The Detroit Lions picked up a big win on Monday Night Football over Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. A big part of their victory came from a rather unlikely source, as well. Detroit's pass rush popped off against the Ravens in Baltimore. And things reached a new low for Baltimore as a result.
The Lions sacked Jackson seven times on Monday night. Defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammed led the way with 2.5 sacks. But Detroit consistently got pressure on Jackson and were able to bring him down. For a Detroit pass rush that's been a major question mark, this is a very encouraging sign.
The Lions' performance will live in Baltimore history, as well. This seven-sack performance ties the franchise record for the most sacks allowed in a single game, according to Lions PR on social media.
Lions defense shuts down Lamar Jackson, Ravens' run game
Jackson is an elite quarterback who is easily top five in the NFL. Even being sacked seven times, the Ravens quarterback was able to make things happen. He threw for 288 yards on the night while tossing three touchdowns. Two of these went to veteran Mark Andrews, including one with less than 30 seconds remaining.
However, the Lions kept Jackson's impact on the ground to a minimum. In fact, the run game as a whole didn't do much on Monday Night Football. Detroit's defense held Jackson to 35 yards, while star running back Derrick Henry went for just 50 yards on 12 carries.
It was Detroit that controlled the game on the ground on offense. The Lions rushed for over 220 yards on the night, with David Montgomery going for 151 yards on his own. He and Jahmy Gibbs combined for four rushing touchdowns on the game, as well.
This is the sort of performance Detroit expects from itself. It's a statement victory away from home, and it gives them a ton of confidence moving forward. The Lions return home in Week 4 as they host the Cleveland Browns on September 28th.
