Lions' Week 18 Studs and Duds: Amon-Ra St. Brown 'Better than Gold'
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The Detroit Lions sent their passionate and loyal supporters home with positive memories and stories to tell from a thrilling victory over a rival in the division.
Though the season began with plenty of doubt and uncertainty about the new regime’s ability to build a winner, head coach Dan Campbell put on a show with his play-calling in the season finale against Green Bay.
With the Packers electing to sit their starters in the second half, the Lions took advantage of two late interceptions to rally and steal a 37-30 win Sunday.
With the win, the Lions will take a 3-13-1 record into the offseason. Yet, the performance of the head coach and several young playmakers gives fans optimism about the future.
Here are the studs and duds from the team's final performance at Ford Field in 2021.
STUD: Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR
St. Brown officially entered the Lions’ record books in the season finale, setting the record for most receiving yards by a rookie. He took his phenomenal finish to the season to another level, catching eight or more passes in a sixth consecutive game.
He finished with 109 yards on eight catches, scoring a touchdown on a fourth-and-goal conversion when Jared Goff hit him from two yards out. The USC product is looking more and more like a steal as he finishes his first season as a pro.
On Detroit’s go-ahead drive, he made an impressive catch-and-run when he hauled in a pass over the middle and bounced off a tackler. After an interception by C.J. Moore, St. Brown added 12 yards rushing on a reverse.
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STUD: Jared Goff, QB
Returning after missing the last two games, Goff was motivated to end the season on a winning note. As the team did that, its quarterback deserves a great deal of credit for his performance. He finished 21-for-30 for 238 yards and two touchdowns.
His first touchdown pass went to St. Brown on the fourth-down conversion, with his second going to tight end Brock Wright on an exceptionally-executed trick play.
He finishes the season with two consecutive turnover-free games, and both starts were wins. With Dan Campbell as his play-caller, Goff threw 11 touchdowns, compared to just two interceptions, in the five games that he was healthy.
After a tough start to the year, Goff had a solid finish to the season that should warrant him getting another year in the Motor City.
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DUD: Jamaal Williams, RB
While the passing game had success, Detroit didn’t get a ton of production from its running backs in the win. Williams, in particular, was quiet, gaining just 43 yards on 13 carries. His longest carry was just nine yards.
He was limited in the second half, as Campbell emptied the playbook and allowed his receivers, specifically St. Brown and Kalif Raymond, to get carries. Williams did catch one pass for nine yards. His quiet contributions in the run game were outweighed by D’Andre Swift, who ran for the game-winning touchdown.
STUD: Kalif Raymond, WR
Raymond was another major benefactor in the Lions’ open playbook, totaling 114 yards on five touches. He caught a touchdown on a reverse pass from fellow receiver Tom Kennedy that went for 75 yards.
He also notched a 13-yard carry on his only rushing attempt. His speed proved to be explosive throughout the game, but no play was bigger than the catch-and-run he tallied on the pass from Kennedy.
Raymond made his presence felt after missing last week’s game with injury. His speed was on full display, and made an impact in the team’s win.
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STUD: Tracy Walker III, S
Walker, who is in a contract year, brought his best effort in the season finale. He picked off backup quarterback Jordan Love to seal the win late in the fourth quarter, sliding to the turf with the ball in his hands as his teammates celebrated the win.
That wasn’t his only impact, however, as he also tallied a game-high 14 tackles. Ten of these tackles were of the solo variety. He helped protect the back-end of Detroit’s defense, which was helped by the entrance of Love in the second half.
In addition to his game-winning interception, Walker made an excellent open-field tackle on tight end Josiah Deguara, wrapping him up in the flat, short of the first down on a fourth-and-3. This stop set the Lions up with good field position, which the team turned into a touchdown.
STUD: Offensive play-calling
Campbell finished the season strong as the offensive play-caller, essentially emptying the playbook. He threw everything at the Packers, including reverses, flea-flickers and reverse passes.
After taking over as the play-caller for offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn in Week 10, Campbell gradually progressed. Each week, fans got glimpses of increased creativity, such as the touchdown pass to Kalif Raymond in Week 14 against Denver.
In the finale, Campbell showed everything. There was the reverse pass that ended with Kennedy connecting with Raymond and a flea-flicker that ended with Goff hitting Brock Wright. Both plays went for touchdowns, and are examples of what can happen when plays are designed with meticulous detail.
When Campbell took over as the play-caller, it was uncertain what it would look like. However, with the help of tight ends coach Ben Johnson, the offense gradually evolved into what it was in Week 18. Playmakers such as Raymond and St. Brown got the ball in new, unique ways.
If the coaching staff can continue its progress into next season, there’s plenty of reason to be optimistic about the' Lions future.
