Detroit Lions @ Houston Texans Madden NFL 20 Week 2 schedule

out by a former Pro Bowl quarterback out of the University of Georgia Matthew Stafford Matthew Stafford is a big armed guy who's learned how to temper some of his throws actually has added a lot more touch and accuracy as his career has gone along Big Time confidence in his arm though any throw you want he can make it now Stafford completing it here to Marvin Jones they'll get a dozen there and the Lions have a first down now that was pretty they executed that curl route versus Zone coverage and that changes things a little bit because against man it's often a tight curl tight sharply Run route again Zone you're just looking for that open spot that dead area so you may curled a little bit wider just to get to that place and usually a tight window he fired a bullet in there for the completion a little bit of daylight on that first down run sets him up nicely eight yds on the carry just what you want on a first down run call it eight yards and it's second and two eight yds the tally on that first down run here's second and two Stafford going to give this one off to Johnson and he stopped immediately there he got maybe a half yard at most but officially they'll be left with a third and two and the big boys up front in the trenches what do you think of the o line Charles I love them because this is a group that's so cohesive they know what the man next to them is going to do at all times and they operate as a terrific unit third and two Stafford amond has got it complete and he's going to have a first down as he's brought down at the 44 yd line seven yds there good enough to move the sticks one thing you're hoping for when you run drag routes you're able to hit a receiver in stride and he can pick up a lot of yardage after the catch but in this situation the defense was effective able to stop him before he could get a good head of steam going so a first and 10 now in Houston territory at the 44 yd line faking the give to Johnson now it's Stafford that'll be taken in there by Kenny G and they'll wind up getting this one all the way down inside the 20 a really nice gain of 25 yards they're piecing together a nice drive to start this one seems pretty scripted and pretty successful so far and I think they did it without our help cuz you remember when we sat in with in the production meeting with them to talk about this and hey you know how you guys going to come out of the gate I know I offered my help with a few plays and they didn't seem to want didn't offer mine you were you were the smart one whatever they're doing though it's working really well from the red zone now Stafford under pressure and he'll go down back at the 26 yd line sack there by Judi and Clowny it's interesting partner that most defenses try and guard the 35 yd line actively because they think the way kickers are nowadays about a 52 yard field goal they're kind of giving up points but you get even deeper in ter you get into the Red Zone they're going to guard it even more which means more pressure more blitzing work to be done here on second and 16 after the sack to throw is Stanford James has got it complete and they'll bring him down at the 18 yd line eight yds on the completion but now they face third down I don't think it's a surprise they're throwing the football early we expected that they told us they were going to come out fire but four for four on the opening drive they like that they don't just like it they love it because now everyone gets locked in your confidence jumps up everyone's easy about what they're doing out there and by the way they look at the sideline thinking themselves and expressing let's keep throwing it we're doing pretty well and he will be brought down at about the 6yd line they're able to convert on third down and that sets up a first and goal I like the screen being called here early in the game especially on the opening drive because because Brandon when guys come out of the locker room especially those pass rushers they are so amped up to get to the quarterback that you can use that against them and a screen pass is a great way of doing it a lot of teams against good pass rushing teams they want to run the screen 10 to 12 times in a game Lady SL they'll try and run this is Johnson and a little bit of space there takes it inside the five to the three a pick up of four on first down it'll be second and goal the defensive crew for the Texans here's a look jvan Clan was the number one pick in the NFL draft and it was with good reason an absolute athletic freak now he's trying to add consistency to his game so the ball positioned now at the three here's second and goal now Stafford gal's got it and the Lions have a touchdown a three- yd touchdown pass and the Lions take it right down and score on the opening drive right off the bat they they start with a very solid methodical 10-play drive and you know me I tend to look at things from the defensive side they're coming off the field gassed right away we're in the first drive of the game so it's not just what happened but think of the emotion you carry into a game then double it with getting a 10-play drive put on you and points scored they're pretty tired right now now Matt Prader for the point [Applause] after it's up it's good and the Lions lead seven nothing so that one a pretty timec consuming 10-play drive and it's capped off by a touchdown for the Lions here's Martin now following the score as he'll send this one [Music] away this is fielded at the goal line and not a bad return here he gets it out to the 25 Y Line so out come the Texans for their opening drive the former National champion at Clemson bringing him onto the field and that's the signal caller Deshawn Watson Watson will bring up the Texans here first and 10 at their 25 yd line now a first Carry for Lamar Miller and from the 25 they work this to the 29 a gain of four and in this offense the Shifty Lamar Miller sometimes sets the table and he's at his best when the number of carries for him approaches 20 wears down defenses with his speed second and six just inside the 30 we here's Watson they'll roll him out right oh the ball is out Watson lost it and this is scooped up by the Lions there he goes left side and into the end zone a scoop and score on the fumble return for the Detroit [Applause] touchdown so the Defense Forces the fumble they get the score and a guy on defense becoming offensive there Charles and you know they love that any guy on defense loves to pick up the ball and have it in his hands and try and score himself in this case that's exactly what happened be singing in the shower post game now Prader to add the [Applause] Pat and it's good and they have jumped out here to a quick 14 nothing first quarter lead the scoop and score always an exciting play in football and we witnessed it there grabbing it off the ground and then rumbling into the end zone for six and you can bet they're preaching two hands on the ball here as the kicks away following that fumble return this fielded a few yards into the end zone and no run back here this will be a touch back and it comes out to the 25 yd line and now out comes Houston already down two touchdowns here in the first half this becomes a pretty important Drive doesn't it it certainly does and a lot of the teams script plays we know that right they they have a script to start the ball game and typically those scripts go between 12 and 24 25 plays down two touchdowns early probably not very deep into their script I think that they'll stay with it I don't think they'll abandon it just yet and try and generate some offense on this drive anything at least three points get that zero off the board [Applause] the last run got a couple here's second and eight I got him on the Jet Sweep Here Comes Fuller just a couple on the ground there and that's going to bring up third and about six well it certainly appears that in this game someone has decided they're going to open up their playbook first quarter and we see that play I like their Style and the Lions going with an extra DB here on third down from the gun here's Watson he's got the hook up to Miller and they'll get him down about three yds short of the first a gain of two just like we saw on first and second down as well Deuces Wild so much about this game is Just understanding situations and then having to execute isn't it guard the first down sticks don't let them get there and they rallied and made the tackle fourth down so Trevor Daniel on to punt Jamal agnu is deep to return it so a change of possession here on the punt and the lions will take over here's the Detroit offense now as they head back out onto the field they've got things going their way early 14- nothing lead and the football first and 10 Stafford and the Lions now have it first and 10 at their own 19 yd line and they'll start the drive on the ground with Johnson this will be a short gain of three before he's brought down at the 22 when we see those runs to the perimeter when we see those runs to the edge we think about big Breakers don't we in this case it was a modest game but it does open up possibilities here on second down the last run got three now here's second and seven now Johnson it'll go as a gain of seven on the play and it sets up a third and inches situation and that's the kind of run that gets everyone excited on offense and you know often times the guys who carry the ball are the ones in the Huddle doing the chirping right now I think it's the offensive line telling them run it again we are right there about to break a big one now it's Stafford off the bootle and he'll find gal that's complete and he's got the first down yardage before being taken down at Midfield a good pickup there 21 yds he's such a good route Runner shows it there on third down very proficient and a good pass and you know what I've observed over the years in the NFL the better out runner you are the more confidence your guy's going to have in you to go to you in important times because he can trust you being in the right spot and they connected there and picked up a first down Stafford going to come up first and 10 and he's completed all seven of his passes thus far from the 50 it's Stafford underneath for Johnson and he is tackled inside the 40 not quite to the 35 it's a gain of 14 and a first down for Detroit nice little Nifty play for him there that's the ability to read a defense and utilize players that don't often get picked up in coverage easily and I'm talking about being able to use the backs out of the back field cuz I know that when I used to cover hey we got everybody oh he just snuck out there and they just got a nice first down there what do we love to say get those backs into space right and they were able to do that there nice pick up on first down Stafford now already over 100 yds passing in this first quarter it's first and 10 Johnson and he won't get much maybe a couple down inside the 35 to the 34 they tried to Quick hit her inside but that one was swallowed up because what they're hoping those big defensive linemen will take the bait and move laterally and open up a crease that they can run through didn't happen on that play I got I got I got I got you throwing on second and eight Stafford and it's caught Here Am ol and he's going to be taken down with another first down as the stops made at the Texans 21 I know many people like to throw to the tight end maybe in a little flexed out position because he creates mismatches with his size but slot receivers do the same thing with their quickness their speed and their route running [Applause] Savvy a first down carry here for Johnson and this one goes nowhere losing yardage back at the 22 it's a loss of a yard there and it's second down anytime you call an inside running play you just know there should be a lot of congestion there you're counting on your offensive line to take control of the line of scrimmage that didn't happen in this case and that play got bottled up maybe just a slight detour on what's been a strong Drive here's second and 11 on the ground this is Johnson and that one blown up quickly as he's going to be stopped before he could even get started he lost four there and it's third down he has Elite instincts from his linebacker spot he's able to diagnose the run and flies in like a missile to stop that one behind the line of scrimmage the Run hasn't worked the last couple of plays now it's third and 14 now the noted a man this is Theo riic and he won't be close to a first down as he runs into a wall right around the line of scrimmage call it no gain there and it leads to a fourth down so on fourth down the Lions turn it over to Matt Prader for the field goal try 14- nothing the score this is the NFL on EA Sports and the 12-year veteran knocks it right through and the lead will grow it's now 17 nothing so in the end they had the ball for 10 plays but the drive gets him three not six is it okay if I give credit to both sides on this one absolutely all right let's start defensively they hung in there 10-play drive but they stiffened when they got close to the goal line made them kick a field goal and for the offense 10-play Drive they might be a little disappointed they got a field goal but they moved the ball down the field with dispatch and came away with points now it's Martin to do the honors after the made field goal this will be fielded at the six and he'll take this across the 25 couple extra yards up to the 27 yd line out comes the Houston offense as they get set to take over here and we don't want to call this desperation time especially in the second quarter but you're down want to no but don't let me finish okay my B you're down three scores already you've done nothing offensively nothing on the scoreboard that's that's not a good combination I think you just called I think you just called it desperation time think you did but let's face it you mentioned this to me in a break earlier in the game the energy level hasn't been there right from the start start we've noticed that they've got to find a way to get on their toes and start punching instead of retreating to use a boxing analogy three yards on that last carry here's second and seven now Watson looking middle and it's incomplete Jordan Thomas the one he was looking for and that takes us from second to third down some of the fans here don't seem too happy about what we've seen in this first half no not at all and I understand why they've looked lethargic out of syn and it shows on the scoreboard they head to the line facing a third and seven following the incompletion on second down now it's Watson and he slips up past the 45 before being tackled 16 yds on that one and also a Texan first down if you're going to Blitz likely going to leave you in man coverage with this guy and that is less than ideal it is because just about any offense that has an elite receiver if you Blitz and have him in man coverage you're going to him even if he has an elite defender on him because he usually knows where the ball is before the defender does on First and 10 Watson rolling to his right he's going to take off with it and taking it across Midfield and inside the 45 give him 10 that time escaping the danger running with it and picking up a first down and we have to give credit to him for buying time and extending the play but you know there's some really upset Defenders on that one they thought that they had him instead he was coated in Teflon and got away this offense finding its legs now here's another first and [Applause] 10 Watson going to give this one to Miller and the reinforcements come in as they're going to stop him behind the line it's a loss of a yard there and now second down another example right there how this defense really is winning the entire game at the point of attack yeah right there at the line of scrimmage cuz they are dominating it allows their interior guys to get up field and spill into the back field so how you going to combat that you know people say bring in your tight end keep him in your running backs they have to step forward bottom line your offensive line has to block them first to give yourself a [Applause] chance go on second down now it's Miller and he still has yet to get on track in this first half as they're going to stop him behind the line he'll wind up losing a yard on the play and that'll make it third and 13 plays like we just saw there that's why they're up right now and the defense they're doing their job yeah it starts with the guys up front so when you talk with GMS or putting together a team a lot of them say we're going to build from the inside out because if you control the line of scrimmage you control the rest of the ball game and that's what we're seeing here they're actually playing in the offense's back field not necessarily just playing at the line of scrimmage third and long it's Watson and he can't get rid of it he's taken down they couldn't contain Deshawn Han that time as he gets home for the sack no doubt that's a very good play defensively right there because you've always got to be aware that he can take off and make a big play with his legs how about the way they were able to so this one's over it's a win for the Detroit Lions and I think the game balls need to be distributed on the defensive side of the football and I bet that you would agree yeah if you hold a team under 10 points that's a job well done really well done so I would say game balls for every starter and every key player who participated in this game now see I I only like one game ball you're handing out you're handing out multiple although I set you up by saying game Ball's plural but I but I I like where we're going with this though you say one to represent like the best player of all that and I say multiples so that you keep everyone motivated and involved you're a man of the people I'm a man of the people you I thought I was the only child you get G you get a game ball game ball is for everybody goodbye