DETROIT (AP) — Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell was quick to confirm what everyone had seen.
His team's 52-14 victory over the Tennessee Titans was a very strange game.
The Lions had 225 yards of offense — 185 fewer than their season average — and scored 52 points. Jared Goff threw three touchdown passes but finished with just 85 yards passing, and his average completion was just over a yard downfield.
Goff is 88 of 106 (83%) in the last five games, breaking Peyton Manning’s record of 80.2% for a five-game span (minimum 100 attempts).
“I can’t really think of a game quite like that one,” Campbell said Monday. “At least not on the winning side. That was unbelievable.”
The offense didn’t perform poorly — the 52 points is a good indicator. It just didn’t face many long fields. Kalif Raymond averaged 38 yards on five punt returns, including a 90-yard touchdown, and Khalil Dorsey contributed a 72-yard kickoff return.
The defense got into the act, forcing four turnovers, and Jack Fox averaged 61.0 yards on his five punts.
“Obviously, you’d love to have that kind of production from your special teams, but that’s not realistic,” Campbell said. “When you do get that kind of performance, it takes a huge strain off the rest of the team.”
The offense didn’t have to put up 400 yards, but it did what the team needed, going 5 for 5 in the red zone.
“(Jahmyr) Gibbs was explosive — his only bad play was in pass protection — and he did some really good things,” Campbell said. “David (Montgomery) and (Sam) LaPorta also really stood out.”
What's working
Fox’s season hasn’t gotten the credit it deserves, especially since he only averages 3.3 punts per game. His net average is 47.3 yards — 2.5 yards above his previous career high — and he has only allowed 40 return yards on 23 kicks.
What needs help
The Lions only sacked Titans quarterback Mason Rudolph once in 39 pass attempts. He also scrambled for 29 yards. Campbell acknowledged the Lions can’t find anyone as good as Aidan Hutchinson, who will miss the rest of the regular season with a broken leg, but the lack of pressure is straining Detroit's secondary.
Stock up
Raymond has always been a dangerous punt returner, but he put on a show against the Titans. His 64-yard return set up a second-quarter touchdown. He had the 90-yard touchdown in the third quarter, caught a touchdown pass later in the third and had a 44-yard return negated by a penalty.
Stock down
WR Jameson Williams served the first of his two-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances, and the Lions badly missed his big-play presence. Seven players caught passes, but none averaged more than 8.0 yards per catch.
Injuries
The Lions got through the game without any significant injuries. Campbell said Hutchinson is around the team during his rehab process as he tries to recover in time for the postseason.
Key number
172 — The number of points the Lions have scored in the last four games. That’s the most by a team in a four-game span since the Baltimore Ravens scored 172 in Weeks 9-12 of 2019.
Next steps
The Lions visit the NFC North rival Green Bay Packers in a battle for first place.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Dave Hogg, The Associated Press
