The Detroit Lions finally had a statement game. Yes, it was against the ever-struggling Arizona Cardinals, but they had a tough time against bad teams earlier in the season, and they desperately needed some momentum.
While this isn't the type of contending team you want to measure yourself against, this 45-21 win was just what the doctor ordered ahead of the bye week. A loss could've triggered a major chain of events within the organization.
Notably, plenty of this had to do with guys who hadn't been at their best earlier in the season. It was nice to see them not only bounce back after a rough start to the campaign but also finally play to their standards.
3 Lions players who redeemed themselves in Week 5
Jack Campbell
Unlike most teams, the Lions agreed to pay Jack Campbell some big bucks this offseason. That decision had proven to be extremely costly before Week 5, as he hadn't done much to justify that lofty payday.
Campbell finally turned back the clock and had a strong performance in this one, showing the sideline-to-sideline range that made him one of the best volume tacklers in the game. He finished with 10 total tackles (5 solo).
D.J. Reed
To say the Lions' cornerback corps had struggled this season wouldn't tell half of the story. They couldn't stop anyone in coverage, and plenty of that had to do with veteran D.J. Reed often being on the wrong end of a big play.
While the Cardinals don't have the most stacked pass-catching corps, Reed still held his own pretty well in this one. He only gave up four receptions on six targets for 30 yards and no scores, giving up three yards after the catch. He also had three tackles for loss and one pass defended.
Jameson Williams
Jameson Williams had drawn the most buzz coming out of training camp. Everyone raved about his improved hands and how drops wouldn't be an issue anymore, but that hadn't been evident in the first four games of the season.
Williams finally found paydirt in this one. It was clear that Jared Goff and Drew Petzing wanted to get him going and boost his confidence, and he repaid them by catching 2 of 2 targets for 47 yards and 2 touchdowns.
At the end of the day, you can only beat whoever is in front of you, and the Lions answered the call when it looked like the sky was falling. That takes plenty of pride and mental strength, and props to Dan Campbell's team for pulling it off.
Add us as a preferred source on Google