Tag: Lions run defense

Studs and Duds Week 6: Swift leads the charge to victory

Identifying the studs and duds from the Detroit Lions Week 6 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Detroit Lions came off a bye week looking to improve from their 1-3 record, and they did just that. The team went down to Jacksonville and pulled off a 34-16 win to secure their second victory of the season.

While a win over the Jaguars isn’t the most impressive feat in the NFL, the Lions did look like they resolved some of the issues that had been ailing them over the first four games.

Some players really made impacts in this matchup, here are the studs and duds for Week 6:

Stud: D’Andre Swift

Before this game, Swift had 10 carries for 42 yards and a touchdown. Yesterday, he then went on to notch his first 100-yard game, with 116 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns.

The rookie’s career day helped propel the Lions to their second win of the season. Though he has been used primarily as a receiving option, he proved he can be an all-around weapon in Detroit.

Dud: Marvin Jones

Jones, who was once the consistent second receiver on the team behind Kenny Golladay, was held to a measly eight yards on Sunday. In a season where the veteran receiver has stayed healthy, it is disappointing that he hasn’t been able to produce for the offense.

Stud: Duron Harmon

This may be a hot take, but Harmon has been the best non-rookie addition to this team this season. He currently leads the defense in interceptions with two, and has the second-most pass breakups with four.

The safety position has been a concerning one in Detroit for quite some time, but Harmon really looks like he could be an integral part of the defense, potentially for years to come.

Stud: Jack Fox

The Lions currently have the best punter in the league, and luckily, didn’t have to use him too much in Jacksonville. His two punts on Sunday were the least amount of times he’s punted in a game in his career, and he averaged 45 yards per punt.

Dud: Jeff Okudah

Yes, the rookie cornerback did lead the team in tackles yesterday, but it’s easier to set yourself up to make a tackle when you’re allowing big plays from opposing receivers. Okudah had some rough angles that lead to some blown tackles.

Stud: The run defense

The Lions held the Jaguars to a total of 44 rushing yards, with the longest run being just nine yards by quarterback Gardner Minshew. Detroit had struggled against running backs throughout their first four games, and it’s clear they made some much-needed adjustments over the bye week.

Stud: Romeo Okwara

The older of the two Okwara brothers has played relatively well on defense. Okwara finished the game with two quarterback hits, a tackle for loss, and a fumble recovery. Though he wasn’t able to record a sack in this game, he did put the pressure on both Minshew and the Jaguars’ offensive line.