The Detroit Lions shocked the Baltimore Ravens at the end of week 3 of the NFL season and set an exclamation mark with their 38:30 win. The guest run was particularly dominant.
Lions @ ravens: at a glance
- The lions offense was hard to stop on the floor and everyone helped. Both running backs shone as well as Amon-Ra St. Brown, who had his fingers on two touchdowns.
- Both Derrick Henry and the two Lions Runningbacks David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs wrote NFL story with their touchdowns.
- The Lions pass rush ultimately made the difference and ensured a special record against Jackson.
Lions @ ravens: The analysis
This game was an offensive exchange of blows right from the start. From the beginning, the Lions showed that they wanted to rely on their Run Game and consequently completed their first drive with a rushing touchdown by Jahmyr Gibbs. In return, Derrick Henry made the compensation with a 28-yard touchdown run. Both sides then afforded small mistakes with a great effect, which led to Punts.
The Lions conceded a holding penalty at the Punt of the Ravens and therefore started on their own 2. No problem, but no problem for the run game behind the strong offensive line and a predominantly precise jared goff through the air. The result: a 98-yard touchdown drive over 18 plays and 10:48 minutes! David Montgomery completed the guests from a yard for the guests again.
Baltimore then marched into the Red Zone, but a strip sack at 4th Down by Jack Campbell against Lamar Jackson stopped the Ravens after a strange sequence at GOAL-TO-GO with three unsuccessful runs by Henry. The defense then held, however, the Ravens got the ball back and Jackson did it better. He found Deandre Hopkins for two chunk plays-once by passing interference of the defense-and finally threw a 3-yard touchdown pass on Rashod Bateman to equalize, which had existed until the break because Lions kicker Jake Bates failed from 67 yards.
The fireworks continued cheerfully after the break: The Ravens took the lead through Mark Andrews’ first touchdown catch this season, but the guests immediately equalized-Goff found Amon-, St. Brown from 18 yards in the end zone. After that, however, the defense of the Lions came into its own and prevailed more and more frequently on the line with effective lightning and sometimes simulated pressure. This led to some sacks against Jackson, who once and once only had a field goal near the Red Zone.
Lions dominate on the floor
The Lions, in turn, responded to the punt with a 96 yard drive, which was favored by a 72-yard run by Montgomery. In the end there was another Gibbs touchdown after a brilliant play: Goff gave the ball by handoff to St. Brown, who then threw a pitch to Gibbs out. At 4TH & 1, this had free rail from four yards.
The Ravens quickly got the ball back from 41 yards after Aaron Loop’s field, but Henry then lost his third fumble of the season after Punchout by Aidan Hutchinson. However, the Ravens kept Detroit on a field goal. 31:24 Detroit to play with 6:35 minutes.
The Lions stopped Jackson and Co. again, got the ball back and played down the clock. At 4TH & 2 near the center line, Goff finally threw a wonderful touch pass on St. Brown, which he started in the pike jump. A little later, Montgomery finally went to a 31-yard touchdown for the final decision.
Detroit Lions (2-1) @ Baltimore Ravens (1-2)
Result: 38:30 (7: 7, 7: 7, 7: 7, 17: 9) Boxcore
Lions @ ravens: The most important statistics
- This was the eleventh time that Montgomery and Gibbs achieved rushing touchdowns in the same game. This is a new NFL record.
- Henry’s touchdown in the first quarter was his 116th rushing touchdown in the NFL (including playoffs). He is the same with Hall-of-Fame Running-Back John Riggins and now occupies the divided fifth place on the all-time cunning.
- At the same time it was Henry’s 22nd rushing touchdown of more than 25 yards. He has overtaken Chris Johnson for the third parties in the history of the NFL.
- Before this game, the Ravens last approved a touchdown drive of at least 95 yards in front of a home backdrop. The Lions managed this twice in this game (98, 96).
- For Lamar Jackson it is only the third defeat in his career against NFC teams (24-3).
The star of the game: pass rush (lions)
Since December 2021 against the Steelers (7), Lamar Jackson has not collected as many sacks as in this game (7). The defensive front of the Lions fired from all pipes, and they flashed from all directions and ultimately collected more than 20 pressures according to “PFF”. With this they made life difficult and did not neglect the running defense that Henry had under control.
The flop of the game: run defense (ravens)
The home side never found access against the offensive line of the Lions. Whether through the middle or over the outside, the run game of the Lions could not be stopped. And that was ultimately the key in the game in order not only to dominate the game, but also to keep the Ravens-Offensse off the field for a long time. It was only for the second time in their history that the Ravens have now approved at least four rushing touchdowns at home.
Analysis: Lions @ ravens – that was tactical
- The Ravens played mostly in Zone Coverage, defending most of the Lions receivers more or less one. The exception was Jameson Williams, against whom they often played umbrella coverage with several defenders around him to do justice to his speed.
- At 3RD & Long, the Lions always put on extra rusher, which led to the fact that speed camera in particular caused the pressures against Jackson. Including LineBacker Jack Campbell, who made the first sack against Jackson in the game.