Lions’ top two WRs ’emerged’ in career performances in Jags blowout

On November 18, 2024By Littum

The Detroit Lions starters were already benched and getting some extra rest when the Jacksonville Jaguars provided their first sign of resistance.

The starting offense did what it was supposed to, and perfectly, as they punted at the 13:27 mark of the fourth quarter. To that point is Lions had seven possessions, scored a touchdown on each and held a commanding 49-6 lead. At the end, Detroit added a field goal for their second straight 52-point performance at home and set a franchise record with 645 yards of total offense in the 52-6 statement victory.

“I didn’t even know we had that many yards at the end of the game,” said Amon-Ra St. Brown. “But it was one of those matches where I feel like everything worked out.

“And if something didn’t work, the next play would work. I think it’s a credit to all the coaches, the players — our o-line, tight ends, wideouts, running backs, quarterback — everybody. We all played together. part in it.”

The Lions bounced back from a patchy offensive performance in a comeback win over the Houston Texans last week. The Lions had to fight back to win on a last-second field goal after the offense struggled against Houston’s defensive line and Jared Goff threw a career-high five interceptions.

All of those issues were in hindsight a week later when Goff sliced up Jacksonville’s secondary and the Lions’ offensive line imposed their will from the first snap. Goff threw for 412 yards, his most ever in a Lions uniform, while completing 24 of 29 passes with no touchdowns. As a team, the Lions rushed for 196 yards on 43 carries and averaged six yards per carry. carry in the first half as they went up 28-6 at halftime.

“We moved the ball pretty well,” Goff said. “I thought our running game was really good, our passing game was obviously pretty good too — everything works.

“It felt like (offensive coordinator) Ben (Johnson) could call anything and we were going to make it work. Our guys showed up today.”

Goff’s career play with the Lions also led to record days for his top two receivers. Amon-Ra St. Brown finished with 161 receiving yards, while Jameson Williams compiled 124

Goff targeted St. Brown early and often in the first half as the Lions built their lead, and it worked every time. St. Brown finished the half with seven catches on seven targets for 88 yards and a touchdown. For the last touchdown of the first half, St. Brown open on a crossing route against man coverage, received a perfect ball from Goff and turned upfield for a 27-yard touchdown.

“I think Ben (Johnson) put me in good positions,” St. Brown.” I feel like a lot of the calls we had were kind of the perfect call for the perfect defense. And if I wasn’t open, Jared was in stride.”

St. Brown scored a touchdown for the eighth straight game, extending his franchise record for consecutive games with a receiving touchdown to eight. He also got into the end zone a second time on the Lions’ seventh and final touchdown after Goff hit him on an out route in the corner of the end zone.

The catch was his 11th, setting a career high in the Week 2 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and giving him a new single-game high in yardage at 11 targets.

“(St. Brown) is definitely a big part of it,” Goff said of the offense’s bounce-back performance. “It felt like towards the end there, we could call anything and he would open up and he came into this week ready to go and showed up.”

Goff spread it around the outside to ensure his top targets were fed consistently. Eight other Lions players finished with a catch, with Williams leading the other four-catcher group with six touchdown catches.

Williams had two catches for 33 yards in the first half, including a 24-yard catch and run and a 9-yard gain on a hook-and-ladder play with St. Brown in two second quarter scoring drives. Goff went to Williams twice on the first drive of the third quarter, first hitting him for five yards and then finding him on a deep slant over the middle. Williams caught the second pass, immediately cut up the field and torched the defense for a 64-yard touchdown.

“He’s the primary and I’m running away,” said St. Brown on Williams’ touchdown. “I see him catch it and as soon as I see the safety take the wrong angle where he’s out of position, I knew it was a touchdown.

‘And then I just want to meet him in the end zone, let him celebrate. I’ll wait five minutes until he’s done and then we’ll celebrate together.”

The Lions made a point of celebrating Sunday as they tied their career highs and delivered a second straight 52-point performance to the home crowd.

“If I get to third or fourth in the progression, that’s a good player,” Goff said. “It’s not like that everywhere, and I don’t take that for granted.

“It’s something we have the luxury of with the skill players we have and the O-line being able to protect long enough for me to get to the third and fourth progression. It’s often a good player who can do anything with the ball.”

Jared Ramsey is a sports reporter for Detroit Free Press. Follow Jared on X @jared_ramsey22and email him at [email protected].