Pride of Detroit
Payback like that takes pride and Dan Campbell’s bunch was full of it.
Detroit exorcised some Ravens demons after disheartening defeats in 2021 and 2023. Lamar Jackson entered 24-2 versus NFC opponents (.923), 7-2 on Monday Night Football (.778), and 20-6 in primetime (.769). The Lions beat an elite, mobile quarterback on the road under the lights — one of the finest regular-season wins of the Campbell era. And they did it with his hand-picked coordinators, pushing Week 1’s dud firmly into the rear-view mirror.
It was one of the finest regular season victories in the Dan Campbell era, and he did it with his new hand-picked coordinators, and the team further put Week 1’s performance in the rear-view mirror.
With so many clutch performances, here’s who’s trending up, down, and holding steady in our Week 3 stock report.
On a night when Detroit’s defense was impressive despite giving up 30 points, Muhammad was outstanding, bottling up two-time MVP Lamar Jackson. After not playing until midway through Baltimore’s third drive, he made up for lost snaps: 4 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and his biggest play might’ve been a third-down tackle of a scrambling Jackson on Baltimore’s second-to-last drive, forcing a punt with Detroit up one score. He added six total pressures on 23 pass-rush snaps, boosting his season pressure rate to 20.8% — 10th among players with at least 30 rushes. The “edge opposite Hutchinson” worry looks a little overblown now.
No one embodied the slugfest more than Detroit’s enforcer at running back. After early attempts to stretch Baltimore laterally failed, the Lions went straight north-south. On the 18-play, 98-yard touchdown drive, Montgomery set the tone and allowed Detroit’s blockers to out-physical the Ravens in their own backyard. He finished with a career-high 151 yards on just 12 carries (12.6 per), plus a critical 13-yard catch-and-run. Games like this remind everyone why he’s one of the league’s most underrated backs.
Wright isn’t a receiving threat, despite a few Week 2 catches, and against the Ravens, he wasn’t much of a blocking one either. He appeared to miss multiple run blocks and allowed pressures as a pass protector. For a decently paid No. 2 tight end, Detroit needs more in the run game. It’s starting to feel like a tell when he lines up next to the tackle with Sam LaPorta flanked outside of him; LaPorta noticeably out-blocked him Monday.
Baltimore under John Harbaugh is a model of consistency. Campbell’s team went into M&T Bank Stadium and out-executed, out-prepared, and out-physicaled the Ravens. Detroit’s 224 rushing yards were the third-most the Ravens have ever allowed. Seven sacks of Lamar Jackson tied the most Baltimore has ever surrendered in a game. And for the first time in 57 games, the Ravens’ defense failed to record a sack.
Campbell did it with his guys. He rode with his hand-selected coordinators,...
