The Detroit Lions had a long build-up to their Week 5 game against the Arizona Cardinals. The noise outside about poor defense is loud. This is a major talking point when discussing the Lions as a team, but the offense deserves some criticism as well. Both started sluggishly, but as the second quarter began, they came out and turned the game around, winning 45-21.
Here are my six takeaways from the Lions’ Week 5 win over the Cardinals.
DJ Wonnum proved his worth
While the Lions defensive line had a strong day against Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett overall, EDGE DJ Wonnum had the best game. Wonnum finished the game with two tackles, both sacks. He’s been what the Lions need on the defensive line: a player opposite EDGE Aidan Hutchinson who can wreak havoc and win one-on-ones.
Sure, he’s not a superstar, but he’s playing well and has been a big help for this Lions pass rush. Hutchinson on the edge and defensive tackle Alim McNeill used to be the focus of opposing offenses, but with Wonnum now on the other end, teams need to start respecting him enough and not devote all their resources towards Hutchinson and McNeill.
We’ve seen McNeill rack up 3.5 sacks in five games this season, and Hutchinson has four of his own. Who is the leader of the group? Wonnum is now in the lead at 5.0. Detroit is a pass rush now, and if the secondary can get figured out, uh-oh.
Gotta give this second props
When the opening drive happened, I thought it was going to be a long day for the Lions secondary. The Cardinals moved down the field with ease, and again, the tight end position turned a good start into a touchdown. Then, it was five straight three-and-outs, and secondary coverage was part of the reason. On the sixth drive, rookie defensive back Keith Abney II caught a pass to end the half.
Yes, the tight end still had a strong game for Arizona, hauling in 14 catches for 138 yards and three touchdowns. The secondary didn’t play perfectly, but they made plays and forced incompletions when it mattered most. It’s a step in the right direction, which is what this unit needs. You have to give them props for not folding after that first drive.
After a month of struggles, allowing quarterbacks to have good plays against them and offenses to move the ball with ease, the secondary showed up. Changes are coming with the return of Brian Branch soon—and potential safety Kerby Joseph—so help is coming. It’s a sign that things are headed in the right direction, and with a bye week to continue to tweak and improve, this defense still has time to turn it around.
Cade Mays, please save the day
Detroit’s offensive line has been average to start the year, but Sunday was its worst appearance yet. The offense had a forgettable first quarter, but the line allowed three sacks. It was disappointing to see the Lions’ offensive line struggle, but change is coming. Lions starting center Cade Mays is close to returning, opening his practice window earlier in the week before the game.
The line cleaned up its act and didn’t allow Goff to be sacked again for the final three quarters, but it was still uncomfortable to see that quickly. Detroit has a bye week next week, and Lions head coach Dan Campbell thinks he could debut against the Packers. With Mays coming back soon, I think we’ll see this offensive line take a positive step forward.
The offense should know the quick start
Most of the criticism Detroit has gotten so far this season has been on defense, which is understandable, but that doesn’t mean the offense is perfect. Detroit’s offense continued to get off to slow starts, another three-and-out to start the game, and for the entire first quarter, the Lions had a total of -9 yards on three straight three-and-outs.
Had Detroit been playing a tougher opponent, this game could have gone 21-0 really quickly. Remember Week 2? That wasn’t even a month ago, and this offense is coming out slow and sluggish. The offensive line had a terrible start, having quarterback Jared Goff on his back often, and running back Jahmyr Gibbs had no lanes to run on. Detroit’s offense can’t come out flat and put pressure on the defense out of the gate because Week 2 could be a weekly occurrence, and this team can’t survive like that every week.
Gibbs got off to a slow start Sunday but finished strong, hauling in 25 carries for 151 yards and two touchdowns, along with five catches for 56 yards. Gibbs’ first touchdown made history, putting him on the same level as Hall-of-Fame Lions legend Barry Sanders and tying him for the most touchdowns recorded in NFL history by a player under the age of 25.
Gibbs will break that record later in the game, and he has a chance to put himself firmly among the pack, as he won’t turn 25 until March 2027. Gibbs has had a strong start to his career and remains a big part of this offense. He is one of the best running backs in the league, and if he can read the records that Sanders has set, I can only imagine what other records he can break.
Jameson Williams has a day
The 2026 season has gotten off to a slow start for Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams. After a strong training camp where he made some crazy catches, drops slowed him down early. He was held to under 50 yards in the first three games before gaining over 100 against the Carolina Panthers in Week 4. In Week 5 against the Cardinals, Williams finally found the end zone twice.
Sunday marked Williams’ first multi-touchdown game, and he already has 12+ touchdowns of 35+ yards or more, according to the Detroit Lions. Williams didn’t break 50 yards, but it didn’t matter when he found the end zone. This offense needs more deep shots, and Williams has dropped some this season. Teams may try to take Williams out of games, but eventually he’ll get his.