Lions' Studs and Duds: Hutchinson, Houston Dominate Bears

The Detroit Lions' rookie defensive linemen combined for five-and-a-half sacks in Week 17 against the Chicago Bears.

Dan Campbell preached the importance of recalibrating his team, leading up to its Week 17 matchup with the Chicago Bears.

The Detroit Lions did just that, getting back on their feet with a 41-10 trouncing of their NFC North rivals Sunday at Ford Field.

The win boosts the Lions to an even 8-8 record, with one game remaining. There were plenty of encouraging performances in the win. Here are the studs and the duds from the game. 

STUD: EDGE James Houston 

Houston has emerged quickly as one of the best young pieces on Detroit’s defense. The rookie is up to a team-high eight sacks, despite playing in just six games, after he notched three Sunday.

The Jackson State product demonstrated exceptional technique against the Bears’ offensive line. The youngster recorded one sack on a bull-rush, and another when he caught Fields from behind and punched the ball loose. It was his first career forced fumble.

His third sack of the day came when he raced from his coverage zone to pummel Justin Fields. The day-three NFL Draft pick, in just six games since being elevated from the practice squad, has proven to be among the best late-round selections of the 2022 draft.

.@Lions LB @Jthouston_4 has 3.0 sacks today, and DL Josh Paschal has 2.0 sacks.

This marks the first time in franchise history two rookies have logged 2.0 sacks in the same game.

Detroit also has 3 different rookies with a multi-sack game this year, also a franchise record. pic.twitter.com/k77KWRNrMP

— Detroit Lions PR (@LionsPR) January 1, 2023

STUD: QB Jared Goff

Goff was dealing Sunday, completing 21-of-29 passes for 255 yards and three touchdowns. The veteran quarterback was poised, continuing a stretch of superb performances.

He avoided an interception for the eighth straight game, setting a franchise record for most pass attempts without a pick. His streak is also the longest active such streak in the league. His efficiency was on full display in the third quarter, as he completed 13 straight passes at one point.

He threw two touchdowns to Brock Wright and one to D’Andre Swift. If there was one concern from his performance, it was his lack of chemistry with rookie wideout Jameson Williams. The pair failed to connect on a pass on three attempts.

DUD: WR Josh Reynolds

Reynolds was not a factor in Sunday’s game, as he caught just one pass for five yards. While others, such as Amon-Ra St. Brown, were impactful, Reynolds was limited in his productivity.

The veteran saw his stock drop, as the Lions allotted more reps for Williams, along with Kalif Raymond (who has steadily seen more action throughout the season due to his versatility).

Though Williams didn’t record a catch, he ran for 40 yards on a reverse. Raymond, meanwhile, posted three catches for 40 yards.

STUD: EDGE Aidan Hutchinson

Not to be outdone by his rookie counterpart, Hutchinson had a big day of his own. The No. 2 overall pick notched a half-sack, recovered a fumble and intercepted Fields’ final pass of the first half.

The rookie was consistently in Fields’ face, as he was successful in his efforts to get around Chicago’s blockers. His constant pressure forced Fields into errant throws, and the signal-caller finished just seven-of-21 through the air.

Josh Paschal, another rookie from the 2022 class, recorded the first two sacks of his career Sunday. Together, Detroit’s rookie defensive linemen combined for five-and-a-half sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception.

Smooth criminal @aidanhutch97#CHIvsDET | 📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/cZV9WizYFL

— Detroit Lions (@Lions) January 1, 2023

DUD: CB Will Harris

Harris was up and down, and started the game off on a poor note. On Chicago’s only touchdown, he had a miscommunication in coverage, plus left Cole Kmet open for a short touchdown.

STUD: TE Brock Wright

Wright continued his big finish to the season, with two more touchdown catches in the red zone.

The former undrafted rookie now has four touchdown catches on the season, and the Lions’ tight ends now have 12 combined TDs in 2022, which is a team record for a single season.

The duo of Wright and Shane Zylstra have six scores combined in the last three games.

DUD: CB Jeff Okudah

Okudah was absent from the Lions’ defense for most of the second half, as Mike Hughes took plenty of reps. It was puzzling, as the third-year defensive back didn’t make any glaring errors before leaving the field.

It was the second straight game that Okudah spent long stretches on the bench. He was also pulled from Detroit’s Week 16 loss to Carolina, due to poor performance.

STUD: RB Jamaal Williams

Williams was the standout in an excellent game for Detroit’s running backs. Both he and Swift stuffed the stat sheet, with Williams’ 144 yards on the ground leading the way.

In the third quarter, the sixth-year back scored his 15th rushing touchdown of the season. That mark is one shy of the team record, currently held by Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders.

Swift excelled in his own right. He finished with 78 yards rushing and a score (on 11 carries), while adding a receiving touchdown and 39 yards on four catches. His biggest run came on a third-and-18, when he turned a draw play into a 35-yard gain.