The Lions offense hasn’t been able to lean on wide receiver Calvin Johnson on Sunday as the ankle injury that bothered him all week appears to be limiting how much he can help against the Jets.
Johnson was in and out of the game all half and had just one catch for six yards. That made for a tough time for Detroit at points, but they have managed to get to halftime with a 17-3 lead over the Jets. The biggest play was a 59-yard pass from Matthew Stafford to Jeremy Ross in the second quarter that got the Lions moving at a point when the Jets pass rush looked like it would overwhelm Detroit.
Stafford followed that up with a quick and efficient drive just before the half that started in Jets territory after a poor Ryan Quigley punt. Stafford found first-round pick Eric Ebron for a 16-yard touchdown, Ebron’s first in the NFL, and a big lead at the break. The Lions offense took some time to get going, but the Jets have nosedived after early success.
After an impressive opening drive that featured 51 rushing yards from Chris Ivory, the Jets haven’t picked up another first down. Geno Smith hasn’t turned the ball over, but has completed just 4-of-12 passes for 32 yards in an effort that has led to some boos from the MetLife Stadium crowd. It hasn’t been all his fault, but Smith will have to find a way to get things rolling their way offensively soon or it may be time for Michael Vick to get a shot at the controls.