Lions check off a lot of boxes in dominant Week 3 win over the Falcons
Impressive rebound game against an unbeaten opponent. Check.
Suffocating defensive effort a week after getting humbled at home. Check.
First place in the NFC North. Check that box, too.
The Detroit Lions cashed in a lot of hype checks written in the offseason with a commanding, gritty 20-6 win over the visiting Atlanta Falcons in Ford Field. It was a defensive-oriented victory for a Lions team in dire need of a strong defensive performance.
Beleaguered coordinator Aaron Glenn dialed up a strong defensive game plan, and his player executed it very adeptly. Glenn brought pressure from all angles and attacked the Falcons. It helped net seven sacks of Atlanta QB Desmond Ridder, plus 12 total tackles for loss. Fittingly, the game effectively ended on a strip-sack by Aidan Hutchinson, his second bagging of Ridder in the second half.
The offense did enough to secure the win. Rookie RB Jahmyr Gibbs had a nice breakout game with 79 yards on 17 carries, more than doubling the rushing yards of fellow first-round rookie Bijan Robinson. Jared Goff hit another rookie, second-round TE Sam LaPorta, for an early go-ahead touchdown. Goff also ran for one of his own to ice the game.
Detroit got a great performance from rookie Brian Branch on defense, too. Branch led the Lions with 11 tackles, including three TFLs, and two passes defended. He was one of several Lions who stepped up their games on a victory Sunday. They held the Falcons to just 183 net yards and a 4-for-14 performance on third downs that included the Falcons converting three in a row in late garbage time.
It was a nice reward for the Ford Field faithful after a difficult week in Detroit. The win elevates the Lions to 2-1 and sets up a Thursday night showdown in Green Bay with the Packers, who are also 2-1.
