Every NFL team, even a good team, is usually good for one each season.
A poor matchup, a showdown that renders the game plan useless and gets so out of hand that it makes you rack your brain for what could have possibly happened.
The Detroit Lions‘ 38-6 loss to the Ravens in Baltimore was that game.
This season, we have already witnessed this happen to some excellent clubs around the league. The only victory the Cardinals have had this season came against the Cowboys in an embarrassing defeat in Week 3. In Week 4, the Miami Dolphins were trounced 48-20 by a formidable Buffalo Bills team. The Bills have lost a number of unexpected games this season, beginning with their Week 1 loss to the mostly Rodgers-less Jets and continuing through Sunday’s loss to the New England Patriots.
Does this imply that the Lions aren’t a strong squad as a whole? No. Baltimore was a playoff-caliber squad and a difficult opponent. Does this imply that Detroit’s performance ought to begin to decline? No. It can actually imply the reverse.
A week later, every single one of those previously named clubs recovered from their losses. The Lions ought to follow suit. The next week, they take on the Las Vegas Raiders, who were recently defeated by the Tyson Bagent-led Chicago Bears. Next up for Detroit is a bye in Week 9. After that, they’ll play the Saints, the Chargers, the Bears, and the Packers. The Bears, the Broncos, the Cowboys, and the Vikings await the Lions at the end of the season on either side of Dallas.
All of which suggests that eitIt’s obvious that the Ravens prevailed in the offensive trench war against the Lions. One of the best players at his position, right tackle Penei Sewell, was provoked into several unusual holding penalties, which ended a promising drive just before the half. The plays and manoeuvres that Baltimore’s offensive line was executing were simply too much for Detroit’s offensive line to handle. Consequently, Goff experienced more hits, pressure, and sacks than he had throughout the whole season. There were five instances that he was fired. Seven more hits were delivered to him.
her the Lions are not the team that we all believed them to be, or they should be OK. It is still possible to finish as the top seed in the NFC given that schedule.
Lamar Jackson of the Ravens played at an MVP level on Sunday, to name just one instance. Any defense would have been stunned by the way he was able to prolong plays for ten or twelve seconds while evading all forms of pressure.
Even though Detroit’s loss to Baltimore was limited to one game, it did highlight their biggest vulnerability, which is that if you can throw quarterback Jared Goff off rhythm or prevent him from getting into one in the first place, he won’t
With running back David Montgomery sidelined, Goff completed 33 of 53 ball attempts for 284 yards and one interception by the end of the day.
In the end, the Lions made only four of fourteen third-down tries during the game. By the midway mark of the game, they had only managed four first downs. They had only 25 net yards at the half as a result. Amon-Ra St. Brown, the Lions’ top receiver, had only caught four of his eight targets for 32 yards, while QB Brett McGriff was 11 of 18 for 99 yards.
There was little improvement in the second half. During garbage time, youngster Jahmyr Gibbs scored his first NFL touchdown with an amazing run, giving Detroit their sole score of the game. It was too little, too late, as the offensive tackles of the Lions produced several downfield blocks to make it happen. The Lions’ attack was rendered utterly one-dimensional due to playing from behind and the absence of Montgomery, which increased the pressure Baltimore was able to apply and prevented Goff from ever finding his rhythm.
With five minutes remaining in the game, Lamar Jackson was benched by the Ravens. The Lions conceded that they would have a poor performance.
