The Detroit Lions made it nine wins in a row Sunday with their 24-6 triumph over the Indianapolis Colts. It was a thorough effort, particularly by the defense which did not allow a touchdown for the second consecutive game.
While the offense sputtered at points in the second half, they ultimately made enough plays to win comfortably on the road once again. As a result, they remain in first place in the NFC North and are now 10-1 on the season.
Here are grades for each position group based on performance in Sunday’s game:
Quarterback: B
Jared Goff did not throw a touchdown pass in Sunday’s game for the first time since the team’s Week 2 loss against Tampa Bay. Still, he was very efficient in completing 72.2 percent of his passes for 269 yards. He didn’t have many downfield shot opportunities but found his reliable connections such as Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams on multiple occasions.
He wasn’t his sharpest self, such as when he missed an open Sam LaPorta on one of his longer attempts of the afternoon. He missed LaPorta twice, with the other coming near the goal line. Goff also nearly lost a fumble, but it was recovered by David Montgomery.
Goff also seems to be continuing to build a strong rapport with Tim Patrick, including a 27-yard completion to help set up their first touchdown.
Running backs: B
Jahmyr Gibbs was the feature back on Sunday, as he scored two touchdowns. His 4.7 yards per carry average is pedestrian by the standards he’s set this season, but he was more than effective on a season-best 21 carries. He showcased an ability to handle the load on a day that David Montgomery left early due to a shoulder injury.
Montgomery went for 37 yards on eight carries before exiting. He told reporters he expects to be ready for the team’s Thanksgiving game, but his status will be worth monitoring ahead of a short week. The veteran added a touchdown run to his tally, but was stuffed on a fourth-and-1 run in the third quarter.
With Montgomery sidelined, Craig Reynolds got a carry late in the game.
Wide receivers: A-
On an afternoon when the passing game wasn’t at its sharpest, there were still plenty of contributions to go around. Amon-Ra St. Brown caught all but one of his seven targets, while Jameson Williams led the team in receiving with 64 yards. St. Brown was kept out of the end zone for the first time since Week 2.
Patrick was consistent on Sunday, catching a season-best four passes for 55 yards. He also continues to show up as a blocker in Detroit’s run game. The Lions didn’t have many big plays in the passing game on Sunday, but the group still found ways to make big contributions.
Tight ends: B-
Sam LaPorta wasn’t his sharpest self on Sunday in his first game back from injury. He caught three passes for 19 yards, but seemed to be off-balance with Goff after missing last week’s game with a shoulder injury.
Brock Wright had two catches for 24 yards, including a 16-yard catch to open the fourth quarter. Shane Zylstra, meanwhile, did not have a target after being listed on the injury report with a neck injury throughout the week.
Offensive line: B+
The offensive line did allow three sacks in Sunday’s game, including a strip sack by rookie Laiatu Latu who beat Dan Skipper. The play occurred after Taylor Decker left with an injury, though Decker would return to the game on the next drive. Kevin Zeitler also surrendered a sack to DeForest Buckner earlier in the game.
They also got swarmed on the fourth-and-1 that resulted in a turnover on downs, as Montgomery was swallowed up in the backfield.
Still, the line had plenty of bright spots. Detroit converted multiple third downs on the ground, including a big run by Gibbs that helped set up a touchdown. When the Lions are running the ball in that fashion, they become all the more hard to stop.
Defensive line: A
After Anthony Richardson was able to make plays with his legs early in the game, Detroit’s defense settled in and vastly limited the impact the quarterback was able to have for the rest of the game. The line got plenty of pressure on him, as the likes of DJ Reader, Alim McNeill and Za’Darius Smith caused plenty of havoc.
McNeill was outstanding with four pressures, a tally that Smith matched. Reader added two quarterback hits and a tackle for loss, while Josh Paschal drew a holding penalty after maneuvering through two blockers. McNeill also logged a forced fumble when he got to Richardson.
Levi Onwuzurike also got in on the fun, nearly causing a safety with a pressure on which Richardson just barely got the ball away.
Linebackers: A-
Without Alex Anzalone, the Lions had a rotating cast of linebackers alongside mainstays Jack Campbell and Malcolm Rodriguez. Both players had eight tackles, with Rodriguez tallying seven solo stops in an effort that earned him a game ball from Dan Campbell.
Other players who saw action included Trevor Nowaske, Ben Niemann, Ezekiel Turner and newcomer David Long. Turner had two solo stops, while NIemann and Nowaske added one assisted stop apiece. Jack Campbell had two passes defensed in the first of a stretch of games where he will be looked to as the leader of the middle of the defense.
Secondary: B
The Lions’ depth was tested at the cornerback position, as Terrion Arnold was inactive for the first time this season. Kindle Vildor got the start and was targeted early and often. He dodged a bullet when Richardson missed Alec Pierce early, but he surrendered a third-down conversion to AD Mitchell and a deep completion to Alec Pierce on the Colts’ second scoring drive.
Vildor would wind up settling in and perform better in the second half. Carlton Davis dropped an interception in the second half, and wound up leaving the game in the fourth quarter with a knee injury that isn’t expected to be severe. Still, it could be cause for concern when it comes to Thursday’s game.
Niether Kerby Joseph or Brian Branch generated a takeaway, in fact it was Detroit’s first game without one this season. Still, both players made their presence felt with four tackles apiece.
Special teams: B
Jake Bates continued his perfect start to the season, nailing a 56-yarder to give him four consecutive makes from beyond 50 yards. With each game, the investment made by the Lions’ front office in him continues to look better.
Jack Fox also had an exceptional game, continously putting the defense in good field position and downing all four of his punts inside the opposing 20-yard line.
Detroit’s punt return unit may have taken a hit, as Dan Campbell offered a less-than-optimistic update on Kalif Raymond’s status after he left the game with a foot injury. Amon-Ra St. Brown took over punt return duties in Raymond’s absence.
Coaching: A-
Once again, the Detroit defense put on a masterclass showing. Thye were hit with big plays early, but did an outstanding job buckling down in the red zone and limiting the Colts to field goals on their two first half scoring possessions.
It was the second consecutive game that Detroit kept their opponent out of the end zone, giving the defense 10 straight quarters without giving up a touchdown.
This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions