Pride of Detroit
A week after getting shut down by the Green Bay Packers, the Detroit Lions came to play against another NFC North opponent. The Chicago Bears learned the hard way that the Lions remain a talented team despite their offseason poaching of Detroit’s former offensive coordinator. With motivation to prove themselves as Super Bowl contenders and motivation to silence a division rival, the Lions did not disappoint.
Detroit walked away from their Week 2 tilt with a staggering scoreboard of 52-21, a walloping of the Bears. The panic levels can settle after a rough first week. Now 1-1 on the season, the fanbase can reset before a tough tilt with the Baltimore Ravens.
Who emerged from this beatdown as a winner or loser?
If we criticize coordinators at their worst, we need to praise them at their best.
Morton’s offense looked like a different beast against the Bears. The team exploded for 28 points in the opening half alone, trumping their total from last week in a fraction of the time. After being stifled by the Packers, the offense welcomed the Bears defense. The passing attack was humming, with Jared Goff throwing for 334 yards and five touchdowns. It was a turnaround performance for Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery after a tough Week 1 outing. The duo added a pair of touchdown runs and a combined 151 rushing yards, with each back boasting a great average of 7.8 (Gibbs) and 5.2 (Montgomery) yards per attempt.
The best news coming out of the Sunday was the performance of the offensive line. After being plagued by miscommunications last week, it was a mostly solid showing for the starting five of Penei Sewell, Tate Ratledge, Graham Glasgow, Christian Mahogany, and Taylor Decker, the latter of whom missed the multiple practices nursing a shoulder injury. The unit looked cohesive and decisive with their blocking, helping facilitate a clean pocket for Goff and running lanes up front. The Bears finished the day with zero sacks despite some talent along their defensive line.
After looking completely outmatched against Green Bay, it was Morton and his offense on the right side of a coaching mismatch—so much for the Lions missing Ben Johnson.
Despite a quiet Week 1 performance, it was a certainty that St. Brown would return to his usual elite self—the man is simply too talented to put together mere four-catch, 45-yard performances. Thankfully for the Lions offense, it happened just a week later. St. Brown finished the day with nine catches for 115 yards and three touchdowns, resuming his annual befuddling of the Bears secondary. After the receivers were blanketed by the Packers last week, St. Brown had more room to operate against a lesser Bears secondary.
What also stood out about St. Brown’s game was his run blocking. The Lions receivers have always prided themselves on blocking, and St. Brown put on a clinic. He was able to spring Gibbs and Montgomery on a...
