In Week 2, we faced a well-rounded Detroit Lions team in a shootout that ended in our first loss of the season, 59-49. While our offense continued to light up the scoreboard, our defense struggled to contain Detroit’s balanced attack, and key mistakes in the red zone ultimately cost us.
Offensive Highlights: Mayfield Strong Again
Baker Mayfield delivered another strong performance, completing 30 of 42 passes for 375 yards and 5 touchdowns, with only one interception. His passing was sharp and decisive, keeping us in the game throughout. Mayfield continues to show excellent chemistry with Chris Godwin, who had another stellar game with 12 catches for 176 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a long grab of 39 yards.
Our rushing game, while not a major factor, saw Rachaad White grind out 84 yards on 14 carries. He also contributed in the passing game with 2 catches for 18 yards, continuing to be a dual-threat option. Mike Evans added 4 receptions for 76 yards, while Trey Palmer and Cade Otton were reliable with a combined 7 catches and 2 touchdowns.
Despite the high yardage and scoring output, we faced key struggles in the red zone, converting just 3 of 7 opportunities. This inefficiency forced us into situations where we had to take more risks than desired, ultimately leading to Mayfield’s lone interception.
Defensive Struggles: Run Game Breakdown
The Lions found success against us on the ground, led by David Montgomery, who rushed for 132 yards and 2 touchdowns on 14 carries. This was an area we knew we had to lock down, but missed tackles and poor gap discipline allowed Detroit to consistently churn out yardage. Jahmyr Gibbs added another 78 yards, and the dual-threat in their backfield kept us guessing all game.
While we limited Jared Goff to just 231 passing yards, he was efficient, completing 62.5% of his passes and finding ways to extend drives when it mattered. Goff’s connection with Jameson Williams hurt us the most, as Williams hauled in 2 touchdowns on just 3 catches for 135 yards, including a back-breaking long score.
Our defense was inconsistent, and although Calijah Kancey and Lavonte David both had solid performances with 4 tackles apiece, we lacked the pass rush needed to disrupt Goff. We also couldn’t get enough stops on third down, allowing Detroit to control the pace of the game. Our defense didn’t register a single sack or turnover, which is something we’ll need to address moving forward.
Special Teams: Perfect but Overlooked
Chase McLaughlin was perfect on his 7 extra points, but we didn’t get into field goal range often enough to give him more scoring opportunities. On the punting front, Jake Camarda had an impressive day, averaging 34.0 yards per punt, with one pinned inside the 20-yard line. However, Detroit’s Jack Fox outperformed us in the punting game, giving them consistent field position advantage.
Key Takeaways as a Coach:
- Red Zone Woes – Despite putting up 49 points, failing to capitalize in the red zone left points on the board. Improving our conversion rate here is crucial if we want to compete at a high level.
- Run Defense Needs Work – Allowing 214 rushing yards to Detroit is unacceptable. We need to tighten up our front seven and tackle better in space, especially as we face teams with strong run games going forward.
- Big Plays Hurt Us – Both on offense and defense, the big play was a deciding factor. We gave up too many chunk yardage plays while failing to generate enough explosive plays ourselves to keep pace.
- Positives on Offense – Mayfield and the receivers continue to play at an elite level. Chris Godwin is proving to be our go-to guy, and the offensive balance between run and pass will be a focal point for keeping defenses honest in the future.
- Defense Needs More Pressure – Not registering a sack in this game was disappointing. We have to find ways to generate pressure on the quarterback, whether through blitz packages or individual effort from our front.
This loss serves as a reminder that while we can score with the best of them, we need to clean up our defense and capitalize on every opportunity if we’re going to have sustained success this season. As a coach, I’ll be focusing on correcting these issues as we prepare for Week 3.
