The Detroit Lions entered Week 12 tied for the best record in the NFL and looking to be the first team in the NFC to reach 10 wins. The team traveled down to Indianapolis to take on the 5-6 Colts. The Lions were looking to remain undefeated on the road this season, entering the game 5-0 away from Ford Field. Detroit was over a touchdown favorite coming into the game but would Aaron Glenn have his banged-up defense ready to face the second-year quarterback, Anthony Richardson? Could Jared Goff repeat his dominating performance from last week?
Lions Solid First Half
The Colts began against the “Kings of the NFC” the game trying to display their duel-threat quarterback, Anthony Richardson, by establishing the pass and his legs. The Colts were able to move the ball easily against this Lions’ defense but stalled near the goal line, settling for 3 points. The Lions’ offense’s first drive ended a chance of going 7 straight possessions to score a touchdown like they did last week against the Jags.
There was a rare Jack Fox sighting. The punter was able to pin the Colts down at the 10-yard line to start their second drive. The Colts were able to keep Detroit’s offense off the field most of the first quarter resulting in a 3-0 lead after one.
The second quarter started with their second possession with a 10-play 58-yard drive, and a Jahmyr Gibbs 1-yard touchdown run to cap off the drive. This would be Sonic’s 9th touchdown of the season. Gibbs became the 3rd Lions running back to have 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns in their first 2 seasons, following Hall of Famer Barry Sanders and Billy Sims. Sonic and Knuckles became the first running-back duo to have back-to-back seasons with 9 touchdowns each.
The Colts took advantage of the depleted Lions’ secondary by taking shots downfield and picking on backup corner Kindle Vindor. Vindor started the game for injured rookie Terrion Arnold. Arnold was ruled out Saturday evening with a groin injury. The Lions’ defense held strong once again in the red zone forcing the Colts to field goal for the second time. The Lions were able to go 11 plays for 70 yards with this time David Montgomery 6 yard touchdown run.
Both scoring drives had key third down plays where offense coordinator Ben Johnson dialed up a run play in what seemed like an obvious passing down, picking up both of them. The Lions’ offense has been able to keep opponents off balance all season.
Detroit Continues To Roll In Second Half
The Lions entered the second half with a 14-6 lead and received the ball to start the half. The Lions were able to move the ball down the field but were stuffed behind the line on a 4th and 1 inside the red zone, resulting in no points for the visiting Lions. The Colts took over and immediately continued to target the Lions’ corner Vindor. At times during the game, Indy was simply beating themselves with costly penalties, bringing back big plays, leaving Anthony Richardson frustrated.
The Lions’ second possession of the second half was a proficient one, going 11 plays for 79 yards with Gibbs second touchdown of the game, this time from five yards out. Detroit suffered a couple of game injuries that could be concerning, with David Montgomery (shoulder) entering the blue tent, Left Tackle Taylor Decker (back) leaving the game, and Returner/Receiver Khalif Raymond (foot) going back to the locker room, Carlton Davis would also go down with an apparent leg injury. This team has battled injuries all year, with key pieces missing time, but they always seem to find a way to win. The Colts had four straight possessions in the second half that ended with a punt.
Detroit’s Kicker Jake Bates remained perfect in his young career, adding a 56-yard field goal, putting the Lions up by three scores with six minutes left. Despite the score, the Lions did not dominate this game. The mental errors of the Colts offense giving up yardage due to penalties cost them this game. It seemed like every big play the Colts got would be negated due to a penalty. Indy was penalized on 10 occasions and versus a tough team like Detroit you simply need to be more disciplined.
Final Thoughts
The Detroit Lions are the first team in the NFC to get to 10 wins after the win against the Colts. The banged-up defense limited the Colts to six points. This fan base may be the best in the NFL, but throughout the game, you could hear “Let’s Go Lions” and “Jared Goff” at Lucas Oil Stadium. The winning streak is now nine games, and they are still undefeated on the road. Their longest winning streak since their team’s first year in existence in 1934. Damn, this team is good!
