit rooting guide.
Thankfully, a game against the Dallas Cowboys proved to be a much-needed cleanse. Not only are the Lions back in the playoff hunt, but things are looking up. The offense has seemingly turned a corner for the better, while the defense finally made some game-changing plays at pivotal moments. Sprinkle in some big plays on special teams, and it was an overall excellent night for the Lions.
Let’s examine some winners and losers.
Winner: Trystan Colon, LG
Colon had a decent performance last week at center in relief of Graham Glasgow, and with Kayode Awosika out this week, he slotted into the left guard spot… for the first two drives. The veteran was getting bombarded by the Cowboys’ pass rush, giving up four pressures on just seven drop-back attempts across the opening quarter. Colon was replaced by rookie Miles Frazier soon after, and it looked like his night was done.
Instead, the benching was just the reset that Colon needed. He returned to the lineup late in the second quarter. immediately blowing open a running lane for David Montgomery on his 35-yard touchdown scamper. Best yet, his pass protection went from a significant liability to dominant. Interestingly enough, however, Frazier re-entered the lineup late in the third quarter despite Colon’s turnaround [Editor’s note: Coach Dan Campbell later noted they pre-planned to get Frazier some work]. On the ensuing drive, Frazier got beat by Kenny Clark on a near-sack, then committed his second false start of the game. Colon later rotated back in and helped spring Jahmyr Gibbs on his third touchdown of the day on a rumbling pull.
Goff had struggled in recent weeks due to interior pressure, yet the trio of Colon, Glasgow, and Tate Ratledge held up well against the Cowboys from the second quarter onward. Going forward, it could be an open competition between Colon, Awosika, and Frazier for the starting left guard position. Right now, I think it should be Colon’s spot to lose.
The Lions’ pass rush had been AWOL over recent weeks, with only a smattering of sacks coming from Aidan Hutchinson, Roy Lopez, and Brian Branch. Against the Cowboys, Hutchinson was the clear point of focus for the Cowboys’ offensive line, but that left Al-Quadin Muhammad a ripe opportunity to dominate.
On a night in which the Lions added five sacks, it was Muhammad who led the way with three (the remaining two coming from Jack Campbell on a near-safety and Alim McNeill). Muhammad’s first sack was arguably a gift, as the left tackle, Nate Thomas, inexplicably did not look at Muhammad out wide and let him rush by for a quick and easy sack. His next two sacks were hard-fought, one of which featured a nice swim move against right tackle Terence Steele. Muhammad’s speed and ferocity have been the main weapons of his arsenal, but in past weeks, it had not resulted in many sacks or pressures. This week, everything was clicking.
Winner: Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR
A six-catch, 92-yard performance is just the icing on the cake of an impressive outing for St. Brown. It was a victory for him to simply take the field, as his ankle injury had kept him out all week and put his start against Dallas into question. Yet, as demonstrated on his 37-yard catch and run, he is an iron man and among the toughest players in the league. His speed may have been a tick slower than usual (Next Gen Stats will have to confirm or deny that statement), but his elusiveness was unbothered, frequently beating the Cowboys’ secondary with his route running. The Lions’ offense was surprisingly effective without him last week, but it is clear that having him active on game day gives the Lions a much-needed boost.
Winner: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB
It was an eerily stat line to Gibbs’ performance against the Philadelphia Eagles last month. Against the Eagles, Gibbs was stymied on the ground, only gaining 39 yards on 12 carries. Against the Cowboys, Gibbs was subdued on the ground, only gaining 43 yards on 12 carries. Against the Eagles, Gibbs was dominant as a receiver, turning five catches into 107 yards. Against the Cowboys, Gibbs was dominant as a receiver, turning seven catches into 77 yards.
In that game, I listed Gibbs as a winner despite the subpar rushing total, given that he was one of the few highlights of the offense. This week, I will give him a similar nod, elevated by his three rushing scores. Of note, Gibbs had some downfield targets, opposed to his usual screen passes. The game plan was seemingly effective in capitalizing on the mismatch with the Cowboys’ linebackers and secondary. Plus, any time you tie a Barry Sanders record and break someone’s ankles on a juke, you deserve some praise.
Loser: D.J. Reed and Amik Robertson, CB
Reed had been a welcome re-addition to the lineup upon his return from injury, but his outing against the Cowboys was by far his worst in a Lions uniform. Robertson, meanwhile, continues to trend in the wrong direction after some stellar outings to start the season.
Reed allowed over 100 receiving yards, most of which came courtesy of CeeDee Lamb. He was also dinged for a holding penalty and a long pass interference that was thankfully offset by an offensive hands-to-the-face penalty. Things turned around for Reed later in the game, including a game-sealing interception, but it also came with Lamb out of the game due to a concussion. The Cowboys were rightfully taking advantage of the mismatch before then.
Robertson will get knocked for allowing the 42-yard touchdown to Ryan Flournoy, but that was a clear coverage breakdown between him and Brian Branch at safety. What he should get criticized for was some lackluster coverage out of the slot, with the likes of Flournoy (eight catches for 73 yards on his remaining catches) and KaVontae Turpin (who added a 21-yard catch late in the game) getting the best of Robertson.
Reed and Robertson are expected to be the Lions’ top two cornerbacks, but neither played like it on Thursday. However…
Winner: Rock Ya-Sin, CB
Instead, it was Ya-Sin that looked like the shutdown corner against the Cowboys. Both he and Reed had their hands full with Dallas’ star receivers, but while Reed struggled against Lamb, Ya-Sin locked down George Pickens. Pickens had a mere five catches for 37 yards and looked frustrated throughout the night, largely due to Ya-Sin’s coverage. Whereas Robertson has struggled over the past month, Ya-Sin has gotten better and better. In his starts against the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants, he earned PFF grades of 73.4 and 71.9, and I would expect a similar positive mark for this game.
Winner: David Montgomery, RB
It was an overall modest role for Montgomery against the Cowboys, but he made the most of limited touches. His 35-yard score was a much-needed early spark for the Lions, and he finished the day with 60 yards and a touchdown on just six carries. Additionally, he recorded one catch for 13 yards. Gibbs has become the unquestioned focal point of the Lions’ offense, but this game was a good reminder that Montgomery can be an excellent complement and change of pace when called upon.
Winner: Jared Goff, QB
After the first few drives in which the Cowboys recorded a sack and multiple pressures, it looked like a rough game upcoming for Goff. Instead, the pass protection settled in, and so too did Goff. He was mostly sharp on the night, completing 25-of-34 passes for 309 yards and a touchdown—his first 300-yard passing game since the win over the Washington Commanders. He connected with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams throughout the game, with both receivers nearly topping 100 yards each. When the pocket was clean, he made good choices and delivered strikes. When pressured, he was surprisingly elusive, including one crucial third-down conversion to Williams in which he dodged interior pressure.
Winner: Tom Kennedy, RET
Kennedy got a hat tip last week for a valiant effort replacing an injured Amon-Ra St. Brown, but with the star receiver suiting up, Kennedy returned to his planned role as returner. Despite the demotion to special teams duties, he thrived. Kennedy had three long kickoff returns of 40 yards, 38 yards, and 42 yards while also chipping in with a 21-yard punt return. The Lions had struggled to get much consistency out of their returners, but Kennedy now has back-to-back games in which he not only looked comfortable as a returner, but downright elusive. The perennial practice squader has made the most of his time on the active roster and should be a special teams staple going forward—not bad for a guy whose roster chances were previously slim due to a perceived lack of special teams prowess.
Loser: Safety depth
The Lions are already missing Kerby Joseph, and the safety depth might be further tested after this game. Over the course of the night, the Lions lost both of their starting safeties. Thomas Harper was ruled out with a concussion after two defensive snaps. Avonte Maddox stepped in a performed quite well despite what was essentially a spot start. Late in the game, Brian Branch went down with an ankle injury and was carted to the locker room. The game was in its waning moments, so the true impact of Branch’s injury was not felt, but he is a player that the Lions can ill-afford to lose, especially with Joseph out. If both Branch and Harper are out, and Joseph’s absence continues, the Lions will have to lean on Maddox, Daniel Thomas, and practice squad players Erick Hallett and Loren Strickland. Next week’s injury report will be a crucial one to watch.
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