What a Sunday afternoon it was in Week 13! The Detroit Lions dominated the Jacksonville Jaguars by a 40-14 score in a game that did not really feel as close as that score would indicate, either.
Normally I do the takeaways right after a game while they’re fresh, but that was a logistical impossibility this week. I watched this game at a volleyball tournament in Indianapolis on my laptop with several other volleyball parents crowded around. I’ll share what that was like, as well as what I took away from rewatching the game with more undivided attention.
Jared Goff's best game
He might have had better statistical games in the past, but this was the best all-around game I’ve seen Jared Goff play. That’s certainly true of Goff since he’s been in Detroit.
His passing on the first Lions drive was shaky. He had two turnover-worthy throws, both directed at Amon-Ra St. Brown–who managed to catch one of them off one Jaguars defender’s hands while being sandwiched by the over-the-top help. After that lucky first drive, Goff was as dialed in as he’s ever been.
Goff was seeing the field incredibly well. No doubt some of that credit goes to an offensive line that gave him time to listen to the entirety of “Freebird” in the pocket. And the combination of the Lions receivers being sharp and the Jaguars coverage (notably their LBs and safeties) being inept helped too. But Goff deserves a lot of credit for being in great command and confidence in this one. Even his movement in the pocket was very impressive in this one.
That’s the Jared Goff who once went No. 1 overall and who Lions GM Brad Holmes believed in enough to bring him to Detroit in the Matthew Stafford trade.
Best middle-of-field defense the Lions can play
The Lions’ defensive resurgence has been fun to watch over the last month. On Sunday, we saw a Detroit defense that dominated the field at all three levels.
It was the performances of a few players not normally noted in favorable contexts that stood out. For the third week in a row, Alex Anzalone played a very good game. His timing and coordination behind the defensive tackles is getting better every week; Anzalone is seeing the play better and also doing a better job of staying off blocks and finishing plays.
Slot cornerback Will Harris was also very good in this one. His inside technique on top Jaguars receiver Christian Kirk was very effective at disrupting timing. Harris was alert and aggressive in coverage but also as a tackler.
Defensive tackle Alim McNeill consistently devoured blocking, but McNeill had enough power and gumption to still steer holes and creases into much tighter quarters than the offense designed. Fellow DT Benito Jones had several nice reps, as did safety DeShon Elliott in coverage.
It felt like coordinator Aaron Glenn told his defense to win the middle of the field. Mission accomplished all day long.
Watching in public was a great experience
As I noted above, I watched the game on my laptop screen at a boy’s volleyball tournament in Indianapolis. I had two other dads crowded into a small booth with me the whole time. The schedule of the day worked out very well; our sons played just one match during the Lions game and it largely spanned halftime. Their next match caused us to miss the final drive for both the Lions and Jaguars, which was no big deal because the game was long decided.
Most weeks I watch the Lions privately. Occasionally my family interlopes, but I’m generally dialed in on my own without outside influences. Not this time. I had anywhere between three and 11 people actively watching with me in a cacophonous, humid volleyball gym that smelled like one giant, unwashed sock.
Watching live reactions and feeling the very real energy just from sitting with these nice folks was incredible. I could feel the dynamic shift from uneasy happiness early on to thankful bliss late in the game. There was wild praise for Dan Campbell, for Aaron Glenn, for Alex Anzalone, for Amon-Ra St. Brown, even for kicker Michael Badgley. Other than St. Brown, these are figures whom fans are normally not enthusiastic about on game days.
Seeing social media reactions is one thing. Being part of real-life folks and feeling their joyous emotions was something different. It was reaffirming. I hope to be able to do that again, soon.
Quick hits
–Kayode Awosika made his second start at guard, filling in for injured RG Evan Brown. As expected, his second game went better than his first. He still sways his weight side-to-side too much in pass protection, but in this game he showed very strong hands and a better feel for the speed of the defense. He still sorely needs improvement in “look-for-work” situations and on screen plays.
–Loved seeing kicker Michael Badgley nail all four of his field goal attempts with very little drama.
–To touch back on the middle-of-field defense for a second, not one Lions LB missed a tackle all afternoon. And I’m not talking just plays where they miss an arm tackle or get stiff-armed away; they failed to miss out on potential tackling opportunities–making the proper reads and run fills consistently.
–DJ Chark sure appeared to have an extra gear in his transmission this week. Whether the wideout was amped up to play his old team or just healthier, he looked like a different guy against Jacksonville.
–Taking nothing away from RBs Jamaal Williams and D’Andre Swift whatsoever, but the Lions blocking from the TEs and WRs was a veritable clinic. Shane Zylstra, Brock Wright and Josh Reynolds all had very impressive blocks to help spring runs. The effort compared to their Jaguars counterparts jumped off the game film.
