The Detroit Lions pulled off a gritty 31-30 overtime win against the New Orleans Saints in Week 1, and look, a win is a win in the NFL. You absolutely take it. But let’s be real, watching that game felt like a rollercoaster where the Lions kept hitting the emergency brake on themselves. They flashed moments of pure domination, only to completely shoot themselves in the foot right after. The big question we’ve been asking since last season, about this team executing at a higher, more consistent level, is still hanging in the air after the opener.
Execution, Not Play Calls, Is the Real Issue
Seriously, forget attacking offensive coordinator Drew Petzing for how he called the game. The truth is, he had the right game plan. It all comes down to the players executing, and in Week 1, that just didn’t happen nearly enough. You can blame coaching all you want, but when the lights are on, the guys on the field have to do their part. Remember last season, when the Lions converted about 39% of their third downs? In Week 1 against the Saints, they went 5 of 13, a chilling 38.5%. That’s virtually no change.
We saw it right on their first drive. It was 3rd-and-1, prime short-yardage territory, and running back Jahmyr Gibbs gets tackled for a 3-yard loss! The blocking up front was solid, but left guard Christian Mahogany failed to stay square on his double team with left tackle Penei Sewell. That opened up the A-gap for an inside linebacker to just shoot through and blow up the play behind the line of scrimmage, forcing a punt. That’s pure execution failure right there.
Fumbles, Drops, and Missed Opportunities Are Killing Drives
Later in the game, on the third drive, the Lions went deep to wide receiver Jameson Williams. The pass was perfect, right into his hands, and he dropped it! Would it have been a touchdown? Unclear where the defenders were, but it would have been a HUGE play, putting them deep in the red zone. Talk about a momentum killer. They did pick up a first down on the next two plays, getting to their own 47, but then a 5-yard run from Gibbs got called back for holding by right guard Tate Ratledge. Immediately after, Saints cornerback Quincy Riley made an incredible pass breakup on a dig route to, you guessed it, Jameson Williams. Another punt.
Then, on the very next drive, they tried an end around to Williams. There was absolutely space for him to run, but he fumbled the ball, losing six yards! And to cap off the first half’s misery, after a controversial sack by Chase Young on Jared Goff that was thankfully reversed from a fumble to an incomplete pass, they were forced to punt again. It was just one mistake after another. Even the next drive, just one play in, Gibbs ran an in-breaking route, made a move on the defenders, and Saints defensive tackle Vernon Broughton ripped the ball right out of his hands. Thankfully, the defense held tough and kept the Saints from scoring after all these offensive miscues. But man, it felt like the Lions were doing more to beat themselves than New Orleans was.
This team showed they can win, but the self-inflicted wounds are glaring. The Lions desperately need to clean up these execution errors, especially with players like Williams, if they want to build on this early win and show some real consistency.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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