2 Winners and 2 Losers From Lions Dominant Week 5 Win Over Cardinals

The Detroit Lions returned to the win column on Sunday, defeating the Arizona Cardinals on the road 45-21 in a mostly one-sided contest.

A 24-point second quarter powered Detroit to a victory over Arizona in Week 5 and moved its record to 3-2. After losing to the Carolina Panthers in prime time last week, this was the exact performance the Lions needed to get back on track.

Obviously, there were winners from Sunday’s Lions win, but there were also a few losers. Let’s go over them.

Reed has had a rough season so far, but the veteran turned in a fantastic day to help Detroit tally a victory. The 29-year-old posted seven total tackles, a pass deflection, and three tackles for loss.

According to in-game data from Pro Football Focus, Reed allowed 30 passing yards on four completions and a 78.5 passer rating when targeted. Reed, who has been a liability all year, was a difference-maker for Kelvin Sheppard’s defense on Sunday.

Vaki always puts in quality work on special teams, but he was incredibly ineffective on the ground in Week 5. The 2024 fourth-round pick turned six carries into 11 yards against the Cardinals, and the run game was pretty lackluster overall unless the ball was in Jahmyr Gibbs’ hands.

If Vaki continues to produce basically nothing as Gibbs’ backup, the Lions should give Jacob Saylors more looks in the backfield. Saylors hasn’t received a carry this season, but was a standout in the preseason.

LaPorta turned in a season-high 88 receiving yards in Week 5, and also found the end zone for the third time in the last four games. The Iowa product is back as quarterback Jared Goff’s security blanket and is still a top-notch red-zone threat.

Though wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams get most of the spotlight in Detroit’s passing attack, LaPorta has been reliable in 2026, and the Lions will need him to continue his high level of play as the year progresses.

After two straight weeks of solid production against the New York Jets in Week 3 and the Panthers in Week 4, TeSlaa came back down to earth. The second-year receiver garnered just two targets and went without a catch on the day.

With Gibbs running all over defenses, and St. Brown, Williams, and LaPorta being Detroit’s top receiving threats, TeSlaa doesn’t get the opportunities every week to be a consistent playmaker. He’s still a valuable member of Drew Petzing’s offense, but the expectations of a major Year 2 breakout likely won’t come to fruition.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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