Studs and Duds: Rusty Lions Play Worst Game of Season

On Sunday, the Detroit Lions got to play their third divisional matchup of the season, hosting the Minnesota Vikings. The Lions entered fresh off of a bye week, while Minnesota quarterback J.J. McCarthy was returning to the starting lineup for the first time since week two. In a back and forth matchup, the Lions fell to the Vikings, 27-24.

Who stood out and who faltered in the first matchup between Detroit and Minneapolis?

STUD: TE Sam LaPorta

The Iowa product entered the game amidst a season that saw him on pace for a career-high in yards. In the first drive alone, that pace continued. 

LaPorta was the offense in the first drive, catching three passes for 66 yards, including a 40-yard seam on fourth-and-four that saw him power through nearly the entire Vikings’ secondary to score the opening touchdown of the game. 

He added another five-yard catch on the Lions’ second scoring drive of the half, putting him at 71 yards in the first half alone. He added another catch in the second half, then provided his second fourth-down conversion of the game to put Detroit on the Minnesota 35 when Detroit was down seven points in the fourth quarter. 

He also had one unique way to convert another fourth down on the same drive. LaPorta jumped to block Jonathan Greenard after the linebacker jumped on a Jared Goff hard count, drawing a neutral zone infraction. He finished with a team-high 97 yards and a touchdown on the day.

LaPorta did have a first half false start penalty, preventing him from a “full marks” game.

DUD: S Thomas Harper

Harper was stepping up to replace All-Pro Kerby Joseph, who was inactive today. However, he was picked on by J.J. McCarthy in the first quarter, with the safety flowing too far in the red zone and allowing former Lion T.J. Hockenson to find the Ford Field end zone again. 

He had an interception in the two-minute drill to end the first half, but it was waived off for an Amik Robertson illegal contact penalty.

Overall, Harper was a step behind for most of the game, and his impact was not felt. In a three-point loss, that is where a player like Kerby Joseph would change the game.

STUD: CB Terrion Arnold

Arnold, at long last, got his first career interception. After at least three of his first career interceptions got whistled back, this one went to review and stood. Arnold ripped the ball away from Jalen Nailor as the Vikings were driving late in the first half, already up three points, and with the ball heading to them out of half. 

That play was huge for Detroit, giving them time to reset at halftime. Arnold also had great coverage earlier in the half, with his tight coverage preventing Jordan Addison from catching a touchdown in the first quarter. Arnold’s first game back was a good one.

Arnold missed time in the second half with a back injury, but was back for a goal line stand in the fourth quarter, where a pass breakup on second down later forced a Vikings’ field goal to keep the Lions within 10 points.

STUD: LB Jack Campbell

Campbell is the soul of this defense, and was all over the field against the Vikings. In the first half, Campbell blitzed through the offense, shoving the running back into McCarthy for a sack. He had another quarterback hit in the first half, which was a controversial “roughing the passer” penalty that incurred the wrath of Lions’ fans at the field and on social media.

It did not deter the former Lions’ first round selection, as he was flying around with five tackles in the first half. He added another quarterback pressure to open the second half, forcing a McCarthy throw to sail on third down and end the Vikings’ opening drive of the half. 

He almost added another, too. With the Lions trailing by seven at the start of the fourth quarter, facing third-and-three, Campbell flushed McCarthy from the pocket. There, the play was finished by Aidan Hutchinson, who finally got his first sack of the game after a half-dozen pressures.

How good is Campbell on the pass rush? He is the first Lion linebacker in thirty years to produce a full sack in three straight games. 

DUD: C Graham Glasgow

In their first matchup with the Vikings without Frank Ragnow, the Lions sorely missed their former Pro Bowl lineman. Graham Glasgow has had a solid season with the Lions, but Sunday did not look pretty for the veteran. He and guard Christian Mahogany had a few miscommunications in the first half, leading to some pressure on Goff.

In the second half, things did not look better. After the Vikings pulled to a 10-point lead, Glasgow was forklifted into Goff by Jason Hargrave for a sack. The Lions run game struggled, and the lack of push up front, in particular around the center position, decimated the Lions’ offense.

DUD: G Tate Ratledge

Tate Ratledge was another interior offensive lineman that got bullied by the Vikings defense. Jason Hargrave had two sacks on the day, with his second coming against Ratledge. 

The Lions’ second rounder this season had put together a very respectable inaugural campaign, but again, an NFC North team exposed his struggles. Ratledge was whistled for a false start during the game as well.

Overall, the interior getting no push against the Vikings’ front that was fresh off of giving up over 250 rushing yards was disheartening. Christian Mahogany, the Lions' left guard, also struggled and left the game with a significant injury in the fourth quarter.

DUD: CB Arthur Maulet

Maulet was a part of the “legion of whom?” entering the day, and it was not a great day for the nickel. He was picked on, surrendering a handful of catches throughout the day. With the lights on the brightest, Maulet could not produce, either.

Maulet surrendered a first down catch to Jalen Nailor that ended the game, and any hope of a Lions’ comeback. While J.J. McCarthy ended with under 150 passing yards, this mostly came from a Lions pass rush and tight Arnold and Amik Robertson coverage. Maulet did not have the same magic from before the bye week.

STUD: EDGE Aidan Hutchinson

Hutchinson was sure to reintroduce himself to collegiate teammate McCarthy today. The edge rusher had three first quarter pressures alone, and ended the day with a sack and well over a half-dozen pressures. Hutchinson and Hargrave were the forces for the two NFC North defenses.

Hutchinson’s efforts wrecked any plan of Minnesota passing the ball, with the Vikings not even hitting 150 yards through the air. While Hutchinson only had one sack on Sunday, his presence is felt. He is north of 12 pressures between his last two games. The newly-extended pass rusher is already making his contract a bargain.

The one mark against the Michigan man today was an unnecessary roughness penalty for trying to trip McCarthy, but the defender quickly made up for the penalty with a few more pressures. 

DUD: HB Jahmyr Gibbs

“Sonic” had been having an amazing campaign with John Morton calling the shots, but today was not a great day. Gibbs was held in check on Sunday in an eerily reminiscent style to how he was held in check against Green Bay in week one.

Gibbs could not break any plays for big gains, with nine rushes for only 25 yards, and then three catches for three yards. A dozen touches for 28 yards is not winning football with Detroit. Some of this falls on John Morton and the offensive line, but there is a level of trust and high expectations for Gibbs, a level and standard that he did not live up to today.