Lions' Grades: Defensive Line Anchors Gritty Effort

Who performed the best in Detroit's season-opening win?

The Detroit Lions walked into Arrowhead Stadium as underdogs against the NFL's reigning champions. 

After a hard-fought 60 minutes, they emerged victorious by a single point. 

Dan Campbell's team embodied the exact message he's preached throughout the offseason. Emphasizing the importance of remaining on an even keel through the highs and lows of the game, the Lions came out on top against Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City. 

"I didn't learn anything, I got verification on what I already knew," Campbell said. "This is a resilient team. It already was a resilient team, and we added pieces to that resilient team. We're built to handle some stuff, and we did that today against a very good opponent."

Here are grades for each position group based on each group's performance in Detroit's season-opening win. 

Quarterbacks: B-

Jared Goff missed on some early throws as he acclimated to Kansas City's consistent pass rush, but he made key throws when the team needed him to. 

The passer stepped up, and delivered a strike to Josh Reynolds on a third-and-12 in the fourth quarter, on what turned out to be the game-winning drive. 

He also delivered in the red zone on Detroit's second possession, firing a touchdown to Amon-Ra St. Brown on a crossing route.

One area where Goff was exposed was with his lack of mobility. He struggled at times against Kansas City's consistent pass rush, but rebounded to deliver the key plays. 

Running backs: B

David Montgomery's stat line doesn't jump off the page -- 21 carries for 74 yards and a score. Yet he, like Goff, delivered in the clutch. 

After being stymied largely due to a fervent Kansas City defensive line, the former Chicago Bears back came through with a strong fourth quarter. He scored the game-winning touchdown with 7:06 remaining, then carried the ball three straight times to convert the clinching first down.

He did struggle at times in pass protection, though, including a time in which he was bull-rushed to the turf by Nick Bolton before committing a tripping penalty. 

Rookie Jahmyr Gibbs showed flashes of the explosive skill set that Detroit touted when it drafted him No. 12 overall in the 2023 draft. He bulldozed a defender on an early 17-yard scamper. 

Additionally, he showed an ability to bounce off tacklers and gain extra yards. The rookie ran fearlessly, and wound up with 42 yards on seven carries. 

Wide receivers: B-

It was an up-and-down effort for the Lions' wideouts. Amon-Ra St. Brown flashed with the early touchdown, and was consistent in a workmanlike effort. 

The third-year wideout produced 71 yards on six catches, and lived up to his standard of moving the chains and consistently making the key play. 

Josh Reynolds was the team's leading receiver, hauling in four passes for 80 yards. Among those were two pivotal catches on the Lions' game-winning scoring drive, one being a 33-yard conversion to put the team in the red zone. 

On the flip side, veteran Marvin Jones Jr. struggled in his first game back with the Lions. He dropped two passes, and committed a key fumble in the red zone when he was upended. 

Tight ends: B

Rookie Sam LaPorta made his presence felt with five catches for 39 yards. However, he had just as big an impact as a run-blocker late in the game. 

Running the team's duo and zone concepts, the Iowa product proved he is a capable blocker. There were hiccups at times, but it was largely a strong performance. 

Brock Wright added two catches in the effort. Detroit found ways to deploy all three of its tight ends, but James Mitchell was not targeted. 

Offensive line: C

Without Chris Jones, Kansas City was playing without its best defensive lineman. Yet, the Lions' offensive line struggled to take the heat off Goff in the passing game. 

The run game was also a struggle until the fourth quarter, when the line found its footing and paved the way for Detroit's ground attack. 

It wasn't the cleanest effort, either. Frank Ragnow had an errant snap that set Detroit back in the red zone, and Penei Sewell was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct. 

Defensive line: B+

The Lions didn't record a sack on Mahomes, but spent plenty of time in the backfield pursuing the passer. Aidan Hutchinson, in particular, nearly got to Mahomes a number of times despite appearing to be held. 

Second-year rusher Josh Paschal made a key third-down stop to force a punt on the Chiefs' penultimate drive. He split two blockers, shooting through the gap to tackle Rashee Rice for a 3-yard loss. 

Kansas City was limited to 3.9 yards per carry, struggling to create momentum attacking the edges. Defensive tackle Benito Jones also contributed four tackles.

Linebackers: B

Employing a quartet of players at this position, this group combined for a solid effort. Alex Anzalone, Jack Campbell, Malcolm Rodriguez and Derrick Barnes all had strong moments.

Anzalone led the team in tackles with six, and broke up a pass. Campbell also broke up a pass, demonstrating strong instincts to dive in front of a dagger route in the middle of the field. 

Barnes had a tackle for loss, as well, and tied Anzalone with six tackles. Rodriguez and Jalen Reeves-Maybin each had one. 

Secondary: B-

A switch in coverage made a big difference for the Lions in the second half. After Mahomes got in a groove late in the first half, Detroit deployed more zone coverage in the final two quarters in an effort to put him off balance. 

The results were sterling, as Kansas City was limited to two field goals in the second half. Brian Branch turned the momentum of the game with one play, grabbing a deflected pass and racing 50 yards for the game-tying score. 

New safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson had two pass breakups, and narrowly missed an interception on Kansas City's final drive. Kerby Joseph had three tackles. 

There were still lapses, including Cam Sutton committing a pass-interference penalty. Mahomes managed 226 passing yards, and two touchdowns, but only mustered a passer rating of 77.5.

Special teams: B

In vintage Campbell form, the Lions converted a fake punt in the first quarter. Reeves-Maybin rushed three yards, converting a fourth down with the team buried deep in its own territory. 

Khalil Dorsey was a standout in this area. He had three tackles, and nearly forced a fumble when he delivered a big hit on Richie James. 

Coaching: B

Thursday's win was a gritty effort that embodied what Campbell has preached. The Lions outplayed Kansas City in the final quarter, earning the victory by making the key plays. 

The decision to try and convert a fourth-and-2 from Kansas City's 45 nearly backfired in giving Mahomes a short field. However, the defense delivered on the ensuing possession. 

Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson struggled to dial up explosive plays. The offense was much of the same as last season. How the team evolves in this area throughout the season is worth monitoring.

Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn's coverage adjustments made a huge impact on the Lions' ability to slow down Mahomes, and the defensive line anchored a strong run-stopping effort.