After a Week 1 collapse and Week 2 blowout, the Detroit Lions finally got over the hump for their first win of the season. The Arizona Cardinals looked red-hot blowing out Washington last week, but the offense was inconsistent down the stretch, and QB Kyler Murray couldn't get it going on the ground or through the air in a manner that was anywhere close to what we saw over the first couple of weeks.
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Story of the Game
Murray showed that he still has a ways to go as a passer. The Cardinals' win column had masked that the Cardinals passing attack was relatively average through two weeks, and that didn't change in this one, as Murray's three turnover-worthy plays flipped the game in favor of the Lions.
The former Patriots on the Lions defense were the benefactors, as both Jamie Collins Sr. and Duron Harmon had big games, with each reeling in an interception.
One of the biggest issues with the Cardinals' passing attack has been the inability to find a viable No. 2. DeAndre Hopkins once again saw over one-third of the Cardinals' targets; he caught 10 of his 12 targets for 137 yards, but no one else had more than 50 yards. That being said, second-year wideout Andy Isabella had arguably the best game of his career, catching all four of his targets for 47 yards and two scores.
Speaking of wideouts, I'm sure Matthew Stafford is elated to have Kenny Golladay back. Golladay caught six of seven targets for 57 yards and a score. And while that's no monster stat line by any means, it's difficult to put a number on the confidence that having a go-to receiver gives to a quarterback.
Rookie Watch
Rookie cornerback Jeffrey Okudah (and his ankles) will be on pretty much every Kyler Murray highlight reel you'll see the rest of the season, but the Ohio State product got the last laugh. It was an incredibly rocky performance for Okudah, who gave up over 100 yards for the second consecutive week, but his second-half interception was crucial to the Lions' comeback.
Lions guard Jonah Jackson was the only other rookie who saw meaningful snaps, as Quintez Cephus was relegated to backup duty with Golladay back healthy. Jackson was once again outstanding in pass protection; he didn't allow a single pressure on 35 pass-blocking snaps.
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