Detroit Lions: Game balls for week 10 win vs. Cleveland Browns
By Ash Thompson
The Detroit Lions defeated the Cleveland Browns 38-24. Here are the players who stood out in that effort.
The Detroit Lions had a far tougher task than anyone expected in their week ten game against the Cleveland Browns. The Lions spotted the winless Browns ten points in the first quarter but seemed to get their legs back in time to take the lead at the half. After another lull to begin the second half the Lions found their game. In the end, the Lions won with a fourth quarter surge.
On offense, the game ball goes to Golden Tate. When the Lions needed someone to step up and put the game effectively out of reach they turned to their most reliable player. He stepped up to the plate and knocked the ball out of the park. His incredible 40-yard touchdown was exactly the type of play that Lions fans have come to expect. Tate is the NFL’s best at taking a short pass for big yardage.
In a week where the Lions went from moving the ball at will to complete ineptitude from drive to drive, someone needed to get the job done. Yet again it was Golden Tate. Eric Ebron get’s an honorable mention for reminding Lions fans why the team kept him around at the trade deadline.
On defense, The game ball goes to Cornelius Washington. The team has been desperate for any kind of pass rush outside of second-year defensive end Anthony Zettel. Against the Browns in week ten, Washington played off Zettel’s furious rush to the tune of two sacks.
Washington has been a run stuffer for the Lions this season. The team greatly benefitted from his second-half effort. Darius Slay get’s an honorable mention for his game-clinching fourth-quarter interception.
On Special Teams the game ball goes to Jamal Agnew. The rookie out of San Diego leads the league in punt return average and showed why this week. His first spectacular return, a 49 yarder, was nullified by a Nevin Lawson penalty for a block in the back.
Agnew followed that up by taking the next punt that he got in his hands for 29 yards. It has been a spectacular season for the rookie, one that very few saw coming.
Next: Stafford, Lions rally past Browns
The Lions got a bit of a scare against the Browns this week. With any luck, this will be a reminder that in the NFL there are no automatic wins. They face almost nothing but teams they really should beat for the rest of the 2017 season.