Lions 45, Cardinals 21: Observations on defense, special teams in loss
· Yahoo Sports
Whether it feels like the movie Groundhog Day or simply déjà vu, there is a virtual sameness for everything that happens to the Arizona Cardinals.
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For the fourth consecutive game, the points on the opponent’s scoreboard registered at least 30 points (31, 36, 35, 45), and Sunday’s 45-21 loss to the Detroit Lions featured much of the same: five straight three-and-outs by the offense (15 plays, 22 yards) after a 14-play, 73-yard touchdown on their first possession and a stupefying seven consecutive drives by the Lions that ended in scores, much because of big plays allowed and good field position from poor punts and a missed field-goal attempt.
When the 30-point streak was mentioned to head coach Mike LaFleur after the game, he said, "Yes, we have to be better. We have to be better on offense too because we have to keep them off the field more. It was like deja vu all over again. It's either we can drive it after we get the first down or we're a three-and-out machine right now.
“I get what the narrative is in terms of however many 30-point games in a row, but we have to be better as a team. Starts with me."
League-wide, in the first 62 games of the season (124 teams), 56 have reached at least 30 points and 15 scored from 27-to-29.
An odd comment was made when quarterback Jacoby Brissett was asked about LaFleur’s déjà vu reference. Brissett paused and then wondered, “What does déjà vu mean again?”
That’s just the type of day it was.
Here’s a look at the lows and not many highs weaved in.
Fourth down failures ... really?
Consider this: at one point, the Lions were 0-for-6 on third downs, but led 21-7. They finished 4-for-13, but converted all four of their fourth-down attempts, including two for touchdowns in a 24-point second quarter that turned a 7-0 deficit into a 24-7 halftime lead.
- After being stopped on third-and-3 at the Cardinals' 47-yard line, tight end Sam LaPorta made an outstanding catch for 12 yards and then 15 yards were marched off after linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. was flagged for unnecessary roughness. Three plays later, running back Jahmyr Gibbs scored the first of his two touchdowns on a one-yard run.
- On the next possession, on third-and-12 from the Arizona 49-yard line, quarterback Jared Goff connected with LaPorta for 11 yards. On the next play, a wide-open LaPorta went 38 yards for a touchdown.
- Then, on third-and-four from the 8-yard line, an incomplete pass was followed by a touchdown pass to wide receiver Jameson Williams.
- The final fourth-down came in the third quarter after Gibbs was stopped on third-and-goal from the 1. However, Goff ran it in on the next play for a 38-14 lead. Those four successes totaled 59 yards.
Goff said, “I thought Sam was the catalyst today for everything. He really was. He had the fourth-down conversion on the in-cut, which wasn’t a great throw and he made a great catch. Then he had the fourth-down, fourth-and-one touchdown. Then he had a number of other catches: the third down and long that I checked down to him that he went and I think he got us into fourth and one, which we then scored on. Those three plays alone changed the entire landscape of the game and he's a hell of a player and I'm happy he's on our side.”
LaPorta finished the game with five receptions on five targets for 88 yards (17.6-yard average).
Is Petzing pathetic?
That’s what many in the Cardinals rage-tweet fanbase believed last season, including being blamed for getting Jonathan Gannon fired. That was the case even though the offense was solid during the 8-9 season in 2024 with Kyler Murray playing all 17 games and the ground game led by a healthy James Conner.
It all went south in 2025 with no running game and Jacoby Brissett the starter for 12 games after Murray suffered a foot injury in the bizarre loss to the Tennessee Titans.
Well, Petzing’s offense led by Goff, Gibbs and Co. totaled 412 yards Sunday (6.3 yards per play) and had 17 plays of at least 10 yards with three 30+ plays for 113. The 17 totaled 323 yards (19.0 average). Gibbs accumulated 207 yards from scrimmage (25-151 rushing, 5-56 receiving). After beginning with three three-and-outs for minus-nine yards thanks to two sacks for 20 yards, the Lions poured it on in the scoring drives with 416 yards on 53 plays (7.8 average).
Said Goff, “It felt like Drew could call whatever he wanted and we were going to make it work. I think today was a good example of where we can go and what we are capable of. I think I said it earlier last week, (but) we’ve been good, right? Today we were great, and there are still some things to be better at certainly, but today we were like ‘OK, that’s what we were capable of.’ It’s good to know that’s our standard now and we can hold guys accountable to what we just did today.”
As for Petzing doing it against his former teams, Goff concluded, “I think it’s cool. I really think it is not as meaningful as it may seem outside to us, but yeah I think it’s cool anytime that happens against your former team.”
Speaking of coordinators
Aside from Brissett, defensive coordinator Nick Rallis is a flashpoint for loud and angry fans rather than players that allow big plays and don’t make many like edge rusher Josh Sweat, who had three tackles (one solo) and nothing else. In five games, he has 10 tackles (seven solo/two for loss), 1.0 sack for two yards and two quarterback hits.
Asked if he plans to make any changes to the defensive coaching staff (as if he would actually say he is), LaFleur said, "There's a lot to fix right now and I respect the question. I understand that and I get it comes with the territory. Right now, my focus is me fixing everything and talking to these players, talking to these coaches and figuring out how this never ever happens again as long as I'm here."
What are the odds of that hope happening, especially with a trip to play the Rams next week.
Gillikin slump continues
Punter Blake Gillikin did have two 54-yard punts, but his three others were for 39, 43, and 44 yards. The Lions returned three for 64 yards, including a 31-yarder by wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (subbing for an injured Tom Kennedy) on which he fumbled but Detroit recovered at the Cardinals 47-yard line and resulted in a touchdown and 14-7 Detroit lead.
He finished the day with a 46.8-yard average and 33.0 net.
Kicker Chad Ryland missed from 53 yards in the third quarter that would have made it a two-score game at 24-10. Instead, the Lions took over at their own 43 and drove for a touchdown and 31-7 lead.
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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Lions 45, Cardinals 21: Observations on defense, special teams in loss