Following one of the toughest defeats of the Dan Campbell era, the Detroit Lions had to show some teeth. They had a perfect setup for a bounce-back game, hosting Aaron Glenn and the ever-struggling New York Jets.
The game wasn't as easy as some expected. Once again, their defense threatened to hold back their explosive offense. All that matters is that they got the win, but it shouldn't have been as close as it was.
Even so, it's not like everything was bad in this one, though there are still clearly some things to work on. Considering that, let's talk about the biggest winner and the biggest loser from the Lions' second win of the season.
One big winner and one concerning loser from the Detroit Lions' Week 3 win
Loser: D.J. Reed
The Lions benched Rock Ya-Sin ahead of this game, and understandably so. That's why watching D.J. Reed, the lesser of two evils at cornerback, struggle as well in this one was such a major disappointment.
Reed was on the losing end of two avoidable defensive pass interference calls, both of which ended with the Jets finding paydirt. The Lions' secondary made life way too easy for Geno Smith, and a savvier team would've made them pay for that.
The Lions are now rolling with Roger McCreary, a slot specialist, opposite Reed on the boundary. That adjustment may have worked today, but there's only so much he can do if Reed doesn't bounce back against Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers' strong offense.
Winner: Jahmyr Gibbs
Jahmyr Gibbs just watched Bijan Robinson go off on Thursday night and decided to take his bet. Once again, he proved to be the most dynamic and explosive ball-carrier in the game with another epic performance.
Gibbs only had 20 carries for 99 yards, which sounds like a bad game for him. However, he added seven catches for 65 receiving yards, three total touchdowns, and two of the most electrifying celebrations you'll ever see.
The Lions will live and die by their superstar running back. There are legitimate reasons to be worried about his heavy usage, and this team should strongly consider adding more help at the position, but it's impossible to take the ball out of his hands when he's in the zone, as he was in this game.
It's been three weeks, and the Lions' offense continues to be as explosive as always. That said, this was one of the worst teams in the league, and history has shown that teams must get stops to be considered legitimate contenders.
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