Pride of Detroit
The Detroit Lions are back to their blowout ways after a big win over the Washington Commanders. Not only was it a return to form for the team, but it was yet another example of why the Lions have something special in Dan Campbell.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. Here are my positional grades for the Lions’ Week 10 win over the Commanders.
While Jared Goff was devoid of any eye-popping throws or outstanding plays, he did what was more important: made the right reads and delivered accurate passes that allowed his receivers to maximize yards after the catch (league-leading 191 on Sunday). Goff finished the day with the following Week 10 highs:
He also finished with a completion percentage above expected of +11.5% despite facing pressure on 42.4% of his dropbacks—sixth highest in the NFL of Week 10. Fantastic day from Goff.
Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery looked like the Sonic and Knuckles duo we all know and love. While they were certainly aided by a rejuvenated offensive line, both also created plenty of yards on their own. Gibbs’ 9.5 yards per carry was second in the NFL on Sunday, and his rush EPA of +8.5 was first. Gibbs also contributed 30 yards and a touchdown through the air. His 172 yards from scrimmage was the third-most in his young career, and it was his second-best fantasy performance, if that’s your thing.
Don’t overlook Montgomery, who added 71 rushing yards on 4.7 a carry, himself.
Sam LaPorta continues to be one of Goff’s go-to options on critical downs. On his five catches for 53 yards, he:
While Brock Wright didn’t contribute any receptions in the game, he succeeded in helping improve the Lions’ pass protection and run blocking.
I’m only dinging this group for a couple of drops: one by Amon-Ra St. Brown, one by Jameson Williams.
Otherwise, it was a fantastic day from this group. St. Brown, Williams, Kalif Raymond, and Isaac TeSlaa combined for 237 yards and two touchdowns on 16 catches. They were constantly getting open, blocking on the edge, and making the most of their opportunities with YAC.
Additionally, it was good to see the Lions finally get some production out of the WR3 position, be it Raymond (four catches, 49 yards) or TeSlaa (1 for 11).
But Sunday was all about Williams. Tying a career high with six receptions (on only seven targets), Williams was the versatile route runner we saw in training camp. He caught just about every kind of route other than a fly. If the Lions continue to use him as a well-rounded route runner, it’s only a matter of time before they...
