Dan Campbell moves out of his 2013 home in Bloomfield Township
This Bloomfield Township home was originally built by a Detroit Red Wings player. Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell moved out of the home for his privacy and safety.
GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Detroit Lions strayed too far from their identity in last week’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and it didn’t take them long to reestablish it on Sunday.
The Lions relied heavily on David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs and their offensive line to beat the Arizona Cardinals 20-13 in a tough slugfest at State Farm Stadium in Week 3 of the NFL season.
Montgomery rushed for 106 yards on 23 attempts and Gibbs added 83 rushing yards on 16 attempts, allowing the Lions to physically out-perform the Cardinals at the line of scrimmage.
The Lions opened the game with a big lineup that featured Dan Skipper as the sixth lineman and two tight ends, and outplayed the Cardinals all day.
Montgomery scored a 1-yard touchdown on the opening drive, Gibbs did the heavy lifting on the Lions’ ensuing touchdown drive, and when the Lions needed to tie the game late in the fourth quarter, they did so with an 8-yard run by Jared Goff for a first down.
LIONS INSIDER: In a combative and perhaps even ugly victory against the Cardinals, the Lions find themselves again
The Lions (2-1) haven’t dominated offensively as much as they did last year, scoring just 56 points in three games in regulation. But they found their identity again by rushing for 187 yards on Sunday, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
That came at a price: Tight end Sam LaPorta was one of four injured Lions starters, including defensive back Brian Branch, who left the field with a neck injury after a dangerous collision in the fourth quarter. Defensive tackle Alim McNeill and linebacker Derrick Barnes were out for the first half due to injuries.
In Week 4, the Lions host the Seattle Seahawks (3-0) on Monday Night Football.
Here are three more thoughts on the Lions’ win over the Cardinals:
The Lions had a great chance just before the two-minute warning of the first half when Frank Ragnow grabbed the ball and Goff threw a pass under pressure that was deflected at the line of scrimmage and returned for a touchdown that didn’t count from Mack Wilson.
The referees called the play because of the two-minute warning, although a replay on Fox showed Ragnow taking the snap as the clock read 2:00 while Goff was excitedly calling for the ball. The play cannot be reviewed.
The Lions converted a third-and-12 attempt on the first snap after the two-minute warning with a 14-yard run by Gibbs and scored two plays later with a beautifully planned and executed hook-and-ladder to Amon-Ra St. Brown, with St. Brown throwing the ball to Gibbs, who followed a block by LaPorta into the end zone for a touchdown.
Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson made a great decision on the play by running it at a time when he rarely comes into play in a game. More importantly, the score gave the Lions a 20-6 lead and momentum when things could have gone the other way. Arizona recovered a field goal before halftime and trailed 20-10 heading to the locker room, but the Cardinals would have led 14-13 had the interception play stood, and the Lions would have had a chance to turn the score around before halftime.
For a team that used to have bad luck as its only form of good luck, the Lions had someone on their side on Sunday.
Decimated defense of the Detroit Lions
LaPorta limped off the field with an ankle injury after Gibbs’ touchdown, becoming one of at least eight Lions to leave their most physical game of the season with an injury.
Aside from LaPorta, who finished the game but limped off the field after several more snaps, most of the Lions’ injured players on Sunday were defensive backs. McNeill (shoulder), Barnes (knee) and Branch (neck) left the game injured and did not return, and Marcus Davenport, Levi Onwuzurike and Terrion Arnold all missed at least a handful of plays before returning.
On offense, sixth offensive lineman Dan Skipper also left and returned to the field and appeared to be wearing some kind of bandage around his chest on the sidelines several times.
We don’t yet know who, if anyone, will be out, but the Lions have an extra day to get healthy next week before hosting the Seahawks on Monday night, and a week off after that suddenly seems welcome to start the season.
TRENDING: The Detroit Lions defense is one of the best units in the NFL after the closure of the Arizona Cardinals
earn money
The Lions gave a number of contract extensions to Goff, St. Brown, Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker before the season. They have discussed extending several other young players, including McNeill, Onwuzurike and Barnes.
Two other young defensive cornerstones, Aidan Hutchinson and Kerby Joseph, are eligible for new contracts next season. While the team will certainly try to extend Hutchinson’s contract, Joseph’s future has been discussed much less.
Well, it might be time for the Lions to consider a contract extension with Joseph. The third-year safety had a strong game on Sunday, intercepting a pass from Kyler Murray in the end zone and breaking up a big pass on fourth-and-6 to tight end Trey McBride in the fourth quarter.
I don’t know if the Lions will pay Joseph. General manager Brad Holmes comes from a Los Angeles Rams team that didn’t believe in paying the position. But Joseph has played well enough this season to warrant a deal.
Dave Birkett is the author of the new book “Detroit Lions: An Illustrated Timeline.” Pre-order now from Reedy Press.
Contact him at [email protected]Follow him on X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
