The Lions have improved mightily from last season, and they showed no signs of slowing down against the Washington Commanders. The loss last week against the Eagles truly impressed me, a better Eagles team walked into Detroit, and the Lions were miles more competitive with them than last year’s bout (Eagles won 44-6). It was this same philosophy that carried high hopes into Week Two’s game, delivering a huge first half and ultimately a decisive victory. The Lions were led by dominant play from Aidan Hutchinson and an offensive explosion throughout the entire game. Let’s dive into those performances and see just how well the Lions played on Sunday afternoon, and how this will carry over to Week Three’s matchup against the Vikings.
Goff and The Aerial Attack Take Over
The offense was rolling on Sunday, with ‘The Sun God’ Amon-Ra leading the way with his record-breaking performance. He ended the game with an astonishing 184 yards on 9 receptions, with an added pair of touchdowns. Since Calvin Johnson, the Lions have struggled to find a receiver with the consistency that Ra has had, often going through middling receivers like Kenny Golladay or Marvin Jones Jr. Amon-Ra has stepped up to the plate with a chip on his shoulder after the 4th Round selection, trying to become that star receiver. St. Brown has already started this journey as he has broken multiple NFL records like being the only receiver to have six consecutive games with 8 catches and a touchdown. He is also up with highly-rated company, being tied with Michael Thomas and Antonio Brown for the most consecutive games with eight catches. Amon-Ra has also tied Lions receiving records being one of the only Lions receivers to ever record six consecutive games with a touchdown reception. He is the epitome of what the Lions are trying to build and this game showed he has shown no signs of slowing down. Another huge part of the Lions’ offensive prowess was the air attack through other receivers. Goff had an amazing game throwing for 256 yards, 4 touchdowns, and no picks. Goff has grown as a leader for the Lions’ passing game and this game just displayed the potential that he has for the Lions’ offense. Jared Goff for the Rams was a flashy passer that was helped through great coaching, and the signal caller can easily develop further for the Lions this season. Either way, the offense was explosive throughout the entire game, and the pride has so much to be excited about concerning the development of this young team.
Hutch and the Defense Demolish
However, the offense shouldn’t be taking all the credit for the win. The Lions’ defense posed a shutout through the first half. They didn’t even allow a first down until around six minutes into the second quarter. It was an amazing defensive performance. One that was led by none other than star rookie Aidan Hutchinson. Last week many analysts and fans overreacted to the blank stat sheet Hutchinson put up. His numbers weren’t what many expected from the second overall pick. But, this week was much different. Hutchinson started his day with a sack on Washington’s first drive and ended the third quarter with three in total. Hutch showed his prowess by making huge effort plays and getting around blockers with ease. He joined elite company in the record books as he was the 4th-youngest player to have a three-sack game. Will Harris also showed out, getting a clutch interception to snuff out the Commanders’ rallying efforts. The defense may have been at the receiving end of a great second-half adjustment by Washington, but ultimately the defense held them off.
Carrying the Momentum Against the Vikes
The Lions clearly plan to bring these plans to fruition throughout the entire season and will look to exploit key matchups against the Vikes. This division game is all more important for the Lions in a tight NFC North. The Vikings’ interior offensive line is terrible. If the Lions can get Hutchinson going to manipulate offensive line reads through their common defensive line stunts, then the game might be won based on that success. Whether it be shutting down Cook or making Cousins look like he’s playing on primetime, it will be a great game plan for the defense. On the offensive side, the Lions need to make sure Goff stays smart and efficient with the football. Minnesota’s cornerbacks have commonly been a problem and Amon-Ra or Chark can find themselves exploiting those matchups. The Lions will hopefully implement these strategies and bring in another victory in what should be a strong start to the season.
