Getty D'Andre Swift celebrates a score for the Lions vs. Philadelphia.
The Detroit Lions struggled in plenty of ways against the Philadelphia Eagles, but a major positive sign came out of the narrow 38-35 defeat.
Not only did the Lions fight back for the second straight year against a good team, they did so with an important player playing a massive role for the team.
Detroit has long dreamed of having the kind of ground game that can strike fear into the opposition, and with D’Andre Swift running the ball, it appears the team finally has something like that.
Swift had a fantastic breakout performance as part of Detroit’s frustrating loss, and was a big reason the Lions were even in the game in the first place. His ability to keep the opposition off balance proved to be a significant variable all day long.
To start the game, Swift showed off his legs with an immediate burst that led to an eventual Detroit score:
🏃♂️💨
#PHIvsDET | 📺 FOX
Later on, Swift helped get into the end zone with a nice run on fourth down. The burst showed his speed on the edge:
Getting Swifty on fourth down!
#PHIvsDET | 📺 FOX
In total, Swift would finish with 144 yards rushing and a solid 31 yards receiving on the day. It was the kind of effort that the Lions needed to see out of their young runner in the opening game of the season.
“I thought (D’Andre) Swift had an outstanding day,” Dan Campbell would tell the media after the game.
It was the kind of day that may not have resulted in a win in this game or a successful first hunt, but might lead to more wins down the road.
What else was learned on this day? Here’s a look.
The Lions Offense Must Start Faster
Detroit got off to the early 7-0 lead, and after the defense got the team a fourth down stop, the Lions had a chance to add to their total with a solid drive.
Instead, Detroit came up empty and spent the better part of the rest of the first half just trying to catch up. The early momentum was not sustained. In order to be a winning team, the Lions are going to have to find a way to keep the gas on the pedal much earlier on.
Later on, Jared Goff threw a pick-six, helping Philadelphia to pad their lead. By the end of the day, that seven points ended up playing a big role in Detroit’s eventual defeat, showcasing the role the offense has in supporting the defense.
Detroit’s Defense Must Find the Inches
While the team’s offense was game most of the day, the defense had their own problems. Once again, the Lions were pushed around in the trenches and failed to get the stops they needed.
Philadelphia was 10-17 on third down and 2-3 on fourth down. Late in the game, the Lions were not able to get a stop when they badly needed it on fourth down. At other points, the team allowed easy completions while Jalen Hurts ran all over the field.
Detroit’s defense probably isn’t as bad as the stats might indicate, but they have to find a way to make more plays, especially generating sacks and takeaways. Doing so will result in the team having a better shot to win.
Tracy Walker Has to Keep His Composure
The Lions have come a long way in a short amount of time in terms of their smarts, but they had a mental lapse that may have cost them the game. Safety Tracy Walker was flagged for a personal foul, then another. He was booted from the game.
Dirty hit on Jalen Hurts by Lions Tracy Walker
That penalty proved a swing, as Philadelphia would score quickly after. It’s the kind of mistake the Lions have made for years that they must find a way to avoid if they want to take the next steps.
“We got to clean this up. We got to be a lot better in all areas,” Campbell would tell the media after the game, while also conceding that Walker understands what he has to do and knows he can’t make those mistakes.
Walker cannot disqualify himself with a massive mental mistake so early in the second-half. He has to clean things up in a big way for a defense that needs him.
Lions’ Stat of the Game: 0
That was the number of sacks allowed on the game by the Lions. For most of the day, Goff enjoyed a decent pocket, and the Detroit offensive line settled in. Frank Ragnow was able to play, and outside a few false start penalties due to nerves, Logan Stenberg wasn’t a huge liability on the afternoon.
The Lions also rushed for 181 yards on the ground and three scores, which was a very good total given some of the problems that played out this week in terms of health. At the very least, the Lions should feel they have something to build on up front.
Lions MVP: DJ Chark, Wide Receiver
With all due respect to Swift, who was the difference maker, Chark made perhaps the catch of the day to keep the Lions in the game and give them a shot to win at all. It was a fantastic catch:
Chark sighting in the end zone!
#PHIvsDET | 📺 FOX
Chark may not have had a robust stat line in this game with 59 yards and one touchdown, but he showed why he could be a huge target by getting into the groove of the game late. He has to build on this for Week 2.
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