19:37 EDT (btw, last DT for a while, next diary will start in Standard Time. This is the first football blog that gives Daylight Savings Time end reminders. You’re welcome.) — Monday Night Football! Devil’s Night! What an exciting time to be a Lions fan. And it’s suddenly very chilly outside. Great football weather. Not that this will affect anyone inside Ford Field, but still. Good for the pre-game mojo.
19:41 — Speaking of pre-game, let me rundown the viewing situation. Watching the game sans puppy for at least the first half. She’s tired enough for a nighttime nap and has been a pill all day long. So there’s gonna be a lot less chaos. Snackery is streamlined as well: a bag of unsalted pretzels. A Sprite. That’s it. Also, I think I’m gonna mute game audio and just play a middle season of ‘Friends’ for the first quarter or half or whenever things begin to look dire as a small tribute to Matthew Perry.
19:43 — A pre-game segment with a long-named sideline reporter amidst a throng of sauced Lions fans makes me think about how common it was to see fights at a Lions game when I was a young boy. I kinda hope that’s subsided, but not 100%. The aforementioned long-named sideline reporter is doing what looks like an extensive interview with Dan Campbell. A more run-of-the-mill blog might be listening to this interview, relaying the insight gained from it to you, the reader. But I’m here to tell you I’ve got the ‘Friends’ episode on where they’re tossing a ball for a long time and Phoebe is nervous about moving in with Michael Rapaport. I think we’re familiar enough with Campbell.
19:49 — The Lions’s all-grey uniforms are just short of hideous. The helmets have a novel appeal but are otherwise not too great either. The old logo on the hat is terrific but the team just looks weird in blue helmets. On the plus side: grey facemasks AKA the best feature on any football uniform. I’ll say it here on the record for the 10,000th time: go back to the 1991 uniforms. They’ve always been our best by a wide margin.
19:55 — As ESPN shows B-roll of Hitsville, USA and The Fist and a guy is singing a rockin’ cover of Lionel Richie’s ‘All Night Long’, the ‘Friends’ roll I got going has the montage where Chandler is not good at catching objects, including a football. Let’s hope this coincidence electromagnetically takes all the drop mojo away from the Lions, who I have on a screen only a few feet away. I gotta admit, having a working knowledge of the advanced sciences can have such practical applications.
20:01 — Still about 15 minutes from kick. The Lions will be without Frank Ragnow’s services, which is a huge blow. Along with missing Jonah Jackson and Davey, we’ve really got an uphill battle from the start, injury-wise. Hopefully it won’t matter too much. If division standings hold pace our main concern would be to have these guys healthy for a playoff push. It’s probably way too early to start thinking about that, but after yesterday’s results, the Lions are the prohibitive favorite among the handicappers.
20:04 — There’s a small highlight package of Maxx Crosby. He had a triangle-shaped sobriety facemask but someone caught their finger in it and hurt it so the league said, “Can it with the sobriety stuff, Croz. Have a normal facemask.” Not the most interesting anecdote in the world, but worth a mention.
20:09 — They just showed a childhood photo of Maxx Crosby in a Joey Harrington (Joey Ballgame, Joey Blueskies, John Joseph Harrington, Esq.) uniform. Joey Ballgame. Gosh, we’ve been through some rough times. I hereby summon this MNF victory as retribution for the suffering we bore under Joey Ballgame. I’m stopping updates until the game starts, Joey’s driving to Las Vegas.
First Quarter
14:56 — Okay, the uniforms look better on the playing field. Still, a grey v. white/silver game looks a little bland. The little dots of blue being the only colors out there make this look like a Colecovision game.
13:39 — A terrific Goff-to-The Door pass get the Lions a first down on 3rd-and-3. Good, methodical start to the drive. Striving for healthy, safe chunk gains in the early downs, wide open playbook on 3rd.
11:53 — Gibbs get a first down up the left side on a nice swing pass from but Goff but then Jared is snowed under on the next play and forced to throw it away.
11:35 — Another crisp short pass to Jah Gibbs makes it a manageable 3rd-and-4…
11:04 — Which is converted by yet another short pass to Jah! If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
9:42 — Craigster!! Mr. Reynolds The Runner beefs up the middle for 12. Offense is running hot.
8:35 — On 2nd-and-8, we change the play at the line at it goes very much nowhere. This, coming out of a Raider timeout. Grrr…
7:56 — From 44 yards away, Riley “Pat Riley” Patterson drills it nice and easy! Not the ideal start, but an acceptable one against a defense that stiffened up after opening jitters. 3-0, Lions!! Now let’s see this Detroit defense go nuts.
7:41 — Pressure doesn’t get home and Josh Jacobs stiff-arms Anzalone into a different dimension and the Raiders get a huge gain on their first play. Get insane, Aaron Glenn! Fast and loose!
6:22 — A valiant effort from Garoppolo to try and gallop up the left side for a first down, but he had to take a pretty hard hit from Anzo and he still came up short. Raiders are punting it back. Nice start, defense!
4: 59 — After a small gain on first down, we get our first taste of The Special Relationship, as Goff fires a nice pass to Josh Reynolds AKA Mr. Reynolds The Receiver. But egads! Reynolds carries it rather weakly and the ball get easily fumbled away. Raider Ball in the red zone.
4:51 — But Sweet Moses!! The Lions get the ball back on a Kerby Joe pick after a truly awful Jimmy G pass intended for Adams! This is about as action packed as a 3-0 game can get.
4:04 — Another quick pair of incompletions from Goff under pressure highlight that the Lions O-Line is in rough shape. The Raiders are doing a pretty good job taking advangtage. Lions giving the ball back.
3:09 — The defense stands tall against tough runs from Josh Jacobs. Raiders going for it on 4th-and-2…
2:29 — And they fail!!! Great coverage and a fortunate slip by Hunter Renfrow, and it’s a Leo ball near midfield!! Let’s rock.
2:09 — Goff-to-Sun God makes its debut on the night, a nifty slide up the right for a first down, followed by an 8-yarder up the middle.
0:22 — Jared Goff (maybe henceforth Joff) kinda misfires and Jamo can’t adjust on what could’ve been six if they were both a little sharper. 3rd-and-11…
0:15 — And it goes!! Holy cow. Goff-to-Wiz on a drag over the middle against the way the defense (and our 3 other WRS) were flowing. What a well-conceived play from BenJo. That’ll end the quarter. Lions threatening, up 3.
Second Quarter
14:21 — A holding call on Decker, not a bad call I guess, puts us back on the 16 for 2nd-and-goal. A draw up the middle to Wiz — which never seems to go anywhere — makes it a tough situation for the boys on 3rd, and they don’t convert. Oh dear, we’re going for it on 4th-and-goal from the 8…
12:35 — No, we’re not. Taking a delay of game to make some room for Pat Riley’s kick, which is good! Lions threaten again but fail to capitalize. They’ll have to finish some of these drives to win this game comfortably. But give credit to the Raiders, they’re playing tough. 6-0, Good Guys!
11:36 — Alim tips a Jimmy G pass at the line, which sets up a 3rd-and-6 pass that gets beautifully defended by Jerry Jacobs. The defense is doing a really fine job of getting off the field quickly. If the O can sustain a few more long drives we could really start to wear them down.
11:16 — Goff does a play-action fake to no one, but then goes cold rope over the middle to the Sun God. Huge gain, Lions down to the Raider 34.
10:36 — A jet sweep to Jamo gets as blown up as a football play possibly can be. Poor Jamo. He’s caught some tough breaks.
9:56 — A Goff-to-Sun God pass for a first down lets the Lions decline a Raider penalty. As has been the case twice already tonight, the Leos are rolling. Let’s hope they can cash in.
8:12 — After a nice pass to The Door and an awfully blocked pass to Sun God, Goffman gets his throw batted down on 3rd-and-forever. Pat Riley’s on to make it 9. He does so! Splits the uprights. 9-0 Lions. They’ve done it the hard way but it’s now a two-possession game.
6:53 — A decent-looking drive by the Raiders is helped along by a personal foul against Jerry Jacobs. In between the 20s, the Lions are looking like a terrific offense. But near the end zone things aren’t looking so sharp. And it appears as though our defense is waning.
5:20 — Another Raider first down on a Jacobs beefer between the tackles. Gotta see more grit from the boys if that’s gonna be their marketing word.
3:35 — On the most critical play of the half, the Raiders bully the Lions right up the middle again. The middle of the defense is getting totally dominated by the Raider O-Line on this drive. No other way to say it.
2:56 — To wit, there’s Josh Jacobs just toughing through the middle of our squad for an easy touchdown. 9-7, Lions still up but all momentum lies with Las Vegas.
2:45 — A run up the middle from Jah goes nowhere. The Raiders have quickly taken a firm upper hand on this game.
2:00 — But Goff-to-Jamo comes through with perfect timing. Long gain over the middle, Lions in Raider territory. That was a big throw from Jared in a collapsing pocket, and a pro catch from Williams in a decent amount of traffic. Desperately needed first down, big play.
1:44 — After a great screen to Jah Gibbs, he’s called on again to beef it up the middle and comes through huge. The nice gain is wiped out by offsetting penalties, of which our’s was kind of BS.
0:39 — After a Goffie to Sun God, Gibbs gets stymied up the middle. There’s not a huge sense of urgency coming from the Detroit side. You get the sense they’re playing for 3. I might be wrong. If I’m right that’s disappointing.
0:27 — OF COURSE I WASN’T RIGHT!! TOUCHDOOOOOOWN DETROIT LIONS!!! Goff-to-Sam “The Door” La Porta!!! What a nice toss into a tight window from Goff. And The Door just looks incredible out there. He doesn’t move around like a rookie, he looks smooth and polished with veteran poise. What a huge touchdown to get before the half. 16-7, Lions!
0:17 — Raiders are content to run out the clock. They’re getting the ball to start the next half. Overall, not a bad start to the game. We’ve left some points on the field, but we’ve remain composed and confident.
Third Quarter
14:40 — Hoping to see the defense dial up the dynamism in this half. Maybe Glenn’s playing conservative because he doesn’t trust the corners on islands. Regardless, Jim G easily throws a first down to Adams on the first play.
14:19 — After a short run, some good Leo presh forces Jim G to rush an errant throw. Big 3rd-and-9 coming up…
13:45 — And Garoppolo gets saaaaacked!! Great moves by Julian Okwara bring down the Raider QB and they’re forced to punt. Injury timeout for Jakub Johnson on the Raiders.
12:51 — Gibbs rattles off a 20-yarder on the left, bouncing and caroming off would-be tacklers.
11:32 — OH GOOD HEAVENS. Marcus Peters reads Goff like an Archie comic and picks off a soft-to-the-sideline toss from Jared. Then he houses it. What a disaster. Raiders within two, 14-16.
10:29 — Craigster gets a touch. He hasn’t gotten nearly enough. His and the line’s greaat effort gets us a 3rd-and-5…
9:54 — Which Goff converts with a beautiful dart to the Sun God! My gosh Amon-Ra is racking up the stats these days.
8:51 — BenJo seems to be slightly out of sync with who to run, where and when. Let’s hope he’s being a little stubborn on this in an effort to help our limited RB stable get into their own rhythm. The running game hasn’t looked like a tone-setting force thus far, and I don’t think it’s because the Raiders are lights-out.
8:02 — On cue, Craigster makes my previosu statement look stupid and trucks up the middle while sort of taking a ride on his tackler into a first down they get by 4 inches. What a play.
7:30 — Craigster again!! This time on a short pass to the right. He is the hammer and the Raiders are the nails. I hope his attitude permeates throughout the whole team. He’s being a badass right now.
6:56 — Speaking of badass, Jah Gibbs scampers up the right side for twenty yards and makes it look easy. Lions inside the 5.
5:40 — Consecutive Craigster runs are stuffed hard, and the second one actually results in a called fumble. Oh No!! It’s suddenly Raider ball. What a catastrophe, so close to scoring. They’re gonna take a look at the replay, but they called it a fumble on the field and this’ll be hard to overturn. Joe Buck’s convinced it’ll stick. Oh yeah, I turned on the ESPN audio and relegated ‘Friends’ to background noise.
5:29 — The crowd finally makes their impact felt and the Raiders false start on their first play.
4:41 — A great open field tackle from Cam Sutton sets up a crucial 3rd-and-4…
4:14 — That the Raiders fail to convert!! A nice enough pass from Jimmy G gets juggled by Adams for really no reason. Raiders gotta punt, but Lions are getting too lucky for my comfort level, man.
3:20 — A hold on Josh Reynolds gets the Lions some decent field position, but the offense needs to finish these drives.
3:13 — OF COURSE! JAH GIBBS! What a terrific run across the field to the right for a TOUCHDOOOOWN DETROIT LIONS!!! What a clutch performance from the most consistent player on offense all night. Big ups to Jah Gibbs, that was awesome.
1:54 — After a great catch from their rook TE Michael Mayer, the Raiders drive is eventually stopped by Alim after he spin moves right into Jimmy G for another Leo saaaack. Things are looking our way again. A game turning positively for the Lions in the third quarter? The NFL is a long season full of many seemingly contradictory trends.
1:00 — Gibbs was stymied behing the line, then made it look effortless as he spritely bounced back and changed direction like 10º to make an 11-yard run. What a game he’s having. This will more or less wrap things up for the quarter.
Fourth Quarter
14:52 — His chemistry with Goff, the way BenJo uses him; LaPorta is an excellent TE in a vacuum, but there’s no denying he’s in a perfect situation on the perfect team for his young self. He picks up another first down.
13:44 — Jah Gibbs goes for 9 and then for 2, which equals a yardage greater than 10, which yields another first down for the Lions. Gibbs is having his career-best game. Nice to see. My goodness, when Davey comes back you could make a good argument the Lions have the most versatile RB stable in the league.
11:17 — We sneak Goff and someone pushes his tushy on a 4th-and-1 during a long Dan Campbell praise sesh from Buck & Aikman. He’s worthy of the praise, what else is there to say? A good leader, an inspiring coach.
10:04 — Goff had the Wiz Man for a huge gain but he threw it behind. What a shame, that would’ve been a doozy. Leos let Pat Riley try a 52-yarder, which he knuckles through. It’s a 12-point game, but you get the feeling the Raiders have a few combos left. The issue is still in doubt.
9:54 — Holy smokes! A muffed pick-up on the kickoff pins the Raiders on their own 2…
9:49 — And Garoppolo has to fire a desperation rocket to avoid the safety. Yamahama.
9:45 — On the next play, Jack Campbell comes flying in and drills Jimmy G’s Jimmy knee. A rightfully called roughing penalty later and the Raiders have some breathing room.
8:23 — Anzo and Alim record two consecutive sacks. Indeed, the Leo defense looks fresh and vibrant. Kudos to the Lions they’ve really ham ‘n’ egged this game quite well.
7:17 — Raiders going for it on 4th-and-10…
6:55 — And Anzo sacks him!! His second sack on this drive! What a time for the deef to come alive. I think Glenn is slowly embracing the mania.
6:48 — Craigster beefs for 11 like it’s nothing. Our O-line has again been stellar tonight, especially considering their injuries. The RBs have ran very well, they haven’t wasted the excellent blocking.
5:19 — A Craigster TD is called back for a hold.
5:03 — The Door drops a super easy one. Might not’ve been a touchdown anyway, but still.
4:59 — And now Pat Riley misses the easy chip shot. Still only a 12-point lead. We’re letting them hang around and who the heck knows what they’re capable of?
4:23 — Garoppolo badly overthrows a completely wide open Davante Adams. Among the worst overthrows you’ll ever see in the NFL, truly. The Lions are dodging huge bullets.
4:14 — The Lions’s sixth sack of the night puts the Raiders in 4th-and-17…
3:30 — Which they fail to convert. Barring some true catastrophes, this one should start getting salt.
2:00 — Buck says the Raiders defense deserves some credit. He’s not wrong, they’re not quitting. The Lions have a 4th-and-2 as we go into the warning.
1:49 — The Lions convert their final drive’s 4th-and-2 with a nice little play action to the tight end, and that makes it time for victory formation!! LIONS WIN!!! 6-2 and they cover their spread!!! What a great Devil’s Night in Detroit!! Some quality performances in some challenging circumstances, and pretty good coaching. A nice W.
0:00 — Thanks fo much for reading this Running Diary. It was nice to see the Lions get back in the win column. I hope you enjoyed reading it! We won’t be back with a Running Diary for a while because the Lions are entering their bye week, but come back later this week for picks on other games! Auf Wiedersehen!
