Detroit Lions Week 6 Stock Report

While the "spotlight" has focused on Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell and quarterback Matthew Stafford, quite a few others have been able to fly under the radar.

And frankly, this aggression will not stand, man. That's the blessing of losing your opening five games: There's plenty of blame to stain everyone's stock.

There will be a couple of positive notes to keep folks in Michigan from packing their cars with whatever they can grab and driving until they find a curling rink or a soccer stadium.

Seriously, hold it together. Your family needs you.

You made a commitment to those loved ones in your life. You can't turn your back now, regardless if your instincts cause you to look toward the ball, which is assuredly not in the hands of a Lion.

Stock Down: CB Rashean Mathis

Duane Burleson/Associated Press

Age has a way of catching up to us all. We keep fighting it with exercise and a healthy lifestyle, hoping to outdistance time before it finally tracks us down.

Rashean Mathis, 35, had a great run, but it didn't end with a quiet passing. Mathis hit the edge of a cliff and kept on going.

His tackling fueled his resurgence these past two years. He and Darius Slay made a habit of shutting down quick screens and cutting off outside rushing lanes.

Arizona Cardinals running back Chris Johnson exposed that fallacy last Sunday, however. Pro Football Focus only credited Mathis with one missed tackle, but that single misstep allowed Johnson to explode down the sideline for a large gain on his way to a 9.4-yard average.

This lack of containment has been an issue for the defense all year. Mathis is just the most recent defensive back to overplay his hand inside and allow a big play to stretch to the sideline.

Stock Up: DE Jason Jones

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

It's difficult to unearth too many gems from this past game. The special teams and defense were both overwhelmed by penalties and turnovers, respectively, tainting the image of everyone across the roster.

Yet Jason Jones still shines through on the tape. Detroit notched two sacks, and he played an integral part of both.

Jones set up the first by taking out both the offensive guard and tackle on a well-executed stunt. Ezekiel Ansah was then able to loop in behind him for an easy sack.

Of course, Jones was actually the one who pulled down Carson Palmer for the second sack, taking advantage of an Andre Fluellen bull rush.

In a game with enough confidence-killing plays to make Donald Trump question himself, these two stand out among a sea of negativity. Plus, Jones wasn't brought in for his pass rush, so every sack is syrup on the bacon that is his run defense.

Stock Down: GM Martin Mayhew

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

Last week, head coach Jim Caldwell was taken to task for not taking any action to get the offense back on track. Now, the blame has to rise up another level to general manager Martin Mayhew.

It's not that Mayhew should be expected to interfere with his coaches. A good manager puts the right people in place and stays out of the way. It's the only avenue to successful creativity.

However, there isn't a hint of promise here. The on-field product hit a yet-to-be-seen nadir during its six-turnover performance against the Arizona Cardinals, which should force Mayhew's hand to question the current coaching.

Mayhew doesn't have to fire anybody immediately. He does need to create some tension for his staff so it's understood that the status quo will only lead to pink slips. Otherwise, he'll earn one for himself due to his lack of effort.

Stock Up: KR/PR T.J. Jones

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

Again, if you only looked at straight numbers, it'd be impossible to quantify T.J. Jones' performance.

The box score credits Jones with just two yards on two punt returns to pair with a 26.4-yard average on two kick returns. Obviously, nothing impressive there.

However, Jones tried to spark the team with a deep kickoff return to the Cardinals' 27 after Arizona's fourth touchdown. Had the play stood, the Lions could have at least stopped the bleeding and gone into halftime with a glimmer of hope.

But it wasn't to be. A Brandon Copeland holding penalty brought the ball back 43 yards to Detroit's 30, and the air was let out of Ford Field.

Later, after Detroit let up another score, Jones shimmied his way to a 10-yard punt return, only to see it wiped out by a Don Carey holding penalty.

And Jones didn't fumble. Unfortunately, that counts for something these days.

Stock Down: RB Ameer Abdullah

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

Wide receiver Golden Tate made a play for this spot with a fumble and terrible body language, but he still led the team with eight catches for 72 yards. Again, we're grading on a rather forgiving curve these days.

Instead, Ameer Abdullah gracefully threw—perhaps dropped is the better word—his hat into the ring with a pair of fumbles. While only one was lost, Abdullah still found himself stuck to the bench for the rest of the game.

And he didn't tear it up when he had the chance. A scant 17 yards on six carries is even more forgettable than the entire team's performance.

The overarching issue other than a lackluster showing is the dramatic step back from his earlier play. Abdullah has yet to match his preseason debut in terms of hype or production, as he has now put the ball on the ground as many times as he's put it in the end zone.

All advanced stats, grades and positional rankings are courtesy of Pro Football Focus.

Brandon Alisoglu is a Detroit Lions Featured Columnist. He also co-hosts a Lions-centric podcast, Lions Central Radio. Yell at him on Twitter@BrandonAlisoglu.