The Detroit Lions beat the Jacksonville Jaguars in what was a total domination. The Lions offense generated a franchise-high 645 yards, with a score on every drive the starters played. Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown both had career-highs for receiving yards, while Jared Goff had a fantastic bounce-back game. They also performed well defensively, limiting the Jags to only 170 yards of offense and six points. Kerby Joseph got his seventh pick of the year, and now is the NFL leader in interceptions this year. This game has many winners, but there are also a couple of losers.
Winners
Jared Goff
After a disastrous Week 10, Jared Goff bounced back in a huge way. Goff threw for 412 yards and 4 touchdowns, helping the Lions score 52 points for the second time this year. There were questions after last week vs Houston about Goff, but it looks like he answered those questions in a big way. His big game through the air also allowed his top two receivers to have huge games. St. Brown had 161 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Jameson Williams had 124 yards and a touchdown. If Goff can continue to play like he has been, the Lions will have a real shot at winning the Super Bowl.
Offensive Line
Detroit Lions offensive players huddle before a snap against Green Bay Packers during the first half at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.
The offensive line had struggled the past few weeks, but they played very well this week. They allowed just five pressures and no sacks, giving Goff plenty of time to throw. They were also great in run-blocking, giving Montgomery and Gibbs big holes to run through. Penei Sewell, Kevin Zeitler, and Frank Ragnow have also proven to be some of the best players at their position, and could potentially all make the Pro Bowl. When the offensive line plays this well, it allows the entire offense to click and is a big factor in the Detroit Lions winning big games.
Za’Darius Smith
Smith made his Detroit Lions debut on Sunday and played well. He played 37 snaps and recorded three pressures and a sack. Smith will be a big part of the defensive line getting to the passer, making an impact on the edge, and freeing guys like Alim McNeill and DJ Reader up to get pressure. He won’t have the impact that Aidan Hutchinson has, but if he can step in and make a difference, it will help the Lions Super Bowl chances drastically.
Losers
Levi Onwuzurike
Onwuzurike played the least amount of snaps he’s played in a game this year, and this could be a sign of things to come. He played just 11 snaps and a big reason why could be the arrival of Smith. With Smith coming in, there will likely be someone on the D-line who gets fewer snaps, and it looks like Onwuzurike will be the odd man out. He will still have his moments to prove himself, but it looks like those moments will come far less often.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Detroit Lions have been playing very well and look like the best team in the NFL. They seem to dominate every subpar team that comes their way and have won against every good team they’ve been challenged by. They will have some tests coming up, as they will face Buffalo and Green Bay in the next few weeks, but if they win both of those, it would be very surprising to see the Detroit Lions eliminated before the Super Bowl.
