Detroit Lions defense dominates Atlanta Falcons for 20-6 win
The Detroit Lions have a pretty good rookie class, and their defense isn’t half bad, either.
Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 79 yards in his first career start, Sam LaPorta set an NFL record for most catches by a tight end in his first three games and Brian Branch had three tackles for loss as the Lions shut down Bijan Robinson and the Atlanta Falcons’ high-powered rushing attack, 20-6, at Ford Field.
The Lions had their best defensive showing under Dan Campbell and gave up their fewest points since a 17-3 win over the Arizona Cardinals in 2018.
They finished with seven sacks, after posting one in their first two games, and held Atlanta to 183 net yards of offense. Robinson, the NFL’s second-leading rusher entering play, had a career-low 33 yards on 10 carries.
At 2-1, the Lions sit alone in first place in the NFC North entering their Thursday night showdown with the Green Bay Packers (1-2) at Lambeau Field.
Gibbs, starting in place of the injured David Montgomery, ran for 54 yards in the second half to jumpstart an offense that struggled to move the ball at times through three quarters.
The Lions and Falcons traded field goals in the first 20 minutes, and LaPorta scored the game’s first touchdown with 10:05 left in the second quarter on a 45-yard pass from Jared Goff.
A second-round pick out of Iowa, LaPorta had eight catches for 84 yards and has 18 catches for 186 yards in his first three games.
Goff completed 22 of 33 passes for 243 yards. He ran for one touchdown on a designed 3-yard keeper in the fourth quarter off a play fake to Gibbs, and threw an interception for the second straight week.
With the Lions clinging to a 13-3 lead late in the third quarter, Jessie Bates picked off a Goff overthrow intended for Amon-Ra St. Brown.
The Falcons started the ensuing possession at the Lions’ 43-yard line, but went four-and-out after Desmond Ridder threw incomplete on third-and-5 and Branch forced an incompletion with tight coverage on Drake London on fourth down.
The Lions took over at their own 38, and Goff led a seven-play, 62-yard touchdown drive. Gibbs carried four times on the drive, and Goff faked a handoff to the rookie running back on third-and-goal from the 3 and scampered in for the Lions’ second touchdown of the day.
Amon-Ra St. Brown had nine catches for 102 yards and Branch had 11 tackles for the Lions, who played without five starters but got sacks from Aidan Hutchinson (two), Charles Harris, Derrick Barnes, Alim McNeill, Benito Jones and rookie Jack Campbell.
Hutchinson forced a Ridder fumble that he recovered on Atlanta’s final possession.
Ridder was 21 of 38 passing for 201 yards for the Falcons (2-1).
RARE MATCHUP: Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs, Falcons' Bijan Robinson square off in battle of first-round RBs
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions defense dominates Atlanta Falcons for 20-6 win
