The Lions dominated nearly every part of the stat sheet in their 26-14 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, save for turnovers. Detroit had a couple fumbles, a pick-six and an anemic showing from the red-zone offense, but a breakout game from rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs and a stellar showing from the defense were more than enough to secure victory.
Gibbs was strong from start to finish. The rookie finished with 152 rushing yards and a touchdown on 26 carries, as well as 37 receiving yards. He was often the catalyst for the offense, illustrating his stunning speed by ripping through the Raiders' defensive line and beating defenders along the edges.
Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was characteristically dependable, notching over 100 receiving yards for the fifth time this season. Rookie tight end Sam LaPorta brought in the lone receiving touchdown of the night, bringing in a total of 57 yards on eight receptions.
Detroit was downright dominant defensively. Las Vegas couldn't seem to generate any sort of momentum on offense, racking up a measly 126 yards through the air and 80 yards on the ground.
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was harassed all evening, sacked a total of six times. Defensive tackle Alim McNeill and linebacker Alex Anzalone each finished with two sacks. The front seven also earned seven tackles for losses. The secondary contributed with a lock-down of the Raiders' wide receivers and an interception courtesy of safety Kerby Joseph.
Detroit is 6-2 heading into the bye week, second in the NFC and sitting atop the NFC North standings.
Detroit milks the clock, ices victory
Drive starts: LV 2 (9:54 4th)
Las Vegas starts off the drive backed up at the goal line after a muffed catch on the kick off. Detroit bails them out after an incompletion on first down, roughing the passer on second to hand the opponent 15 yards for free.
Garoppolo airs it out with some breathing room, finding wide receiver Jakobi Meyers for a 19-yard completion.
Detroit's defense starts to take over after a couple chunk plays from the opponents. Anzalone notches a -7-yard sack on first down. Just a play later, McNeill notches his second sack of the night, backing up the Raiders' offense an additional 11 yards.
Garoppolo picks up some of the lost yardage on third-and-28 with a 18-yard pass to wide receiver Hunter Renfrow. Anzalone rips through the Las Vegas offensive line on fourth-and-10, taking down Garoppolo for his second sack of the night - and the drive.
Drive starts: LV 28 (6:55 4th)
Reynolds notches a pair of impressive runs to start off Detroit's drive, combing for 24 yards to put his team within the 5-yard line. He nearly punches it in for a touchdown on the very next play of the drive, but a holding penalty wipes the score off the board and backs up the offense.
Gibbs gets a pair of 3-yard carries, giving Detroit a third-and-goal from the 8-yard line. Goff throws an incomplete pass to LaPorta and the Lions settle for their fifth field goal attempt of the night. However, Patterson misses the 26-yard field goal attempt and possession goes right back to the Raiders.
Drive starts: LV 20 (4:59 4th)
Garoppolo opens a must-score drive with a 15-yard pass to Meyers. The wide receiver fumbles, but recovers quickly for an additional five yards.
The Raiders' quarterback throws a pair of incompletions on the next set of downs and the Lions' defense comes up big on third-and-10. Tracy Walker notches his first sack of the year and forces Las Vegas' offense to attempt fourth-and-18. The Raiders pick up just 12 yards and turn the ball over on downs.
Drive starts: LV 44 (3:29 4th)
Detroit is milking the clock. Reynolds notches three straight runs for a total of eight yards, setting up fourth-and-two at the two minute warning.
Goff passes to tight end Brandon Wright for five yards, notching a first down and icing the Lions' win.
Detroit tacks on field goal, extends lead to 26-14
Drive starts: LV 25 (3:13 3rd)
Las Vegas doesn't do much to respond to Detroit's touchdown drive. After a 19-yard pass from Garoppolo opens the drive, a 5-yard rush, incompletion and -8-yard sack from Alim McNeill effectively brings the offense to a halt.
Drive starts: DET 11 (1:07 3rd)
Gibbs continues to propel Detroit's offense, notching 18 yards on a pair of rushes to kick off the drive. LaPorta brings in an 8-yard catch on to start the fourth quarter, but it's right back to Gibbs on the next play, who earns a 9-yard rush.
Gibbs notches a 3-yard pass before the Lions bring in Reynolds for a few plays. He rushes for seven yards on two carries to give Detroit a third-and-3 in Las Vegas territory.
The Lions bring Gibbs back in for third down, but he picks up just a couple yards and the team faces a fourth-and-1. Detroit runs the quarterback sneak and Goff falls ahead for a two yards and the first.
However, the drive churns to a stop on the next set of downs. A 2-yard rush from Gibbs is sandwiched by a couple interceptions and the Lions settle for a field goal. Patterson nails a 52-yarder and extends Detroit's lead to 26-14.
Lions 26, Raiders 14 (9:59 4th)
Gibbs finds the endzone, Lions lead 23-14
Drive starts: DET 25 (11:32 3rd)
LaPorta notches a short 5-yard pass on first down and Reynolds rushes for eight on the next play for a first. An incompletion and a 5-yard rush from Reynolds sets up third-and-5 for the Detroit offense, but Goff finds St. Brown for 14 yards and pushes his team into Las Vegas territory.
The Lions keep it on the ground on the next set of downs. Gibbs picks up two yards on two carries and Reynolds slips ahead to notch just enough yardage for a first down. Detroit goes back to the air on the next play, but again it's Reynolds who touches the ball. He notches a 12-yard reception and the Lions are just outside the red zone.
Gibbs puts his team inside the 5-yard line with a 17-yard rush on first down, illustrating his speed by racing around the right edge.
However, at the goal line, Reynolds fumbles and the Raiders take over inside their own 5-yard line.
Drive starts: LV 3 (5:29 3rd)
Las Vegas can't do much to capitalize on the turnover. Jacobs gives his team some breathing room on first down with a five yard rush, but a short completion and and incompletion forces the Raiders to quickly punt it away.
Drive starts: DET 49 (4:14 3rd)
Gibbs rushes for five yards on first down. Detroit picks up some chunk yards on the next play thanks to a defensive pass interference penalty.
Then, it's up to Gibbs to put an exclamation point on the drive. He rips through the teeth of the defense and shows off his speed, zipping past defenders along the right edge for a 27-yard touchdown.
Lions 23, Raiders 14 (3:13 3rd)
Goff throws pick six, Raiders within two
Drive starts: LV 25 (15:00 3rd)
Garoppolo finally connects with Adams on the first play of the second half, picking up 11 yards. The drive stalls out the next set of downs. A 1-yard rush and an incompletion sets up third-and-9 and defensive end Julian Okwara notches a -7-yard sack. The Raiders punt it away.
Drive starts: DET 44 (13:01 3rd)
Gibbs starts off the drive with a stellar 24-yard rush, bouncing and spinning around defenders to put Detroit into Las Vegas territory.
However, things go completely awry just a few plays later. Goff throws a short pass intended for St. Brown and it's picked off by Marcus Peters. The cornerback takes it back 75 yards for a pick-six, putting his team within two points.
Lions 16, Raiders 14 (11:32 3rd)
Lions finally find endzone just before halftime
Drive starts: DET 21 (2:56 2nd)
Williams snags a 22-yard catch in the middle of the field on second down to put Detroit near midfield. Gibbs notches more chunk yardage on the very next play, snagging a pass and rushing ahead for 15 yards.
Gibbs rushes for seven yards and St. Brown picks up the first with a 6-yard reception on the next play to keep the chains moving. Detroit faces a third-and-6 on the next set up downs after a 1-yard rush from Gibbs and a short 3-yard pass to LaPorta. Goff goes back to LaPorta for the first, finding him over the middle for eight yards.
Goff goes right back to the rookie right end just inside the 20-yard line on the next play, connecting with LaPorta for a 18-yard pass down the middle for Detroit's first touchdown of the evening.
Halftime: Lions 16, Raiders 7
Raiders first to find the endzone, trail 9-7
Drive starts: LV 25 (8:08 2nd)
Garoppolo finds tight end Austin Hooper for eight yards on first down and Jacobs rushes ahead for nine on second. The Raiders keep on marching, propelled ahead by a low block penalty on Jerry Jacobs good for 15 yards on the next play. Hooper notches another chunk gain on the next play, rumbling ahead for 11 yards.
Las Vegas puts itself in the red zone on the very next play, with Jacobs rushing up the middle for seven yards. He picks up the first down on second with a six-yard rush.
Jacobs carries the rock for a total of nine yards on first and second down, setting up palpable third-and-1 inside just outside the five-yard line. After a Garoppolo qb sneaks up the middle picks up the first, Jacobs punches it in at the goal line to make it a one score game.
Lions 9, Raiders 7 (2:56 2nd)
Lions kick third FG, lead 9-0
Drive starts: LV 25 (12:23 2nd)
The Raiders fail to notch a single first down yet. A four-yard rush is followed up by a pair of incompletions and Las Vegas punts it away.
Drive starts: DET 22 (11:24 2nd)
Detroit's drive starts off with a bang, as St. Brown hauls in a 44-yard catch and quickly puts his team into Las Vegas territory.
St. Brown picks up another chunk play a couple plays later, grabbing a 24-yard reception to send the Lions into the red zone. LaPorta picks up nine yards on the very next play to put his team inside the 10-yard line, but a negative 8-yard play and an incompletion force the drive to stall out in the red zone yet again.
Patterson nails his third kick of the night, a 33-yard field goal, and Detroit extends its lead to 9-0.
Lions 9, Raiders 0 (8:08 2nd)
Lions extend lead to 6-0
Drive starts: LV 25 (7:51 1st)
Las Vegas' first two plays of the drive are an incompletion and a rush for no gain. Garoppolo scrambles on third down for nine yards, but the Raiders elect to punt facing fourth-and-1.
Drive starts: DET 11 (5:44 1st)
Gibbs gets another first-down carry, picking up three yards. Wide receiver Craig Reynolds nabs a difficult catch on second down, but he's stripped and fumbles the ball. The visitors recover.
Drive starts: DET 23 (4:59 1st)
It takes just one play for the ball to head right back to Detroit. Garoppolo tries to find wide receiver Davante Adams in the endzone and safety Kerby Joseph picks it off .
Drive starts: DET 11 (4:49 1st)
Detroit's drive starts with a pass to LaPorta for no gain and an incompletion. Goff throws another incompletion on third down and the Lions are forced to punt it away.
Drive starts: LV 41 (3:55 1st)
Running back Josh Jacobs rushes for a total of nine yards on first and second down, but linebacker Alex Anzalone makes a huge stop on third-and-1 to set up fourth-and-2. The Raiders go for it, but Garoppolo throws an incomplete pass and the Lions take over on downs.
Drive starts: LV 49 (2:29 1st)
Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown notches a pair of receptions to open Detroit's drive, good for a total of 20 yards. Gibbs picks up eight yards on second down for another fresh set of downs.
Gibbs loses a yard on first down and wide receiver Jameson Williams drops a pass on second down to set up third-and-11. Wide receiver makes a clutch catch to keep the drive alive, snatching a short crossing route and rushing around the right edge for 14 yards.
Detroit backs itself up 10 yards on second-and-goal with a holding penalty after a 1-yard rush from Gibbs. Raymond loses a few yards on second down and forces a long third-and-goal. Raymond picks up 10 yards, but the Lions take a delay of game on fourth down and settle for the field goal. Patterson kicks a 31-yard field goal to extend Detroit's lead.
Lions 6, Raiders 0 (12:23 2nd)
Lions take early 3-0 lead
Drive starts: DET 20 (14:56 1st)
Rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs rushes ahead for six yards on the first play of the game, then quarterback Jared Goff connects with rookie tight end Sam LaPorta on third down for six yards and a first down.
Gibbs picks up four yards to kick off the next set of downs, then picks up a first down on the next play with a catch on the right side of the field.
The rookie running back continues to contribute on the next set of downs, notching a pair of receptions on second and third down for a total of 14 yards.
Running back Craig Reynolds steps in a few players later, rushing up the middle for 11 yards with his first carry. The offense is on the move, just outside the red zone.
However, the offense finally churns to a stop and the Lions settle for a field goal. Kicker Riley Patterson nails a 44-yard field goal and Detroit takes an early 3-0 lead over the Raiders.
Lions 3, Raiders 0 (7:51 1st)
Pregame
The Detroit Lions (5-2) are in the prime-time spotlight this week, hosting the Las Vegas Raiders (3-4) for Monday Night Football.
Both teams will be looking to bounce back after suffering blowout losses last Sunday — the Raiders lost 30-12 to the lowly Chicago Bears, while the Lions were dismantled 38-6 on the road against the Baltimore Ravens. That terrible showing snapped a four-game winning streak for Detroit.
The Lions were decimated on both sides of the ball by the Ravens. Defensively, Detroit's secondary was completely picked apart by Lamar Jackson. The star quarterback racked up 357 yards and three touchdowns, throwing just six incompletions on the afternoon. The front seven also put up a poor showing, failing to notch a single sack and just a couple tackles for losses.
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The offense also had its worst performance of the season. The rushing attack was completely absent with running back David Montgomery out with injury. Detroit ran the ball just 14 times, forcing quarterback Jared Goff to throw over 50 passes. He finished with 284 yards, no touchdowns and an interception. Star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was the bright spot for the unit, finishing with over 100 receiving yards for the fourth time his season.
Despite that loss, the Lions still stand atop the NFC North, ahead of the Minnesota Vikings by a couple of games.
Follow along here for live updates from Detroit News contributor Alex Faber.
Raiders at Lions
▶ Kickoff:8:15 p.m. Monday, Ford Field, Detroit
▶ TV/radio:ABC, ESPN/97.1
▶ Records: Raiders 3-4, Lions 5-2
▶ Line:Lions by 7½
