Lions' Studs and Duds: Goff Nearly Flawless, St. Brown Dominates Again
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The Detroit Lions delivered their most thorough win of the season Sunday, knocking off the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars, 40-14.
Detroit was dominant on offense, as it scored on every drive aside from the game-ending kneel-down. The defense bent but didn’t break, surrendering just one touchdown.
The final margin of victory was Detroit’s largest of the season. With the win, the Lions move to 5-7 on the season, ahead of a Week 14 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings.
STUD: QB Jared Goff
For the first time since the early part of the season, the Lions' offense was humming on all cylinders. A large part of that success was the fact that the veteran quarterback was rolling Sunday.
Goff finished 31-of-41 for 340 yards and two touchdowns. Both of his scoring tosses went to Amon-Ra St. Brown, with whom the seventh-year quarterback has built excellent chemistry.
Goff led a scoring drive on each of Detroit’s possessions, as punter Jack Fox was left on the sideline. Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson called a phenomenal game, and the quarterback’s execution led the team to its best offensive performance of the season.
STUD: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown
St. Brown withstood a big hit in the third quarter, and delivered another superb performance. With his 11-catch, 114-yard performance, it was the third time in four games that the second-year wideout surpassed 100 receiving yards.
This season, he has emerged as a bonafide budding star. His ability to make plays in clutch situations, such as third downs, was on full display Sunday. He converted multiple third downs, with routes run directly at the first-down marker, and hauled in two touchdowns, as well.
St. Brown narrowly missed a touchdown on Detroit’s first drive, when he was run out of bounds at the 1-yard line. Jamaal Williams scored the next play.
Lon Horwedel, USA TODAY Sports
DUD: RB Justin Jackson
Jackson took a step back from his recent workload, as D’Andre Swift got a bigger load. In his limited opportunities, Jackson struggled to make an impact.
He finished with one carry for four yards and three catches for 19 yards, but had two drops that cost the team yardage. Fortunately for the Lions, the success of the offense offset any potential impact that these plays had.
STUD: DE John Cominsky
Cominsky, who is still playing with a club on his injured hand, played a massive role in Detroit’s defensive efforts Sunday. He finished with just two tackles, but was the reason for plenty more stops.
Travis Etienne, Jacksonville’s young running back, finished with just 54 rushing yards (on 13 carries). Cominsky and company controlled the line of scrimmage for most of the afternoon, putting pressure on quarterback Trevor Lawrence and stone-walling the Jaguars’ rushing attack.
Cominsky nearly came down with an interception in the second quarter, as he deflected the ball into the air and would’ve secured it, if he didn’t run into fellow defender James Houston (who was also a nuisance). Houston notched his third career sack at the end of the first half.
DUD: CB Jerry Jacobs
The lone struggle that the Lions had was in the secondary, as Jacksonville wide receiver Christian Kirk went over 100 yards on just six catches.
Jacobs and fellow cornerbacks Jeff Okudah and Will Harris struggled to contain Kirk, but each had moments of success. Jacobs nearly had an interception, but the ball slipped off his hands.
He also missed a tackle on a short screen pass early in the game, when he attacked the receiver out of control.
STUD: RB D’Andre Swift
Swift played his largest role since returning from injury Sunday, and made the most of it. He led the team with 62 rushing yards, on 14 carries, and added 49 receiving yards (on four catches).
Swift punched in his fourth rushing touchdown of the season early in the third quarter. His 64 rushing yards are his highest total since Week 2, while he crossed over the 100-yard all-purpose mark for the first time since the season opener.
