On a roll: Just how good is this 2024 Detroit Lions football team? They are just the fourth team in NFL history to log at least 13 wins, produce at least 6,000 total net yards, record at least 60 touchdowns and notch a point differential of 190-plus through the first 15 games of a season. The other three are the 2019 Ravens, 2007 Patriots and 1984 Dolphins.
NFC Championship Game rematch: The Lions won't be fooled by San Francisco's elimination from the playoffs this year. Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown said Sunday the 49ers are better than their record might indicate. St. Brown also said he and his teammates will be extra motivated this week.
"I remember that feeling walking off that field last year, it didn't feel good," St. Brown said.
He described it as being 'like a horror movie' and one of the worst losses of his football career.
Wild stat: Quarterback Jared Goff has 33 touchdown passes this season but not a single one has come in the first quarter of any game this season. That kind of blew my mind when I heard it. Can Goff break the streak next week in San Francisco?
Melifonwu debut: It was good to see defensive back Ifeatu Melifonwu back on the field for the Lions after missing the first 14 games of the season. He started at safety which allowed the Lions to move Brian Branch to the slot and Amik Robertson to outside cornerback filling in for Carlton Davis III (Jaw - IR). Melifonwu finished with four tackles, one sack, a tackle for loss and a quarterback hit. His versatility is a nice boost for this defense.
Mr. Consistency: St. Brown caught six passes for 70 yards and a touchdown vs. the Bears. He is now the first player in franchise history to record at least 100 receptions, 1,000 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns in consecutive seasons.
Big play Jamo: It was great to see Goff and wide receiver Jameson Williams connect on a perfectly thrown ball for an 82-yard touchdown after Williams got behind the defense. Those two now have four touchdown receptions of 50-or-more yards this season. Williams' speed and playmaking ability is such a threat and changes how teams play the Lions in the back end at safety.
Takeaways: The Lions' defense got back to taking the football away Sunday in Chicago. Both of them came on Rome Odunze fumbles. The first was a missed handoff where Josh Paschal was in the right place at the right time to jump on it. The second was a nice play by Mitchell Agude to knock it lose and Ben Niemann to jump on it.
The Lions are going to get some players back on defense, but they are hurting. They are going to give up plays. The great equalizer for them will be generating takeaways and giving their offense extra possessions.
Fourth-down decision: I'm usually all for Dan Campbell's fourth-down decisions because it's that aggressive mentality that has gotten them to this point, but I thought he should have taken the field goal on 4th & 3 at the Bears' 13-yard line early in the fourth quarter to extend their lead to 20 points. They went for it and failed to convert.
The play ended up being a non-factor in the outcome, but against a better opponent down the stretch and in the playoffs, that could come back to hurt them. Force a team to score three touchdowns in the fourth quarter while stopping the league's best offense in back-to-back possessions to win. They do that, tip your cap.
