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    • Special teams prove valuable in defeating the Titans
    Alabama

    Special teams prove valuable in defeating the Titans

    Idris Bevan Posted on

    Detroit – Richard Silva assesses the Detroit Lions’ performance in their 52-14 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

    Quarterbacks

    Jared Goff didn’t have to be a world-beater – the offense started five possessions in Tennessee territory – but he did his job well on a day where he sat comfortably on the sideline at the start of the fourth quarter. He continued his incredible efficiency by completing 12 of his 15 attempts; In his last five games, Goff has completed 83% of his passes for 1,171 yards, 12 touchdowns and one interception. Hendon Hooker played the final frame but little could be gleaned from his limited action. Grade: A

    Running backs

    Against the Vikings last week, Jahmyr Gibbs set a new career high with a 45-yard scoring rush. That benchmark didn’t last long, as he set a new personal record in the second quarter with a 70-yard run down the left sideline and into paydirt. The rest of his runs weren’t as successful, of course, but Detroit’s running backs still averaged 4.3 yards per carry, excluding the 70-yarder, and David Montgomery hammered his way into the end zone for the seventh straight game in seven games . Grade: A

    Wide receivers/tight ends

    With Jameson Williams serving a two-game suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances, the door was open for others to contribute. Tight end Sam LaPorta was the main beneficiary of the extra scoring, hauling in all six balls thrown his way for 48 yards and a touchdown – the score was actually thrown by Montgomery on a trick play. Receiver Kalif Raymond scored his second touchdown of the season and Amon-Ra St. Brown was wide open for a touchdown of his own. Grade: A

    Offensive line

    The offense did so many things so well. But if you’re looking for nitpicks, the border is for you. The unit struggled with pass protection, especially early on, causing Goff to be sacked three times in the first quarter and four times overall. Linebacker Arden Key was the culprit twice, hitting left tackle Taylor Decker badly on the first play of the game. The line eventually calmed down, but the shots at Goff were problematic; It appeared the quarterback twisted his ankle on one of the early takedowns. Grade: B-

    Defensive line

    It should come as no surprise that the Lions struggled to put much pressure on Titans quarterback Mason Rudolph without their top three edge rushers, Aidan Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport and Josh Paschal. They only got five QB hits, but one of them was a critical pressure by centerback Levi Onwuzurike that forced a missed throw that led to an interception. Tennessee’s RBs performed similarly to Detroit’s, averaging 4.7 yards per carry. Grade: B

    Linebackers

    The more snaps Trevor Nowaske gets, the more he seems to make a difference. He recorded a sack in each of Detroit’s last two games, and this time he had a takeaway, getting ahead of tight end Nick Vannett on Onwuzurike’s play against Rudolph. He will need to continue to step up if Malcolm Rodriguez, who was carted off to the locker room with an ankle injury and later ruled out, is sidelined for an extended period. The top linebackers – Alex Anzalone and Jack Campbell – continue to be solid and consistent with the ball. Grade: A-

    Secondary

    Another game, another interception for Kerby Joseph, who already has a career-high five INTs before midway through the season. Fellow safety Brian Branch hasn’t been his typical self — he was in coverage on at least one high ball and was flagged for pass interference in the end zone on another play — but this back-end pairing is now up to 10 forced turnovers in seven games. Things got a little out of hand in the first half as Calvin Ridley tore Detroit’s secondary with seven catches for 126 yards in the first few quarters, but the cornerbacks recovered and held Rudolph to 46 yards in the second half. Grade: B

    Special teams

    Raymond was the star of the day, but not because of the touchdown he contributed on offense. He amassed 190 yards on five punt returns, including a 90-yard homer in the third quarter to really put the game out of reach. According to Lions PR, it is the longest punt return in a home game for Detroit since 1963 and is also the second-longest punt return in franchise history. Also notable was kicker Jake Bates, who set a new career mark with a 51-yard field goal and completed everything with his seven extra points. Grade: A+

    Coaching

    Talk about not getting caught up in a trap game. The coaching staff had this team ready to take on a seemingly inferior opponent, and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson showed some impressive machinations en route to a 5-on-5 performance in the red zone. Grade: A+

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    Idris Bevan
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