They say if you can’t stand the heat, you have to get out of the kitchen. On Sunday, the Detroit Lions were dominant in the kitchen, beating the Arizona Cardinals 20-13 in Glendale. They continued to show some of the weaknesses we’ve seen in recent weeks, but unlike last week against Tampa Bay, the Lions found a way to overcome those mistakes and win. Here are your Rising Stars of the Week.
Addition: Carlton Davis III, CB
Statistics: 7 tackles, 1 tackle lost
Carlton Davis did well in coverage on Sunday, as he has all season, but that wasn’t the reason he moved this week. Davis was the Lions’ best run defender from start to finish on Sunday. That’s not usually something special for a cornerback, but on Sunday it was literally what decided the game.
Derrick Barnes left the game early due to injury and did not return. Barnes, as we discussed in last week’s Stock Report, has quickly become a glue for the Lions’ defense, especially when it comes to gaining an upper hand in the run game. During his absence, Davis has stepped up and shown tremendous discipline and pursuit in run support. His third-quarter stop on Kyler Murray on fourth down showed a smart pursuit angle and a tremendous amount of effort that ultimately resulted in a turnover by a few inches. That wasn’t what I had on my bingo card when the Lions signed Davis, but I’ll take it anyway.
Stock up: Aaron Glenn, DC
The Lions came into this game after losing in Week 2 and failing to contain Baker Mayfield. Many expected an even worse game against Kyler Murray and the Cardinals. After Kyler Murray’s first offensive drive ended with 34 rushing yards, things definitely got worse.
In a surprising turn of events, Glenn found a way to switch the defense so that Murray only managed 11 rushing yards over the next three and a half quarters. That was key to the Lions’ win and required creativity. Glenn deserves credit for finding ways to keep Carlton Davis near the line of scrimmage for run support, as well as adjustments that gave Terrion Arnold better safety support in the second half after a rocky start to the game.
Ultimately, the Cardinals offense didn’t adjust on Sunday, while the Lions defense did so quickly and efficiently. Kudos to Glenn, whose defense has been able to mask several offensive deficiencies over the past three weeks.
Share in the red: Jalen Reeves-Maybin, LB
Statistics: 1 attack
Aside from his usual special teams duties, it’s been a quiet season for JRM so far. However, Sunday’s linebacker injuries meant the veteran had more time on defense. The only problem? He didn’t look like a veteran.
Reeves-Maybin took a really bad unnecessary roughness penalty for a late hit as the Cardinals moved down the field at the end of the first half. JRM’s free 15 yards put the Cardinals in field goal range. It was a costly mistake from a guy who just doesn’t make mistakes like that.
Addition: Kerby Joseph, S
Statistics: 3 tackles, 2 passes defended, 1 interception
Kerby Joseph has always been a ball hunter, but that usually came at the expense of an inconsistent game. He plays aggressively, but he takes risks and sometimes comes up empty-handed. So far this season, the Lions have seen less risk and more success from the third-year safety.
On Sunday, Joseph threw an interception in the end zone that kept the Cardinals in check as they came out of halftime with momentum. It was the second time in three weeks he threw an interception in the end zone, which would prove to be the deciding factor in the end. He combined today’s interception with several good opportunities in coverage, playing tight but not too aggressively and balancing risk and reward. It’s a nice step forward for the now-experienced player.
Stock Neutral: Jameson Williams, WR
Statistics: 1 reception, 9 yards, 1 carry, -7 yards
In terms of stats, it was a terribly disappointing day for Jamo, with just two net yards on offense. The video will tell a different story, though. The Cardinals spent most of the afternoon playing their safeties deep to neutralize Jamo, and that takes their best defensive player, Budda Baker, out of the game. The result was that Brock Wright and Amon-Ra St. Brown had a lot more room to maneuver, allowing the offense to continue with both the short passing game and the running game.
Add: Jared Goff, QB
Statistics: 18/23, 199 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Goff definitely looked better this week than last, but he continued his streak with a pick-six and still throws the ball right into defenders’ hands. He deserves a stock-up for handling his arms and legs well in the fourth inning. However, I still have serious concerns about his offensive strategy over the next three weeks.
Quick hits
Stock up
Brock Wright, TE: When Dan Skipper left the game on the first drive, the Lions opted to use Brock Wright as an extra blocker. Ben Johnson had other plans, however, and got Wright involved early and often, resulting in four pass catches on five targets on Sunday. Wright missed a block during a goal-line run in the second quarter, but otherwise looked solid.
Inventory neutral
Terrion Arnold, CB: Arnold continues to be around the ball and his physical style of play has meshed well with the Cardinals’ receivers. However, he still needs to work on getting his head in the right direction. On Sunday, that led to more costly pass interference penalties for the Lions and several more that easily could have been called.
Inventory is decreasing
Sam LaPorta, TE: LaPorta has continued to play a minor role on offense. He also got blown up on a pull block on the same play that Brock Wright missed, ruining a run that would have likely scored. Bad timing from an otherwise reliable blocker.
Josh Paschal, DL: Paschal’s only appearance on the stat sheet was a call for roughing the passer in the fourth quarter. That was a little questionable, but Paschal is easily forgotten in a crowded interior defensive line room, and that won’t do him any favors.
Jake Bates, K: I firmly believe that Bates still has a lot of room for error, so let’s not make a habit of missing extra points.
