Under rainy conditions on Thursday evening, the Detroit Lions clashed with the Cincinnati Bengals, ultimately coming up short in a 16-14 defeat after a final comeback drive fell flat.
On the whole, Detroit’s performance left a favorable impression. Despite a handful of errors, the encouraging moments clearly eclipsed the missteps. The Bengals deployed their primary starting unit throughout the opening quarter, yet the Lions’ second-stringers rose to the challenge—an encouraging sign for Kelvin Sheppard as he heads into his sophomore season calling the shots for Detroit’s defense.
While the final scoreboard is set, how do the individual statistics and Pro Football Focus ratings stack up? Below is an in-depth breakdown focusing entirely on the offensive side of the ball.
Offensive Breakdown
Quarterback: Luke Altmyer
Completing 13 of his 22 pass attempts, Altmyer threw for a single touchdown alongside a pair of interceptions. However, only one of those turnovers can truly be pinned on the quarterback; the other was a well-placed throw that deflected off the helmet of Isaac Teslaa before being snatched by the Bengals’ defense.
It was Altmyer who orchestrated the Lions’ sole touchdown drive near the end of the final period. His poise under pressure was particularly noteworthy; he never appeared rattled or overwhelmed. Instead, he maintained his composure, scanned the field, successfully drew defenders away from his primary targets, and executed his progressions effectively.
The quarterback concluded the game with a PFF rating of 64.5.
Backfield / Running Backs
Due to Sione Vaki sidelined by a broken nose and Isaiah Pacheco sidelined with an MCL sprain, backfield duties were split among Jacob Saylors, Kyle Robichaux, and Raheem Blackshear.
Combined, this three-headed rushing attack accumulated 119 yards on 21 rushing attempts, registering a healthy average of 5.66 yards per attempt.
Taking the initial snaps at running back, Saylors turned eight touches on the ground into 55 yards, highlighted by the matchup’s longest run of 27 yards. He also contributed through the air, reeling in three of his five targets for an additional 28 receiving yards.
For his efforts, Saylors secured the team’s top offensive evaluation with an outstanding PFF score of 87.1.
The latest addition to the Detroit backfield, Blackshear, gained 33 yards on five rushing attempts, showcasing his playmaking with a 24-yard sprint. His performance earned him a 52.9 PFF mark.
Robichaux matched the team high with eight carries of his own, though they yielded only 31 yards, fueled primarily by a single 23-yard run. He walked away with a 64.6 PFF rating.
Receiving Corps
Dominic Lovett was the primary focus of the passing attack, drawing a team-leading eight targets. He was only able to secure three receptions, however, totaling 28 yards. Over 32 offensive plays, he registered a PFF rating of 64.4.
Cedrick Wilson made the most of his limited 15 snaps, catching his lone target of the night for a gain of 23 yards.
In a disappointing turn of events, Isaac Teslaa struggled significantly. He dropped two passes; the first directly led to an interception, while the second stalled a crucial fourth-down conversion attempt. Teslaa was targeted three times across 17 plays, receiving the third-lowest offensive score on the team with a 42.0 PFF grade.
Tarik Black brought in one of his two targets to score the solitary touchdown of the evening for Detroit.
Greg Dortch saw minimal action, getting targeted once during his brief seven-snap appearance.
The Offensive Line
Blake Miller anchored the front five with a standout performance over 39 plays. Split between 24 pass-protection snaps and 15 run-blocking assignments, his reliable play earned him a 66.5 PFF grade.
On the other hand, Miles Frazier had a night to forget. Though he stayed on the field for the entire 66-snap duration, he was flagged twice for holding and ended up with the team’s worst offensive PFF mark at 37.7.
Christian Mahogany was on the field for 39 plays, earning a PFF grade of 55.8.
Undrafted newcomer Melvin Priestley made an impact in his 27 snaps, leading all Detroit linemen with a team-best 66.9 grade.
With Cade Mays facing an extended 8-to-10-week absence due to a wrist injury, the battle for the starting center spot heats up between Seth McLaughlin, Michael Niese, and Juice Scruggs.
McLaughlin saw 39 snaps of action compared to Niese’s 27. Niese struggled with ball security, delivering two poor snaps that turned into fumbles and leading to a low offensive grade of 38.6. Conversely, McLaughlin turned in a solid performance, grading out at 62.1.
Larry Borom also played 39 snaps during the matchup, though he was deployed at left tackle rather than the right tackle position where he is battling Miller for playing time. He finished the night with a 43.3 grade.
