5 takeaways from the Detroit Lions’ victory over the Indianapolis Colts

5 takeaways from the Lions coasting to victory against the Colts.

With Thanksgiving around the corner, the Detroit Lions continued their win streak, but they might be limping into the holidays.

Detroit cruised to a 24-6 win over the Indianapolis Colts , thanks to the Colts offense sputtering after some early promise. It was another second-half shutout of the AFC South, with the Lions’ defense having allowed zero points in the final two quarters against the Tennessee Titans , Houston Texans , and Jacksonville Jaguars in the weeks prior. Now with a Thanksgiving tilt against the division-rival Chicago Bears upcoming, Detroit will look to manage the quick turnover. They may have to do so with some starters missing, however.

Let’s examine some takeaways.

A new appreciation for Terrion Arnold

You never truly know what you have until it is gone.

Rookie cornerback Terrion Arnold had caught the occasional flak this season for his play and penalties, but Sunday’s game against the Colts illustrated his value to this defense. With Arnold out of the lineup due to a groin injury, the bulk of the snaps fell on Kindle Vildor. The Colts certainly paid attention, targeting the replacement on a majority of their big plays. Vildor lost Alec Pierce in coverage on a 39-yard catch then later whiffed on Michael Pittman on a 24-yarder, among other misplays. He also got burned on another long catch but got lucky when the receiver stepped out of bounds. His coverage improved in the second half, but Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is also to blame for his wild inaccuracy.

Vildor’s struggles against the Colts highlight how well Arnold has played in hindsight. On nearly every defensive snap, there was a fear about how Vildor would get burned on this play. That kind of fear has not been present with Arnold starting across from Carlton Davis. Sure, he has had problems with penalties, but that is also part of the learning curve in the NFL. The positives of his game—mirroring receivers and breaking up passes—far outweigh a concern that will be eased with more experience. Vildor, meanwhile, has plenty of experience, but that does not translate to lockdown coverage.

The Lions will hopefully get Arnold back in the lineup before long since Vildor is clearly not a capable solution. Alternatively, if Arnold is unavailable for Thanksgiving on a short week, perhaps newly-activated Emmanuel Moseley will be ready to start instead.

More injury woes

How battered and bruised can one football team get?

Already missing numerous key players over the course of a grueling first half, the punches kept coming on Sunday. Kalif Raymond was carted to the locker room at one point following a punt return, his foot injury ruling him out for the game. Taylor Decker, having already missed one game this season, missed a drive with a knee and ankle injury before returning. David Montgomery left the game with a shoulder injury, costing him two drives—the Lions offense punted on each. Midway through the fourth quarter, Carlton Davis suffered a knee injury, hampering an already wounded defense.

Detroit has a short week ahead of them with Thanksgiving on the docket, and they could be missing a sizeable chunk of their starting lineup. Even if players like Decker or Montgomery are healthy enough to play, they might not be at full health.

A mixed offensive outing

It’s funny how the Lions can score 24 points in a victory, yet it is still considered a down performance. Jahmyr Gibbs had the biggest performance on the day with 21 carries for 90 yards and two touchdowns, but it was also a byproduct of David Montgomery’s injury. In the receiving game, it was a balanced attack. Jameson Williams led the way with 64 yards on five catches, but Amon-Ra St. Brown and Tim Patrick were close behind with stat lines of 6-for-62 and 4-for-55, respectively. Jared Goff was not at his best, but it was good enough.

Perhaps the biggest negative on the day, aside from injuries, was the lack of chemistry between Goff and Sam LaPorta. The pair connected on half of their passes, with LaPorta racking up just 19 yards on three catches. There has been a sophomore slump for LaPorta after breaking countless rookie records, but it has mostly been due to an emerging Williams and a dominant rushing attack—he does not have to be the target sponge he was last year. We have not seen a disconnect like they had on Sunday for a while, however. Goff missed LaPorta on multiple throws due to a combination of inaccuracy and misread routes. Detroit has had breakout games from nearly every weapon on offense, but LaPorta is still missing that moment.

Does the NFL have a vendetta against Brian Branch?

Brian Branch is public enemy number one for the NFL, apparently. He was egregiously ejected against the Green Bay Packers for a hard hit. He has been the victim of numerous fines this season, his fifth coming against the Houston Texans two weeks ago (although his Cardinals fine was later rescinded). At this rate, his sixth fine might be upcoming. Branch was penalized for leading with the crown of his helmet while tackling Michael Pittman inbounds. It was a helmet-to-shoulder collision—and not a late hit—yet Branch was still dinged for 15 yards.

The Colts did little with the additional yardage, but it is still a concerning trend for Branch. My concern, however, is not with Branch. I want him to play this physical level of football, especially when the majority of it is clean in my books. My beef is with the NFL punishing defenders—mainly Branch, it seems—for making football plays. I do not want the NFL to return to the mauling play style of the 1970s, but there should be wiggle room. Let defenders defend.

Please, stop with this FOX broadcast

This is purely subjective, but I have to imagine most fans (Lions fans in particular) were frustrated and annoyed with the commentary duo of Kenny Albert and Jonathan Vilma. Albert and Vilma were especially dreadful on Sunday, often rambling on about meaningless things like Brock Wright and his “donkey” play call. They were consistently praiseful of Anthony Richardson on a day where he completed just 11 passes out of 28. The commentary was useless at best, rarely providing any insight worth listening to.

It really makes you appreciate announcers like Greg Olsen (my personal favorite), but it also makes you appreciate even the mediocre ones. Tony Romo has soured on many listeners recently, but his quirks are still offset with some valuable analysis. With Albert and Vilma, it is often a game better left on mute. It seems like the Lions end up with this pair far too many times per season.