Sam Darnold had nowhere to go but up after his first career snap.The rookie quarterback steadied himself quickly.Darnold threw an
interception on his very first NFL play
Womens Devon Kennard Jersey , and Detroit's Quandre Diggs returned it 37 yards for a touchdown to give the Lions an early lead over the New York Jets on
Monday night. But by halftime, the Jets were up 17-10, and Darnold's debut was
looking a lot better.Darnold was 11 of 15 for 122 yards after two quarters. That
included a 41-yard touchdown pass to Robby Anderson in the second
quarter.Despite the promising start, the Lions were booed by the home fans
throughout the first half. Matthew Stafford threw two interceptions.Darnold was
drafted with the third overall pick this year, and he earned the start in the
season opener for the Jets. But his first throw looked ill-advised from the
moment it left his hand
Kerryon Johnson Jersey , floating toward the left sideline, where Diggs picked it off.Darnold does have some company, at least. Jameis Winston had his
first pass intercepted and returned for a touchdown in 2015. That was the first
time a rookie's first throw was returned for a TD since Brett Favre — then with
Atlanta — in 1991.Detroit Lions film breakdown: Kenny Golladay’s excellent start
to the season While the Detroit Lions, as a team, has been less than great so
far in 2018
Womens A'Shawn Robinson Jersey , there are some individual standouts that are worthy of praise. One of those standouts is second-year wide receiver Kenny
Golladay. The big-bodied receiver has proven to be more than just the deep
threat he was primarily used to be last season. Golladay has caught 23 passes
for 330 yards through four games of the 2018 season. For comparison, he only
caught 28 for 477 yards in the 11 games he played in 2017. His role in the
offense has drastically increased, and with the way he’s playing it’s easy to
see why.The receiver measures in at 6-foot-4, 213 pounds. He has a large
wingspan and great, strong hands. He can snag anything within arms reach and
that skill combined with his size allow him to box out defenders to make tough
catches. via GfycatThis catch against the 49ers came on an RPO play
http://www.lionslockerroom.com/authentic-anthony-zettel-jersey , something the Lions are apparently doing this season. Matthew Stafford elects to
pass over handing the ball and finds Golladay on a quick slant route. The pass
was thrown a little too far in front of the receiver, though. It didn’t matter
as Golladay was able to use his body to shield off the defensive back and reach
out and snag the pass for a decent gain. Golladay also showed off how much space
he can chew up coming off the snap on this play. He covered around 12 yards of
space in only seconds to get himself in position to make the catch. While he
isn’t particularly fast, his long strides allow him to close in on defensive
backs fast and put them in bad spots when trying to cover him. His ability to
box out defenders like a tight end is valuable, but his body control may be his
best trait. Golladay is exceptionally nimble for a man of his size. He’s also a
very smart receiver who can track the ball in the air, and he knows how to
leverage his body—along with the defenders—to free himself up to make a catch.
His most impressive catch of the season came on a back-shoulder pass against the
Dallas Cowboys. via GfycatThe receiver is running a go route down the sideline
and the defensive back plays it perfectly. Golladay loses real estate as he
works his way downfield
Jake Rudock Jersey White , and the corner has him pinned to the sideline the entire way. Stafford tries to find his receiver with a back-shoulder throw. The
pass was well placed but this is still a ball that you would expect to sail out
of bounds. Golladay can track the ball in air, stop on a dime and flip his hips
around to make a play on the ball. He snatches it out of the air and somehow
gets both feet in bounds before falling. His ability to stop on a dime and
change direction allowed him to make a great tip-toe catch look easy late
against the San Francisco 49ers.via GfycatThe receiver is running another go
route down the sideline here. He stops on a dime once the ball is in the air and
gets the defender turned around. Golladay breaks back towards the sideline and
makes a simple tip-toe catch to cap off an athletic move. Being able to spot the
ball in the air and then put yourself in the perfect position to make a play on
it is an underrated skill among NFL receivers. We love watching highlight
catches from players like Odell Beckham Jr. and DeAndre Hopkins, and it would be
impossible for them to make any spectacular grabs if they were not such great
ball trackers. Golladay’s ball tracking skills are amazing and we should only
expect more incredible grabs from the young receiver. Golladay is not only
physically gifted. The Lions have used him in a “zone-buster” role this season.
Having Marvin Jones Jr. and Golden Tate also on the field means that it’s rare
that Golladay has the focus of the defense before the snap. The receiver is
great at finding spaces between zones to get open. While a lot of it can be
attributed to play design, the receiver still has to get himself in the right
spot and the right time for Stafford to get him the ball.via GfycatThe rise of
Golladay this season has been amazing for the Lions. Detroit hasn’t had a player
like this in their arsenal since Eric EbronCalvin Johnson. While he may not be
Johnson just yet?
