6 Takeaways from Detroit Lions' 20-16 Win over Miami
For the third game in a row the Detroit Lions overcame a late fourth-quarter deficit and rallied for a heart-stopping victory. This time the victim was the very game Miami Dolphins, who couldn't hold back the Lions in Detroit's 20-16 win.
The victory elevates the Lions to lofty heights not often experienced in Motown:
"The @Lions are off to first 7-2 start since 1993. Prior to that was 1962. For #LionsNation, this is kind of a big deal. #Detroit
— Marc Carman (@MarcCarman75) November 9, 2014"
This was a huge game for the Lions, coming out of the bye week to knock off a strong Miami team that came to Detroit with the momentum of three straight wins.
It wasn't all positive, however; some issues still need correcting as this team goes forward on a playoff push. There is still lots of room for improvement. But it's a lot better facing those issues at 7-2 and in first place than 6-3 and possibly perched at the beginning of an inevitable downward spiral like a year ago.
This team feels very different, and that's a good thing. The next two games are no cakewalk, traveling to Arizona and New England. But wins like this one over Miami should engender confidence that these Lions can accomplish the difficult feats facing them as they claw their way to the top of the NFC.
Here are my six initial takeaways from the thrilling win over Miami.
Welcome Back Calvin!
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After missing the last three games and the majority of the two prior to that, wide receiver Calvin Johnson finally returned to the Lions lineup.
Like Nuke LaLoosh in Bull Durham, Megatron announced his presence with authority.
Johnson hauled in seven passes for 113 yards and a fantastic 49-yard bomb for Detroit's first touchdown. Matthew Stafford looked his way 15 times, including a critical fourth-down conversion where Johnson juggled the ball a bit as he absorbed contact before finally securing the pigskin.
"VIDEO: Calvin Johnson is back after missing 3 games, scoring on 49-yard bombs http://t.co/YYKGyZqLQo pic.twitter.com/1HaRx0pX7a
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 9, 2014"
The All-Pro wideout showed no real signs of any lingering issues with his ankle injury. There was a little rust, including a rather obvious offensive pass interference penalty and breaking a count late on a screen to his side.
Giving Stafford his favorite target once again helped No. 9 to one of his best, most efficient games of the season. Detroit's offense looks like it's finally finding its stride, and having a healthy Johnson going forward makes this team so much more formidable.
Lots of Laundry on the Field
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This game will not go down in the annals of officiating excellence. Referee Bill Leavy and his crew will not like the tape of their performance; they blew or missed several calls—in both directions—but also botched some procedural issues, which is inexcusable at this level of football. It took them over four minutes to confirm Theo Riddick's game-winning touchdown catch, an obviously clean reception.
"Bill Leavy's crew might be the most confused group I've seen all season.
— Scott Andera (@sanderaFL) November 9, 2014"
Detroit committed 10 penalties for 98 yards. Both of those totals are season highs (h/t NFL Penalties), or lows depending on your point of view. Three of those were 15-yard personal fouls—two for facemasks and one a blatant late hit by Isa Abdul Quddus on a punt return.
Those are the sort of mental mistakes the Lions have largely avoided in Jim Caldwell's first season at the helm. The personal discipline between the lines has been much stronger to this point.
The Lions need to make sure this was an anomaly and not the beginning of a regression back to the flag-filled Jim Schwartz era. Detroit entered this game 16th in penalties per game at just 6.8. In close games, in which the Lions invariably seem to wind up, every yard and first down is precious.
Hidden Hero: Travis Swanson
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When right guard Larry Warford left the game early with a knee injury, many Lions fans immediately feared the worst. Those fears were mollified on two different levels.
First, the War Daddy's injury might not be so serious:
"#Lions OL Larry Warford does not have ACL injury, source said. Still trying to figure out knee injury, MRI coming
— Jason Cole (@JasonPhilCole) November 10, 2014"
We will learn more about his prognosis on Monday or Tuesday. In the meantime, his replacement acquitted himself quite nicely.
That would be Travis Swanson, the third-round rookie from Arkansas. While drafted to be a center like he was for the Razorbacks, No. 64 filled Warford's considerable shoes quite well.
It was important for Swanson to have a strong outing. He struggled, often badly, in training camp and preseason games I attended. Yet in this game he established himself quickly as an assertive run blocker and a scrappy pass-protector.
"Coaches really like him. Will start next yr RT @JeffRisdon: So far Travis Swanson acquitting himself nicely in extended action for Warford.
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) November 9, 2014"
He's seen action as an extra lineman and even got a couple of reps at tight end while the Lions recently battled rampant injuries at the position. Skeptical fans like myself should feel a lot better about Swanson after today's game against a very talented Miami defensive line.
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Quite a Day for Sam Martin
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Lions fans know Sam Martin is a good punter. The second-year pro from Appalachian State ranks in the top 10 in average distance, net punting average and punts downed inside the opposing 20.
The Miami game was not his best as a punter. Though his final punt, a timely 59-yard bomb, was fantastic his earlier two efforts were not up to par. He flopped weakly in trying to draw a penalty after one. Still, he had quite an interesting afternoon at Ford Field.
In this case, it's probably best to let the man do his own talking:
"2/2 passing, broken ankles on a tackle attempt, and crack backed all in one. Holy mother of pearl what an eventful game for this guy. #7-2
— Sam Martin (@SamMartin_6) November 9, 2014"
That's right: the punter completed two passes. Alas, only one of the fake punts caught the Dolphins by surprise and produced a first down. He finished with a passer rating of 118.8 on his two completions.
Fortunately the Lions learned the lesson and opted to have Stafford throw to Johnson on the third occasion they opted to go for it on fourth down. But it's nice to know the punter offers legit potential to execute a fake down the line.
Another Monster Effort from the Defensive Line
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The box score tally is pretty impressive:
- Three sacks netting minus-29 yards
- Nine QB hits, eight of them by a total of six different linemen
- Five tackles behind the line of scrimmage
- 50 yards on 19 carries for Miami's offense
Detroit's fearsome defensive line came up huge once again. Nobody was more impressive than Ndamukong Suh, who terrorized Ryan Tannehill from the very first snap.
"Ndamukong Suh was dominant again Sunday. Three TFLs, three QB hits, a sack, four tackles, fumble recovery. #Lions
— Michael Rothstein (@mikerothstein) November 10, 2014"
Perhaps the most impressive play was a stunt move executed by Suh and Ezekiel Ansah, with Suh lined up outside Ansah instead of their normal positioning. As Suh crashed inside, Ansah whipped around the outside and planted Tannehill to the turf.
"Lions stacked Suh and Ansah right next to each other on left side of line. And it worked. Ansah sacked Tannehill to force another punt
— Kyle Meinke (@kmeinke) November 9, 2014"
Miami was clearly hurt by the loss of left tackle Branden Albert, who left the game with what appeared to be a serious knee injury. The Lions dominated the line of scrimmage even when Albert was in the lineup, however.
This was a nice first step for the Lions line playing without injured Nick Fairley. The depth proved quite valuable in this one.
It's Time to Believe
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Detroit fans have seen 6-2 before. The Lions surged out to that impressive start twice in recent seasons, only to see stunning falls from that pedestal.
In 2007 the Lions fired out to 6-2. The next game was a sign of bad, bad things to come. In the visit to Arizona, Detroit rushed for minus-18 yards and turned the ball over five times in a 31-21 loss. That unit would go on to lose 37 of its next 40 games.
The 2011 Lions also sprinted out to six wins in the first eight games. They even had a bye week before the ninth game, just like this year's team. In their next game Stafford threw two pick-sixes among six Lions turnovers in a deflating 37-13 loss to Chicago.
While that team did ultimately wind up 10-6 and earned a wild-card berth, there was little sense it was a unit ready to challenge good teams for playoff wins. They quickly regressed to a disastrous 4-12 record the following season.
So the Mitten State faithful are forgiven for not buying into this 6-2 start. The schedule has been relatively soft, after all, and the two last-minute victories could be properly construed as fluky.
Not after this one.
Detroit checked all the boxes needed to convince the skeptics in this one:
- Beat a hot team with a winning record. Check.
- Shut down a crafty, mobile quarterback. Check.
- Matthew Stafford must play better. Check.
- Prove the late-game magic is legit. Check.
The Lions are now 7-2 for the first time since 1993. It's time for everyone to believe that this Detroit team is capable of even greater things this year. Get on the bandwagon now folks, because it's fixing to be a heck of a ride!
All stats and info are from NFL.com or Pro Football Reference unless otherwise specified.
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