Detroit Lions grades in Week 3 win over Arizona Cardinals

The Detroit Lions rebounded from their tough loss in Week 2 with a strong performance against the Arizona Cardinals.

Facing a team riding a wave of momentum after a big win last week, the Lions relied on their physicality and toughness to emerge victorious in their first away game of the season.

Here are the grades for each position group based on performance in Sunday's 20-13 win.

Quarterback: B

After struggling in Week 2, Jared Goff rebounded by completing his first 14 passes. While the Lions didn't capitalize on many opportunities on the field early in the game, the veteran passer was quick-witted and used his tight ends to score on two consecutive drives early in the game.

He also led a touchdown drive at the end of the half, culminating in the hook-and-ladder touchdown that saw Amon-Ra St. Brown complete the pass, who in turn made a lateral pass to Gibbs for the 20-yard touchdown. The second half was a little tedious, however. This came after he avoided a mistake as a pick-six was called due to the two-minute warning.

Goff also made a mistake on a sack in the third quarter when he appeared to navigate the wrong way through the pocket, leading to a sack by Dante Stills.

Goff's first incomplete pass came behind St. Brown on a third down attempt, and he threw his fourth interception of the year over the middle straight to linebacker Dennis Gardeck. To his credit, he made the winning plays on the final drive, completing a 12-yard pass to St. Brown and an 8-yard run to tie the game.

Running back: A

Detroit's running game set the tone early, as the first two touchdown drives were all heavily run-driven. David Montgomery was the early leader, running in from one yard out and scoring first after three runs of nine or more yards.

Jahmyr Gibbs entered the game on the second drive and was in frequent action throughout the afternoon. Montgomery led with 105 yards on 23 carries, while Gibbs added 83 yards on 16 carries.

Gibbs had a highlight late in the half when he caught St. Brown's side pass on the hook-and-ladder. Montgomery had a big run late when he ran for 16 yards with help from seemingly Detroit's entire offense.

Wide Receiver: B+

St. Brown was the only receiver to have a big day, as Jameson Williams was held in check for the first time this season. St. Brown had his first receiving touchdown of the season, a five-yard catch, and finished the game with 75 receiving yards on seven catches.

Williams had just one catch for nine yards, which came on a screen play where he outsmarted a defender. He nearly caught another pass near the sideline but couldn't get his feet on the ground in the field of play. The Alabama product's only other target was a miss on Detroit's longest pass attempt of the afternoon.

Tim Patrick was the only other receiver to catch a pass on Sunday, and he caught the ball for an 8-yard pass. His practice squad teammate Allen Robinson did not catch a pass.

Tight Ends: B+

Sam LaPorta was one of several players injured in Sunday's game. He was in and out of the lineup after being tackled in the second quarter. He finished the day with two catches for 36 yards and was in the game plan early on, but his ankle sprain hampered what could have been a solid day.

Brock Wright was in the spotlight early on, catching four balls for 34 yards. In addition to his normal blocking duties, he set a career high in caught balls.

Attack line: B

By adopting the running game early, Detroit's offensive line gained ground early. They paved the way for Montgomery and Gibbs, who both had good days as the Lions ran for nearly 200 yards as a team.

They were beaten on two sacks. The first was when Taylor Decker failed to stay in front of Mack Hollins. The second was the result of Goff's lack of pocket awareness and Frank Ragnow's loss on a stunt.

The unit also committed several penalties, as Decker, Graham Glasgow and Penei Sewell were all cautioned for false starts in the team's first away game.

Defensive line: B+

After Kyler Murray broke free on two runs for 34 yards on the first drive, Detroit's defensive line did an admirable job of keeping the passer in the pocket for the rest of the game. Aidan Hutchinson recorded another sack, bringing his total to 6.5 through three games.

Marcus Davenport was penalized for illegal handshakes to the face in the first half, but otherwise had a solid day. Levi Onwuzurike returned from injury and had two quarterback hits.

One downside to Sunday's win was the departure of Alim McNeill with a shoulder injury. Campbell did not provide a clear update on the defensive tackle's status, but said he could not say whether the illness was long-term.

With McNeill out, Mekhi Wingo took on a more important role. The LSU rookie had three tackles.

Linebacker: B

Since the game began without Alex Anzalone, a lot of responsibility was given to Jack Campbell and Derrick Barnes. Unfortunately for Detroit, Barnes was forced out with a knee injury. Dan Campbell updated Barnes' injury in the same breath as McNeill, giving a similar status.

With Barnes out, Malcolm Rodriguez and Jalen Reeves-Maybin got a lot of playing time. Rodriguez had five total tackles, while Reeves-Maybin had one and was booked for unsportsmanlike conduct in the second half.

Experienced Ben Niemann made two tackles when he was called in. Jack Campbell, meanwhile, made four when he had the chance to play in the middle of the defence with Anzalone out.

Secondary level: B+

Kerby Joseph made his second interception of the young season with a diving catch in the end zone in the third quarter. It was an impressive play by the young defender to float out of the middle of the field and deny a scoring opportunity for the Cardinals.

Brian Branch was the top defensive player with nine tackles, one for loss, and two passes defended. However, the Alabama player left the game after a helmet-to-helmet collision with Trey McBride. After the game, it was reported that Branch was in concussion protocol.

Carlton Davis had a solid day with seven tackles, including one for loss. The veteran did a solid job in coverage. Rookie Terrion Arnold rebounded with a strong second half after being penalized for pass interference for the fourth time this year and struggling to stay in front of Marvin Harrison Jr.

Special teams: B

Jack Fox was a star in the second half as both teams struggled to mount sustained offense, with four of his five punts landing inside Arizona's 20-yard line, including one in the third quarter that landed at the Cardinals' 2-yard line.

Jake Bates missed an extra point for the first time this season when his second attempt went wide to the right. He rebounded and made his final attempt of the night.

The Lions didn't get a chance to return kicks, but Kalif Raymond managed a total of 40 yards on four punt return attempts.

Coaching: A-

The Lions have a history of bouncing back from losses under Campbell, and Sunday was no different. After struggling in the red zone last week, the Lions scored touchdowns in all three of their road games on Sunday.

A big part of that success was due to the fact that the Lions ran the ball well inside the 20. Montgomery dominated the first half, while Gibbs contributed on the second and third. The hook-and-ladder was a nice creative touch by Ben Johnson.

Even more admirable was the defense's performance, limiting the Cardinals to just three points in the second half and forcing an interception, two turnovers and three punts in Arizona's first six possessions after halftime.

Detroit held Arizona to three straight third and fourth quarter series without a first down. It was a strong performance for Aaron Glenn's team, which has been criticized in recent years for its work against mobile quarterbacks.