Copyright M Live Michigan
LANDOVER, Md. -- From the coaching staff to the players in the locker room, the Detroit Lions entered their Week 10 matchup against the Washington Commanders looking to avenge a loss, not extract revenge from one. Their stunning divisional-round playoff loss to the Commanders last season still lingers. But their performance in last Sunday’s 27-24 loss to the Minnesota Vikings stings more in recent memory, as the Lions played a brand of football nearly unrecognizable from the “grit” culture they’ve built under Dan Campbell. Recognizing what a consecutive loss — especially in the conference — could mean for playoff implications down the road, the Lions made key adjustments that led to a 44-22 win over Washington. The victory improved Detroit to 6-3 on the season, keeping them second in the NFC — and, in their hopes, got them back to who they are. Despite entering the game second in the league in scoring (29.9 points per game), this was arguably the first time all season the Lions resembled the explosive offense their fans have come to expect — thanks mainly to one significant change at the top. Quarterback: When Jared Goff has a clean pocket to operate in, he can be a defense’s worst nightmare. The breakdowns along the offensive line were minimal, allowing Goff to complete 76% of his passes for 320 yards, three touchdowns, and a 135.9 passer rating. He connected with seven different receivers — five of them catching at least three passes. His MVP odds may have dipped due to the stellar play of his peers, but make no mistake: Sunday’s performance showed he’s still among the NFL’s elite. Grade: A+ Running backs: “Sonic and Knuckles” are back in business. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery turned in a performance that reestablished them as one of the NFL’s most feared running back tandems. Each had 15 carries, with Montgomery rushing for 71 yards and Gibbs adding 142 and two touchdowns — including a 43-yard house call. Gibbs also caught three passes for 30 yards and another score. Mixing both backs early, particularly on the opening drive, helped jumpstart a rushing attack that had been missing its spark. Grade: A Wide receivers/tight ends: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, and Kalif Raymond formed a steady trio for Goff, catching high-percentage passes and extending drives. St. Brown finished with five receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown — complete with a presidential celebration. LaPorta added five catches for 53 yards, while Raymond posted his best game of the season, hauling in all four of his targets for 49 yards. But make no mistake: this was the Jameson Williams show. Williams toyed with Washington’s defense, working underneath and thriving on crossing routes. His six catches for 119 yards and a touchdown marked his best performance of the year — exactly what Lions fans have been waiting for after hearing all offseason about his expanded route tree. Grade: A Offensive line: Penei Sewell and Graham Glasgow both had injury scares, leaving briefly before returning. With Christian Mahogany sidelined and Kayode Awosika starting in his place, Detroit’s line delivered. Goff had a clean pocket for most of the afternoon, the Commanders failed to record a sack, and the line didn’t allow a tackle for loss. Their protection and run blocking were key to the Lions racking up 546 yards of total offense. Grade: A Defensive line: It was a quieter game for Aidan Hutchinson — two pressures, one quarterback hit, one pass deflection — but the unit dominated. Roy Lopez had his best outing since joining the team, tallying five tackles, two for loss, and half a sack. Washington didn’t record a run longer than nine yards and averaged just 3.4 yards per carry — a big rebound after Aaron Jones’ success last week. Grade: A- Linebackers: Jack Campbell’s stop on a two-point conversion against Jacory Croskey-Merritt was a tone-setting play. He and Alex Anzalone were key in run support, combining for 14 tackles on the day. Grade: B Secondary: Washington rookie Jaylin Lane burned Brian Branch for a 41-yard catch, setting up the Commanders’ first touchdown. With Terrion Arnold exiting early (concussion), Rock Ya-Sin surrendered a 37-yard completion. They later allowed a Deebo Samuel touchdown, though the game was mainly out of reach by that point. Branch did notch 1.5 sacks. Not bad, but not their cleanest outing either, as Marcus Mariota completed 73% of his passes. Grade: C Special teams: Another concerning week for Dave Fipp’s unit. For a second straight game, Jake Bates had a kick blocked — this time an extra point — though he did connect on all three of his field goals. Kick return coverage remains a sore spot after allowing a 46-yard return to Noah Igbinoghene. Grade: C Coaching: Just when it seemed teams had John Morton’s offense figured out — stagnant drives, questionable playcalling, growing frustration — Dan Campbell stepped in and changed the conversation. Campbell reclaimed the headset, and Detroit’s offense came alive. Dropping 44 points on any NFL team is impressive, but the tempo, balance between Montgomery and Williams, and Goff’s rhythm in play-action stood out. Everything Detroit did offensively had purpose, resulting in 546 yards of offense. It’s unclear what this means for Morton going forward as offensive coordinator, but for one week, the Lions looked like the team they’re supposed to be. Grade: A+
