Detroit Lions Week 10 report card: Lions complete the comeback in Chicago

After finding themselves in a 24-10 hole in the fourth quarter, the Detroit Lions rallied to beat the Chicago Bears 31-30 on Sunday.

With just over 11 minutes left in the game, all hope seemed lost. The Detroit Lions were down 24-10 to the Chicago Bears, and looked like they were en route to their seventh loss of the season. However, somehow, someway, the Lions clawed their way back into the game. Tying it up, before eventually taking a late lead which they were able to hold onto for a win.

Considering how many one-score games the Lions have lost over the last two seasons, to see them win two in a row is something. It’s also indicative of the growth of the team.

Detroit has back-to-back games for the first time in the Dan Campbell era, and Sunday ended a 13-game road losing streak that went back to the first game after Matt Patricia was fired in 2020. More importantly, it was a win once again led by the young core.

Detroit Lions Week 10 Report Card

Rushing offense: 2/5 stars 

The downward trend for the running game continued on Sunday, as the Lions averaged just 3.1 yards per carry (31 carries for 95 yards). The worst part is Chicago does not have a good front seven, and running the ball should have been easy.

To be fair though, the run game came through when it mattered most. D’Andre Swift had a nine-yard touchdown run to cut the margin to 24-17. Jamaal Williams ran the ball in relatively easily for the go-ahead score. Williams also had a nine-yard run to clinch the game on 3rd-and-8 late. So while it was a disappointing day running the ball, there were some positives.

Pass offense: 3.5/5 stars

It was a relatively good game moving the ball through the air for the Lions. A big part of that equation was the pass protection. There were a number of third downs converted because Jared Goff had all day to throw. With time in the pocket, Goff was able to stay composed as he progressed through his reads, waiting for his receivers to break open.

Speaking of which the receivers also did a good job, considering who was available. One of the biggest plays of the game was a 44-yard catch and run from preseason standout Tom Kennedy. Kalif Raymond also stepped up with a few big plays on Sunday. So with everything considered, it certainly could have been a worse day for the passing attack.

Best offensive player: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown

One of the more dominant openings to a game a receiver could have. St. Brown was up to six catches for 86 yards just five minutes into the second quarter. He was consistently getting open and settling down in soft spots right at the sticks. Goff looked to him early and often to move the chains.

St. Brown finished the game with 10 receptions for 119 yards, adding in a single rush for two yards. That is exactly the type of dominance Detroit needed out of their top receiver.

Worst offensive player(s): Offensive line in run blocking

Here’s a twist on this section. But that’s because the run blocking in this game was easily the worst it’s been all season.

Chicago’s defensive front was doing a great job against the Lions’ zone run concepts. Detroit’s offensive line could not contain the slanting lineman crashing into gaps. All around it was not a pretty game on the ground. It’s unfortunate because this was a game in which the pass blocking was fantastic.

Run defense: 1/5 stars 

Chicago ran the ball 31 times for 258 yards on Sunday, averaging a ridiculous 7.4 yards per carry. Detroit simply had no answers for anything the Bears did on the ground for most of the game.

The read option in particular gave the Lions fits all day. They couldn’t contain Justin Fields, and they couldn’t get enough push up the middle to halt the running backs. What resulted was a number of runs which gashed the defensive front. Fields in particular generated multiple big-time runs, including a 67-yard touchdown run. Mobile quarterbacks continue to be this defense’s kryptonite.

Pass defense: 4/5 stars

The benefit of playing a young quarterback like Fields is he’s still finding his way as a passer. Chicago doesn’t put too much on his shoulders in the passing game. For that reason, Detroit mostly had a good game defending the pass. There were a few notable exceptions due to miscommunications in the secondary, but for the most part it was good.

The pass rush also had a good game generating pressure. However, due to Fields’ mobility and ability to break tackles, converting those pressures to sacks was an issue. However, the defensive line was able to get Fields on the ground on the final drive when it mattered the most to clinch the win.

Best defensive player: CB  Jeff Okudah 

Honorable mention goes to Aidan Hutchinson, as both he and Okudah stepped up in big ways on Sunday. However, Okudah is gets the nod here for his performance.

It didn’t matter if it was defending the run or playing coverage, Okudah was playing his best football. Anytime the Bears ran the ball outside, Okudah displayed some excellent technique as he used his length to shed blocks from receivers. His physicality also played a big role in run defense. Obviously his biggest play was the pick-six in the fourth quarter, but Okudah played his best from start to finish on Sunday.

Worst defensive player: S Kerby Joseph

A week after being named NFC Defensive Player of the Week, Joseph was served a reminder he is still a rookie with much to learn. There were two plays in particular that Joseph looked really bad on, both of Cole Kmet’s touchdowns.

On the first, Joseph bit on a fake block by Kmet, allowing the Bears’ tight end to slip into the end zone for an easy touchdown. One the second, Joseph didn’t read Mike Hughes passing the route off to him, resulting in another easy touchdown for 50 yards. Those types of lapses happened more frequently against the Bears than they had been the rest of the season. Sunday was a big learning experience for the rookie safety.

Coaching Staff: 4/5 stars

There were some schematic issues on both sides of the ball. Defensively, most of the issues were rooted in stopping the run/containing Fields. It seemed like Detroit wasn’t prepared for all the lateral movement from the Chicago line. Offensively, there were far too many run plays that didn’t develop into positive gains due to play design. D’Andre Swift was put in horrible positions multiple times, as he was given the ball on these odd east-west runs that never developed.

However, the Lions coaching staff also deserves a lot of credit. There were some very good adjustments made in the fourth quarter, as the Lions stormed back.  Sunday was another example of the coaching staff getting the most out of the team. The fight was there, even when things looked bleak, no one on the Lions’ sideline stopped believing.

Play of the game: Jeff Okudah’s pick-six

A lot went into this play to achieve the end result. Will Harris blitzed off the edge, and Isaiah Buggs got penetration on the interior. They got pressure and forced Fields to look for a checkdown. Unfortunately for him, Hutchinson read the play and dropped back to take away Kmet. This caused Fields to panic, but because of the pressure he threw it anyway. Okudah came down with his second career interception, which he took it to the house.

In the span of just over a minute, Detroit turned a 14-point deficit into a tie game. While Okudah will make all the headlines this play was symbolic of what it took to win this game–a team effort

Final thoughts:

Two weeks ago Detroit was dead last in the NFL with a 1-6 record. Suddenly, they find themselves second in the NFC North at 3-6. From rock bottom, the Lions now are in a much better place. Optimism in the rebuild is being renewed, and everyone is having much more fun.

For the second straight week, the negative vibes get pushed to the side while Detroit celebrates a win over a division rival.