Lions 45, Cardinals 21: a 24-0 second quarter settles it in Glendale
Detroit beat Arizona 45-21 in Glendale on 11 October, with Jared Goff and Jacoby Brissett each throwing three touchdown passes and the Lions outscoring the Cardinals 24-0 in the second quarter.
Detroit's 45-21 win at State Farm Stadium in Glendale carried the Detroit Lions past the Arizona Cardinals on 11 October, per the AP recap carried by ESPN. Jared Goff and Jacoby Brissett each threw three touchdown passes, per ESPN, but Brissett also threw an interception and Detroit had no turnovers.
How the points came
Pacy's match stats show the margin was built in one quarter. Arizona scored seven in the first while Detroit scored none, then the Lions scored 24 in the second while the Cardinals scored nothing, leaving Detroit ahead 24-7 at half time. Detroit added 14 in the third to lead 38-14, and both sides scored seven in the fourth. Pacy's match stats record an attendance of 60,968. The 45 points were more than the Lions scored in either of their previous two games.
The quarterbacks
Per ESPN, Goff completed 19 of 30 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for a touchdown himself. Brissett completed 29 of 47 for 292 yards and three touchdowns, per ESPN. Pacy's match stats put Goff's average at 9.0 yards per attempt and Brissett's at 6.2, with passer ratings of 125.8 and 91.8. Brissett was sacked five times for 28 yards and Goff three times for 22.
Gibbs and the receivers
Jahmyr Gibbs rushed 25 times for 151 yards and two touchdowns, per ESPN. Pacy's match stats show his average at 6.0 yards a carry and his longest run at 22, and Detroit's rushing line finished at 163 yards on 32 carries. Sam LaPorta caught five passes for 88 yards and a touchdown, and Arizona's Kendrick Bourne caught five for 70, per ESPN. Pacy's match stats also list Jameson Williams with two catches for 47 yards and two touchdowns, Amon-Ra St. Brown with six for 69 yards on 11 targets, and Arizona's Trey McBride with nine for 66 yards and a touchdown.
The numbers behind the margin
| Team stat | Detroit Lions | Arizona Cardinals |
|---|---|---|
| Total yards | 412 | 327 |
| Yards per play | 6.3 | 4.6 |
| First downs | 24 | 20 |
| Third-down conversions | 4 of 13 | 8 of 18 |
| Fourth-down conversions | 4 of 4 | 2 of 3 |
| Rushing yards (carries) | 163 (32) | 56 (18) |
| Possession | 29:49 | 30:11 |
| Red zone (made of attempts) | 4 of 4 | 3 of 4 |
| Penalties (yards) | 4 (31) | 5 (45) |
| Sacks suffered (yards lost) | 3 (22) | 5 (28) |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
Source: Pacy's match stats.
Arizona converted more third downs, 8 of 18, than Detroit did at 4 of 13, yet the Lions gained 85 more yards and averaged 6.3 yards per play to Arizona's 4.6. Detroit's rushing edge, 163 yards to 56, is the widest gap in the table, and the Lions went 4 of 4 on fourth downs and 4 of 4 in the red zone. Possession was close, at 29:49 for Detroit and 30:11 for Arizona. On defense, Budda Baker had 11 total tackles and one sack for Arizona, per Pacy's match stats.
What it means
Pacy's recent-results data shows Arizona lost 24-36 at the New York Giants on 4 October and 30-36 at San Francisco on 27 September. Detroit lost 26-32 at Carolina on 5 October, after a 31-24 home win over the New York Jets on 27 September. Across those two games, Arizona scored 54 and conceded 72, while Detroit scored 57 and conceded 56. This was a third straight defeat for Arizona, and its 21 points were its lowest total of the three.