The Lions found enough answers Sunday to get past the Jets and move to 2-1, and the win came with a few clear winners - plus a couple players suddenly feeling the heat as the depth chart keeps shifting.
One of the biggest boosts came from Ennis Rakestraw, who made his first appearance of the 2026 season after sitting out the first two games as a scratch. He was on the field for 23 defensive snaps and turned in one of Detroit’s better outings by Pro Football Focus, earning a 65.9 overall defensive grade.
The Missouri product gave up just one catch for six yards on four targets and added a pass breakup. After plenty of talk about his injury issues through the first two years of his career, Rakestraw now has a real opening to matter more, especially with the secondary still sorting itself out.
Jared Goff kept building his case as one of the league’s hottest quarterbacks. Through three games, he’s playing like someone who belongs in the MVP conversation, and the Lions’ 2-1 start has a lot to do with how steady he’s been.
Goff ranks sixth in passing yards with 802 and is tied for third with eight touchdown passes. He’s also one of only three quarterbacks to start all three games and hasn’t thrown an interception.
His connection with offensive coordinator Drew Petzing has been sharp, and Goff looks comfortable enough in the system to keep rolling.
The passing game also got a spark from Isaac TeSlaa, who had been quiet over Detroit’s first two games before breaking out Sunday. Two of his four catches came at major moments and directly led to scores.
In the first half, TeSlaa made a fourth-down grab from Goff in the red zone, and two plays later Goff hit Amon-Ra St. Brown for a touchdown.
Then in the fourth quarter, TeSlaa ripped off a 49-yard catch-and-run that set up Jahmyr Gibbs’ game-winning touchdown.
Derrick Barnes? No - D.J.
Wonnum was another big mover. After a slow start to the season, he showed up in a major way against the Jets with two sacks.
Those plays mattered, and they helped generate the kind of pressure Detroit needed. The Lions think they may have found the right running mate for Aidan Hutchinson on the other side, and Wonnum gave that idea some real traction Sunday.
Thomas Harper? No - Kerby Joseph?
No, the source names safety Brian Branch? Actually, the player here is Jalen Clark, who has been holding down the safety group through a wave of injuries.
He’s already produced two takeaways, including the game-winning strip sack of Geno Smith on Sunday. Clark, a veteran presence in a young secondary, is currently Detroit’s fourth-highest PFF-graded defender over the first three weeks.
With Avonte Maddox and Thomas Harper out for the foreseeable future, he’s in position to steady that unit.
Not everyone gained ground, though. Tight end Tom Conklin went from seeming locked into the third tight end job to being inactive Sunday.
Jackson Meeks moved up the depth chart in his place and recorded the first catch of his career. Conklin brings experience, but Meeks has plenty of buzz after back-to-back strong preseasons, and the Lions kept him after final cuts for a reason.
If Detroit starts using him more on offense, Conklin could be the one left out.
At cornerback, Rasul Ya-Sin also has a challenger breathing down his neck. With Rakestraw active, Ya-Sin saw fewer reps and logged 13 snaps after starting the first two games of the season.
Per PFF, he allowed two completions on four targets Sunday. Through three games, the Temple product has given up a 96.7 opposing passer rating when quarterbacks have thrown his way.
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Around Jack Campbell and Derrick Barnes, the Lions are treating the position as week-to-week business, which makes the depth chart a little less settled than it looked when the season began. For White, that means the path back onto the field is anything but guaranteed, and for Detroit it means the linebacker rotation remains open to change even if the current setup holds for another game. [Read more 🡒]
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Lions Suddenly Have A Week 4 Availability Concern In Key Spots
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Dan Campbell said Wonnum has shown steady development, which makes his status worth tracking as the week goes on. Bartchs situation is also one the team has been dealing with for a while, and Detroit will need more clarity before it can feel comfortable about the available depth in the trenches and in the secondary. The Lions have already played enough football to know availability can shape the plan in a hurry, and this week is trending toward another one of those tests. [Read more 🡒]