CLEVELAND — Free Press sports writer Dave Birkett breaks down the Detroit Lions’ 13-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns, and looks at players who helped and hurt their stock Sunday at Heinz Field.
Stock up
RB D’Andre Swift: It’s time for the Lions to take kid gloves off Swift. The second-year running back proved capable of handling a big workload with 33 carries last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers and he shined in a 136-yard performance Sunday. One problem: Swift only got 14 carries – 10 in the first three quarters – when the anemic Lions offense was struggling. Swift is the Lions’ only offensive playmaker right now and it’s time for them to feed him the ball.
LIONS GRADES: Passing game non-existent, and it’s now hurting the play calling
CB Jerry Jacobs: Jacobs has been one of the season’s most pleasant surprises, an undrafted rookie who made his way into the starting lineup because of injuries and has looked like he belongs most weeks. Jacobs had a nice pass breakup Sunday when he got his right hand on a pass to Rashard Higgins and he was solid in run support all day.
DL Levi Onwuzurike: He had a quiet stat line with one assisted tackle, but the rookie second-round pick blocked an extra point, drew a holding penalty with stout play at the line of scrimmage and got his big paw on a Baker Mayfield pass at the line of scrimmage. The Lions need more pass rush out of Onwuzurike and the rest of their defensive front, but the rookie had a promising showing in limited work Sunday.
JEFF SEIDEL: Dan Campbell went conservative this time. But the result was the same: A loss
Stock down
QB Tim Boyle: Boyle mustered only 77 yards passing and threw two interceptions in his first career start, but he makes this list mostly because the Lions’ overly conservative offensive game plan shed some light on how he’s viewed by the organization. Lions coach Dan Campbell said Jared Goff will return in a starting capacity once his strained oblique is healed, and it’s hard to argue that’s the wrong decision given the way Boyle played.
CARLOS MONARREZ: Tim Boyle’s first start nixes any worries of QB controversy for Lions
LB Alex Anzalone: Anzalone is one of Lions coach Dan Campbell’s favorite players, but he had a rough day Sunday. Tied for the NFL lead in missed tackles entering the week, Anzalone had at least two missed tackles against the Browns and got caught peeking the wrong way on Jarvis Landry’s touchdown run. He also was the recipient of what Nick Chubb called a “great” pancake block by Wyatt Teller. “He smacked him,” Chubb said.
OG Jonah Jackson: Jackson is an above average offensive lineman who is trending towards being a major part of the Lions’ future, but he had a game-turning penalty at the end of Sunday’s third quarter when the Lions were finally showing some life on offense. I don’t know what was said, other than Jackson insulted Jadeveon Clowney’s mother. And perhaps, in the heat of an emotional game, the penalty was unwarranted. But Jackson cannot risk that sort of penalty at a crucial stage in the game.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.