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Lions scouting report: Detroit comes to Minnesota with offense humming
The Lions have scored at least 35 points in each game this season, but their defense has surrendered 32.5 points per game.
September 22, 2022 at 9:37PM
ABOUT THE LIONS
• The Lions (1-1) jumped out to a 22-0 lead on Washington last Sunday thanks to two of quarterback Jared Goff's four touchdown throws in the 36-27 win. Detroit's revamped offense has scored at least 35 points in each game this season, but its defense has surrendered 32.5 points per game so far.
• Running back D'Andre Swift had 87 yards and a touchdown against Washington while limited with an ankle injury. Detroit turned to Jamaal Williams (60 yards from scrimmage on a team-high 13 touches) to limit Swift's workload. Receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown had 184 yards and two scores from scrimmage. St. Brown, a 2021 fourth-round pick, tied an NFL record with at least eight catches in eight straight games.
• Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, the No. 2 overall pick out of Michigan, sacked Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz three times while the Lions defense held Washington scoreless in the first half. But Detroit gave up four second-half touchdowns and has allowed an average of 425.5 yards per game.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT | QB Jared Goff
• Goff is coming off one of his best games for Detroit, in which he threw a touchdown pass in each quarter against Washington. The former No. 1 overall pick by the Rams has much riding on his seventh NFL season because his pricey contract becomes expendable next spring.
• He is off to a strong start, throwing six touchdowns to one interception. The Lions front office reinforced his arsenal, drafting first-round receiver Jameson Williams, who remains on the non-football injury list, and signing ex-Jaguars receiver D.J. Chark, who caught a 22-yard touchdown against the Eagles in Week 1.
• Goff on the "maturity" of the Lions offense: "We scored 35 last week and we scored 36 this week and you still feel like, 'Ah, but that one.' And I can think of a few off the top of my head, 'But that one would've blown the game wide open.' That's our next step, right? That's our next step of becoming maybe that more mature, understanding-the-moment-type team."
COACH SPEAK | Dan Campbell
• Campbell, 46, is in his second season as Lions head coach with a 4-14-1 record (.237) and no playoff appearances. He spent nine seasons as an NFL tight end for four teams, including the Lions from 2006-2008.
• Campbell got his coaching start as an intern for the 2010 Dolphins and then-head coach Tony Sparano, who first coached Campbell as Cowboys tight ends coach in 2003. The bombastic Campbell is known for colorful rhetoric highlighted on the annual "Hard Knocks," an HBO show that follows an NFL team during training camp.
• Campbell on Goff in his second Lions season: "When things haven't gone perfect, he's always snapped back and finished the game strong. There's a number of things we've been doing where we're asking him to get us into the right play in the passing game as well. He's doing that."
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.
