BALTIMORE – Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said the Detroit Lions were treating Monday's matchup with the Baltimore Ravens as a litmus test early in the season.
"Where do you really stand against the big boys in the league?" Sheppard asked earlier this week.
Detroit showed a nationally-televised audience Monday night that they belong among the league's big boys.
They went on the road and beat a really good Ravens team, 38-30, improving to 2-1 on the season in the process.
Jahmyr Gibbs scored two rushing touchdowns (1 yard & 4 yards), David Montgomery had two rushing scores (1 & 31), and quarterback Jared Goff connected with wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown for an 18-yard touchdown.
Detroit scored on four of their five second-half possessions and racked up 426 total yards of offense in the contest with 224 coming on the ground.
Detroit's defense did a terrific job containing a potent Ravens' offense, limiting Baltimore to less than 100 yards rushing (85) and sacking quarterback Lamar Jackson seven times, tying the record for the most times the former MVP has ever been sacked in a game.
QB comparison: Both Goff and Jackson came into Monday with similar 7-2 career records in Monday Night Football starts.
Goff improved to 8-2 on Monday night after completing a very efficient 20-of-28 passes for 202 yards with one touchdown, no interceptions and a 103.6 rating.
Jackson completed 21 of his 27 passes for 288 yards with three touchdowns, no interceptions and a 148.1 rating. He also rushed for 35 yards on seven carries.
Big moment: Detroit was leading 31-24 with one minute, 56 seconds left on the on the clock, facing a 4th & 2 at their own 49-yard line. Lions head coach Dan Campbell left his offense in the game. Goff hit St. Brown on a 20-yard completion to the Baltimore 31-yard line. Montgomery scored on a 31-yard run on the very next play to put the game away for Detroit.
Key stat: Detroit owned the line of scrimmage on offense. They recorded 224 rushing yards on the evening for a 5.9-yard average and four rushing touchdowns. Goff wasn't sacked at all by the Ravens' defense and was hit just four times all game.
Star performer: The Lions trust both of their top two running backs and won't hesitate to lean on either one depending on who has the hot hand.
Monday was a Montgomery kind of game with his north-south running style and elusiveness in the hole. He ripped off a huge 72-yard run in the third quarter that set up a touchdown and finished with a career-high 151 yards on 12 carries (12.6 avg.) with two touchdowns, including the game winner. Montgomery produced his 13th career 100-yard rushing game and his fifth as a Lion.
Injury report: Second-year running back Sione Vaki left the game late in the second quarter with a groin injury and did not return. Vaki was making his 2025 debut after missing the first two games with a hamstring injury.
Up next: vs. Cleveland (1-2), Sun. Sept. 28, 1 p.m. (FOX)
