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After a sloppy second half, the offensive scores
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After a sloppy second half, the offensive scores

The Detroit Lions’ highly anticipated opening game of the regular season seemed to end with a bitter result.

But the determination that has characterized coach Dan Campbell during his tenure shone through once again as the Lions rallied to win. Detroit scored the game’s final nine points and turned a 20-17 deficit into a 26-20 overtime victory.

Here are the grades for each position group based on performance in Sunday’s game.

Quarterback: C+

Jared Goff had good moments throughout Sunday’s game, but made several mistakes that almost cost the Lions dearly in the end. He threw an interception in the red zone that gave the Rams the lead and nearly threw another on the ensuing drive.

He nearly scored on the tying drive, but Amon-Ra St. Brown got just enough touches on the ball to deflect it away from the defender. Aside from that particular play, however, Goff was solid on the final drive of regulation.

The offense sputtered in the second half as Goff struggled to get into rhythm, but he did score a touchdown strike to Jameson Williams when he picked up the deep ball on third down after Williams beat Tre’Davious White on a double play.

Goff finished the night completing 18 of 28 passes for 217 yards, one touchdown and one interception. It was an inconsistent performance, but to his credit, he delivered in the final series of regular season games and ultimately helped spark the win.

Running back: A-

The Lions’ running game struggled at the beginning, but later picked up momentum and led the team to victory. David Montgomery was the star player and ran 17 times for 91 yards.

He carried the ball five times for 45 yards in overtime, including the game-winning 1-yard run, and also had a 21-yard run on his first drive that helped open the game. Dan Campbell praised his strength after the game, and it was on full display at the end of Sunday’s game.

Although Jahmyr Gibbs didn’t have many spectacular plays, he did offer a taste of his future role. In addition to 11 carries, he was also targeted six times in the passing game and had four catches for over 40 yards.

Gibbs had the chance to score the winning goal in regular time, but he slipped on the turf on his way and the ball landed incomplete.

While the running game performance left something to be desired in some respects, the tough manner in which the team closed out the game in overtime reminded many why the team was built on physicality.

Wide receiver: B

While the Los Angeles Rams had nothing on Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams played the best game of his young career on Sunday. It was an exciting performance for the Alabama product who had a little bit of everything.

Williams caught a cross pass for a big gain, made an end-around, and then caught a 52-yard touchdown pass from Goff in the third quarter. He hit Tre’Davious White on a double move and the corner was so caught off guard that all he could do was try to wrap up the receiver and take a penalty.

As for St. Brown, the Rams did a good job of keeping him under control, limiting him to just three catches for 13 yards. That didn’t stop him from helping as a run blocker, though. St. Brown and Williams were the only two wide receivers targeted on Sunday, although Kalif Raymond did get an end-around early in overtime.

Tight end: B.

Sam LaPorta also had a quiet night as the Rams were clearly looking to take over the middle of the field, but as the game wound down, he still proved to be one of Goff’s most reliable targets.

LaPorta finished with five catches for 45 yards. He was free in the end zone on Detroit’s first scoring drive, but Goff threw a little too high and he couldn’t catch the ball. The Iowa product also had several key blocks in the running game, including one on a fourth down by Montgomery.

Offensive Line: B+

It was assumed that the Lions’ offensive line would have the upper hand in this duel after Aaron Donald’s retirement. However, Florida State’s young defensive line proved to be much more capable than initially expected.

The Rams were successful against Goff on the first series when Byron Young stunted Kevin Zeitler and overpowered Jared Goff. Jared Verse also overpowered Goff before halftime when he overpowered Taylor Decker. They also did a good job of limiting the Lions’ running game early on.

The Lions ended up dominating the trenches, however. Overtime was dominated by the Lions’ running game, which was simply difficult to stop on the eight-play scoring attack. There were several pre-snap penalties that kept this grade from an A, but the Lions totaled 131 rushing yards from their top two options.

Defensive line: B+

With the Rams dealing with multiple injuries on offense, the Lions made life very difficult for Matthew Stafford. Aidan Hutchinson played a great game, handling several pressure situations and recording his first sack of the season, while narrowly missing another. The Michigan product hit the former Lion four times.

Hutchinson ended up having to face practice squad signee AJ Acuri after Joe Noteboom was injured, while Marcus Davenport, on the other hand, proved to be a solid counterpart to the third-year runner.

Davenport and Levi Onwuzurike combined for a sack in the first quarter. Detroit pressured Stafford throughout the game, but the Rams’ series of quick throws made it difficult for them to get to him.

Linebacker: A-

Alex Anzalone set the tone for the game with his physicality as he made two tackles for loss on the first three plays of the game. It was a strong night for him as he made 13 total tackles, including three for loss.

Jack Campbell and Derrick Barnes certainly contributed to the success with seven and four tackles respectively. Malcolm Rodriguez was also used frequently and had three stops while playing in certain packages.

Secondary level: C+

The Lions’ brand new secondary debuted together on Sunday night, with Carlton Davis and Terrion Arnold starting as expected. Arnold finished his NFL debut with eight tackles but picked up two pass interference penalties in the end zone for using his hands too much.

Arnold was considered a skilled player in college and promised to correct his mistakes. Davis, meanwhile, dropped a game-winning interception late in the fourth quarter.

Brian Branch also missed several opportunities, including skipping a pass off an out pass and intercepting another potential pass. The Lions did, however, get one interception from Stafford when Kerby Joseph intercepted a pass in the end zone.

Cooper Kupp had an exceptional performance with 14 catches for 110 yards and a touchdown. However, much of his early performance was due to the short game, as the Lions’ man coverage was beaten on short yards. This is another area where an otherwise solid performance needs improvement.

Special Teams: A

It was a perfect debut for Jake Bates, who made both of his field goal attempts, including the tying one from 32 yards. It was an encouraging sign for the kicker, who certainly had his ups and downs in training camp.

Bates also landed a nice squib kick inside the 20-yard line on the kickoff, which was the only kick the Lions had to cover.

Jack Fox proved to be a weapon in Sunday’s game, averaging 47.5 yards. His four punts averaged 57.5 yards, but two ended up in the end zone. One had the perfect backspin, but Ennis Rakestraw couldn’t catch it as he slid for the touchdown.

Coaching: B

It wasn’t the Lions’ most perfect performance in Week 1, but there were a few things to like. The offense showed some creativity, Williams’ double play was well-timed, and several end-arounds also kept the defense off balance.

There is a sense that the Lions have a lot more to offer on offense, and finding a reliable third receiver will likely boost performance tremendously, especially against opponents so eager to stop St. Brown.

On defense, the pass rush definitely looks better, although it worked against a ragtag Rams offense. Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn’s man coverage certainly had its issues, but the personnel has been upgraded and can come up with plays at opportune times.

As for Campbell, the Lions ultimately made the right decision to punt on the fourth and fifth attempts with 4:10 left in the game. The defense was able to stop the ball and the offense responded with the kick to tie the game.

Ultimately, it wasn’t a perfect performance. In years past, one performance has brought the Lions down. However, this is one of the best rosters in football and the team has always made the right plays when needed and started the year 1-0.

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