Lions News

[CGVT]

The Williams TD was among Goff’s worst throws today. Great adjustment by JaMo to haul it in.

I watched it a few more times and it was a really tough catch. Williams made a hell of a play

[whatever_gong82]

WATCH: Internet erupts as Craig Reynolds lays thunderous block to give Lions 10-3 lead



Nolan Bianchi
The Detroit News


Tampa, Fla. — Craig Reynolds may have just thrown the Detroit Lions' block of the year.

On a third-and-13 in at the Tampa Bay 23, Lions quarterback Jared Goff found Amon-Ra St. Brown over the middle — but it wasn't enough to move the chains, and so he started running laterally as his blockers caught up.


Reynolds, who entered as the primary rusher after David Montgomery left with a rib injury, didn't just give him enough for the first down — he gave him enough for a touchdown. Reynolds crushed Tampa Bay cornerback Carlton Davis III and sent him flying into safety Antoine Winfield, clearing the lane for St. Brown to skip down the sideline for the game's first touchdown to give the Lions a 10-3 lead.

Reynolds had 14 carries for 74 yards this season — including his first NFL touchdown, which he scored last week against the Carolina Panthers — entering Sunday.

Here's how X (formerly known as Twitter) reacted to the block.

[chemiclord]

It wasn't a "bad" throw for when Goff threw it. Right in the corner where only Jamo really had a play on it.

But if Goff had let it fly earlier, Jamo probably skips into the endzone with how badly he had his man beat. That's something that should happen as the two get more reps and build a rapport.

[whatever_gong82]

[whatever_gong82]

Detroit Lions' defense strong again in 20-6 win at Tampa Bay, their fourth straight



Dave Birkett
Detroit Free Press

TAMPA, Fla. — The Detroit Lions keep losing players and winning games.

Craig Reynolds, playing as a fill-in for injured running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, made the key block to spring Amon-Ra St. Brown for a touchdown and Jameson Williams caught a 45-yard TD pass in the second half as the Lions beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for their fourth straight win Sunday, 20-6, at Raymond James Stadium.

"Everybody’s got a hand and it doesn’t matter who you are," Lions coach Dan Campbell said. "We look like a team and these guys look like they’re playing for each other and that’s usually the sign of a pretty good team."


Montgomery, the Lions' leading rusher, suffered a rib injury in Sunday’s first half and did not return, and the Lions played their second straight game without Gibbs because of a strained hamstring.

Reynolds replaced Montgomery midway through the second quarter and made his touchdown-springing block five minutes later to help the Lions convert a third-and-13.


St. Brown caught a short pass over the middle, then cut across field on linebacker Lavonte David. Reynolds, who was still in the backfield when St. Brown secured the ball, came flying downfield to level cornerback Carlton Davis and give St. Brown a clear path to the end zone.


"I just saw Saint coming back across the grain, and I'm not going to lie, for a split second I was like, 'What's the rules as far as a block like this?'" Reynolds said. "I'm literally running towards him, I'm like, 'I think if I'm going towards my goal line I'm OK,' and I just said, F it. If I get fined, I get fined. He saw me last second so I just dropped the shoulder and hit him."

The Lions improved to 5-1 with the victory, tied for the best record in the NFC with the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers, who both lost Sunday. The Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs are the only other 5-1 teams in the NFL.


The Lions have won four straight games for the first time since 2016 and four straight by double digits for the first time since 1991, the last time they played in the NFC championship game.

"Listen, I’m happy we’re winning and I love where we’re at right now and the other will happen when it happens," Campbell said. "Right now it’s about trying to find a way to finish first in this division and right now we’re in a pretty good spot. We’ve got a lot of football left but I'm proud of our guys."


In a defensive struggle where both teams found it difficult to run the ball, Reynolds’ big block was one of several important plays by unheralded players to help the Lions stayed undefeated (3-0) on the road.

Isaiah Buggs, who opened the season as a healthy scratch on the defensive line, tipped a Baker Mayfield pass at the line of scrimmage on Tampa’s second possession and Will Harris made a diving interception on the deflection deep in Buccaneers territory. Riley Patterson kicked a 30-yard field goal four plays later to stake the Lions to an early 3-0 lead.


Had Buggs not deflected Mayfield’s pass, Tampa receiver Mike Evans, who was running open deep behind the Lions secondary, might have scored on the play.

Williams, in his second game back from suspension, made a twisting catch on a third-and-10 late in the third quarter for his second career touchdown.


Williams ran a deep corner route out of a bunch formation, turned back to his left to catch the ball, then spun halfway around back to his right as Bucs safety Ryan Neal closed in for a hit.

And Harris, who was making his second straight start at nickel cornerback in place of injured rookie Brian Branch, had his first interception since Week 2 of last season.


Jared Goff finished 30 of 44 passing for a season-high 353 yards for the Lions, who had 40 net yards rushing in the game.

St. Brown, in his return from an abdominal injury, caught 12 passes for 124 yards. He celebrated his 27-yard touchdown wildly on the sideline, hugging Reynolds after the play.


Mayfield was 19 of 37 passing for 206 yards for the Buccaneers, who fell to 3-2 with the loss.

The Lions held Tampa to 251 yards net offense and 46 yards rushing and held an opponent to six points for the second time this season. For the season, the Lions — owners of the NFL's worst defense last season — are holding opponents to 18.8 points per game.


Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on X@davebirkett.

[LightninBoy]

Does anyone know why Vaitai wasn't playing?

[whatever_gong82]

Detroit Lions grades: Alex Anzalone keys linebackers' standout performance



Dave Birkett
Detroit Free Press


TAMPA, Fla. — Free Press sports writer Dave Birkett grades the Detroit Lions in their 20-6 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.

Quarterback

Jared Goff threw for a season-high 353 yards with two touchdowns, but didn’t find his rhythm until the second half. Goff missed a couple throws early, including one to Amon-Ra St. Brown on a first down in the second quarter and two more passes to Sam LaPorta before halftime. Goff settled down in the second half, when he threw touchdowns to St. Brown and Jameson Williams. He finished 30-for-44, did not have a turnover for the second straight game and helped keep the offense out of negative plays against a defense that has one of the most complex blitz packages in the NFL. Grade: B-plus.


Running backs

The Bucs came into Sunday’s game determined to stop the run, and they did, holding the Lions to 40 yards with a long gain of 8 yards. David Montgomery had just six carries for 14 yards before injuring his ribs when he was tackled from behind on a 19-yard screen pass. With Jahmyr Gibbs out, Craig Reynolds and Devine Ozigbo finished the game at running back. Reynolds had the biggest offensive play of the game, coming from out of the backfield to lay a huge block on Carlton Davis that sprung Amon-Ra St. Brown for a touchdown. He also had a 28-yard catch on a third-and-4 in the third quarter, but was late getting to a blitz pickup on Lavonte David’s first half-ending sack. Grade: B-minus.

Receivers/tight ends

There isn’t a better receiver in the NFL at making tight-window catches than St. Brown. On one third-and-3 conversion in Sunday’s fourth quarter, St. Brown was so covered he didn’t appear to get vision on the ball until it hit him in his hands. He finished with 12 catches for 124 yards in his return from an abdominal injury, and Josh Reynolds delivered three big catches for 50 yards. Reynolds reached behind him to grab one third-and-10 pass just before halftime and he had a key block on a bubble screen to St. Brown. Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta had back-to-back drops in the third quarter and St. Brown had a costly holding penalty that wiped out a third-and-1 run for a first down, but Williams made a difficult twisting catch on the goal line for his first touchdown of the season. Grade: A-minus.


Offensive line

Whether it was Goff or the offensive line, the Lions had some trouble identifying Tampa’s pass rush early. Still, they allowed only three sacks on 47 dropbacks against one of the best defenses in the NFL. Taylor Decker and Frank Ragnow were out front making big blocks on Montgomery’s 19-yard catch and Penei Sewell, Josh Reynolds and Sam LaPorta had the key blocks on Craig Reynolds' long catch-and-run. Collectively, the Lions didn’t get much push in the run game, though they often were outflanked up front numbers-wise. Sewell and Decker did have false start penalties, but Kayode Awosika held his own in his first start of the season at left guard in place of the injured Jonah Jackson. Grade: B-plus.


Defensive line

The Lions had another standout day against the run, holding the Bucs to 46 yards rushing (with only 35 of those yards coming from running backs). Isaiah Buggs made the defensive play of the game, getting his hands up to deflect a Baker Mayfield pass in the first quarter that turned into a Will Harris interception. Julian Okwara tipped another Mayfield pass at line of scrimmage and had a sack of a scrambling Mayfield late in the fourth quarter. The Bucs maximized their protection schemes to keep the Lions’ pass rush at bay, but collectively the line didn’t make enough plays in the backfield (one tackle for loss). Grade: B-plus.


Linebackers

Alex Anzalone had a huge game to key the Lions’ defensive effort. He made nine tackles, seven of them solo, had one tackle for loss and broke up two passes. Anzalone, playing in front of his parents after their recent return from war-torn Israel, had a pass deflection in man coverage on White on Tampa’s first third down on the game, when Aidan Hutchinson pressured Mayfield off his spot. Jack Campbell had seven tackles, including one when he shook off a blocker to make a lunging stop on White after the running back tried to cut back across field after catching a ball in the flat. Tampa’s running backs and tight ends combined for five catches for a mostly insignificant 35 yards. Grade: A.


Defensive backs

As good as the Lions were defensively Sunday, the Bucs did have several chances for big plays in the pass game. Mike Evans was wide open behind safety Kerby Joseph for a potential touchdown on the play Buggs tipped for an interception. Evans dropped a would-be third-and-12 conversion in the second quarter when he found a soft spot in the Lions’ zone, Mayfield missed a wide open Trey Palmer on the first play after the two-minute warning when Joseph or Tracy Walker did not get enough depth on their drop. Harris got beat on an over route for a 21-yard gain on a third-and-7 conversion, was called for defensive holding on the same second-quarter drive and got beat another long incompletion to Palmer in the second half. Walker made six tackles and had a thunderous hit on Chris Godwin in the fourth quarter, Jerry Jacobs had a tackle-for-loss while showing good instincts on a bubble screen and broke up a pass to Deven Thompkins with good inside technique when he nearly had his fourth interception in three weeks. Grade: C-plus.


Special teams

Jack Fox had his first touchback of the year late in the first quarter, when Thompkins faked Lions gunners Dorsey and Chase Lucas into believing he was going to field a punt at the 15 that hit at the five and rolled into the end zone. But Fox nailed two huge punts in the second half, including one that left-hooked out of bounds at the 2-yard line. Riley Patterson missed his first kick of the year, pushing a 52-yarder wide right, but made from 30 and 36 yards. Jalen Reeves-Maybin had a big hit on kick coverage and nearly blocked a punt, Kalif Raymond averaged 11 yards on three punt returns, though he fielded two of them inside the 5. And Ifeatu Melifonwu was called for a holding penalty on a punt in the first quarter. Grade: B-plus.


Coaching

The Lions are undefeated on the road this season, with wins over three of the best teams on their schedule. That’s not easy to do, and it’s a credit to Dan Campbell and his staff that the team has been able to navigate tough environments (despite frequently friendly crowds) and get contributions from players from the top to bottom of the roster. I thought Campbell made the right decision to accept an offensive pass interference penalty on Evans after a third-and-1 incompletion in the third quarter. The Bucs were in position to try and convert on fourth-and-1. Instead, Mayfield threw incomplete on third-and-11 and Tampa settled for a field goal. I didn’t mind Patterson’s long field goal try, either, though he could have punted given Tampa’s struggles moving the ball. The Lions threw the ball more than they wanted to, but that seemed prudent given their struggles on the ground. And Aaron Glenn’s defense had another strong overall day. Grade: A


Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

[whatever_gong82]

Detroit Lions grades: Jared Goff carries offense as run game stalls


Justin Rogers
The Detroit News


Tampa, Fla.— Justin Rogers grades the Detroit Lions' performance in their 20-6 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Quarterbacks

Jared Goff had to battle some early struggles against a Tampa Bay defense that was having success with the blitz, delivering his most productive performance of the season. Particularly effective on third down, he completed 30-of-44 for 353 yards, two touchdowns, without throwing an interception. Unable to run the ball, Goff carried the offense to victory. Grade: A-

Running backs

Detroit's running backs had almost no space to operate, mustering just 34 yards on 19 carries. The backfield contributed more in the passing game, with 55 yards on four catches. But the most important moment was a massive block from Craig Reynolds, which sprung a 27-yard catch-and-run touchdown for Amon-Ra St. Brown. Grade: B-


Wide receivers/tight ends

St. Brown delivered a classic performance with 12 receptions for 124 yards and the touchdown, while Josh Reynolds continued to provide big plays in the passing game with three catches for 50 yards. But the highlight from the group was Jameson Williams recovering a couple of plays after a drop to make a twisting grab for a 45-yard touchdown. Grade: A-


Offensive line

Another week, another different starting combination, with Kayode Awosika sliding into the lineup to replace an injured Jonah Jackson. The run holes weren't there, obviously, but that's what happens against a good run defense sometimes. The unit did a much better job giving Goff time to read the defense and make the right decisions, particularly after adjusting to Tampa's blitz plan. Grade: B


Defensive line

The defensive front didn't generate as much pocket pressure as we've seen in recent weeks, but the run defense continued to be formidable, holding the Buccaneers to 46 yards on 16 carries. But unquestionably one of the biggest plays of the day came courtesy defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs, who got a mitt on a pass that probably goes for a touchdown otherwise. That deflection ended up being intercepted by the Lions, which provided a huge, early swing in momentum. Grade: B+


Linebackers

Alex Anzalone played like a man possessed, racking up a team-high nine tackles, including one for a 6-yard loss, while also breaking up two passes in coverage. Rookie Jack Campbell, getting the start as Detroit opened the contest in a base, 4-3 front, contributed a season-high seven stops in the win. Grade: A

Secondary

There were several coverage breakdowns, which resulted in Tampa pass-catchers coming wide open deep, but the Lions lucked out when quarterback Baker Mayfield couldn't connect on those opportunities, whether it was the Buggs' bat down or a couple overthrows by the QB. The group did get their hands on several balls, contributing to the team's nine breakups, and Will Harris did a nice job corralling the Buggs' deflection for a pick. That turnover resulted in Detroit's first score of the game. Grade: C+

Special teams

Jack Fox had his first punt of the year bound into the end zone for a touchback, but he otherwise did a nice job pinning the Buccaneers deep in their own territory, drawing a shoutout from coach Dan Campbell after the game. Riley Patterson missed his first field goal of the season, which was also his longest attempt of the year, sending a 52-yarder wide right in the gusty winds. Grade: B

Coaching

The decision to kick that long field goal was questionable, given the conditions, and the Buccaneers capitalized by turning good field position into three points. But Campbell redeemed himself by accepting an offensive pass interference in the red zone, making Tampa face a third-and-11 instead of a fourth-and-1 they probably try to convert.

The offensive game plan wasn't effective to start, but coordinator Ben Johnson made some quality adjustments to salvage the team's 15-game streak of scoring 20 points in a game. The defense, meanwhile, came to play from the opening kickoff. And outside of those aforementioned coverage lapses, the unit made life difficult on a typically efficient Buccaneers squad that was killing it on third down coming into the game. They went just 2-for-12 in this one. Grade: B+


jdrogers@detroitnews.com

Twitter/X: @Justin_Rogers

[whatever_gong82]

Lions' Alex Anzalone leads defense to victory after emotional week



Nolan Bianchi
The Detroit News

Tampa, Fla. — It's been an emotionally exhausting week-plus for Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone. On Sunday, he closed the chapter with emphasis in front of the people who mean the most to him.

Two hours south from where he played his college ball at the University of Florida, Anzalone recorded a team-high nine tackles and made two pass breakups as the Lions' defense dominated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 20-6 win at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium.


In all honesty, it seemed a standard performance from Detroit's middle linebacker, who's captained the defense over each of his three seasons in Detroit. But it was much more: Anzalone shared the win with his parents, who were stuck in war-torn Israel with a church tour group of 53 people for several days returned safely after flying into Miami on Thursday morning.


"I mean, it's crazy. You think about it, they were in a hostile situation in a foreign country this time a week ago. Just to have them here home, it puts everything in perspective," Anzalone said. "... It was just a good vibe going into the game. There was no way I was going to play a bad game today."

Anzalone said he was able to get dinner with his parents on Saturday night and "was able to give them a big hug and take a picture with them."


"I saw a few pictures of some rockets in the air on the tour. They had no clue what was going on. They were told, 'They don't bomb Jerusalem because that's the holy land,' and then the next thing you know, they were getting rockets," Anzalone said. "There were some scary situations that no person deserves to be in."

Lions head coach Dan Campbell called Anzalone "a bell cow on defense."

"He's playing at a very high level right now and I think you'd be hard-pressed to find (line)backers who are playing better than him right now in this league," Campbell said.

Anzalone, who turned 29 in September, was one of the first signings of the Brad Holmes and Campbell regime. He signed a two-year deal in 2021 and this past offseason re-upped on a three-year deal worth up to $18.3 million. He leads the defense with 35 tackles, in addition to two pass defenses and a sack.


Lions quarterback Jared Goff said Anzalone is playing "the best I've ever seen him play."

"I've played against him and with him now, and he's certainly the ignitor over there on defense. He's been a hell of a leader, hell of a dude. Practices hard every day, comes to work with a smile on, every day, no matter what," Goff said.


"I think back to some of those hard times and he was always the guy with the good attitude and putting things on his shoulders, and deserves a lot of credit for how they're playing right now."


nbianchi@detroitnews.com

Twitter/X: @nolanbianchi

[whatever_gong82]

'We're doing what we need to do': Lions stifle Buccaneers, push win streak to 4



Justin Rogers
The Detroit News


Tampa, Fla. — After lighting up the scoreboard for 76 points the past two weeks, the Detroit Lions needed to find a different, grittier way to win against a stout Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense.

The Lions (5-1) were able to lean heavily on their own defense, and despite not being able to effectively run the ball, found ways to keep the chains moving on third down in a hard-fought, 20-6 victory at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday.

"Listen, I can't say enough about our defensive performance today, and really for five games this year, to be honest with you," Lions coach Dan Campbell said. "(Defensive coordinator) Aaron Glenn has done a hell of a job with that staff, and our players have bought in. They've been bought in, but, man, we're just playing as one unit right now and we're doing what we need to do."


The defensive dominance for both teams was on display from the start. After each offense stalled out near midfield with their opening possession, the Lions came up with a huge turnover that led to the first points of the contest.

As Tampa Bay's Mike Evans came wide open, quarterback Baker Mayfield looked to connect with his receiver for a likely touchdown, but Detroit defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs was able to get a hand up and deflect the ball, which was intercepted by nickel cornerback Will Harris.


"All week, the coaches, they elaborated on (keeping) your hands up," Buggs said. “Quick passes, the ball was really low, and that’s what I did. I work at my craft and try to do what these coaches want me to do. I (saw) the opportunity and I made it happen."

Despite taking over in the red zone, the Lions weren't able to advance the ball and took a 30-yard Riley Patterson field goal, giving the visitors an early, 3-0 edge.


As the two sides traded punts the next several series, that score held until the middle of the second quarter when the Buccaneers (3-2) drew even. Harris had a rough possession, getting beat for a 21-yard, third-down conversion by receiver Trey Palmer before giving up a second third-down conversion with a holding penalty against Evans. But cornerback Jerry Jacobs managed to limit the damage with a pass breakup on a third-down throw in the red zone, leaving Tampa Bay to settle for a 33-yard Chase McLaughlin field goal.

Detroit managed to regain the lead shortly before the half. After picking up a pair of big gains with a 19-yard screen pass to David Montgomery and a 21-yard dart to Josh Reynolds, the offense got into a hole, facing third-and-13 just outside the red zone.


Trying to counter Tampa's blitz-happy defender, quarterback Jared Goff opted for a short throw to Amon-Ra St. Brown on a crosser well short of the sticks, but the receiver was able to pick up a huge block from running back Craig Reynolds before turning upfield and dancing along the sideline for a 27-yard score, putting the Lions ahead, 10-3, following the extra point.

"Saint did everything wrong running sideways and still gets a touchdown, partially because of what Craig did there," Goff said with a smile. "That was sweet."


Taking the ball to open the second half, the Lions looked to extend their advantage with a 52-yard field goal, but Patterson sent his longest attempt of the year wide right in the gusty conditions. Taking advantage of the premium field position following the miss, Tampa Bay quickly worked inside the 20-yard line with long passes to Chris Godwin and Evans before stalling out.



Evans was flagged for an offensive pass interference on a throw into the end zone on third-and-1, and after the Lions accepted the penalty, the star receiver dropped a potential first down catch on the ensuring snap, leaving McLaughlin to come in to slice Detroit's lead to four with a 36-yard field goal.

But the Lions finally managed to come up with a counterpunch as Goff converted three consecutive third downs. The final one, after consecutive drops by his targets, was a 45-yard bomb to Jameson Williams for the second-year receiver's first touchdown of the season.

Well-covered by safety Ryan Neal, Williams serpentine under the ball and was able to hold on despite the defender getting an arm in on an attempted breakup.


With the run game struggling, the Lions put a lot of Goff, having him throw a season-high 44 times. He responded by completing 30 passes for 353 yards and the two scores, without an interception.

"I don't know that's the way we wanted it when we came into (the game), but it kind of turned it, right?" Goff said. "I thought the (offensive line) are protecting their tails off right now and giving me plenty of time to see everything. When that's the case, we have good players down the field who were able to make plays. I can't give those guys enough credit up front right now."

Meanwhile, Detroit's defense continued to force punts, and a 36-yard field goal by Patterson early in the fourth quarter gave the Lions a two-touchdown lead with 12:04 remaining. It marked the 15th consecutive game the Lions have scored at least 20 points, extending a franchise record.

And as the team has done in multiple victories this season, they successfully chewed up the clock in the fourth quarter, eating nearly seven minutes during a drive that essentially sealed the win.


With its fourth straight victory, Detroit will look to keep its hot streak going next week, when the Lions travel to Baltimore to battle the first-place Ravens. Following losses by both the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, the Lions are tied for the best record in the NFL.

"Yeah, we've played well for six weeks," Goff said. "It's hard to play well all year. That's our goal. At some point, we're going to hit some kind of adversity and have to fight through that. Right now, we're playing well. That's four in a row for us and it's a pretty good feeling. It certainly is. We know who we are, we know — I've said it a million times — we feel like we can go beat anyone right now. Yeah, we feel pretty good.


jdrogers@detroitnews.com

Twitter/X: @Justin_Rogers

[whatever_gong82]

[whatever_gong82]

[whatever_gong82]

'Mr. Misunderstood': Lions teammates revel in Jameson Williams' fourth-quarter touchdown



Justin Rogers
The Detroit News


Tampa, Fla. — It was a moment Jameson Williams needed, but it was clear by the way his teammates celebrated, it was a moment the Detroit Lions needed, too.

The second-year receiver, who has struggled to get his career on track after a lengthy rehab from a torn ACL, followed by a four-game suspension to open his second season, delivered one of the game's critical plays in Detroit's 20-6 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, hauling in a 45-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown.

Running a deep corner pattern, Williams first turned right before twisting back left to get underneath quarterback Jared Goff's throw, wrestling it away from safety Ryan Neal for the score. One of the first players to join the post-score celebration was linebacker and team captain Alex Anzalone, who has a locker a few stalls down from from Williams at the team's practice facility in Allen Park.


"He’s like Mr. Misunderstood," Anzalone said. "It’s just so great to see him make that play. I hear the outside noise for him and I just know that it just makes me so proud to see him do that. That’s my guy. I love him."

This is the big-play potential the Lions anticipated when they traded up to select Williams with the No. 12 pick in the NFL Draft a year ago, but those explosive plays have been few and far between because of limited opportunities. His knee rehab kept him to just 78 snaps as a rookie, and he didn't debut during the 2023 season until last week, when he was held to a pair of catches for 4 yards, while dropping a third target.


But it's always felt like a matter of time before Williams broke through, especially given his lone catch as a rookie was a 41-yard touchdown.

"Yeah, it was huge, huge for us as a team," teammates Amon-Ra St. Brown said. "We needed that to win the game. It's huge for him as a player. Greatest thing, at the beginning of third quarter, we were on the sideline and he's like, 'I don't have one target.' I said, 'Just wait, it's going to come to you when you least expect it.'



"...He made a great catch, a hell of a catch," St. Brown continued. "He turned around twice. I told him, 'It's going to come when you least expect it' and it sure did and it was probably one of the biggest plays of the game for us."

Lions coach Dan Campbell praised Goff for having the trust to take the shot, while the quarterback acknowledged he wished it had been a better ball, while also pointing the subpar accuracy made it that much better of a play by Williams.

"Probably not a great throw, but a great catch," Goff said. "That's what it good, when as a quarterback you can miss a throw and a guy is able to make a play like that for a touchdown, it doesn't get much better."


Now, for the young, speedy receiver, it becomes about stacking good days, good practices and good games on top of each other.

"I thought he did a great job turning on the gas, getting to the back pylon," Campbell said. "...And he did a good job tracking that ball and made a huge play. So I think that's going to help his confidence. ...That's step one and that will help his confidence and we'll go from there."


jdrogers@detroitnews.com

Twitter/X: @Justin_Rogers

[whatever_gong82]

'Chills to my body': Unheralded reserves deliver Lions' biggest moments in win over Bucs


Nolan Bianchi
The Detroit News


Tampa, Fla. — In the Detroit Lions' Week 1 road win over the Kansas City Chiefs, defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs was inactive and running back Craig Reynolds didn't play a single snap on offense.

But on Sunday in Tampa Bay — just the team’s third road game of the year — both Buggs and Reynolds made game-altering plays to lead the Lions to a fourth straight victory of 14 points.


Buggs got the action going in a scoreless game on Tampa’s second drive, deflecting a pass intended for Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans that may have been a touchdown if it got past the line of scrimmage but instead bounced into the waiting arms of Lions defensive back Will Harris for an interception at the Tampa Bay 12, which led to a field goal and the game’s first lead.



After the Bucs tied it up with a field goal — and with Lions rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs already out with a hamstring — Lions running back David Montgomery left with a rib injury midway through the second quarter. No matter — Craig Reynolds, who last week scored his first career touchdown, stepped in to make a massive block that took out two Tampa Bay defenders to help Amon-Ra St. Brown score the game’s first touchdown and take a 10-3 lead, which the Lions would never relinquish in a 20-6 victory.

“Man, everybody’s got a hand in this. They know that. There is nobody on this team that is insignificant. Everybody’s got a hand. Everybody’s got a role. And if you’re going to the game, you’re helping us. You just don’t know how much it’s gonna come up,” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said.


“You don’t know if that’s going to be 30 snaps or 12 snaps. Is that going to be special teams? Is that going to be defense? Offense? But everybody’s got a hand, and it doesn’t matter who you are. They know that’s significant. They know it matters. They know they’re being seen. So those guys stepped up. It was their time.”

Buggs was activated prior to the team's Week 3 win over the Atlanta Falcons and came up big with a sack in Week 4's win over Green Bay. Reynolds, meanwhile, was mostly relegated to special teams until last week's win over the Carolina Panthers, when he rushed for 52 yards and his first career touchdown in the 42-24 victory.


Even though he arguably made the game's biggest defensive play, Buggs said he was just as fired up for the play by Reynolds.

"He’s a guy that has been through a lot and is working his way," Buggs said. "To see players come in and contribute and do stuff like that, it gives chills to my body because I once was in that situation where I had to wait my turn.


"So it just brings joy to my eyes to see players come out and have fun and do what they love successfully.


nbianchi@detroitnews.com

Twitter/X: @nolanbianchi

[ghandi]

lol you can see where Anzalone gets his golden locks from....and its not his dad......