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Detroit Lions’ return to running game helps Lions in “dirty” game

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Detroit Lions’ return to running game helps Lions in “dirty” game

GLENDALE, Arizona – Graham Glasgow and the rest of the Detroit Lions offensive line were thrilled at the thought.

After the Lions uncharacteristically failed to establish a running game in last week's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Lions coaches told Glasgow and the rest of the line they would rely on them early Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.

“I feel like when you go out there or the other team comes out and you see that what they set out to do is working right away and everything is going as planned. When you're the team that's doing it, it feels great, it gives you a lot of strength and I find it very demoralising when you're the team it's happening against,” Glasgow said.

LIONS LEVELS: David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs pass their test with flying colors

The Lions executed their attack plan perfectly on Sunday, scoring 43 carries for 188 yards in their landmark 20-13 win over the Cardinals.

David Montgomery rushed for 105 yards and scored a touchdown on 23 carries. Jahmyr Gibbs added 83 yards on 16 carries and scored a touchdown on a hook-and-lateral play with Amon-Ra St. Brown. And Jared Goff sealed the win with an 8-yard run with 1:56 left.

With a 2-1 record, the Lions are tied with the Green Bay Packers for second place in the NFC North, behind the undefeated Minnesota Vikings (3-0). On September 30, they will host the Seattle Seahawks, the only other undefeated team in the NFC, on Monday Night Football.

“We were focused and ready to go this week,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “It felt like we got a lot of things done that needed to be done, and it's still not perfect, but ultimately we and our guys knew this was going to be one of those dirty, messy, inglorious jobs that needed to be done on the O-line, the D-line, the receivers, the DBs, everywhere, man. And that's what the game was.”

The Lions opened the game with a large lineup consisting of two tight ends and Dan Skipper as the sixth offensive lineman on the field and used that lineup for most of the day.

Montgomery carried the ball six times for 39 yards on the Lions' first nine-play touchdown drive, and Gibbs carried the ball nine times on the Lions' next touchdown drive for another 70-yard touchdown drive.

The Lions only scored one more point the rest of the day, in controversial fashion late in the first half, but it was enough for them as they kept a Cardinals team that had averaged 34.5 points in its first two games out of the end zone for the game's final 50 minutes.

“They're a very physical football team,” Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said. “I think Dan does a heck of a job with those guys, their style of play, their technique, their fundamentals and their effort. I really thought we were able to compete. I really do. I saw our power show through. We tried hard. That's not why we lost the game. The reason we lost the game is mine. We need to set up a better game plan on all three of them.”

SHAWN WINDSOR: In a combative and perhaps even ugly victory against the Cardinals, the Detroit Lions find their way back to themselves

The Lions relied heavily on running on Sunday — 43 times attempting the ball and 23 times passing — after throwing the ball 56 times (on 27 attempts) against the Bucs last week.

Jared Goff completed all 12 of his passes in the first half, completing 18 of 23 for 198 yards with one interception. He capped the Lions' second drive with a 5-yard touchdown to St. Brown and was credited with a touchdown pass for Gibbs' 21-yard touchdown.

The Lions nearly lost the ball shortly before their hook-and-ladder touchdown after the referees blew a call for a game following the first half's 2-minute warning, just as Goff threw an interception that Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson returned for a touchdown.

Campbell stated that the whistle blew before Goff made the pass and that some of his players stopped the play, while Gannon said, “They call what they call.”

Gibbs converted a third-and-12 attempt with a 14-yard run on the first play after the 2-minute warning, and two plays later Goff threw a short pass to St. Brown, who threw the ball to Gibbs, who ran 20 yards for a touchdown.

On defense, the Lions were able to shut down Kyler Murray (21 of 34, 205 yards) and James Conner (nine attempts, 17 yards) and hold their third consecutive opponent to 20 points or less.

“That's what we wanted to do,” Goff said. “We wanted to go out here and try to apply pressure, go out there, start with the ball and score a touchdown. That's exactly what we did. It opens up everything else for sure. It opens up the play-action game. I think it lets the other team know what we want to do here. Running the ball like that is going to win you a lot of games.”

Dave Birkett is the author of the new book “Detroit Lions: An Illustrated Timeline.” Pre-order now from Reedy Press.

Contact him at [email protected]Follow him on X and Instagram at @davebirkett.

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