LANDOVER, Md. — Richard Silva grades the Detroit Lions in their 44-22 win over the Washington Commanders.
#### Quarterbacks
Jared Goff turned in one of his most productive games of the season, completing 25 of his 33 pass attempts for 320 yards and three touchdowns. It’s the second-most passing yards Goff has had in a game in 2025, behind only his performance in Week 2’s blowout over the Chicago Bears (334). Goff, as he so often does, put his weapons in position to rack up yards after the catch with properly led throws; the Lions posted 192 YAC, led by 59 from Jameson Williams. Grade: A
#### Running backs
For the third time this season and the second time in three games, Jahmyr Gibbs chipped in multiple touchdowns. He first scored on a 14-yard Texas route out of the backfield on Detroit’s opening possession before rumbling his way into the end zone from 13 yards out in the second quarter, bouncing off first contact 2 yards behind the line of scrimmage. Gibbs then ripped off a 43-yarder, using his speed to win a race with Washington’s defenders. Gibbs (172) and David Montgomery (71) combined for 243 total yards on 34 touches. Grade: A
#### Wide receivers/tight ends
Williams finally found his groove, catching more passes in the third quarter (five) than he did in seven of his first eight games this season. Williams was a menace over the middle of the field, dicing the Commanders between the numbers on the way to finishing with 119 yards and a touchdown on six catches. Amon-Ra St. Brown also found the end zone, scoring on a 9-yard connection with Goff. Sam LaPorta (53 yards) and Kalif Raymond (49) chipped in, as well, combining for six first-down conversions, including two on fourth down. Grade: A
#### Offensive line
The Commanders lack a true No. 1 pass rusher. The Lions’ offensive line played like it. Goff was rarely moved off his spot, let alone sacked, and the run game hummed, with Gibbs and Montgomery averaging 7.1 yards per carry. It’s only one data point against an inferior opponent, but the offense played well in its first game without starting left guard Christian Mahogany, who is out indefinitely and was replaced in this one by Kayode Awosika. Also impressive: Penei Sewell (leg) and Graham Glasgow (back) were banged up and missed a handful of snaps apiece. The offensive line remaining strong despite their absences. Grade: A+
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Roy Lopez, top, and defensive back Brian Branch (32) split a sack of Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota, right, during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, in Landover, Md. (STEPHANIE SCARBROUGH — AP Photo)
#### Defensive line
Detroit’s stalwart run defense returned to form after substandard play versus the Minnesota Vikings, limiting Washington’s rushing attack — which has been its bread and butter, by the way — to 3.2 yards per carry on non-quarterback runs. Specifically, Commanders running backs Jacory Croskey-Merritt (30 yards), Jeremy McNichols (25) and Chris Rodriguez Jr. (16) were all held below their season averages. Things were admittedly quiet from a sack perspective, as Roy Lopez, who split a sack with safety Brian Branch, was the only defensive lineman to bring Marcus Mariota down for a loss. Grade: B
#### Linebackers
The best play from Detroit’s linebackers came in the fourth quarter, when Jack Campbell caught Croskey-Merritt at the goal line and turned him away on a 2-point attempt. Campbell and Alex Anzalone each had a quarterback hit, and both players were credited with a run stop. They also did well in taking away the middle of the field, targeted a combined two times in pass coverage. Grade: A
#### Secondary
If you’re looking for a flaw to point out in a three-possession win on the road, the Lions allowed seven completions of 10 or more yards, and three of those resulted in chunk plays of 30 or more. Treylon Burks beat Rock Ya-Sin (and pass interference), who was in for the injured Terrion Arnold, for 37 yards down the sideline. Branch was in coverage on a 41-yard deep ball to rookie Jaylin Lane, but the safety must be acknowledged here for logging 1.5 sacks. His solo sack featured a nifty spin move, beating McNichols’ block attempt. Grade: B-
#### Special teams
That’s now two games in a row Jake Bates has had a kick blocked. This time, it was defensive lineman Jer’Zhan Newton getting his hand on an extra point. The Lions also surrendered a 46-yard kick return, though Washington’s average starting field position was between the 27- and 28-yard lines, which is a win for Detroit. Raymond didn’t have much space to operate on his three punt returns, finishing with 3 total yards. Grade: C-
#### Coaching
Dan Campbell donned his glasses and took over play-calling responsibilities, helping the Lions to their best offensive performance in almost two months. The Lions notched nearly 550 yards and scored on eight of their nine drives, with the lone exception ending with backup quarterback Kyle Allen kneeling out the clock.
This remark from Glasgow about Campbell said it all: “He looks really big and strong, so if he’s making decisions, it’s probably right. All jokes aside, I think that he’s a football guy and I feel like he has a good … finger on the pulse … for what we need to do. He’s a great coach.” Grade: A+