Lions 2019 Rewatch: Lions vs. Cardinals Week 1 notes

Lions 2019 Rewatch: Lions vs. Cardinals Week 1 notes as Jeff Risdon reviews the All-22 and broadcast feeds

Lions coach Matt Patricia is a big believer in the process of self-scouting. Like many NFL coaches, he’ll go back after the season and pore over every detail of game film, looking for nuances or things that he might have missed on the first go-through.

I’ve decided to do the same. I’m rewatching every play of every Lions game, using both the broadcast and coach’s tape feeds from NFL Game Pass. I’ll chronicle my reactions in real-time on the rewatch, focusing on specific plays or players in big moments as well as an overall postgame summary of my notes.

First up: Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals.

First quarter

T.J. Hockenson started out impressively. On the first two offensive possessions, Hockenson had a great seal block on an interior run, a catch with good YAC on a well-designed out route and another hot route where he was open but Matthew Stafford’s throw was behind him.

Nick Bawden missed two blocks on the opening drive, both of which resulted in the RB getting whacked right near the line of scrimmage. He missed an assignment on a 3rd down on the Lions 3rd drive too, a play where Stafford scrambled to his right for a huge first down. Jesse James also missed two run blocks in the opening quarter.

Frank Ragnow dominated up front. The Cardinals didn’t use a nose much but Ragnow consistently found work and made Arizona pay.

Stafford started slow, missing open throws to Hockenson and Amendola. Other than a delayed blitz (on the missed throw to Amendola) the pass protection was very good.

Tracy Walker’s INT, coming off a very well-designed rush scheme designed to force rookie Kyler Murray into a short field situation. This is a fantastic defensive call as well as a great catch by Walker.

Jamal Agnew had one of the worst punt return attempts I’ve ever seen. Sam Martin and the Lions own special teams were otherwise phenomenal.

Second quarter

Matt Prater nailed a 55-yard FG to get the Lions on the board. Kickoff coverage was exceptional.

First really good lead block from Nick Bawden but Kerryon Johnson instead runs smack into Taylor Decker while he’s engaged with a solid block. Next play is the Danny Amendola TD reception.

The touchdown is a product of good fortune as much as a great play. T.J. Hockenson lines up over right tackle but it’s his responsibility to peel across the formation and block the EDGE on the other side while LT Decker down blocks on play action. Hockenson gets just enough to give Stafford room to step up. Amendola sneaks behind a very confused Cardinals secondary and doesn’t have a defender within 20 yards of him as he catches it. The safety (Budda Baker) bit up on the play fake and then got in the way of the CB when he figured it out. Cardinals dropped top rusher, Chandler Jones, into the short flat in coverage instead of rushing. This play works maybe one time out of 25, but it did here. 10-0 Lions.

First instance of prevent defense on 3rd-and-18 on the Cards’ ensuing drive. Rushing three and the rest of the defense is at least 12 yards off the line of scrimmage at the snap. Murray takes the checkdown and it’s easily stopped short (the best tackle Jamal Agnew has ever made), but the broadcast notes that Murray needed an easy completion to settle himself down. That comment later proves prophetic.

Stafford to Hockenson on a circle route out of the backfield is gorgeous. Next play is a read-option keeper for Stafford. The rookie TE is the featured receiver so far and the offense really has the Cardinals defense flummoxed. Drive caps with a Stafford-to-Golladay TD on a simple shallow cross that is very poorly defended. It’s 17-0 and the Lions are in control in all three phases of the game.

And then Jamal Agnew muffs a punt deep in his own territory, Cardinals recover. A spirited red zone defense — keyed by fantastic coverage from Christian Jones on a rollout where Murray only looked at that receiver on 2nd down — keeps the damage to a field goal.

The Lions blew an opportunity to add more just before the half. Stafford and Amendola couldn’t connect on two separate throws, one of which the QB was under heavy pressure. The plays were there, the execution was not.

Impressive half of football from Detroit, up 17-3 at the break.

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