The Lions' inability to hold on to leads has been well documented this season. In all three losses this year, the Lions led by double digits and couldn't hold on to win.
Detroit jumped out to a 14-3 lead in Jacksonville Sunday, but this time kept their foot on the gas and stayed the course, securing a 34-16 win to improve their record to 2-3 on the season.
Rookie running back D’Andre Swift had his best game as a Lion, rushing 14 times for 116 yards and two touchdowns. He's the first Lions rookie to run for 100-plus yards and score two touchdowns in a game since Barry Sanders in 1989. Swift came into the contest rushing just 12 times for 42 yards with one score in four games. He certainly looked like a lead back Sunday.
For the game, Detroit rushed for 180 yards.
Running back Adrian Peterson rushed for a 1-yard touchdown and tight end T.J. Hockenson caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Matthew Stafford to round out the scoring outside of two Matt Prater field goals. It was Stafford's first touchdown pass in three career games against the Jaguars. He's now thrown a touchdown pass against all 31 NFL opponents.
Detroit's defense played very well, holding Jacksonville to just 275 total yards and 44 yards on the ground.
QB comparison: Stafford was pretty solid all day, completing 19-of-31 passes for 223 yards with that one touchdown to Hockenson and an interception. He also rushed twice for 19 yards and finished with an 80.4 passer rating.
Jacksonville's Gardner Minshew completed 25 of his 44 passes for 243 yards with a touchdown and interception (safety Duron Harmon). He finished with a 70.5 passer rating.
Promising trend: Detroit's defense came into the game allowing a league-worst 170.3 yards per game on the ground to opponents. It was a major focus over the bye week, and Detroit knew they had to be better in that regard moving forward.
Detroit's defense allowed just 44 rushing yards to the Jaguars for an average of 2.75 yards per carry.
It was a much better effort by the Lions' defense against the run this week.
Worrisome trend: Stafford threw his fourth interception of the season and his third that came in Detroit's own territory. Stafford was intercepted early in the third quarter by linebacker Joe Schobert at the Lions' 20-yard line, but it didn't come back to hurt the Lions.
Detroit's defense held strong and made the Jags turn the ball over on downs with a failed 4th and 4 attempt from the 14-yard line. Still, Stafford has to take better care of the football in Lions' territory.
Injury report: Detroit was forced to shuffle around players upfront after tackle Tyrell Crosby and right guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai left the game due to dehydration. Neither player returned to the game. The temperature in Jacksonville Sunday was around 80 degrees.
The Lions also lost defensive end Julian Okwara in the first half to an undisclosed lower-body injury. He also didn't return to the game.
Wide receiver Danny Amendola got rolled upon in the second half after making a catch along the sideline and came up limping. He also did not return.
