Lions' Offense Can Be Among Best in NFL

Detroit Lions put together complete performance Week 2, offense has potential to be very special.

There's no waiting until Week 13 this time around for the first Detroit Lions victory of the season.

Dan Campbell & Co. got that first win out of the way in Sunday's contest with the Washington Commanders, in the most complete game from the Lions in the Brad Holmes-Campbell era. 

What makes the win even more special, is the emergence of an offense that can be among the best producing units in the entire National Football League. 

Everything came together nicely in the Week 2 win for Campbell's squad. And boy, did it feel good for Detroit, a team which went just 3-13-1 a season ago.  

"Listen, it feels good to win. That’s what it does, it feels good to win. Because there’s a lot of hard work that’s put in it across the board," Campbell, the second-year Detroit head man, said during his postgame presser Sunday. "I think the best thing about it is our guys, they trust in the system, they believe in what we’re doing as coaches and the schemes, and they believe in how we’re setting them up for success. And, they believe in the plan, and they execute the plan. That’s a credit to those guys. They never gave up. They never lost hope, and they won’t ever." 

On Sunday, Aidan Hutchinson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, recorded the first sack of his professional career, and then proceeded to tally two more. It left the University of Michigan product with a Lions rookie record for sacks in a single game.

Detroit's pass rush as a whole came alive in the contest. After recording just one sack a week ago against the Philadelphia Eagles, Hutchinson and his defensive counterparts combined for five sacks vs. Washington. 

Fellow EDGE defenders Charles Harris and John Cominsky each also produced a sack, with Harris' strip sack of Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz in the first quarter leading to a safety.

As dominant as Hutchinson was, third-year cornerback Jeff Okudah was arguably as impactful in the Lions' Week 2 affair with Washington. 

He kept fellow Ohio State product Terry McLaurin in check for the entirety of the first half, holding him without a catch in the opening half. 

Along with Detroit's pass-rushing unit, Okudah, who seems to be turning the corner after a rough start to his NFL career, played a pivotal role in stymieing the Commanders' offensive attack through the first two quarters.

Aaron Glenn's defense, spearheaded by Hutchinson and Okudah Sunday, forced Wentz and Co. into three-and-outs on four of their first five possessions. And, on the lone drive of the five that didn't result in a three-and-out, Harris forced the aforementioned safety. 

As a whole, the Lions held Washington to just two first downs in the first half, en route to keeping the Commanders off the scoreboard going into halftime.

It was easily the best half of football for Detroit's defense this season.

Junfu Han, USA TODAY Sports

The Lions also showcased signs of being a complete team on the offensive side of the football.

In fact, the offense, led by coordinator Ben Johnson, should continue to evolve this year into one of the league's most prolific scoring units. 

For starters, Detroit signal-caller Jared Goff and second-year pro Amon-Ra St. Brown were clicking all day long. The duo connected on nine different passes, with St. Brown accumulating a game-high 116 reception yards and two touchdowns along the way.

In the process, St. Brown became the first wideout in NFL history to go six straight games with eight-or-more catches and at least one reception touchdown. 

The dynamic slot receiver also added 68 yards on the ground (on two carries), with 58 of the yards coming on a jet sweep that caught Washington's defense off guard toward the end of the third quarter.

“No one even knew I had the ball,” St. Brown said. “I don’t even think the safety that was looking at me knew I had the ball, and all I hear from the defense is, ‘Oh s**t,’ from everyone. And, I knew — I knew at that point it was going to be a big play.”

The do-it-all receiver is a "special" talent, according to Goff, and he has become a "very friendly target" for the veteran QB. 

As Goff explained, "For a quarterback, friendly is like, (he) always comes back to the ball, always catches the ball away from his body, is always where he needs to be, understands coverage, understands what I’m looking at, what I’m looking for, always asking questions." 

St. Brown is also willing to put his body on the line and block for Detroit's running backs. It's an attribute that has made him "one of the offensive linemen’s best friends," according to Campbell. 

One of the backs that St. Brown and Detroit's offensive line have the chance to create running lanes for on a weekly basis is D'Andre Swift.

St. Brown and Swift are not only two of the best young weapons on the Lions. But, they are also two of the best young playmakers in the game today. 

Swift, who was battling an ankle injury that he suffered last week against the Eagles, was limited to five carries against the Commanders. He also was a recipient of two of Goff's 34 passes. 

Although the touches were limited, the third-year back made the most of them.

He broke a 50-yard run in the first quarter, plus also made something out of nothing on a 22-yard receiving touchdown in the third quarter. 

On the score, Swift hit the turf in order to catch the screen from Goff. And untouched, Swift bounced back up, and eluded multiple Washington defenders on his way to the end zone. 

🤫#WASvsDET | 📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/z0Dv5LvKe0

— Detroit Lions (@Lions) September 18, 2022

It was a gutsy performance from the one-time University of Georgia back, who finished with 87 all-purpose yards on the bum ankle.   

“Yeah, he just had the ankle -- he’s a little bit sore,” Campbell told reporters after the game. “But, man, on a sore ankle, that was outstanding. He did a great job. He really did. To fight through that, because I know it didn’t feel great and he knew he wasn’t a hundred (100%), but yet, he was saying all week, ‘I’m playing, I’m playing. I’m gonna play. I can do it.’ And, he did it.”

With the help of Swift and St. Brown, the Lions have now scored 35 and 36 points in back-to-back weeks. 

In stark contrast, they scored 35 or more points only once in 2021 (in Week 18 against the Packers), and averaged a measly 19.1 points per game. 

It is only two games, but so far, Detroit looks like a much improved team offensively, as well as a much more complete squad overall. 

“As good as anybody," Goff said, when talking about how good this season's offense can be. "It’s like you said, we scored 35 last week, scored 36 this week, and you still feel like, ‘Ah, but that -- but that one (missed opportunity).’"

And, while the Lions are still far from a finished product, Sunday's performance at least gives the team's fanbase a glimmer of hope that the franchise is finally turning the corner.