Pride of Detroit
Barely a win is still a win.
The Detroit Lions needed overtime to overcome the New York Giants, but one play was all it took to secure the lead and the eventual win. The Lions trailed for most of the day in a game many viewed as a cakewalk, but the Jameis Winston-led Giants put up a fight throughout the game—nothing comes easy in the NFL. Despite a mixed performance from the roster, the Lions still walk away from this Week 12 tilt with a win. With the Green Bay Packers due up next on Thanksgiving, the Lions will need to rekindle some of this magic against one of the NFC’s best.
Which players stood out in the Lions’ win over the Giants?
The Lions flat-out do not win this game without Jahmyr Gibbs. The running back put the team on his back in every facet. Running the ball? How about TWO HUNDRED AND NINETEEN YARDS on 15 carries and two touchdowns, one of which came on the first play of overtime in a game-winning effort. If the run game is not to your liking, how about a complementary 45 yards and a touchdown on 11 receptions, including an always-deadly Texas route.
We have always known that Gibbs can take over a game with his electric skillset, but this was arguably his magnum opus of dominance. When the Lions needed a play, it was Gibbs to the rescue. His ability to turn modest gains into sprinting touchdowns is nearly unmatched in the NFL: he has the speed of Jameson Williams with the rushing ability of Saquon Barkley. It is dangerous to throw around these words, but this performance was Barry Sanders-esque.
It’s rare to list a receiver with over 149 yards and a touchdown as a loser, but you would be hard pressed to call this an overwhelmingly great day for St. Brown. The normally sure-handed receiver had two killer drops on Sunday. The first was an easy reception that turned into a three-and-out—not the end of the world, but a troubling trend. However, his second drop almost cost the Lions the game. On a third down deep in Giants territory, the ball bounced up off St. Brown’s mitts and into the arms of Jevon Holland. At the time, the Lions were trailing 20-17, so that drop likely cost Detroit a field goal (which would have tied the game) or a touchdown (which would have given them the lead). Instead, the Lions walked away from a 10-play, 70-yard drive with zero points.
Assuming these plays are recorded as drops, this will bring St. Brown’s season total to seven. His career-high came in 2023 with eight drops, but that also came on a whopping 164 targets, a number St. Brown is unlikely to approach with six games left in the season. For some reason, St. Brown’s hands are simply not up to par this season. While he...
