David Montgomery and DL receive good marks

Dave Birkett evaluates the Detroit Lions’ performance in their 26-20 overtime win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday at Ford Field.

quarterback

Jared Goff played the role of game manager on Sunday, completing 18 of 28 passes for 217 yards. He threw an interception in the fourth quarter that set up a Rams touchdown and nearly threw a second interception that likely would have given LA the win. Goff said he needs to improve his rhythm and be more fluid with “operational things,” but overall he delivered a winning performance. Goff seemed to lead the Lions into the right plays for most of the night against a Rams team that played primarily with a light box. He fought his way to a key 7-yard gain to set up a third-and-6 attempt with 11 minutes left and was high on the tying drive at the end of regulation, when he would have scored the game-winning touchdown had Jahmyr Gibbs not slipped on the turf. Grade: B

WINDSOR: Detroit Lions finally remember their identity in overtime and defeat LA Rams in a 26-20 win

Running backs

Goff called David Montgomery a “battering ram,” and the Lions used him to set the tone for their offense early and close the game late. Montgomery made 45 of his 91 yards on five carries on the decisive drive. He had a 21-yard run on the second play of the series, capping it with a touchdown, and once he got going, it felt like he was unstoppable. Montgomery picked up a key first down on the Lions’ second series by fighting through a tackle at the line and running for 2 yards. Gibbs also had a nice short-yardage run, weaving through a small opening for a first down on third-and-1 from the 5 on the Lions’ touchdown drive late in the first half. Gibbs wasn’t as effective on the ground (11 carries, 40 yards), but he gave the Lions’ passing game a boost on a night when most pass receivers were missing Grade: A-minus

Receivers/Tight Ends

Jameson Williams had the game many were hoping for, with five catches for 121 yards. He fired Tre’Davious White on a one-two for a 52-yard touchdown to give the slow-starting Lions offense a first-half lead. Amon-Ra St. Brown (three catches, 13 yards) had a quiet night against bracket coverage, but his blocks contributed to the Lions’ 163-yard rushing performance. Tight end Sam LaPorta blocked Montgomery’s fourth-and-2 attempt and perfectly executed a block on the next play to break free for a 14-yard gain. Other than Williams and St. Brown, no Lions receiver was targeted on a pass on Sunday. That’s not sustainable going forward, although I can’t say if they had trouble breaking free or if that was a minimal part of the game plan without watching the video. Grade: B

SHIELD: Sure, there were problems, but the Detroit Lions showed special qualities in their victory over the Rams

Offensive line

Montgomery deserves most of the credit for the win and the Lions’ 163-yard rush, but none of that would have been possible without an overall good day from the offensive line. The Lions had a good push early and picked up the pace in the trenches in overtime. Kevin Zeitler allowed the first sack of the season when he was late reacting to Byron Young’s stunt, and Taylor Decker allowed a sack of Jared Verse just before halftime. Frank Ragnow had a couple of snap infractions, but that may have been what Goff meant when he talked about needing to improve his rhythm. The Lions had just one negative-yardage running play and no holding penalties on 31 carries. Grade: A-minus

Defensive line

If Sunday was any indication, Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport will be a dangerous pass-rushing duo this fall. Both players had four quarterback hits on Sunday, Hutchinson had one sack and let Matthew Stafford slip from his grasp on another, and Davenport shared a sack with Levi Onwuzurike. Overall, the Lions need to finish their rushes better, but the line was disruptive overall. Hutchinson also received two holding penalties, including one that negated a Rams touchdown, and Davenport applied a lot of pressure on Joe Noteboom to force Stafford into a throw-away in the second quarter. Hutchinson was penalized for roughing the passer, while Kyle Peko (one TFL, one QB hit) played well at nose tackle in DJ Reader’s absence. Grade: A-minus

Linebackers

The Rams averaged 3.6 yards on their 23 carries as the Lions played primarily from their base defense to stop the run early. Alex Anzalone had a big night with 13 tackles, including three for loss. He had two TFLs on the Rams’ first three plays, recognized a check-down pass to Kyren Williams before it left Stafford’s hand and got in place with a pulling block in front of Steve Avila to throw to Cooper Kupp for a 2-yard loss. Jack Campbell (seven tackles) had a tackle for loss on the Rams’ first play of the second half but let Kupp slip through his hands on a third-and-10 conversion. Williams ran through a Derrick Barnes tackle for his 2-yard touchdown, but Barnes, Hutchinson and Brian Branch had some running at the goal line in the fourth quarter. Grade: A-minus

MONARREZ: Jameson Williams of the Detroit Lions seems ready for his breakthrough after just one game

Defensive Backs

The Lions’ revamped secondary had a positive day overall, although they left the game with a lot of catching up to do. Branch and Carlton Davis III dropped alleged interceptions, Terrion Arnold got two pass interference penalties near the goal line, and Davis lost his footing on a shallow crossing route that Robinson turned into a 63-yard gain. On the positive side, Branch, who missed two tackles early, and Davis had key pass breakups four plays apart late in the first half. Davis’ PBU came on fourth-and-four attempts to get the Lions off the field. Kerby Joseph had his first interception of the season, and the secondary looks better overall. Kupp had 14 catches for 110 yards, and admittedly the secondary’s performance would have looked worse had the outcome been different. Grade: B

Special teams

Most NFL teams opted for touchbacks rather than forcing kickoffs in Week 1, and the Lions and Rams were no exception. The Lions covered their only kickoff well, holding the Rams inside the 25-yard line, and they had no return. Jack Fox gained 47.5 yards on punting and was even better than the numbers. He dropped a perfect punt with backspin inside the 5-yard line in the third quarter, although Ennis Rakestraw Jr. went too hard on the ball and sent it into the end zone for a touchback. Jake Bates made both of his field goals, from 25 and 32 yards. Grade: A-minus

Coaching

The Lions didn’t play the cleanest game, especially in the second half, but they got things under control enough to come away with a key win. With all the hype surrounding the team, it would have been disheartening to lose Sunday night’s opener at a packed Ford Field. I thought the Lions’ approach was sound. They’re balanced enough not to have to force anything on offense, and they were committed to stopping the run on defense, and doubled down on that plan after Puka Nacua went out with an injury. Ben Johnson had a beautifully timed and well-timed call on LaPorta’s 14-yard catch in the second quarter, and Aaron Glenn’s defense didn’t let anything slip. The Lions need to get better out of the locker room, a concern that will remain in 2023, but there were no major issues and only some expected problems in Week 1 to fix. Grade: A-minus

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.