Detroit Lions: 10 thoughts from week 2 win over Giants

The Detroit Lions went in as underdogs but controlled the New York Giants from start to finish. Here are ten thoughts on the week 2 win.

The Detroit Lions were road underdogs entering Monday Night Football. The New York Giants were embarrassed week one against the Dallas Cowboys. They needed a victory at home and the Lions shut them down. Let’s look over how the Lions accomplished a victory with ten thoughts on the game.

1. Ziggy Ansah is back

Giants left tackle Ereck Flowers is a mess and has struggled since he entered the NFL. Ansah collecting three sacks against him is not a shock. However, Ansah was impressive physically with his quickness and strength. I love how fast and strong he looks coming off the edge. He had no problem bending around linemen and exploding off the line. I also felt like he did a really nice job playing the run.

We know the importance of Ziggy Ansah and what he means to the Lions. He’s an elite pass rusher when healthy and he looks excellent in 2017. The Lions are getting pressure from other areas on their defensive line, giving Ansah more one-on-one matchups. The Lions defense has been very good to start the season, but an elite Ansah takes the defense to a higher tier.

2. Matthew Stafford showed maturity

Watching this game, I thought about what 2011-2014 Matthew Stafford would have done. A younger Stafford would have been impatient and forced downfield throws.. The revamped Matthew Stafford took what the defense gave him. He has complete control at the line and Stafford stuck with the game plan. He got the offense in the right play, converted third downs (7-15 on Monday night) and extended plays with his feet.

The old Matthew Stafford would have tried for a kill shot and forced the ball. That was not the case Monday night. I loved what Stafford brought to this game and how he executed the game plan. He took his check downs and got the victory. Great job by the franchise quarterback.

3. The linebackers struggled in pass coverage

I believe most Lions fans are happy with how the linebackers are performing against the run in 2017 but it was a struggle against the Giants passing game. The Giants tight ends (Evan Engram, Jerell Adams, and Rhett Ellison) combined for 7 catches and 108 yards with Engram catching a red zone touchdown. Paul Warrilow is fine in the run game but got burned multiple times. Jarrad Davis has been great but still a work in progress versus the pass.

Last year the Lions were terrible against tight ends. After a good performance in week one, they took a step back Monday night. They kept running back Shane Vereen in check with only three catches but must refine their game plan against tight ends. The Lions actually have a safety that could help in that department however.

4. Miles Killebrew is earning more playing time

Huge kudos to Killebrew for coming in cold and making two big plays back to back in the third quarter. He had a pass deflection in the end zone on a crossing route against Sterling Shepherd. Then he made a run stop against Shane Vereen. Vereen had an opening on the left side that Killebrew quickly filled and completed a one-on-one tackle. He had four tackles in limited time and looked very active over the middle of the field. Engram was not a factor once Killebrew entered the game. It looks to me that Killebrew has earned more run at strong safety.

5. Jim Bob Cooter called a decent game

Considering the Lions ran 32 times for 138 yards (4.3 per attempt) in a victory, I will not be overly critical. Cooter did exactly what the Lions needed to do. They used the stretch play and ran away from Giants defensive tackle Damon Harrison and attacked the Giants linebackers. I originally assumed the Lions called too many running plays but the game plan made sense. The defense dominated the Giants and there was no need to get behind the chains and stop the clock.

I did enjoy Cooter’s use of Eric Ebron in the first half and spreading the ball out to him. He made a great catch in the end zone for a touchdown and looked in rhythm. They went away from him in the second half but only threw the ball six times. It made sense to play Darren Fells and Michael Roberts, who are better blockers. The Lions need to find Theo Riddick more and play him as their primary third down back instead of Dwayne Washington. Also, Marvin Jones Jr. had five targets but one catch. Jones Jr. is definitely a primary deep threat however Cooter needs to develop more plays for Jones that are not strictly deep throws.

6. The secondary was excellent

Lions secondary coach Alan Williams deserves a ton of credit for the improvements that Nevin Lawson and Quandre Diggs have made at cornerback. Diggs had another excellent game, holding Sterling Shepherd to only two catches and Lawson kept Brandon Marshall contained. Diggs made the defensive play of the game, tackling Shane Vereen short of the first down marker on a fourth down at midfield.

Glover Quin continues to be an elite safety with six tackles (including two that forced fourth down) and Darius Slay shut down Odell Beckham Jr. This group has become the most improved unit from 2016 and with Miles KIllebrew’s development will continue to get better.

7. Player of the game: Ezekiel Ansah

We talked about him at the start of the article but he was an easy choice for this selection. Ansah had six tackles and three sacks, setting the tone for the rest of the Lions. He had more sacks against the Giants than he did in all of 2016. Ansah was able to show explosiveness against the Giants and dominate the game. A 15 sack season is not out of the question after his domination Monday night.

8. Teryl Austin proved last year was a fluke

In 2016, the Detroit Lions defense was slammed for how porous they were. They finished last in DVOA in 2016 and were attacked over the middle for the entire year. As of week two, they currently are fourth in DVOA despite being underdogs in both games. Austin is doing a fabulous job dialing up blitzes and creating turnovers on defense. The pass rush has been excellent and the secondary is getting better. Jarrad Davis has All-Pro potential and Austin has been excellent in the fourth quarter.

I am thrilled with Teryl Austin and the game plans he has developed. Austin has better talent and the defense has been relatively healthy so far. That has playing a big factor in the defensive improvements. I do feel like this season Austin has expanded his playbook and worked on attacking offenses. Through two games, the Detroit Lions have an elite defense to show for it.

9. Greg Robinson might not survive as the starter

The biggest negative takeaway from Monday night was how much Greg Robinson struggled. He gave up two sacks and had multiple penalties. Giants defensive end Olivier Vernon had a field day going after him and attacked Robinson all night. Robinson had a solid first game against the Arizona Cardinals but week two was tough to watch. I do not want to give hope on him yet, but he must play better against the Atlanta Falcons in week three if he wants to keep his job.

10. The Detroit Lions are contenders

It is too early to declare the Lions as legitimate Super Bowl contenders. The Lions still have flaws and question marks. The run game was solid against the Giants but needs to find consistency. The linebackers must work to cover tight ends better. The offensive line is average at the moment. Despite these flaws, the Lions still have positives to build on.

We know Matthew Stafford is fantastic and he has a great wide receiving corps. The secondary is good and the pass rush has been causing havoc the first two weeks. We know after two games the Green Bay Packers are not running away with the NFC North. The Lions are legitimate competition to win the division and secure a home playoff game.

Next: Lions week 2 report card

The week three game against the Atlanta Falcons will be one of the bigger early season games the Detroit Lions have played in quite some time. Ford Field will be absolutely crazy and the team should be hyped after such a good start to the season. It is a short week after a road game but Jim Caldwell is very good at keeping the Lions focused and prepared. The nation will tune in to see if Detroit can beat the defending NFC Champions. If that happens, the Lions will show they are a serious threat for an NFC title.