Getty Dan Campbell coaching the Lions in a 2021 game against Arizona.
Nobody expected the Detroit Lions to be able to beat the Arizona Cardinals much less dominate them, but that is just what played out on the field in Week 15.
The Lions led wire-to-wire ad put away a dominating 30-12 victory over the heavily-favored Cardinals, and while many were shocked by that result, it was easy to see why it’s possible more people should have seen it coming down the pipe in a distance.
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As has been famously said, the Lions have not given up on Dan Campbell this year. While that might sound like lip service without many tangible results, most people can’t debate it now after the Lions are 2-1 in he last three weeks. If the victory over Minnesota was a fluke, this one should have been validation for the team under the plan of their new coach.
Campbell has been much-maligned for a lot of his decision making, but the coach has a team that is pulling in the same direction for him. At this point in the season, that is significant. The team doesn’t lack the right mindset for once, but simply lacks the talent on the field to be a consistent winner. That will come as Brad Holmes can continue to supplement the roster in a good enough way. Campbell thinks they are already off to a good start as he told the media after the game on December 19.
“We have the right guys, we really do as far as guys you want character-wise and what they’re made of. We have guys who just want results and how can I help. That always gives you a chance,” Campbell explained after the game.
Those are he traits you simply can’t teach as a staff and have to be ingrained. So far, it looks like that is the case for the Lions.
Detroit being able to get up and put away a dominating win against one of the NFC’s top teams shows that the team is fighting hard for Campbell and is ready to turn over a new leaf. Detroit could have quit by now, but that isn’t happening with the way the staff as the team believing. That is great news for the future.
What else was learned in the massive upset? Here’s a look:
Amon-Ra St. Brown Looks Headed for Stardom
Detroit’s top rookie wideout made history on the day with his 59th reception passing Jahvid Best for the most as a rookie in team history, but St. Brown’s day was so much more than that. He snuck behind the defense and made a great catch for the touchdown in the game.
.@JaredGoff16 to @amonra_stbrown for the touchdown‼️
#AZvsDET | 📺 FOX
The way St. Brown is coming on and adjusting shows the rookie has a deep understanding of the game. To put up 90 yards and a touchdown in this game against a solid defense is huge. St. Brown is coming along and is looking like he will soon become a stud at catching passes in the league if he isn’t already.
Aaron Glenn Deserves Credit for Detroit’s Defensive Resurgence
The Lions defense was impressive once again. They held Arizona to field goals and managed to keep things in check most of the afternoon in holding the Cardinals to 398 total yards in the game. Once again, the Lions flustered a top quarterback in Kyler Murray and never allowed his offense to get going. The credit goes to Aaron Glenn, as the team’s defensive coordinator. Coach Campbell himself seems to know this, as he gave Glenn a shout-out for his work.
“He understands what we have to do every week, and his staff too. I think we got a hell of a staff defensively. Those players know exactly what is expected of them, what’s going to give them the best offs to win or to shut down an offense. They did it,” Campbell said after the game to reporters.
Once Glenn gets more players, the Lions could become elite under his leadership. He’s been solid this year, and the Lions defense continues to improve, which is a credit to the coach.
Lion? Jared Goff, Quarterback
Detroit had a ton of standout performances on the day, but arguably the biggest was that of Goff. While he didn’t put up huge numbers throwing the ball, he was able to have a very efficient day with 3 touchdowns and multiple big passes. Perhaps the best was his toss to Josh Reynolds just before halftime to help in flipping the momentum in a major way:
Many might not think Goff is on track to being the team’s quarterback in 2022, but with performances like this, he is hard to ignore. The Lions seem to be improving under his watch in a big way at quarterback, and this was another positive performance to note.
Lions’ Stat of the Game: 3
That was the combined number of sacks and interceptions the Lions had on the day. Charles Harris was a force for the team again on the edge with 1.5 sacks, and Amani Oruwariye grabbed his 6th interception of the season. Those plays were vital for the Detroit win in the end because they helped turn around the game. Sudden change plays in a game are huge for a team and Detroit has needed them all year. Finally, they started to cash in some of their chances and it was to their benefit.
Lions’ Quote to Note:
“Charles has been a relentless player for us all season long. He’s a nuisance to quarterbacks but he plays the run as well.He’s a well-rounded defensive end, outside linebacker. He really showed up.” -Dan Campbell. Speaking about defensive lineman Charles Harris, Campbell admitted he has liked what he has seen from the player all season long and Harris was a major reason the Lions were able to win another game.
Along with others, Harris is a guy setting a leading example for the Lions this season as they push through a big finish.
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