Tag: Baltimore Ravens

Browns’ defense is stellar, but they haven’t faced a run game like the Lions

RBs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs provide 1-2 punch

ALLEN PARK — Running against the Cleveland Browns defense has been problematic for the first three opponents. It’s why the Browns are rated tops in the NFL in rushing defense allowing just 57.3 rushing yards per game.

It should be interesting when the Lions (2-1) host the Browns (1-2) at Ford Field on Sunday.

“I don’t think they’ve seen a run game like ours yet,’’ Lions offensive coordinator John Morton said on Thursday.

Something will have to give because the Lions own the NFL’s fourth best rushing offense, averaging 149 yards per game. The Browns have given up an average of 57.3 rushing yards per game.

Running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs combined for 218 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns.

 “They feed off each other, they’re both obviously incredibly hard-working and good players,’’ Lions quarterback Jared Goff said. “But I think the energy, they kind of feed off each other. One of them’s running well, the other guy wants to run well too and they’re as good as it gets.”

In his first season as Lions offensive coordinator, Morton is no stranger to Montgomery and Gibbs. He said he’s known they were special since the day they arrived in Detroit. 

“Really, I mean both of them. I saw D-Mo from across the field for years in Chicago and I was shocked when they let him walk. And then shoot, when we landed him it was like, ‘Holy smokes, we just got one of the best backs in the League,’’’ Morton said. “And then you draft Gibbs, it’s like, ‘Wow, we’ve got two of the best backs in the League.’’’

He agrees with Goff that they feed off each other. Of course, they do not do it alone.

In the Week 1 loss, the offensive line had communication issues. Gibbs and Montgomery combined for just 44 yards in the loss. Since the O-line has meshed and improved communication, the pair combined for 151 rushing yards and two rushing TDs in a win over Bears and 218 yards and 4 rushing touchdowns  in Baltimore.

They also benefit from blocking by the wide receivers and tight ends.

“It’s the best I’ve ever seen in my 28 years of coaching, the way these WRs block, the way Scottie (Montgomery, running backs coach) gets these guys to play. I don’t think there’s too many teams — the Rams with Cooper Kupp and those guys — they do the same thing,’’ Morton said.

“I always tell the wideouts, man, when the tight ends and the O-line and backs block for us, when the time comes our turn to block for them, we have to do the same thing,’’ Morton said. “That’s the beauty about this team. It’s so team oriented nobody cares about how many balls, this and that, it’s just about winning. When we do that we’re pretty good.’’

SUNDAY: Browns (1-2) at Lions (2-1), 1 p.m. at Ford Field. The game will be televised on FOX with Kenny Albert and Jonathan Vilma on the call.

Five reasons the Lions beat the Ravens, 38-30, at Baltimore

Seems like sometimes outsiders lose track of the fact that the Detroit Lions are built with plenty of fight. You might call it grit.

They showed it again on Monday night with a 38-30 win over the Ravens at Baltimore where the Lions have never previously found success. It was the second straight win for the Lions (2-1). The Ravens fell to 1-2.

Coach Dan Campbell loves complementary football and that’s exactly what he saw against QB Lamar Jackson and RB Derrick Henry. The Lions defense sacked Jackson seven times and the offense scored on drives of 96 and 98 yards. The run game was amazing, when they needed a big pass Jared Goff came through. 

“We did exactly what we wanted to do,” Jared Goff said.

ESPN analysts prior to the game all picked the Ravens to win. Not sure if the Lions  knew that but it didn’t matter. They had all the motivation they needed.

Five reasons the Lions won:

ONE: Lions defense made a statement with a huge goal-line stop with 2 minutes left in half. The Ravens had first-and-goal at Detroit’s 3 and gained 2 yards. Then they were stopped on second and third downs. Then on fourth down Lions’ Jack Campbell strip-sacked Lamar Jackson, giving the Lions possession. 

TWO: It was the 11th game in which Lions RBs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery both rushed for TDs. In fact, they each had two. It established a new NFL record for the most games in which each member of an RB duo have rushed for TDs. Montgomery’s 72-yard break-through run late in the third, set up a 4-yard trick play touchdown with ball going from Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown who tossed it to Gibbs for the score. Oh, and it happened on fourth-and-1. Then to wrap up the win, Montgomery ran in for a 31-yard touchdown. Credit the offensive line for their part in the run game and protecting Goff who was never sacked.

THREE: There’s running down the clock and then there is the Lions offense running an 18-play, 98-yard touchdown series taking up 10:48 in the second quarter. Montgomery’s TD gave Detroit a 14-7 lead.  But the Ravens drove and scored on a Jackson pass to Rashod Bateman with 1:23 left to tie it at 14-14 at the half. The Lions also scored on a 96-yard drive. 

FOUR: Lamar Jackson was sacked five times in the Ravens’ first two games. The Lions defense sacked him seven times including twice in the fourth quarter. The Lions defense came up big AGAIN midway through the fourth quarter when Aidan Hutchinson knocked the ball out of Derrick Henry’s arms and D.J. Read recovered it at Baltimore’s 16. The Lions settled for a 45-yard field goal which gave them a 31-24 lead with 6:35 left.

FIVE: Time of possession was an emphasis for the Lions. In the first half they had the ball 19:48 to 10:12. Offensive coordinator John Morton stuck with the run game even when at times they weren’t picking up many yards. Smart move. They finished with 225 rushing yards and four rushing TDs. The best defense was keeping the Ravens offense on the sidelines.  And to keep it interesting, Morton reached into his bag of trick plays.

UP NEXT: Cleveland Browns at Lions, 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 28.

Five things to watch as Detroit Lions face the Ravens; plus prediction

Characterizing the Lions’ Monday nighter at the Ravens as a revenge game might be a bit much, but don’t be fooled the Lions have not forgotten the 38-6 shellacking at Baltimore in 2023. 

“Physically they wore us out, physically they beat us up,’’ coach Dan Campbell said. “That’s hard when we worked the way we worked, detailed our scheme is one thing. But physically when they go in and out-performed us physically, that’s what we took from it.’’

Two years later much has changed for both teams who have started the season 1-1.

The Lions have not had luck winning at Baltimore, but they are coming off a solid performance in a win over the Chicago Bears.

“ I want to go in this place and know that we can continue to get better against a really good team, at their place, knowing what kind of team they are and what their identity is. Because I know our identity,’’ Campbell said. “That’s going to – let’s give ourselves a chance at the end of the day to win this one. That’s the whole point, man. And it’s going to take all three units being on top.”

Five things to watch: 

ONE: Not surprisingly, Jared Goff and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown have found success in the first two games, especially in Sunday’s win over the Bears when they connected for three touchdowns and a total of 115 yards. The Ravens’ passing defense is ranked 31st in NFL allowing 298 passing yards per game. It’s a stat that could be deceiving since there have only been two games.  “Listen, it’s an art form. So, if you love art – which I’m not saying I do or I don’t – but it’s awesome to watch,’’ Campbell said. “They’ve got such a rapport with each other and they trust each other immensely. The way that he runs his routes and he’s so crisp and he’s so detailed and his body demeanor screams to Goff, it helps him anticipate the throws. And they’ve just got so much time on task, he knows exactly what he’s going to do and (Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown) Saint knows exactly where the ball’s going to be before he’s out of the break.’’

TWO:  The Lions must contain mobile QB Lamar Jackson. Last week he was held to two runs for 13 yards but passed for four touchdowns and 224 yards. This will be the third straight week the Lions have faced a mobile QB. “It does help to have faced two mobile quarterbacks,’’ Campbell said of the Bears’ Caleb Williams and the Packers’ Jordan Love. Lamar is the catalyst of the Ravens’ offense. He’s special but the Lions defense played well in the win over the Bears. They’ll need to bring that again this week. “What does Lamar do well? Everything. What does he not do well? Nothing. I mean he could beat you all different ways. Run game, pass game, pass game he could do it in the pocket, out of the pocket,’’ defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said.

THREE: Ravens running back Derrick Henry averaged just 2.1 yards per carry for a total of 23 yards in the win over the Browns. On the other hand, WRs Zay Flowers, DeAndre Hopkins and Devontez Walker will provide a challenge for the Lions’ secondary. They combined for four touchdown catches last week. “It’ll be a good challenge, but I’ll tell you, we’re excited for this challenge. We recognize this opponent, we respect what they’re about, and we’re looking forward to this, going out there at their place on Monday night,’’ Campbell said. “So this is going to be fun, man. This is one of those, this is why you do it.”

FOUR: It’s key to get  off to a good start. In that miserable loss in 2023 the Lions were down 28-0 at the half. Sheppard said it’s important to get a stop on the Ravens’ first drive.: “For me it sets the tone for the day. Now, it doesn’t dictate the outcome of the day because you could have a first three-and-out and not get off the field the rest of the game,’‘ Sheppard said. “That’s not good. But, to me it sets the tone. And me as a defensive guy, I want to be out there first and set the tone for the day. So when we’re called to do that, we need to go do that and let the offense know they feed off us, we feed off them, you saw it last week. It was a three-headed monster we had.’’

FIVE: Look for a bigger role for rookie WR Isaac TeSlaa who has had just two catches in two games but they both were highlight-reel one-handed grabs. One for a touchdown in Week 1 and the other — a 29-yarder — to set up a TD against the Bears.  “People say he has great hands, I don’t necessarily know that he has great hands, I haven’t seen his left hand yet,’’ said Scottie Montgomery, Lions assistant head coach/WRs. “… Probably two of the more impressive catches that I’ve seen.”

PREDICTION: Lions 28, Ravens 24

MONDAY: Lions (1-1) at Ravens (1-1), 8:15 p.m.

UP NEXT: Cleveland Browns at Lions, 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 28.