Biggest Takeaways from Detroit Lions' Week 15 Win

There hasn't been a lot to celebrate for the Detroit Lions this year.

A 0-5 start, two jaw-dropping losses that came with questionable referee decisions and another lost season have a way of putting a damper on things.

But none of that mattered Monday night. The Lions bounced back in the Bayou with a 35-27 win over the New Orleans Saints, exorcising their late-game demons in the process.

That's probably too strong of a statement, but the Lions almost found a way to throw away another win after building a 20-plus-point lead. For one night at least, Detroit snatched victory from the jaws of self-implosion, allowing the faithful to get a decent night's rest ahead of the holiday.

The Defensive Line Woke Up

Jonathan Bachman/Associated Press

Drew Brees' limp said it all.

The Lions defensive line was nowhere near the dominant unit it was for most of November last week. Todd Gurley and the St. Louis Rams gashed through the sleepwalking front seven on their way to 203 yards and a seven-point win.

New Orleans, however, didn't enjoy the same lethargic line.

Defensive tackles Caraun Reid and Haloti Ngata lived in the backfield on rushing plays, helping to hold the Saints to 69 yards. The latter also added a batted pass as well.

The defensive ends brought the party on passing downs. Per Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com, Ezekiel Ansah was fighting an illness and still brought some pressure. Plus, Jason Jones and Devin Taylor both continued their strong seasons, with the former notching a sack off a spin move.

Glover Quin Is Detroit's Most Valuable Defender

Jonathan Bachman/Associated Press

Detroit's secondary played with the same swagger that saw it hold down the likes of Aaron Rodgers and Derek Carr.

Darius Slay was wagging his finger with reckless abandon. Even when he was beaten for a touchdown, it took a ridiculous catch to beat his smothering coverage.

Safety Isa Abdul-Quddus and cornerback Quandre Diggs were racking people with big hits.

And then Glover Quin went out with a brain injury, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

Suddenly, the Lions defensive backs were backing off in coverage, and Drew Brees started carving them up. After holding the Saints to three points in the first half, New Orleans charged back into the fray after a blown coverage allowed Brandin Cooks to score the easiest touchdown of his career.

Quin gives defensive coordinator Teryl Austin a lot of leeway because of his extensive repertoire of skills. Detroit was ultimately able to survive, but it was obvious that the defense lost its attacking attitude when its most valuable player left the field. 

Matthew Stafford Didn't Help the Offensive Line out but Still Balled

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

Let's be clear: Matthew Stafford balled out against the Saints.

He threw three first-half touchdowns en route to setting a franchise record with an 88 percent completion rate. He had a great game.

However, one nit needs to be picked.

Stafford's offensive line has often let him down this season, but he didn't do his part to help out the big men up front. On at least two of New Orleans' three sacks, Stafford saw nobody was open but held onto the ball instead of either taking off or getting rid of it.

This is where he's actually excelled as of late, scrambling to pick up yards when nothing was available downfield. Stafford occasionally suffers from bouts of bad pocket presence, and this game served up two such examples. 

The Offensive Line Earns Mixed Reviews

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

The pass protection wasn't terrible considering the line should only be blamed for one sack, although there were a few hits that Matthew Stafford didn't need to take.

And the rushing game was just as difficult to grade.

Detroit ended the game with 150 yards rushing, which was the Lions' second-best rushing performance of the season. The unit was especially instrumental on Joique Bell's should-have-been game-clinching 36-yard scamper, with rookie guard Laken Tomlinson making a great second-level block on a linebacker to clear the lane.

However, there were plenty of occasions where Detroit's running backs had to avoid defenders in the backfield. It's a disturbing trend that carried over Monday night from the first 14 weeks of the season.

We should also point out that offensive tackle Michael Ola saved the day by jumping on Bell's almost fatal but expected fumble. If Ola hadn't literally and figuratively been on the ball, there's a good chance that all of the postgame takes would have had a different but same old feel.

Calvin Johnson Was Silent Again

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On a night where millions of people watched this game solely for the fantasy implications, Calvin Johnson was silent. Again.

For the second straight week, he recorded just a single catch, this one going for 19 yards. The more surprising part was that lone reception came on his only target of the night.

The Lions were still able to carve up the Saints secondary for three touchdowns, and Matthew Stafford was efficient, only throwing 25 passes on the night. That success was likely because the safety kept rolling over to Johnson's side of the field.

However, a strange feeling started to set in for Lions fans and fantasy owners Monday night. Last week could have been considered a fluke. Two games in a row is the beginning of a trend, and that pattern is the start of a new era for the wide receiver who will always be known in Detroit as Megatron.

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.