Ranking Detroit Lions' Top Plays of 2020: No. 7

Even though 2020 only resulted in five wins, there were plenty of positive moments for the Detroit Lions.

This is the fourth part of a 10-part series.

No. 10 play of 2020: Jeff Okudah’s first career interception.

No. 9 play of 2020: D’Andre Swift’s hurdle against Washington.

No. 8 play of 2020: Stafford and Hall connect on 73-yard pass.

Marvin Jones Jr. wasn’t going to go down easily.

In his five seasons with the Lions, Jones endeared himself to the city with his physical play. He developed a knack for making contested catches, and he worked to be involved in all levels of the passing game.

His first catch of the 2020 season was a big one.

The Lions took on the Chicago Bears in Week 1, and played to a 3-3 stalemate in the first quarter.

Facing a second-and-10 at midfield, then-Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford couldn’t connect with Jones, setting up a third down.

The Lions had already converted a third down on the drive when Stafford linked up with Danny Amendola for 18 yards on a third-and-17 play.

This time, though, Stafford found Jones across the middle on a dig route.

Jones caught the pass and ran past the first-down marker.

With the conversion already handled, Jones continued running and looking for space. Jaylon Johnson, a rookie defensive back from Utah, stood in Jones' way.

Jones ran right through him.

The play ended when Jones was wrestled down at the Chicago 21-yard line. Detroit would end up kicking a field goal to take a 6-3 lead.

The Lions would lead by as many as 14 points, taking a 20-6 lead into the third quarter.

Yet, Chicago got the last laugh.

Then-Bears signal-caller Mitchell Trubisky hit Anthony Miller for a 27-yard score with 1:54 remaining in the game, and the Lions squandered a last-second chance to win, when D’Andre Swift dropped a pass in the end zone. And, Stafford and Jones were unable to connect on the game’s final pass.

Jones played in all 16 games in 2020 for the Lions, catching 76 passes for 978 yards and nine touchdowns. At the conclusion of the year, he elected not to resign with the Lions, and signed with Urban Meyer and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Marv with the truck stick 😤#DETvsGB | 📺 FOX 1 p.m. ET | Sept. 20 pic.twitter.com/VT8DiHCuq4
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) September 16, 2020

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