David Montgomery – Page 5

Five reasons the Lions bounced back and routed the Bears, 52-21

DETROIT — For the Detroit Lions, the train might have nearly gone off the track a week ago in Green Bay, but the boys were back on Sunday in a 52-21 rout of the Chicago Bears at Ford Field

“I’ve said this all along, this train keeps rolling and it’s always going to start with the players,’’ coach Dan Campbell said. “We have players, we have playmakers, and they’re made the right way. They’re the right kind of guys. They know how to get in the ditch and just start digging. They don’t worry about the other stuff.’’

The fact they were facing former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, now the Bears head coach, did not play a huge role in their turn-around. Moreso it was just motivation to win a division game.

Both offensive and defensive lines stepped up their games.

“I knew we would play better because our guys came into work and we knew what we needed to clean up and we worked at cleaning it up,’’ Campbell said. “They had the right look and they came out fighting – that’s what they do.”

The Lions came out and scored the first touchdown on a 5-play, 60-yard drive ending with a Jahmyr Gibbs 6-yard touchdown run.

They were up 28-14 at the half and held the Bears to just one touchdown in the second half. The Lions moved to 1-1 while the Bears dropped to 0-2.

Five of the reasons the Lions won:

ONE: Jared Goff pitched a near-perfect game, passing for five touchdowns and completing 23 of 28 passes for 334 yards. He got plenty of help from WR Amon-Ra St. Brown who caught nine balls for three touchdowns and 115 yards. “He’s a stud. He’s as good as they get in our league, he’s a stud, he does everything in the run game, everything in the pass game,’’ Goff said. “As reliable of a player as I’ve ever thrown to in my life. We have a pretty good chemistry going on in our fifth year. We push each other really hard.’’

TWO: Explosive plays were huge. Goff threw five passes of 29 or more yards. Jameson Williams had just 2 catches — one for 64, the other a 44-yard touchdown. He wasn’t alone. “It always starts with the O-line here, it does, probably most teams but for sure us. When they play well it allows us to do a lot,’’ Campbell said.

THREE: The defense made huge stops, none better than stuffing the Bears on back-to-back plays of third-and-1 and fourth-and-1 early in the second quarter. Safety Brian Branch was all over the field finishing with a sack, a forced fumble, a pass defense, two tackles for loss and six tackles. Bears QB Caleb Williams was sacked four times with Aidan Hutchinson getting first sack of the season and Branch, Al-Quadin Muhammad and Marcus Davenport also pitching in. “Just moving forward we re-established our brand of football,’’ Branch said.

FOUR: The Lions created two turnovers with a Kerby Joseph second-quarter interception that led to a Brock Wright TD catch. Earlier Branch forced a fumble with Jack Campbell recovering. Terion Arnold’s interception with 12:15 left was negated by a roughing the passer penalty. “It’s huge in this league, that’s what it’s all about getting takeaways, coach Campbell and coach Shep (DC Kelvin Sheppard), all our coaches preach that — no matter what the offense is doing the defense has to force turnovers,’’ Branch said, “We force turnovers then it gives our offense another chance to score.’’

FIVE: The offensive line settled down and was much improved from Week 1. RBs Jahmyr Gibbs (12-94 yards, 1 TD) and David Montgomery (11-57, 1 TD) got the run game in gear averaging 5.9 yards per carry – much improved over 2.1 in the Green Bay opener. Gibbs scampered 42 yards to set up another Goff-St. Brown touchdown late in the third. Goff could see the line really jell. “In particular, Tate (Ratledge) and (Christian) Mahogany as younger players were able to get last week out of the way and settle in a little bit today,’’ Goff said. “More Tate than Mahogany who had experience last year. I thought Tate played great today. I haven’t seen the tape but at least in pass pro I felt firm there, you felt strong, it felt like he was pushing downhill.’’

UP NEXT: Lions (1-1) at Baltimore Ravens (1-1), Monday, Sept. 22 at 8:15 p.m.

Lions look to fix struggling run game as they prepare to face the Bears

ALLEN PARK — The Detroit Lions’ standard has risen so high in the past three seasons, that to see the run game struggle in the loss at Green Bay was a head-scratcher.

After averaging 5.1 yards per carry last season, the run game could not get in gear which led to a meager 2.1 yards per carry. It is a stat that is not acceptable to anyone in the organization.

It wasn’t just the fault of running backs Jahmyr Gibbs (9 carries, 19 yards) or David Montgomery (11 carries, 25 yards) or even the new-look offensive line. It was a team failure, including the coaches, which Dan Campbell has said includes him.

“Reacting is not going to change what we did, responding will change our future,’’ said Scottie Montgomery, assistant head coach/wide receivers.

Wednesday was Day 1 in practice to prepare for the Chicago Bears who play at Ford Field on Sunday. Campbell said they will address the run game issues head-on.

“The focus, the footwork, the little things, and we’re going to make sure we establish that today, Day 1, in practice and that we’re on point with our footwork, our hat placement, all the little things were IDed correctly,’’ Campbell said on Wednesday. “We’re coming off the ball. If not we’ll do it again we’ll get it right. We will be much better.’’

While it was only one game, the Lions’ 46 rushing yards in the loss were tied for the worst in the NFL in Week 1.

“When (Gibbs) touches the ball that many times, we expect him to be an eraser. There was a couple times he would like to have back, just making sure when we get to those checkdowns — vertical, speed, quickness – everything has to be more detailed,’’ Montgomery said. “I’m not just talking about him, I’m talking about everybody that was in that situation.’’

Gibbs had 20 touches including 10 receptions for 31 yards. Montgomery chipped in with 4 catches for 18 yares.

“Some of the things that extended drives for us in the past didn’t do it this year. Right? Broken tackles, the detail of how sharp and how crisp we were getting to some of those areas and then turning it around, like I said, last year when we were able to unlock those,’’ Montgomery said.

It goes back to communication, details and fundamentals, according to the coach.

“Those fundamental details are what’s going to take us to get second-and-1, then now it’s first-and-10, putting you in a different situation to open everything up,’’ Montgomery said.

Lions open training camp with high expectations, a few changes and injury news

ALLEN PARK — Lions opened training camp on Sunday, with a few new players, two new coordinators, defensive injuries and the same huge expectations as in recent years.

Coach Dan Campbell said he’s still as enthusiastic as ever.

“The message to the team is what it’s been all along. It’s about who we are, what we believe in and staying hungry, staying hungry. Put the work in, we cannot be content,’’ Campbell said on Sunday. “I believe we’ll be just fine. We have the right guys and we’ve been building and improving for a long time. Our dudes will be ready to go.’’

While expectations from the outside may be lower because of the new coordinators — John Morton on offense replaces Ben Johnson who is head coach of the Bears and Kelvin Sheppard moves up to defensive coordinator replacing Aaron Glenn who is now head coach of the Jets.

Campbell gets it but doesn’t believe it.

“First of all, it doesn’t matter what I say, it’s already been written. So that’s coming. That’s already in there. I’m not going to change that, none of us will. A loss, it’s coming, we don’t do well on offense, it’s coming. Something happens defensively, it’s coming,’’ Campbell said. “That narrative is coming, it’s written, it’s done. I have no control over that.’’

However, that is not what he thinks personally.

“Yeah, I don’t think it’s what it’s played out to be. I’ve said this before it hurts to lose two guys who have been here from the beginning, got a lot of trust and faith in,’’ Campbell said.

“There’s a lot of communication that goes on that’s not even said because once you get to that you understand each other, a look, a nod, body demeanor says it all,’’ he added. “That’s just a little bit of what we’ve got to gain together between myself, Johnnie Morton and Shep. That takes a minute, takes time, we’ll get it, it will come.’’

And it starts to take more shape in training camp.

Running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs are not concerned about the change.

“Obviously they’re different people. Ben was an awesome OC and he’s going to be an even better head coach, but I think we’ve got a damn good OC in coach Johnnie Mo too. They coach a little different,’’ Montgomery said. “Johnny Mo is a little more verbal and vocal, but I love him.”

Gibbs said not a lot has changed – tweaks here and there – but nothing major.

INJURY NEWS

Defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike is out for the season following ACL surgery. “Levi’s surgery, it was significant, but it needed to be done,’’ Campbell said.

Left tackle Taylor Decker had surgery to clean up his shoulder. Campbell expects him to return after the Hall of Fame preseason game on July 31.

Defensive end Josh Paschal also had surgery. The plan is to start working him in around Labor Day.

Cornerback Ennis Rakestraw left practice early and is being evaluated for a chest injury.

(Up next: Day Two of training camp on Monday. First preseason game is July 31 against the Los Angeles Chargers at the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio.)