Detroit Lions Week 2 Game Ball: Devin Taylor

When the Detroit Lions hosted the Tennessee Titans in week two, several players stood out but it was Devon Taylor who performed the best and took home this week’s Game Ball.

In a game that was impacted by an obscene amount of penalties, the Detroit Lions seemed off their game for most of it. Several key players were injured during the game and the Lions struggled to find a rhythm.

One of those key players injured was Ezekiel Ansah, who went down in the first quarter. In his absence, the Lions looked to Devin Taylor to pick up the slack. And that he did, registering seven tackles, one and a half sacks, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits and a safety.

With three injuries in the linebacking unit, and pressure from the Lions defensive line, it didn’t take long before the Titans adjusted their offensive scheme. They were able to focus their blocking efforts on the Lions front four with no real threat from the linebackers. This effectively took Taylor and the Lions pass rush out of the game.

While Taylor was relatively quiet in the second half, he impacted the game more than any other player in the first half. That’s why he takes home this week’s Game Ball.

Other Lions Considered

Matthew Stafford seems to make this list every week. But it was this play that puts him on this list today:

What a great play! Now I hope I never see him do that again.

Marvin Jones managed to register his second career 100+ yards receiving game, finishing with eight catches for 118 yards. Unfortunately, he also had couple of bad drops which hurt his overall performance.

Antwione Williams got the start in place of an injured DeAndre Levy and he started the game on fire. He totaled four tackles, and one tackle for loss, before suffering a game ending injury of his own. Williams looked really good before his untimely exit.

Tahir Whitehead led the team with 10 tackles and played sideline-to-sideline throughout the game. But by the end of the game, he was basically the only linebacker left standing, outside of recently acquired Thurston Armbrister. He’s going to need some help next week.

Kerry Hyder continues to prove why he made the Lions roster. He produced yet another sack, and knocked the quarterback down twice. If Ansah’s injury is significant, Hyder is making his case that he should be the defensive end who replaces him.

Sam Martin is worth every penny of his new contract. Martin punted five times today, all five landing inside the 20, and three inside the 10-yard line. He continues to be a reliable weapon when the offense stalls.

Next: Detroit Lions 2017 NFL Draft Watchlist: Ohio State vs Oklahoma

Regular Season Game Ball Winners

Week 1: Theo Riddick

Preseason Game Ball Winners:
Week 1: Zach Zenner
Week 2: Tahr Whitehead
Week 3: Haloti Ngata
Week 4: Kerry Hyder