Lions' Grades: Jared Goff Precise, Has MVP Performance

Grading the Detroit Lions' Week 5 win.

The Detroit Lions emphatically proved once again they are a force to be reckoned with. After claiming the lead in the NFC North in Week 4, they dominated the Carolina Panthers, 42-24, in Week 5, to push their winning streak to three games. 

They did so without a pair of key offensive players in Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs, both of whom missed the game with injury. In their absence, players such as Josh Reynolds and Craig Reynolds stepped up to help pave the path to victory.

“Well, I just think – look we’ve been doing it for three years, so I guess at some point, you get good at it, or get better at it I should say. I think this was something we talked about, really was after 2021," Dan Campbell said after Sunday's win over Carolina. "It was we have to assume we’re going to lose a significant amount of our starters every year. Like, that’s the assumption, and now what do we do with the guys that we have on this roster and how do we utilize them, but yet still have enough to produce against the opponent? And so look, we’re doing a good job of that. These guys who are being asked to step up are making plays for us. We’re not getting any drop-off, and when we need someone to show up, they show up for us."

Here are the grades for each position group, based on the groups's performance in Sunday's win. 

Quarterback: A

Jared Goff was workmanlike and precise in a sterling effort. He finished 20-of-28 for 236 yards and three touchdowns, and avoided throwing an interception for the first time since Week 1. 

He once again was dialed in leading the offense. His connection with Josh Reynolds remains strong, and he threw two scoring tosses to rookie tight end Sam LaPorta.

Of his four first-half incompletions, at least two were due to drops by his receivers. Though he wound up taking two sacks, he performed strongly in the face of pressure most of the afternoon.

Running backs: A

Without Gibbs, the Lions turned to Craig Reynolds to spell starter David Montgomery. Still, the veteran wound up with the majority of the workload and surpassed 100 rushing yards for the second consecutive game. 

He set the tone early Sunday, scampering 42 yards for a score on his first carry. Much like last week, he was dependable in all key situations. He did have a drop on a fourth-down pass, but that was due to an oncoming defender and may not have resulted in a conversion had he held on. 

Reynolds, meanwhile, scored his first career touchdown in the fourth quarter. It was an exciting moment for the Kutztown College product, who was briefly released at cut day and has worked his way onto the Lions' roster each of the last three seasons. 

Zonovan Knight suffered an undisclosed injury, one that could sideline him for the future as he did not return to action. 

Wide receivers: B

Josh Reynolds picked up the slack in St. Brown's absence, pacing the team with 76 yards on four catches. He notched his third score of the season in the process. 

Meanwhile, Kalif Raymond and Marvin Jones each made contributions in the passing game. Jones tallied two catches, his first receptions since Week 1. 

Sunday marked the highly anticipated season debut of Jameson Williams, but he performed in a limited role. He dropped his first target, a pass over the middle that deflected off his hands. 

Williams finished with two catches for just two yards, as he made up for a two-yard loss on his first reception by gaining four on his second. The young wideout had a crease to run through on that final catch, but was tripped up at the last moment. 

The second-year wideout did have an impressive block that sprung Montgomery's touchdown run on the opening possession.

Ben Johnson says no block no rock. Jameson Williams said yes sir. Touchdown block for #9 pic.twitter.com/m6G3nVy8PU

— Christian Booher (@CBooher_) October 8, 2023

Tight ends: A

Sam LaPorta's legend continues to grow in a strong rookie campaign. He caught two more touchdowns Sunday and had three catches total. 

The Iowa product also made strides as a blocker in Sunday's game, as he continues to prove that he's capable of contributing in the run game. 

Elsewhere, Brock Wright caught three passes for 16 yards while Darrell Daniels continued to assume the role vacated by Jason Cabinda's injury. 

Offensive line: A-

The Lions allowed two sacks Sunday, the second consecutive weeks that there have been multiple takedowns of Goff. Yet, neither were particularly on the unit as one came as a result of strong coverage and the other was a cornerback blitz.

Despite Halapoulivaati Vaitai being active, Graham Glasgow made his third consecutive start at right guard. He was strong throughout in both facets of protection. 

Center Frank Ragnow pulled off an impressive direct snap in the third quarter, firing the ball through the legs of Goff and into the hands of Montgomery, who raced for a first down.

Of note, Taylor Decker made his 100th start as a Lion. He earned a game ball as a result, a sign of honor for his commitments to the franchise throughout the struggles they've faced during his tenure. 

Defensive line: A

Once again, Aidan Hutchinson was a force to be reckoned with. He had a nifty one-handed interception in the first quarter, the fourth of his young career. 

Hutchinson had the only sack, but several others came close. Romeo Okwara nearly tallied a safety when he forced Bryce Young into an intentional grounding at the one-yard line, and Benito Jones also had a hurry. 

Alim McNeill had three tackles and a forced fumble, while Isaiah Buggs had two on the interior. Hutchinson led the way with two tackles for loss. The Lions once again held their opponent under 100 rushing yards, as Carolina tallied 99 on 23 attempts. 

Linebackers: B+

Alex Anzalone paced Detroit's defensive effort with 11 tackles and also notched two hurries. Derrick Barnes, meanwhile, finished with six tackles. 

Still, the unit was penalized twice. Anzalone was tagged with unnecessary roughness on Young, while rookie Jack Campbell was penalized for defensive holding. 

Campbell was also the defender in coverage on Carolina's first touchdown, a goal-line toss from Young to tight end Tommy Tremble. Still, the unit did a strong job against Carolina's rushing attack. 

Secondary: A- 

Emmanuel Moseley's Lions debut lasted only two snaps, as he left with an injury that was met by a potentially grim prognosis from Dan Campbell in the postgame presser. 

Jerry Jacobs, who remained the starter, notched his third interception in two weeks. Campbell credited the play to a superb coverage dialed up by Aaron Glenn, one that Jacobs played perfectly as he baited Young into making a mistake. 

Will Harris had a big day filling in for the injured Brian Branch. He finished with nine tackles and a fumble recovery to go along with a diving pass breakup in the end zone.

Special teams: A-

It was a quiet day for Detroit's special teams units. Jack Fox punted just twice, while the Lions did not attempt a field goal. Zonovan Knight had the team's only return attempt, a kickoff that he failed to get back to the 20. 

The coverage team did a solid job, as they allowed a long of just 30 yards to Laviska Shenault on kickoff. 

Coaching: A

Campbell made sure his team was ready to play in what could've been a "trap-game" situation. Coming off a big divisional win in Week 4 against Green Bay, the Lions could've fallen victim to a long break. 

However, they instead asserted their will. Offensively, Ben Johnson's attack was methodical, and saw two trick plays executed perfectly. One, a double reverse flea-flicker, resulted in a touchdown. 

Defensively, Aaron Glenn kept the Panthers' rookie quarterback guessing, leading to two interceptions. The run defense was once again stout, and it was an all-around strong effort for the Lions in their third consecutive win.