Detroit Lions

TIM AND MIKE: Week 18 observations · Jared Goff: He did not have his best game, but he never seemed rattled or unsure of himself, no matter what happened around ...

End of a season: There have been times when it was a relief that a Lions season ended. Minnesota won the North, and they earned it, but they were also the first 13-win team in NFL history to finish the regular season with a negative point differential. – Tim Twentyman Franchise QB: Speaking of Goff, 28, is there any real question moving forward he's the franchise quarterback of this football team? In a game where the Lions needed a steady hand at the controls of the offense, he provided it. [Jared Goff](https://www.detroitlions.com/team/players-roster/jared-goff/): He did not have his best game, but he never seemed rattled or unsure of himself, no matter what happened around him.

The Detroit Lions went into Lambeau Field and eliminated the Green Bay Packers from the playoffs, and here's our Week 18 report card.

When it came down to it, the Lions were able to pass the ball when they needed to the most. For as good as the Lions’ offensive line is, there’s still a weak link in the chain that needs to be addressed at right guard. In the fourth quarter, it became the driving force of the Lions’ offense. Through the first 20 or so minutes of play, the ground game was a non-option. It was a slow burn to get the run game going Sunday night. The win pushed Detroit’s record to 9-8, the first winning season for the franchise since 2017, and they eliminated the Packers from the playoffs.

At least they saved us all the indignity of having to pretend they were actually a playoff-quality football team for one more week – though I guess they could' ...

As much as it is a gigantic cliché to say that one has always had a passion for film, Matt Mueller has always had a passion for film. But to make matters worse, the fumble came on a very promising drive at the end of the first half, when it seemed like the Packers were at the very least about to take a two-possession lead on the Lions and maybe score the first touchdown of the game right at the break. A lot of people argued that the Packers had an advantage going into Sunday night, considering that if the Seahawks won earlier that day, the Lions would be eliminated from the postseason and have nothing to play for. Perhaps it's fitting that this year's Packers – a team that regularly (and mistakenly) played like all they had to do was show up to win – would get eliminated by their polar opposite. Going into the game, I was confident we'd see Rodgers again in a Packers jersey next year – after all, he's got more than 50 million reasons to come back, plus a bit of redemption after one of his most disappointing seasons both on the stat sheet and in the standings. Because it's not like we've spent a whole week talking about how valuable these team's training staffs are to the health of these men playing a dangerous game and how important it is to let them do their work. Stop me if you've heard this one before: Aaron Rodgers, panicked at the end of a critical game, hoists up a prayer of a pass doomed to be intercepted or incomplete. For letting a comeback win against the worst team in the league, a comeback win against a concussed quarterback and a win against a Rams team entirely on the IR fool me into thinking this team was improving. A bold decision – surely made because LaFleur and company had a great play that would continue the drive and push the Lions further to the brink, yes? When the Packers lost to the Lions earlier this season, one of their sins was getting too cute, busting out trick plays and putzing with their food rather than, you know, scoring points and winning a football game. On a third down, Darnell Savage and Rasul Douglas had a chance to take down a Lions pass catcher for a short gain and a drive-halting fourth down. I don't know what I was expecting from a team that thought it could replace one of the best receivers in the league with Sammy Watkins – but somehow it was more than this.

The game grades from Pro Football Focus largely reflect how well the Lions performed in notching the season sweep of the Packers. As a team, the Lions defense ...

Buggs earned the highest single-game grade of his career. Cominsky created five pressures on Aaron Rodgers but also earned the highest coverage grade of any defender. The higher floor is a welcome sign of progress. Wright earned a fine grade in pass protection but struggled in receiving. As a team, the Lions defense earned its top tacking grade (82.2) of the season, missing just two on the night. Detroit finished the 2022 regular season on a high note.