Making it to the NFC North was no easy task for the Detroit Lions.After waiting 30 years to reach this pinnacle of success, the fan base experienced 60 minutes of anxiety as the Lions and Minnesota Vikings went back and forth. The Lions’ two-point lead ended in the final minute before Ifeatu Melifonwu intercepted a Nick Mullens pass to seal the victory. As the clock hit triple zero, the Lions won 30–24, winning their first NFC North division title in team history. Below are the numbers for each position group based on their performance during Sunday’s win.
Defender: B
Jared Goff picked up where he left off last week and delivered another perfect performance on Sunday. Veteran Ben Johnson’s offense was sharp and made critical plays in critical situations.That included two strong third-down throws. One was St. Amon-Ra on first possession. one to Brown and the other to Donovan Peeples-Jones in the fourth quarter. Goff was excellent against Minnesota’s offense.
He was 22 of 28 for 183 yards and a touchdown when pressured by the Vikings’ defense, according to NFL Next Generation Stats. The veteran also ran for 2 yards on fourth down to convert a fourth down in the first half. He also avoided foul trouble when he caught what was called an incomplete pass. In the end, he went 30-of-40 for 257 yards and a 99.7 quarterback rating.
Running back: A-
Jahmir Gibbs lost the first game but bounced back in a big way. The rookie picked up 100 all-purpose yards and scored two big touchdowns.
His trademark sprint speed was on full display as he regularly missed defenders in attack. Wide receiver: AAmon-Ra St. Brown surpassed 1,200 receiving yards Sunday with his eighth 100-yard game of the season. In his third NFL season, he now has over 3,300 receiving yards. He caught Goff’s only 1-yard touchdown in the third quarter. He also had a key third-down conversion and eight of his 12 catches were for first downs, including a touchdown.
Offensive Line: A
-The Lions are averaging over 4 yards per carry, excluding Goff’s knee, against one of the best defensive defenses in the NFL.
The performance was commendable as Montgomery and Gibbs combined for 135 rushing yards.Peney made a big block that set up Sewell Gibbs’ second touchdown and the sack of running back Jordan Hicks. Taylor Decker did well in pass protection and handled the running assignments.Jonah Jackson was pulled for Detroit’s only sack of the afternoon, and the Lions avoided disaster when Pat Jones’ hit on Goff was initially called a fumble and then ruled incomplete. Because Cam Bynum returned it for a score.
Defense line: B
The Lions did a great job of stopping Minnesota’s running game, allowing just 17 yards here. Nick Mullens also had 11 quarterback hits, including four by Aidan Hutchinson. Romeo Okwara was hit by a sack, but John Kominski was unable to get a loss on Minnesota’s final drive. Benito Jones and Levi Onwuzurike each scored quarterback touchdowns. Jones also had a tackle for loss and Hutchinson had a pass breakup at the line of scrimmage.
Leader: BAlex Anzalone sacked Mullens in the first half, but Kindle Vildor’s penalty denied the game. He recorded four tackles and four quarterback hits, while Jack Campbell had three stops.Without Derrick Barnes, the Lions will likely use Malcolm Rodriguez more in a defensive role. The sophomore quarterback finished the game with three hits. Rookie Trevor Nowaske also recorded a stop on special teams.
