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First Down

IT WAS A FUN DAY FOR THE OFFENSIVE LINE
Center Dominic Raiola said Sunday's game in Jacksonville was just one of those "fun" games for an offensive lineman.

The game plan going in was to run the football and the Lions did it to perfection. The offense rushed for 149 yards – their highest output of the season – and scored four rushing touchdowns in a game for the first time since 2005.

It also marked the first game the Lions have won in the Matthew Stafford era without him throwing a touchdown. That's how productive the run game was.

"As an offensive line we're all for having Calvin (Johnson) catch the ball and Matthew (Stafford) throw the ball, but you don't want to be on your heels all game," right tackle Gosder Cherilus said.

"When we get a chance to go at those guys, be aggressive, do some of the things we love to do and show our true colors, it feels good out there."

The Lions averaged 4.4 yards per carry on 34 attempts. The Jaguars didn't have one tackle for loss in any of those 34 carries.

They began the game with their jumbo package when they bring in rookie tackle Riley Reiff as a sixth blocker and used the formation extensively throughout the game.

Reiff had a number of blocks that sprung nice runs and his block allowed running back Mikel Leshoure to walk into the end zone for his first touchdown.

"Yeah. It's part of what we do," Lions head coach Jim Schwartz said of the package. "He does a good job blocking point of attack. He does a good job blocking on the edge. He does a good job pass protecting when we call passes with it. He does a nice job with it."

The Lions did a nice job running the football from the line to the backs to the receivers blocking down the field.

When the Lions get that type of efficiency in the run game, they're scary good on offense.

Second Down

DEFENSE FLYING UNDER THE RADAR
The Lions defense isn't getting enough credit for the job they're doing so far this season, especially since they have yet to start the same combination of players in their secondary in any two games.

They entered Sunday's game ranked ninth in overall defense, allowing 324.6 yards per game.

The Jaguars aren't exactly the Patriots on offense, but they're still an NFL-caliber offense and the Lions held them to 279 total yards.

It is the fourth time this season the Lions have held an opponent to under 300 yards of total offense. Comparatively, they accomplished that only twice in 17 games (including the playoff game) last season.

Opponents have scored a rushing touchdown only twice this season.

The Jaguars didn't cross the 50-yard line until nine seconds remaining in the first quarter and they didn't record a first down until their fourth possession of the game.

Expect the Lions to move up a few more spots in the defensive rankings this week.

Third Down

SAFETIES STEPPING UP
For a second straight week the Lions received a good performance from a backup safety. In last week's victory over Seattle it was Ricardo Silva. Sunday, it was Erik Coleman.

Coleman was starting for the injured Amari Spievey (concussion) and finished with three tackles, two passes defended and an interception.

His interception in the third quarter came on the Jaguars' first possession of the second half. Coleman should have had two interceptions, but a second-quarter pick was nullified by an illegal hands to the face penalty by defensive end Willie Young.

"Unfortunately his one interception was overturned, but I think he did a nice job in coverage," Schwartz said.

"That was a great inception in the game and stopped their first drive of the second half, gave our offense the ball back. We've had a lot of issues with injuries in the secondary, but Erik, safety Ricardo Silva, cornerback Jonte Green; we've got contributions from a lot of guys stepping up and playing."

The Lions are banged up the back end, but continue to have guys step up, and it seems like it's someone new each week.

Fourth Down

BROYLES SHOWCASING HIS SKILL SET
Lions general manager Martin Mayhew and Schwartz called receiver Ryan Broyles a chain-mover when they drafted him in the second round.

Playing out of the slot, Broyles has a knack for getting open and Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is starting to be the beneficiary.

Broyles caught all six of his targets at Jacksonville Sunday and three were third-down conversions.

"I'm really comfortable with him," Stafford said of Broyles. "He's a smart kid. He wants to be good. He's winning for me. You win and you get the ball like all these guys have been doing. He had the big third down.

"Even at the end of the game, just to keep that drive alive and milk some more clock and go down and get a touchdown. That's a play we've got to have and a play he made, so he was great for us."

Broyles understands the middle of the field and that's what makes a great slot receivers.