The Detroit Lions rolled to a comfortable 37-24 Week 5 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, with their defense serving as the driving force behind the win.
Detroit built a commanding 28-3 lead while limiting the Bengals to only 166 total yards through the first three quarters. If not for a pair of late Ja’Marr Chase touchdowns in garbage time—including a 64-yard score—the Lions’ dominance would have looked even greater on paper.
Though Bengals quarterback Jake Browning ended with 251 passing yards and three touchdowns, much of that came late, as Detroit’s secondary delivered a strong showing before easing off in the fourth quarter.
One of the standout performers in the defensive backfield was second-year cornerback Terrion Arnold, who surrendered just three catches on six targets for 28 yards and a 63.2 passer rating against.
Arnold effectively erased Cincinnati’s top pass catchers, holding Chase to two receptions for 13 yards on four targets, Tee Higgins without a catch on one target, and Andrei Iosivas to one grab for 15 yards on one target, per Pro Football Focus. His efforts earned glowing praise from head coach Dan Campbell on Monday.
“I just thought he was very competitive, calm, and composed, and I think this was one of his best games in a while,” Campbell told reporters. “He was outstanding. We put a lot on his plate, and he stepped up to the challenge.”
However, Campbell also delivered a gut-wrenching update for Lions fans regarding Arnold’s health.
“Unfortunately, [Arnold is] going to be out for some time. He’s going to miss quite a bit,” Campbell said. “… We don’t know yet if it’s season-ending, but he’ll be out for a while.”
Arnold was unable to finish Sunday’s matchup after leaving in the second half with a shoulder injury. The former first-round pick has been dealing with multiple ailments this season, including a groin issue early on and recurring shoulder pain over the last two weeks.
In his absence, Amik Robertson, Rock Ya-Sin, Tre Flowers, and Nick Whiteside are expected to rotate in and help cover the void left in Detroit’s secondary.