The Lions Proved They Don’t Need Their Old OC After All
The Detroit Lions looked like a brand new team in their Week Two win over the Chicago Bears. Spoiling the return of Ben Johnson, the Lions handled this one 52-21. After recent back-and-forths on social media, Detroit came into this game with a chip on its shoulder. Thinking that Johnson left for “better opportunities” is what really solidified the friendship between the two coaches. No longer is it a relationship where both sides are working on plays or planning schemes together.
Jared Goff led this team with 334 yards in the air, completing 23 of his 38 passes. He also threw for five touchdowns, spreading the ball to multiple receivers. The rumors about Jared Goff being a system quarterback have been quieting down as of late due to his performance in the past two games. Now that Ben Johnson is working with a different first overall pick, Goff has something to prove that it was never him needing Johnson; it was Johnson needing him.
A career day for Amon-Ra St. Brown was the story of this game. He led the team with nine receptions and 115 yards. While being one of the favorite targets for Goff, this game seemed to be a lot easier for St. Brown due to the fact that Chicago was missing a lot of players in the secondary due to injury. With three touchdown receptions to add to those stats, he will be riding high into next week against the Ravens.
The defense of Kelvin Sheppard also shone in this blowout win with four sacks and one interception. The big story coming into this season was how the Lions would react without both of their coordinators. This game really put that story to rest, as both the offense and defense of the Detroit team shone brightly. This game has been a representation of what the new-era Lions team looks like.
The offense looked similar to last season, with a lot less trickery. With numerous motions and movements up front, it was a scheme that could be easily learned with minimal practice. The run game was still strong, and the passing game followed. It was a game that set the tone for the rest of the season.
