Detroit Lions Make Historic Announcement After Vikings Game
The Detroit Lions took on the Minnesota Vikings in a tough NFC North rivalry game on Sunday, November 2, at Ford Field in Detroit, and the outcomes wasn’t what the Lions wanted. Detroit fell to Minnesota in a 27-24 loss, and it puts their position in the NFC North in question.
Now, the Lions are 5-3 heading into their Week 10 matchup against the against the Washington Commanders on the road. The loss comes off a bye week for the Lions and before then a riveting 24-9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday, October 20, in primetime at Ford Field.
So, the Lions fell hard, and that wasn’t the outcome they wanted, but there were some positive glimmers during the game. In fact, two Detroit Lions players made NFL history during the matchup, which is always a good thing.
Good News for the Detroit Lions, Despite the Loss
During the game, Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery rushed for his 30th touchdown as a Lion. In doing so, the Lions announced that Montgomery and running back Jahmyr Gibbs are the NFL’s first running back duo in the Super Bowl era to each rush for 30-plus touchdowns over any three-season span.
Another Lion made history, too. Linebacker Jack Campbell became Detroit’s first off-ball linebacker to produce 1.0 sack in three-straight games since Antonio London in 1995, according to NFL research.
Following the loss, Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff talked to the media about the team’s problems. He said that while Campbell usually likes taking the blame for losses, he wasn’t going to let him do that this time around.
“I know Coach likes to take ownership of what happens out there, but I thought we were ready to go,” Goff said. “I’m sure he would like to do some things separately, but we did what we were supposed to do coming off a bye.” He added, “We just didn’t play well as players.”
Jared Goff’s Statistics in Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings
As for the statistics and numbers, Goff completed 25 of 37 passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. He even kicked off the contest with a 40-yard touchdown pass to Sam LaPorta on fourth down. But, he also took a season-high five sacks, and Detroit only had a 29% conversion rate on third down.
“It starts with first and second downs, certainly,” Goff said. “Third and short always helps, but we need to convert on third-and-long. That keeps us on the field, allows us to get into the red zone and to score more points. But it is tough sledding in third-and-seven-plus.”
Campbell, however, was also being protective of Goff. He doesn’t want him to take all the blame.
“Look, on offense, it takes all 11 guys to get it right — it really does,” he said. “One guy can kill you, and that’s what is going on right now. It puts us in a bad way and we can’t get out of it.”
There will be finger-pointing after this loss, but in the end, this is the NFL, and losses are inevitable. Now, it’s about bouncing back against the Commanders next weekend.
Falcons’ third straight loss somehow managed to break fans’ hearts all over again
This was a game the Atlanta Falcons should've won. It's the type of game that left the worst possible taste in fans' mouths, and it's not hard to see why. They had a golden opportunity to tie the game at 24 with under five minutes to play, but instead, the Falcons pulled a Falcons.
After a Drake London touchdown reception, Parker Romo missed the ensuing extra point, only amplifying to the kicker woes. Moreover, just a few minutes later, Michael Penix Jr. derailed a potential game-winning drive with a costly intentional grounding call that resulted in a punt rather than points.
Afterward, the defense failed to stop Drake Maye from putting the game on ice, as a third consecutive loss dropped the Dirty Birds to 3-5. After last weekend's disaster against the Dolphins, Atlanta responded admirably against the surging New England Patriots, but it's clear that it wasn't enough.
Falcons missed way too many opportunities to upset the Patriots in Foxborough
In his return to the lineup, Penix completed 22-of-37 passes for 221 yards and a season-high three passing touchdowns—all of which went to London. After Kirk Cousins looked like a fossil in his stead in Week 8, the second-year quarterback put all rumblings of a quarterback controversy to rest.
However, that doesn't mean there weren't growing pains. For the second time in three games, a grounding call prevented Atlanta from adding points in a crucial moment. While it held less bearing against the 49ers in Week 7, it made the difference between 4-4 and 3-5 this afternoon.
While Bijan Robinson failed to surpass 100 scrimmage yards for the third consecutive game, London was the star of the show for Zac Robinson's offense.
The 24-year-old caught nine passes for 118 yards and three scores, while his basketball background paid off in matchups with Marcus Jones and Christian Gonzalez. London may have missed Week 8, but he's making his case for a long-term extension clear for Terry Fontenot.
Not only did the offense looked improved, the defense fared pretty well against a red-hot Drake Maye. Maye was sacked six times and turned the ball over twice, but the second-year gunslinger was the first quarterback to surpass 250 passing yards against Jeff Ulbrich's defense this season.
Luckily, Ulbrich's unit kept New England's run game in check with Rhamondre Stevenson sidelined, but it didn't matter. Almost everything went right, but they still managed to fall on the road. It's even more deflating knowing an overseas trip to Berlin against the Colts is on the docket in Week 10.
And if Raheem Morris doesn't right the ship and rid the Falcons of these minor mistakes, he might be out of a job soon.
