Lions' defense shuts down Falcons in dominant performance
The Lions' defense made a statement today, shutting down Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder in a one-sided 20-6 win that moved Detroit into first place in the NFC North.
The Lions and Falcons are now both 2-1, but it's the Lions who have to feel very good about where they are in the early jockeying for NFC playoff berths. The Lions look legit.
Detroit's pressure on Ridder was relentless, and he had one of his worst games as the Falcons' starting quarterback. Jared Goff, meanwhile, was efficient if not spectacular, and he put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter with his first rushing touchdown as a Lion.
It was also the matchup of this year's two first-round rookie running backs, Atlanta's Bijan Robinson and Detroit's Jhaymir Gibbs. Robinson had 10 carries for 33 yards, while Gibbs had 17 carries for 79 yards.
The Lions and Packers are now heading for a battle for first place in the NFC North with their meeting on Thursday night.
