Lions Reassert Themselves as Legitimate Super Bowl Contenders

Offensive coordinator John Morton leaned on creativity and balance as part of his gameplan, dialing up a flea-flicker, an option play between a receiver and a back and a power running game that bulldozed through Baltimore’s front seven. 

Detroit finished with over 200 yards on the ground, highlighted by a monstrous performance from David Montgomery.

Montgomery led the way with a game-high 151 yards and two touchdowns on just 12 carries, including the game-sealing 31-yard score with under two minutes to play. 

Meanwhile, Montgomery’s backfield counterpart, Jahmyr Gibbs, contributed another 67 yards and a pair of scores himself in the triumph for Detroit on Monday night.

The defining moment of the night, though, came through the air. 

On fourth-and-2 with 1:56 to play and Detroit leading, 31-24, the ever aggressive Campbell kept the offense on the field and dialed up a pass play in which Amon-Ra St. Brown beat his defender, Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, for a pivotal first-down conversion. It took a perfect toss from Goff, and the veteran quarterback delivered, coming through with the biggest throw of the night. 

The completion set up Montgomery’s clinching score.

“I’ve got a tremendous amount of trust in those guys, and that’s been built up now on five years,” Campbell said in reference to the fourth-down play executed by Goff and St. Brown. “And that offensive line, the way they were playing, we just felt like that was the right call. And man, it’s those guys, it’s the players, man. They’re the ones who make this stuff come to light. And they’ve earned that trust.

“And once again, man, they step up and make huge plays at critical times. And it’s unbelievable, it really is. It’s a thing of beauty.”

For Goff, it was another efficient outing in a hot stretch that has seen the Lions rack up over 900 total yards and 90 points the past two games. 

It marks just the second time since 1950 that Detroit has produced 900-plus net yards and north of 90 points over any two-game span.

The Lions signal-caller finished 20-of-28 for 202 yards and a touchdown, distributing the ball to seven different receivers and once again leaning on St. Brown, who secured seven receptions for 77 yards and a score.

The win carried extra weight considering the opponent. 

The Ravens, which possess serious Super Bowl aspirations, served as a litmus test for where Detroit truly stands among the NFL’s very best teams. 

A dominant performance on both sides of the ball, highlighted by near-perfect execution in high-pressure moments, proved that the Lions are not merely NFC North title contenders. Instead, they have the makings of a team capable of making a deep postseason run.

No offense to the Chicago Bears, but this Week 3 victory over Baltimore was the most gratifying win of the young season for the Lions. And it provided evidence that Campbell’s brand of aggressive, physical football can withstand the league’s toughest environments.

As the Lions walked off the field at M&T Bank Stadium, they did so with a renewed sense of confidence. 

Hutchinson and the defense proved they could curtail the production of an electric dual-threat quarterback. Montgomery and Gibbs reminded the league just how dominant of a backfield duo they can be. And Goff, as steady as they come under center, displayed the veteran poise that has come to define his time in the Motor City.

Through three weeks, the Lions have experienced both the sting of a humbling defeat and the pure joy of a statement win. 

If Monday night is any indication, Campbell’s squad is equipped with the necessary moxie and talent to not only compete with, but also beat the NFL's elite teams.

Undeniably, Detroit – with its ultra convincing effort against Baltimore – has re-inserted itself into the conversation of the league’s very best teams.