Detroit Lions vs. New York Jets: Full Report Card Grades for Detroit
The Detroit Lions knocked off the New York Jets 24-17 to get their first road win of the young season.
The offense had to operate without its best player and lost running backs on seemingly every play. Still, it was able to put up enough points to get the win and held the ball for almost 10 more minutes than the Jets.
The defense wasn't as dominant as in weeks past, but two turnovers and just 17 points allowed is nothing to complain about.
That's the general overview. Click through for a look at how each unit performed this week.
Quarterback
1 of 10
Matthew Stafford flew under the radar for the most part. It was the type of game where you look at the numbers afterward and you're not sure when it all happened.
"#Lions Stafford 24-34, 293 yds, 2 TDs, 116.4 rating (sacked 4 times). #Jets Geno Smith 17-33, 209 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT, 68.9 rating. Sacked 2X.
— Paula Pasche (@paulapasche) September 28, 2014"
But there's one important stat that is missing from that tweet—turnovers. Or the lack thereof.
Stafford put together a complete game of smart football. He didn't force any passes as he spread the ball out to eight different receivers.
He didn't have a choice since Calvin Johnson was limited by his ankle injury. Stafford went to Golden Tate 10 times, and the former Seattle Seahawk rewarded him with eight chain-moving catches.
His game-clinching rollout was an example of great play-calling and solid execution. He also ran for a score earlier in the game that was even prettier.
Stafford needed to put together a strong performance to build some confidence. Mission accomplished.
Grade: A-
Running Back
2 of 10
Injuries are starting to become a problem for the Lions in general, but only the right tackle position has been more affected than the running backs.
"Joique Bell did in fact suffer a concussion. Lions wouldn't make him available after the game.
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) September 28, 2014"
To make matters worse, Theo Riddick went down with a hamstring injury, leaving everything to Reggie Bush. It's not a terrible proposition, but the Lions struggled in short-yardage situations.
Bell still managed to amass 32 yards on eight carries before leaving with the concussion. As the game transitioned to grind-it-out time, Detroit sorely missed its bruiser.
Bush ended the day with 46 yards on 12 carries and added at least one nice spin move. There was a drop in there as well.
Grade: B-
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
As I mentioned on the quarterback slide, Calvin Johnson was clearly still injured. He finished the day with just two catches for 12 yards and was barely running routes at times.
And everything went just fine.
The lack of Megatron forced Stafford to distribute the ball more evenly. Golden Tate was his main target, and the underrated acquisition delivered.
"Golden Tate TIED career high with 8th catch. It's also his 4th 100-yd game. Still a quarter to go. #Lions at #Jets
— Paula Pasche (@paulapasche) September 28, 2014"
This week also featured a decent amount of first-round pick Eric Ebron. He notched his first touchdown on a nice back-shoulder grab and finished with 34 yards.
Ryan Broyles also made his season debut, catching one pass for 21 yards. The Lions' depth was called upon, and the bell was answered.
Grade: B+
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
The good vibes do not extend to the offensive line. I'm not positive, but I think I've written that same sentence every week.
The rotation at right tackle isn't a Band-Aid but an open wound that opponents smartly keep their finger in. The lack of continuity from drive to drive isn't helpful, and the talent drop-off from LaAdrian Waddle to Garrett Reynolds and Cornelius Lucas is huge.
"Garrett Reynolds in for this potential close-out drive. Cornelius Lucas was in for same situation last week.
— Josh Katzenstein (@jkatzenstein) September 28, 2014"
The rest of the line didn't do much to help Lucas and Reynolds. The Jets have a very good defensive line, but Detroit was intent on making it Hall of Fame worthy.
"Might not want to have Muhammad Wilkerson hit Stafford like that too many times. #Lions
— Rod Beard (@detnewsRodBeard) September 28, 2014"
Stafford was constantly harassed all game, and the running game didn't see a lot of rushing lanes opened up either. This was not a good effort.
Grade: C-
Defensive Line
5 of 10
The defensive line has been topnotch all season, so a drop-off was inevitable.
Nick Fairley continued his surge by grabbing a sack. He added a couple more tackles but also played a little too recklessly at times.
"Suh and Fairley just went flying into a group of cheerleaders after that play. No word if that was intentional or not.
— Kyle Meinke (@kmeinke) September 28, 2014"
It was also the worst game for the Lions in terms of rushing yards allowed. The Jets entered as the second-best rushing attack and cemented that status with 132 yards on 27 carries for a 4.9-yard average.
Ziggy Ansah was a bright spot this week. He seemed to be all over the field and constantly found his way toward Geno Smith.
"Ziggy Ansah crushed Geno Smith as he threw that pick. Slay returned it to the NY 34.
— Josh Katzenstein (@jkatzenstein) September 28, 2014"
It wasn't the defensive line's best effort this season, but it wasn't too far off.
Grade: B
Linebacker
6 of 10
There was plenty of concern among fans that the loss of Stephen Tulloch might kill the defense. This game wasn't a disaster for the linebackers, but it wasn't a dominating showing either.
"Levy playing in the middle right now, with Tahir Whitehead on the weak side
— Kyle Meinke (@kmeinke) September 28, 2014"
DeAndre Levy and Whitehead both finished with double-digit tackles, but a lot of those seemed to come further down the field than games past. They also only combined for one tackle for loss.
It'll be interesting to see if they continue to flop positions every now and again. Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin loves to move people around, but you have to wonder how comfortable these guys will be with alternating positions.
There wasn't a ton to take away from this game for the linebackers. After giving up 132 yards on the ground and struggling a bit in coverage, this unit won't occupy its normal lofty perch.
Grade: B-
Secondary
7 of 10
Not everything about the defense was gloomy. It just didn't measure up to the standard that had been set over the past month.
The secondary, however, didn't disappoint nearly as much.
"Darius Slay comes up with his first career interception as Ansah hit Smith on the release. #DETvsNYJ #OnePride
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) September 28, 2014"
Slay's first pick had a lot more to do with Geno Smith and Ziggy Ansah than Slay, but he still gets the official credit. Converting easy turnover opportunities has been an issue for this team, so it was nice to see him hold on to it.
The secondary ran a lot of three-safety looks where Glover Quin would slide down to the nickel. It's an extremely smart use of resources and should be a staple in the coming weeks.
The unit was merely average in run support, with Quin leading the way with eight tackles. Slay and James Ihedigbo both notched five as well.
Grade: B
Special Teams
8 of 10
Last week saw the dismissal of Nate Freese and arrival of Alex Henery. Through one game, it seems like the right move.
Henery converted a 51-yard attempt but also missed one from a yard farther. The miss is likely to stick in fans' minds because it wasn't even close.
Sam Martin continued to do his thing. He punted six times and averaged 51 yards per.
"Sam Martin hits the crossbar from the 30-yard line. Impressive.
— Pride Of Detroit (@PrideOfDetroit) September 28, 2014"
And he continued to pound kickoffs. The advantage he gives Detroit in field position cannot be overstated.
The coverage units contained the Jets' returners for the most part, and Jeremy Ross only got to return one punt for 14 yards.
Grade: B
Coaching
9 of 10
The difference between Jim Caldwell and Jim Schwartz are generally obvious, but the win over the Jets was a positive reminder of the change.
Under Schwartz, the team would collapse late in games. This year, Caldwell's Lions have strung together long drives to eat up the clock by taking what the defense gives them.
And they also respond to adversity well. When the Jets scored in the third to pull within seven points, the Lions chugged their way down the field for the winning points.
"Another efficient and methodical performance by the Lions offense. Hats off to Joe Lombardi.
— Mike Sullivan (@MikeSullivan) September 28, 2014"
Lombardi was again a master of play-calling. His naked bootleg for Stafford to gain the final first down was beautiful.
Lastly, Detroit was only penalized for 33 yards this week.
Grade: A-
Final Grades
10 of 10
QB: A-
RB: B-
WR/TE: B+
OL: C-
DL: B
LB: B-
Secondary: B
Special Teams: B
Coaching: A-
Cumulative Grade: B
It wasn't always pretty, but it didn't have to be.
The defense didn't perform like an elite unit. It gave up almost five yards per rush and had trouble getting off the field at times.
However, the end result was only 17 points, so it's hard to be too critical.
The offense was able to overcome the "loss" of Calvin Johnson, but the run game is still a work in progress.
Regardless, the Lions will take the victory to move to 3-1 and wait for the Buffalo Bills to arrive next week.
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