After pulling out a win over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1, the Detroit Lions couldn't quite get it done against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday in a 20-16 loss. The statistics favored the Lions in such a way to be historic in some ways, but they made enough mistakes to fall short.
As such, the dividing line between the winners and the losers for the Lions in Week 2 could not be clearer and most other weeks that line will not be so obvious. Those who performed well performed really well against the Buccaneers, and those who didn't perform well were especially bad.
Here are are winners and losers for the Lions in their rough Week 2 loss to the Buccaneers.
3 winners (and four clear-cut losers) for the Lions in Week 2 loss to Tampa Bay
Winner: Aidan Hutchinson
Just because it's obvious doesn't make it any less true.
Hutchinson had three sacks before 10 minutes had elapsed in the first quarter on Sunday, on his way to 4.5 sacks in the game. He also had four tackles for loss, with another six pressures credited to him by Pro Football Focus with a 29.2 pass rush win rate. Favorable matchups have been in play in each of the first two games, but Hutchinson has taken full advantage and he isn't the first to do so.
Helped by upgrades to his supporting cast, as was on display again against Tampa Bay, Hutchinson has hit another level early in his third season. Putting him in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation is not ridiculous, even if it is obviously very early. A star turn to take his place as one of the best pass rushers in the NFL is here.