Rams vs. Lions: Final Report Cards, Player Grades for Detroit

The Detroit Lions looked awful at times against the Rams, but at the end of the day, a win is a win. The Lions continue to defy the odds, as another comeback nets them another win. The Lions defeated the Rams 27-23 in the first week of the regular season.

The Rams took the lead with less than two minutes left, and the Lions took the ball right down the field to score a touchdown with 10 seconds left to in the game. It was an exciting start to the regular season for the Lions.

Let's look at the Lions final postgame grades and evaluations.

Quarterback

Matthew Stafford: C+

Matthew Stafford had a very rough start to the 2012 NFL season. He threw into coverage and looked very confused by the scheme that Rams were running in their secondary. Stafford’s start today was one of the worst we have seen in some time.

Stafford finished 32-of-48 for 355 yards and a touchdown, but he threw three interceptions, two of which came in the red zone. The Lions dropped a few balls that should have been caught, but this was a poor start to the season for Stafford.

Running Backs

Kevin Smith: A-

Kevin Smith had a great game as he finished with 91 total yards and two touchdowns. Smith only carried the ball 13 times, but he managed 62 yards rushing. The ground game was effective against the Rams, mainly behind the strength of Smith.

He did a great job of catching the ball out of the back field, and he scored the game winning touchdown. Smith had a strong game and a very solid start to the season.

Joique Bell: A

Bell looked good in the only look he had, scoring a touchdown on a 1-yard plunge.

Wide Receivers

Calvin Johnson: A-

Calvin Johnson was terrific in the opener, finishing with six catches for 111 yards. He looked great catching the ball at its highest point, and he did a great job of drawing coverage on the game-winning touchdown.

Johnson saw double-team coverage all day and still managed to post 111 yards. He is simply the best wide receiver in the game, and he showcased that today.

Titus Young: C

Titus Young was extremely quiet in the opening week of the regular season. He caught one pass, and had 25 yards of total offense.

The Lions did not attack the defense vertically in this game, and Young was a non-factor in this game.

Nate Burleson: A-

Burleson had a great game against the Rams in the opener. He looked much quicker than he did last year and he made a couple great catches. Burleson finished with six catches for 69 yards and he did a great job of moving the chains for the Lions.

Burleson was a bit of an after-thought coming into the 2012 season, but he had a strong game against the Rams and showed that he still a very strong option for the Lions.

Tight Ends

Brandon Pettigrew: B-

Brandon Pettigrew had a fairly quiet first three quarters against the Rams but he really showed up in the fourth quarter. Pettigrew still has a problem with catching the football, as drops continue to be a problem for him.

He dropped a certain touchdown pass as he fell to the ground with the ball. Pettigrew needs to find a way to be more effective while catching the ball. He is a massive target and is going to be a focal point on offense going forward.

Tony Scheffler: B-

Tony Scheffler had a solid outing, but he dropped a pass at a critical time when the offense had really slowed to a halt. He is a mismatch for the defense, and he showed that today.

The Lions used Scheffler in the short passing game, and he was relatively effective. Scheffler finished with five catches for 30 yards against the Rams.

Offensive Line

Jeff Backus: A-

Jeff Backus did a great job in this game, as pressure was not a problem for the Lions today. Backus did a great job of pushing the speed to the edge and not allowing the defense to turn the corner and get to his quarterback.

Backus played well in this game. He had a great start to the 2012 regular season.

Rob Sims: A-

Sims was his usual self against the Rams. He never looks out of place and rarely has his name called for anything. Sims was strong in both pass protection, and he created some push in the running game.

Sims is a very effective player lining up next to Backus, as he offers a lot of stability. The left side of the Lions offensive line was very good against the Rams.

Dominic Raiola: B+

Dominic Raiola had a nice outing against the Rams to start the regular season. He is the captain of the offensive line, and he did a nice job of calling out the plays on the line.

Raiola did a good job protecting quarterback Matthew Stafford as the line inly surrendered one sack. The line also did a great job of creating some room for the running backs, especially near the end zone.

Stephen Peterman: B+

Anytime Stephen Peterman plays a game and doesn’t get called for a holding penalty, that’s a good day. Peterman was solid in this game in both pass protection and creating some running room in the ground game. This is a very strong start for Peterman.

Gosder Cherilus: B+

Gosder Cherilus had a great game against the Rams. He did not allow any pressure to get near Matthew Stafford, and the Lions ran the ball well. Cherilus plays on the edge, as he is known for taking bad penalties, but he did not do that today. It’s a great start to the season for Cherilus.

Defensive Line

Ndamukong Suh: B+

Ndamukong Suh had a great start to the season as he showcased the ability to get pressure on the quarterback, as well as the discipline to play the run. Suh registered one sack and had two tackles. He displayed his strength in holing up at the point of attack.

Corey Williams: A-

Williams was a beast against the Rams, as he finished with five tackles. He also registered a sack and forced a fumble. The Lions dominated this game on the strength of their defensive tackles, and Williams was a major factor in this game.

Nick Fairley: C+

Nick Fairley registered a sack in the game against the Rams, but he was otherwise relatively quiet. The sack came at a good time, as the backup unit was in the game at the time. Fairley looked fairly average in this game.

Cliff Avril: B-

The Lions didn’t get much pressure on the quarterback from their defensive ends. Avril had a solid game, but he didn’t do all that much against the Rams.

Kyle Vanden Bosch: B-

Kyle Vanden Bosch looked strong getting up the field in this game, and he held up against the run as well. The Rams tried to run the ball at the rushing defensive ends, but the interior of the defense was too much for the Rams. Vanden Bosch finished with four total tackles.

Linebackers

Justin Durant: A

Justin Durant was all over the field against the Rams. He was tasked with a tough job in bringing down Steven Jackson, and he did a great job of tacking today. Durant finished with 12 total tackles against the Rams. Durant was one of the reasons the Lions held Jackson to 53 rushing yards.

Stephen Tulloch: B+

Stephen Tulloch was very strong in the opener against the Rams. The linebackers, as a group, did a phenomenal job of limiting the Rams’ running attack. Tulloch finished with nine total tackles, and was a key to the Lions defensive effort.

DeAndre Levy: B+

DeAndre Levy played a great game against the Rams as he did a great job of getting to Steven Jackson to prevent him from getting started. Levy finished with 6 total tackles, but was a bigger factor in the game than the stats show. It is a great start for Levy.

Defensive Backs

Bill Bentley: B

Bill Bentley had a great start to his career with his play on the field. He held up very well against the Rams and looked really good at times. Bentley is a very good coverage cornerback and he showcased that ability today. He finished with one tackle, but was banged up and missed some time in the opener.

Jacob Lacey: B

Lacey started opposite Bentley, and he held up very well also. The secondary was not an issue in this game as they looked fairly good when they got challenged. The Rams threw the ball underneath the defense and towards the boundary. Lacey had a great start to the regular season.

Drayton Florence: B+

Drayton Florence made a huge play in the game, as he got beat deep but got back into the play and broke up a pass that was going to be a huge play. Florence made one of the plays of the game, as the game might have a different outcome if he doesn’t get back to make that play. Florence finished with two tackles, but the pass break-up might is the one of the better plays on defense against the Rams.

Erik Coleman: B

Erik Coleman came up from the safety position and delivered some shots in this game. He played very well in the opener as he finished with six total tackles. The secondary was considered an enormous liability coming into this game, but they played very well.

John Wendling: B

The Lions safety position was supposed to be a big weakness against the Rams, but they played very well and looked strong against the Rams. Wendling was very good in the game and did not hurt the Lions with his play. Wendling finished with four total tackles.

Special Teams

Jason Hanson: A

Jason Hanson was his consistent self in the game against the Rams. He made both field goals that he attempted, and he did a great job of kicking the ball deep so the Rams could not return the ball.

Ben Graham: A-

Ben Graham was especially strong in the opener against the Rams. He averaged 38.3 yards per punt, but was able to draw two fair-catches inside the 20-yard line.

Coaching

Coaching: A

The coaches did a great job of keeping the players from allowing their emotions to get the better of them. The Lions could have folded up with the turnovers and the late field goal by the Rams, but they did not and the composure allowed the Lions to come up with a win.