Any Given Sunday came to Ford Field in Week 15. And the home fans got to witness a fantastic show.
It was bound to happen sooner or later. The effort and the will have been there all season for Dan Campbell’s Lions. And in Week 15, the ball finally bounced their way enough for Detroit to pull off the monumental upset.
The Lions stunned the world by beating the visiting Arizona Cardinals, 30-12. Crazily enough, it wasn’t a fluke victory either. The Lions were the better team in all phases of the game, from quarterback to defense to head coach.
Jared Goff had a fantastic game at quarterback. Despite the Cardinals being guilty of several roughing-the-passer calls, Goff displayed toughness and confidence in his receivers that has not been typical of his 2021 season in Detroit. He threw three touchdown passes, one each to Amon-Ra St. Brown, Josh Reynolds and Jason Cabinda in an efficient, giveaway-free effort.
Detroit’s defense played inspired ball. The undermanned unit flew around the field and smartly anticipated the Cardinals offensive attack. OLB Charles Harris was a key catalyst early, and CB Amani Oruwariye came down with a huge interception to rebuff an early comeback effort just after halftime. A second fourth-down hold by the aggressive Detroit defense was huge.
The win was just the second on the season for Detroit, and the first road loss for the Cardinals, now 10-4. The players executed very well, but special mention must go to Campbell and his coaching staff. Unaccustomed to playing with a lead, the Lions did not panic. Not every decision or play was perfect, but the composure and confidence Detroit displayed belied the league-worst record entering the game.
Make no mistake, the Cardinals were not ready for the effort they were up against. But on this given Sunday, the Detroit Lions were clearly the superior football team.