Week 5 Game Recap: Detroit Lions 17, Minnesota Vikings 26

What you need to know

Detroit Lions

WR Roy Williams suffered a back stinger on the third play of the game and did not return. In his absence, the Lions’ offense looked nothing like the one that has played so well the past few weeks. In addition to Williams, G Damien Woody, DL Shaun Cody, DL Shaun Rogers, LB Paris Lenon, and CB Fernando Bryant all were injured at various times.

QB Jon Kitna had an up and down game. He started off very well, but folded late in the game when the Vikings applied more pressure on him. He clearly missed his #1 WR Roy Williams, and took very few shots down the field after Williams was injured.

RB Kevin Jones’ stats look terrible, but there were simply no holes for him. Additionally, despite the Lions’ reluctance to run the ball, Jones wasn’t completely left out of the game plan (7 pass targets). He appeared to have possibly suffered a concussion on his final touch of the game. He remained on the ground seemingly in pain before being helped to his feet. It’s speculative, but Jones appeared a bit dazed and groggy as he left the field.

Minnesota Vikings

RB Chester Taylor was the focal point of the offense, one week after a very quiet performance against the Bills. Unfortunately, he left unanswered the questions about his ability to handle short yardage runs. He was stuffed at the goal line on three separate occasions.

QB Brad Johnson “managed the offense” and didn’t make many mistakes, but he also wasn’t asked to make very many plays.

The Vikings’ defense played outstanding against an offense that came into the game as one of the league’s hottest. Even aside from the defensive scores, they sacked Kitna five times and allowed a total of just 16 yards on the ground (eight on a surprise QB draw by Kitna).

What you ought to know

QB Jon Kitna, Pass: 23 - 42 - 225 - 1 TD / 3 INT, Rush: 1 - 8 - 1

Kitna’s game started off well enough, despite losing his top target (Roy Williams) to injury on the third play of the game. Kitna was spreading the ball around, threw and ran a touchdown, and generally looked able to make the plays necessary despite being under intense pressure. About the only issue was an interception, but even that wasn’t entirely Kitna’s fault as the ball tipped off WR Mike Furrey’s hands. That was the early going. In the fourth quarter, it all fell apart for Kitna. He was sacked near his own goal line and fumbled the football away, where it was recovered by the Vikings for a touchdown. On Detroit’s last gasp drive, Kitna was under intense pressure again on fourth down and he tried a desperation flip to RB Kevin Jones that was intercepted and run the other way for another defensive touchdown. He then was intercepted on a Hail Mary bomb to close out the offensive plays in the game, making his final stat line look awful.

In truth, Kitna played pretty much the same as he’s played the whole season, except now he had to do so without his best offensive weapon. He nearly took a safety on one occasion, and faced a ton of pressure from all sides throughout the contest, though that is par for the course in Mike Martz’s offense. Several times, Kitna took some hellacious shots that sent him sprawling, something to possibly keep in mind for Kitna’s ability to make it through the whole season. He did show good elusiveness on his touchdown run, an eight yard draw up the middle that really caught the Viking defense by surprise. His other touchdown was on a pass over the middle to TE Dan Campbell, though it should be noted that Campbell appeared to fumble the ball into the end zone where it was recovered by Dominic Raiola. Expect the NFL to consider changing the official scoring on the play from a passing touchdown to a fumble recovery touchdown.

RB Kevin Jones, Rush: 10 - 8 - 0, Rec: 4 - 42 - 0 (7 targets)

Jones had a rough game. There were very few running lanes, and the ones that were there closed up quickly. The Vikings’ front did an outstanding job of containing him, and the Detroit offensive line simply couldn’t get him into space. His long run of the game went for just five yards, and that accounted for more than 50% of his total. Finally, on Jones’ last touch of the game, he appeared to suffer some sort of injury. It wasn’t reported during the game what had happened, but it appeared to be perhaps a concussion. He walked off the field under his own power, but seemed a bit dazed. Despite a seemingly awful showing, all was not lost. Even though OC Mike Martz opted to abandon the running game very early, he still kept Jones relatively involved in the passing game. He caught four balls for 42 yards (both second on the team to Az-Zahir Hakim), and several times he lined up split out as a wide receiver. He also had a tough first down run to convert a fourth and one early in the contest.

RB Shawn Bryson, Rec: 2 - 14 - 0 (2 targets)

Bryson showed outstanding hands and even better concentration by holding onto the ball during a crossing route. The ball was tipped twice in the air before it reached Bryson, and he still managed to hang on despite all the tips and getting hit as the ball reached him. He did not have a carry in the game, however, and his job is limited to spot duty.

WR Az-Zahir Hakim, Rec: 8 - 92 - 0 (12 targets)

With Roy Williams out with a back injury, Hakim became the de facto #1 WR for the Lions. He led all players with 12 targets, and turned in a game high eight receptions for 92 yards. Having spent several seasons in Martz’s offense, he knows the system as well as any player on the roster (Jon Kitna says he knows it better than Kitna) and it showed in this game. Hakim was the go-to guy in several big spots, and responded with a solid effort.

WR Mike Furrey, Rec: 3 - 41 - 0 (9 targets)

When Roy Williams went out of the game with a back injury early on, Furrey had a chance to pick up the slack and have a big game stat-wise. Instead, the defensive focus seemed to shift towards him and he had a very quiet game (relative to what he did a week ago). He showed nice hands on an early reception, but the Lions didn’t make a concerted effort to get the ball to Furrey. His lone big play was actually a negative one. He allowed a ball to go off his fingertips and into the hands of Napoleon Harris.

WR Roy Williams, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets)

Williams caught the first ball thrown his way, but as he was tackled he had his head jammed forward with his chin pointing towards his chest. It appeared to stretch something in his neck or upper back, and he was in considerable pain on the ground. After the commercial break, Williams was all smiles as he walked off the field, but once on the sideline he removed his jersey and pads to get himself checked out. Soon after, he was carted off to the locker room and did not return. If Williams misses any time, it significantly impacts the Lions’ offense. They were a shell of the unit that has been putting up monster numbers the past few weeks, as the offense devolved into much more of a dink and dunk approach with Williams out.

WR Mike Williams (1 targets)

Williams played early when the Lions went to a four receiver set. His name wasn’t called again until early in the second half, when he dropped the one and only ball intended for him on a slant route.

TE Dan Campbell, Rec: 1 - 12 - 1 (2 targets)

Campbell caught a short pass over the middle and turned it into a 12 yard touchdown by fighting off several defenders. It appeared, however, that Campbell actually may have fumbled the ball at the goal line. If the NFL reviews the play and rules that it was a fumble (and it appears they should), the credit for the score will go to Dominic Raiola for a fumble recovery touchdown.

TE Marcus Pollard, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (1 targets)

Pollard was thrown to just once, and caught a four yard pass. As in Saint Louis, there is very little room for a pass-catching tight end in this offensive system, and Pollard continued to be an afterthought in the passing game.

PK Jason Hanson 1 - 1 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 5 points

Amidst questions about declining range, Hanson boomed a 53 yard field goal in the first half that would have been good from plenty longer. He also connected on his two extra points.

DET Rush Defense

The Lions were, for the most part, carved up by Chester Taylor. Even if you use the throw out his longest run philosophy, he still carried the ball 25 other times for 95 yards. His ability to move the pile consistently meant the Vikings never had to become one-dimensional. Because of that, Detroit was never able to simply tee off on Brad Johnson and force him into any bad decisions. The Lions did do a good job in short yardage situations, three times stuffing Taylor at the goal line. Unfortunately, when the run game did the job the passing game did not, and vice versa. One bright spot was the play of LB Ernie Sims, who displayed impressive quickness and a nose for getting around the football.

DET Pass Defense

For nearly the entire game, Minnesota’s offense consisted of a dink and dunk mentality. Late in the game, however, the Lions’ offense had some terrible turnovers that gave Minnesota the football with great field position. Thus, the dink and dunk approach meant they only had to do so for a short time before getting in position to score. Despite averaging fewer than six yards per pass attempt, the Vikings’ passing game was effective in what they attempted. The Lions got almost no pressure on Johnson all game (0 sacks), and the only time they intercepted him was because of a mistake on Johnson’s part (throwing the ball up for grabs as he was hit) and not anything spectacular that Detroit did. Cory Redding nearly came up with an interception on an intended screen pass for Artose Pinner in the first quarter, but he dropped the ball. At 290 pounds, it’s unlikely Redding would have taken it for a 90 yard touchdown, but there were no players in front of him had he caught the ball. Daniel Bullocks also had a deep ball in his hands, but dropped the pass intended for Travis Taylor.

QB Brad Johnson, Pass: 26 - 34 - 201 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0

Johnson didn’t look too good in the early going, throwing mostly underneath and taking few chances downfield. The one time he did try to go up top, he was hit as he threw and the ball was easily intercepted by the Lions. He was also very nearly picked off by Daniel Bullocks on a deep ball, but the pass was dropped. The Vikings ran an extremely conservative offense under Johnson, and he had very few opportunities to score. On one close scoring chance, RB Mewelde Moore took a nine yard screen pass to the three yard line, which led to a Longwell field goal. Johnson did manage to find the end zone once, rolling out and hitting Travis Taylor for a short three yard score. But with the defense playing as well as it did, there was really no need to give Johnson any more leeway and take any chances.

RB Chester Taylor, Rush: 26 - 123 - 0, Rec: 5 - 31 - 0 (5 targets)

Taylor did what you’re supposed to do against weak defenses. He wore them down, running around and through the Detroit defense on his way to a big day. He broke a 28 yard run outside early in the game, and kept up the quality gains throughout the afternoon. He showed nice moves in open space, found the holes, and fought for every last yard. He was over 100 yards by the early fourth quarter, this despite trailing for most of the afternoon. About the only blemish on Taylor’s game (and it could be significant) was his inability to find the end zone. Taylor was stuffed on a first down run from the two yard line in the third quarter, and Tony Richardson’s number was called for a shovel pass on the following play. Later, Taylor was taken down at the Detroit three yard line after a four yard pickup. Following two more Taylor runs that netted a total of one yard, the Vikings were forced to kick a field goal.

RB Mewelde Moore, Rec: 5 - 38 - 0 (5 targets)

Moore didn’t see any action on the ground, but did catch five passes. He very nearly scored on one, taking a nine yard screen pass all the way down to the three yard line. With Chester Taylor’s struggles in short yardage/goal line situations in this game, it’s important to keep an eye out for any player who could conceivably way angle his way into that situation.

WR Travis Taylor, Rec: 4 - 44 - 1 (8 targets)

Taylor followed up one of the most potentially costly plays of the game with one of the most crucial. He fumbled midway through the third quarter trying to stretch out to get a first down, and the ball was recovered by Detroit. Taylor made up for that gaffe early in the fourth quarter, hauling in a wide open three yard touchdown pass from Johnson to close the gap to 17-10.

WR Marcus Robinson, Rec: 3 - 25 - 0 (4 targets)

Robinson had a fairly standard quiet game, about par for the course for him. He never came close to scoring or breaking a big gain, and saw very little action his way.

WR Troy Williamson, Rec: 2 - 11 - 0 (4 targets)

At times, Williamson appears to have hands of stone, as he did on the first ball thrown to him. It was a somewhat difficult play, but one that most NFL receivers will make. Then there are times when he makes excellent catches, such as when he leapt high to haul in an errant Brad Johnson pass late in the game. Add it all up, and it makes sense that Williamson not only has up and down weeks, but up and down quarters.

TE Jermaine Wiggins, Rec: 3 - 22 - 0 (4 targets)

Wiggins wasn’t a focal point of the offense, and was never targeted on anything downfield. He did catch a ball in the red zone and was taken down at the two yard line, but wasn’t targeted again.

TE Jim Kleinsasser, Rec: 2 - 12 - 0 (2 targets)

Kleinsasser’s impact was minimal, with two receptions on his only two targets (each for a short gain).

PK Ryan Longwell 2 - 2 FG, 2 - 3 XP, 8 points

Longwell connected on his two field goal attempts, but his biggest play of the game was a missed extra point that would’ve tied the game at 17 late in the fourth quarter. The kick attempt was actually blocked, not missed, and it ended up not making a difference in the outcome anyway. HC Brad Childress chose not to attempt a 52 yard field goal with just under ten minutes remaining and Minnesota trailing 17-16, opting instead for a pooch punt.

MIN Rush Defense

The Vikings simply dominated this aspect of the game. The front line got a great push right from the outset, and never once allowed Detroit’s run game to get into any type of rhythm. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Detroit had become a completely one-dimensional offense and the Vikings took advantage by bringing the house on Jon Kitna almost every play. If there is any confusion as to how well the Vikings defended the run, a quick glance at the stats for the Lions should tell you all you need to know. About the only hiccup on the Minnesota ledger is an eight yard touchdown run by Jon Kitna on a designed QB draw. The Vikings seemed to be caught completely off-guard by the call, which came on third down and long.

MIN Pass Defense

All afternoon, the Vikings prevented Detroit from really breaking any big gains through the air. Detroit’s offense looked nothing like the one that has put up big numbers to start the season, perhaps a result of losing WR Roy Williams early on to a back injury. The Vikings got intense pressure on Jon Kitna all game long, twice directly resulting in defensive touchdowns for them. The first one was on a forced fumble by Pat Williams and Ben Leber fumble recovery, the second came when Kitna was under pressure and forced to heave the ball away awkwardly. LB E.J. Henderson picked the ball out of the air and took it 45 yards the other way for a score. The Minnesota defense could have gotten even more, as they had Kitna nearly pinned in the end zone for a safety early on. And then late in the contest, Ronyell Whitaker dropped what would have been a sure interception and touchdown the other way. Depending on your league’s scoring, the Vikings defense may or may not have given up a Dan Campbell TD. As it stands now, Campbell caught a 12 yard touchdown pass from Jon Kitna. On replay, it appeared that Campbell fumbled across the goal line and that it was recovered by Dominic Raiola. It’s likely still going to be charged against the Vikings’ defense, but different leagues have different rules, which should be noted in case the NFL decides to change the official record from a passing touchdown to a fumble recovery touchdown.