ALLEN PARK — Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell on Friday delivered some discouraging news regarding All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph.

Joseph (knee), who has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams, was a limited participant at practice on Wednesday before being a non-participant the following day. Campbell said Joseph suffered a “setback.”

When asked if Joseph could be a candidate for injured reserve, Campbell said: “Could be. I mean, could be. We’re at the backend of the season now. Anything, even if it’s not technically long term, becomes long term because we don’t have many games left.”

“It bothers him,” Campbell said of Joseph’s knee. “That’s the best way to say it.”

Joseph hasn’t played since the Lions visited the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 12.

Despite both starting safeties dealing with significant injuries — Brian Branch recently had surgery to repair his Achilles — Campbell said he’s not worried about the position because, “I really do trust the guys that are going back there for us, I do, man. What you lose in a couple areas, you may gain in other areas having some of these guys back there.”

Does Campbell have any long-term concerns about the NFL’s best safety tandem?

“I can’t get to next year right now,” Campbell said. “I’m not even thinking about next year right now. My focus is, right now, L.A. and then beyond. Once we get through this one, then we’re onto the next one.”

More injury updates

S Thomas Harper (brain): Harper suffered a concussion in the first quarter of Detroit’s game against the Dallas Cowboys last Thursday. Campbell entered the week unsure if Harper could clear concussion protocol prior to the Rams game, but he was optimistic Friday.

“Harper will be out there at practice today, so feel pretty good about him. We’ll see,” Campbell said. “I can’t give you definitives right now, but that’s kind of where we’re at. Look, (Erick) Hallett’s been taking reps, (Daniel Thomas) has been taking reps, (Avonte) Maddox’s been taking reps. We’ve got plenty of guys, and they’re getting valuable reps. So, we’re good.”

OT Taylor Decker (shoulder): Decker missed his third consecutive practice Friday, as he continues to manage a nagging shoulder injury. He’s questionable for Sunday, as are Harper (concussion), offensive linemen Kayode Awosika (foot) and Christian Mahogany (fibula), running back Sione Vaki (thumb), wide receiver Kalif Raymond (ankle) and tight end Shane Zylstra (knee).

ALLEN PARK — It should come as no surprise that one of the toughest and most determined players in recent Detroit Lions history is playing the best football of his career as he nears 38 years old.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, now in his 17th NFL season, might even earn his first MVP.

But his former team, the 8-5 Lions, will try to crater his case this Sunday at SoFi Stadium in a matchup that now feels all too familiar after recent playoff and opening-night run-ins, both in Detroit — and both Detroit victories.

These two sides have each proved their point. The Rams won a Super Bowl with Stafford, and the Lions beat L.A. when it mattered on that cold, cold night in January 2024, exercising several generations of demons in the process. Then they won another to open the 2024 season for good measure.

For all of the simmering emotions that’ll exist in this game — from Stafford, from Rams coach Sean McVay, from Lions quarterback Jared Goff — the reality is this rivalry is being increasingly defined by two great teams being in each other’s way of a Super Bowl year after year.

“We played them in that playoff game, was such a big deal. The next year, played them again and that felt like even less,” Goff said this week. “So now it’s even further removed, and —  yeah, they’re a really good team and we’ll have our hands full.”

This one matters a lot; a loss wouldn’t devastate Detroit’s playoff hopes, but a win to reach 9-5 would springboard the odds. The Rams, meanwhile, are currently the NFC’s No. 1 seed and would like to stay in that spot.

And yet, even strictly in those contexts, it’s still Goff and Stafford in the center of the ring.

No looking back

Stafford’s status entering the season was up in the air. He was dealing with a herniated disc in his back that was treated with an epidural. At age 37, there was plenty of speculation whether Stafford had already played his last game.

Fast forward four months, and Stafford has not only been completely healthy this season; he’s been one of the best players in all of football. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think he’s just starting to enter his prime.

Stafford’s 35 touchdown passes lead the next closest (Goff and Dak Prescott, 26) by a whopping nine touchdowns. He also leads the league in passer rating (113.1). His 258.0 yards per game are fourth; and he’s thrown just four interceptions.

“He’s playing as good as anybody at the position right now, that’s the bottom line,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said.

The further we get away from the trade that altered both franchises’ trajectories, the less these now-yearly matchups are centered around it. It’s now been nearly five full years since the Lions traded Stafford to the Rams in exchange for Goff, two first-rounders and a third-round pick.

Goff, now in his fifth season with Detroit, has played more games as a Lion (78) than he did as a Ram (69). He’s long been ready to move past the trade and the emotions that came with it, especially since he and the Lions expelled their trauma in the playoff win against L.A.

And Stafford, for all of the jaw-dropping statistics he put up during his time with the Lions, has now achieved most of the crowning achievements of his career — plus all of the playoff success — with the Rams.

“I feel that way,” Stafford said this week, asked if the Lions have become just another team. “When I flip the (Lions’) tape on, I don’t think about all the guys that I used to play with because hardly any of them are still playing on the team. The biggest thing for me is watching them play, and they jump off the tape. They’re fast. They’re physical. They’re well-coached. … It’s another really good, complete football team.”

Goff, meanwhile, has held up his own end of the bargain. He led the Lions to two of their best seasons during the Super Bowl era in 2023 and 2024.

This year, he’s survived the loss of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and the retirement of All-Pro center Frank Ragnow, plus a midseason play-caller change. Goff is tied for second in completion rate (70.1%) and touchdowns (26), and fifth in yards per game (256.5).

“He’s a true professional. … He’s seen a lot of ball. He doesn’t blink. He doesn’t blink,” Lions offensive coordinator John Morton said. “I mean, there’s times where he’s getting his butt kicked, he just gets right back up. That’s one of his strengths; he’s mentally tough. And his preparation is the key to our success.”

When the two teams meet in Inglewood, Calif., this Sunday, the game will likely be defined by which quarterback has a better day at the office.

Goff climbs the charts

When Stafford was drafted No. 1 overall by the Lions in 2009, the decision wasn’t as cut and dry as history would have you believe. Stafford certainly doesn’t forget that a strong contingent of the Lions’ fanbase wanted the team to instead draft linebacker Aaron Curry out of Wake Forest.

“I remember about 50% of the fans in Detroit not wanting me to go there,” Stafford said this week.

It all worked out for Detroit: Curry wound up going three picks later to the New York Jets at No. 4, and played just four seasons before retiring to begin his coaching career in 2013.

Stafford smashed the Lions’ franchise records for passing yards (45,109) and touchdowns (282). But the team never figured itself out around him, resulting in just four winning seasons over 12 years. The Lions were 0-3 in playoff games started by Stafford.

Off in the distance, a challenger is beginning to emerge for the most productive quarterback in franchise history. Goff, 31, is second in both passing yards (20,221) and touchdowns (141) with plenty of football ahead of him. And while he still has a long way to go to match those ridiculous numbers, the fact of the matter is that Goff has already accomplished more in a Lions uniform, from a team perspective, than Stafford ever did.

This Sunday at SoFi Stadium, legacies aren’t on the line, like they were back in the 2023 Wild Card round. Whichever team loses will still have a chance to make the playoffs and reach or win the Super Bowl. The personal feelings have subsided as years have gone by.

But make no mistake about it: the Goff and Stafford trade is still at the center of every game these two teams will play.

“I know it feels like a win for us,” Campbell said, nearly five years later. “I’m sure they do, too.”

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You don’t have to pinch yourselves, Detroit Lions fans, this is real: Frank Ragnow is coming out of retirement, a source confirmed to The Detroit News on Wednesday.

Ragnow, a multi-time All-Pro, first announced his retirement in June, citing health reasons. The former first-round pick and standout in the middle of Detroit’s vaunted offensive line has endured a number of injuries throughout his career, including a fractured throat and, as recently as the 2024 season, a partially torn pectoral muscle.

But those ailments were seemingly not enough to keep Ragnow away from the game for long. His reinsertion into the lineup gives new hope for the Lions’ offensive line, which, at best, has been up and down through the first three months of the 2025 season.

Quarterback Jared Goff has been sacked 23 times (12th-most in the NFL), and Detroit has rushed for fewer than 100 yards in each of its four losses. The Lions were held to under 75 rushing yards against the Green Bay Packers (Week 1), Minnesota Vikings (Week 9) and Philadelphia Eagles (Week 11).

Without Ragnow, the Lions turned to veteran Graham Glasgow, moving him from guard to center. At guard, the Lions initially leaned on second-year pro Christian Mahogany and rookie Tate Ratledge, but Mahogany broke a bone in his leg earlier this month and his since been replaced by Kayode Awosika. Mahogany could return in late December, Lions coach Dan Campbell has estimated.

To call Ragnow’s un-retirement a surprise would be an understatement. Asked on Nov. 4 about Ragnow, Lions coach Dan Campbell said the “ship has sailed” on him coming back: “Here’s what I know about Frank: If Frank really wanted to (play), he would be blowing my phone up, and I haven’t gotten a text yet,” Campbell said in an interview on 97.1 The Ticket’s “Costa & Jansen with Heather” show. “So, I think Frank is feeling good about his decision. Look, they just had another baby, so happy for them.”

“This is awesome for the Lions, can’t wait to watch Frank back out there doing his thing!” former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce said on social media.

Ragnow has appeared in and started 96 games in his career, with all but 16 of those games coming at center; he played left guard his rookie year. Ragnow is a four-time Pro Bowler and was a second-team All-Pro in 2020, 2023 and 2024. The Lions used the 20th overall pick in 2018 to draft Ragnow, who spent four seasons at Arkansas and was a two-time All-American.

As is standard when a player comes out of retirement, Ragnow’s preexisting contract will be in effect, according to ESPN. When he retired, he two years remaining on a four-year, $54 million extension signed in 2021.

This is a developing story that will be updated.

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DETROIT — The Detroit Lions won’t have much time to enjoy their thrilling overtime victory against the New York Giants Sunday, and perhaps that’s a good thing.

For all the memorable moments that it provided, the majority of the Lions’ performance was forgettable — a shocking unraveling for most of four quarters before Jahmyr Gibbs stitched it all back together with two big-time touchdown runs in the fourth quarter and overtime.

The Giants played Detroit like they have most contenders they’ve faced this season: With a general fearlessness that keeps them in it until the very end. In their prior two games, they took both Green Bay and Chicago to the wire, with both Lions’ divisional foes needing a late touchdown to win; the Packers scored their winning touchdown with 4:02 to go, and the Bears took their lead with 1:47 remaining.

All of this is to say that the Giants were no easy out, despite being the first team eliminated from the playoffs with Sunday’s loss.

And while that’s not going to make any nervous Lions fan feel better about the road ahead, what ultimately matters most is that they added to their win column instead of the loss column. The 8-seed Lions (7-4) are still on the outside looking in of the playoff picture after Sunday’s events, and a loss would have put them in a hole that could have been tough to climb out of, especially given what’s on the docket.

Detroit’s next six opponents have a combined record of 39-25-2, tied with Chicago for the third-most difficult remaining schedule in the league, per Tankathon. (Green Bay, for what it’s worth, is first.)

All of the Lions’ remaining opponents except Minnesota, which beat the Lions in Week 9, are .500 or above.

Week 13: vs. Green Bay (7-3-1)

Week 14: vs. Dallas (5-5-1)

Week 15: at Los Angeles Rams (9-2)

Week 16: vs. Pittsburgh (6-5)

Week 17: at Minnesota (4-7)

Week 18: at Chicago (8-3)

Under normal circumstances, the Lions likely would have to find three more wins in this six-game span just to get into the playoffs, but even that might not be enough: The 49ers (7-4) are currently in the 7 seed. It might take 11 wins (and a 4-2 record down the stretch for Detroit) to find a way in if they can’t track down Chicago for the division lead.

The silver lining is the Lions can quickly climb the standings by beating the teams ahead of them. These next three games are critically important. They can jump Green Bay in the North with a win Thursday. A win over Dallas the following week would go a long way toward shoving the Cowboys out of the playoff picture while adding an NFC win. And if they can win those two and find a way to beat Los Angeles, well, we’d have to think Detroit is the favorite to win the NFC North.

Of course, it won’t be that simple. Green Bay stuffed Detroit in a locker in Week 1, and the Packers’ front is still a major mismatch for a Lions offensive line that has since lost a starter. Dallas has a potent offense and has shown a propensity for shutting down the run since making some trade-deadline acquisitions. And the Rams have established themselves as the best team in football through 12 weeks.

When I look at the back half of this schedule, I’m really not sure what to expect. They could go 5-1 or 2-4, and neither would truly surprise me.

On the one hand: The pass protection is still an inconsistent mess; the pass rush has barely gotten home in the last three weeks; the secondary has been extremely volatile at times; and the Lions, one of the league’s worst third-down teams (25th), have lost one of their best money-down options, tight end Sam LaPorta, indefinitely.

On the other hand: The Lions have the best lineman-running back-receiver trios in the league in Penei Sewell, Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown; their defensive front has been playing lights-out against the run; they’re expected to continue getting defensive starters back; and they still have the pedigree of a team that’s used to winning the division.

Everything is on the table — positive and negative — for these final six weeks.

Audio glitch

Had Jake Bates missed the last-minute kick that tied the game, there would be one major topic of conversation today that’s instead being glossed over.

After quarterback Jared Goff moved the chains with a 9-yard completion to St. Brown, he spiked the ball at Detroit’s 47-yard line to stop the clock with 1:12 left in the game. The team huddled, but with the play clock winding down, the Lions ended up using their third and final timeout anyway.

Why?

Lions coach Dan Campbell said there was an issue with the headset, and he couldn’t get the play to Goff after the spike. The broadcast cameras showed Campbell immediately talking into the headset after the spike, but as the clock wound down to under 10 seconds, the team remained in the huddle.

“I don’t know what happened with that, to be honest with you,” Campbell said. “I just knew I couldn’t get to him. So, I don’t know if something happened, I don’t know. The procedure of what goes on for me, from me to him. Yeah, it was just one of those oddball, weird deals, where thank God it didn’t cost us.”

Goff’s on-field actions — he approached the ref and pointed to his headset after the timeout was called — seemed to confirm that was the case, and the Lions immediately overcame it by hitting Gibbs for an 11-yard pass that went for a first down, helping move Detroit into field-goal range for Bates.

And there is, of course, an argument to be made that one decision begot the other: Because the Lions spiked the ball on first down, they couldn’t afford to run a dud play on second down, and therefore needed to use the timeout to avoid cratering the last-gasp possession.

But it probably still shouldn’t have happened. Campbell has talked at length about how Goff knows the offense as well as he does, and how he can get them into the right play when things go wonky. Yet, that didn’t occur in a moment of utmost importance.

And while it might be asking too much of Goff to just take over the huddle at a moment’s notice and call a play, it’s not like it was the first time a headset has gone down during an NFL game. There needs to be a contingency plan for moments like those, because it could have cost them dearly.

Comeback kids

In last week’s “Final Drive,” one of the things I bemoaned about this Lions team was that they haven’t played well from behind all season. In each of their four losses, they fell behind in the first half and never regained a lead at any point in the second half.

The Lions threatened to extend that streak Sunday, falling behind 17-7 in the second quarter and not regaining the lead until overtime.

But for the first time all season, they prevailed. And yes, it was against a crappy opponent, but when they fell behind against the Eagles, for example, it was hard to foresee a comeback; they just hadn’t done it. Now, they have.

That goes further in the locker room than one might think.

“You never know what these (types of wins) can do. Sometimes, it’s just important to remind yourself what we’re all capable of, even when the chips are down and things get hard,” Campbell said. “You don’t ever forget how to dig in one more time and find a way to lean on each other and do your job. And anytime you can get a win like this, it’s a good thing. It’s a good thing.

“Because that very easily a number of times could have gone the other way, and we all know it. But it didn’t, it didn’t. we made the plays we had to make.”

DETROIT — The Detroit Lions trailed by 10. The opposing third-string quarterback had just scored a 33-yard receiving touchdown. It felt like the season — let alone the game — was on the verge of spiraling out of control.

And then Jahmyr Gibbs happened.

With 11:01 left in the fourth quarter Sunday, Gibbs took a handoff from quarterback Jared Goff, hurdled over some feet near the line of scrimmage, and broke three tackles before winning a race to the end zone for a 49-yard touchdown run that kept the game — and maybe the season — from spiraling out of control.

After the Lions got a stop near their own goal line to get the ball back down 27-24 with 2:54 remaining, he made a handful of big receptions to move the chains, keeping the Lions afloat just long enough for Jake Bates to deliver a 59-yard field goal that tied the game, 27-27, with 28 seconds remaining.

In overtime, Gibbs took the opening handoff for a 69-yard touchdown, helping the Lions seal a 34-27 comeback victory over the New York Giants at Ford Field after the defense shut the door with a fourth-down sack on Jameis Winston on the ensuing possession.

For the second time in three weeks, Gibbs set a career high in rushing yards (219) on just 15 carries (14.6 yards per attempt), and scored three total touchdowns with 45 receiving yards. Gibbs’ 264 yards from scrimmage are the most for a running back in Lions history.

Gibbs also pulled the Lions out of a funk in the first half, too. His first big carry also went for 49 yards, with the Lions trailing 17-7 in the late stages of the second quarter. After getting Detroit to the 3-yard line, Gibbs caught a pass in the flat for his first score of the afternoon.

While he can’t solve all of the Lions’ offensive problems, he sure does appear to be Mr. Fix-It right now. The offensive line’s woes haven’t seemed to matter when he’s had the ball in his hands in recent weeks.

And on Sunday afternoon at Ford Field, it saved the Lions from being in a mighty uncomfortable spot heading into Thursday’s pivotal NFC North showdown with the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving.

The Giants ambushed Detroit on their opening drive. After Aidan Hutchinson was flagged for being offside on a failed third-and-7, the Giants hit a double pass to Wan’Dale Robinson for a 39-yard touchdown. The defense bit on an outside toss play, leaving Robinson running free through the Lions’ secondary as Winston got the ball back and chucked it deep.

Winston kept the Lions on their heels all game. While he only completed 50% of his passes, it seemed like every one of his completions was an explosive one, and rarely did he miss in a gotta-have-it situation. He finished 18-for-36 for 366 yards with two passing touchdowns and one receiving.

The Giants, which finished with 517 yards of offense, added to their lead on the final play of the first quarter, reaching the red zone after a trio of completions to Robinson (12 yards, 40, 15), the last of which was aided by a personal foul call on Brian Branch that set New York up with first-and-goal at the 8. The Lions’ defense stood tall to limit the Giants to a field goal and a 10-0 lead.

Detroit finally got on the board with 11:41 left in the second quarter. After dropping a critical pass on the previous drive, Amon-Ra St. Brown ripped off a gain of 18 yards and then drew a defensive pass interference call — the first on a Lions’ opponent all season — in the end zone to get it to first-and-goal at the 1.

After an intentional grounding penalty on Jared Goff made it third-and-goal from the 11, St. Brown overcame some poor blocking on a wide receiver screen to barrel his way into the end zone, cutting the deficit to 10-7.

St. Brown had two big drops, including one that was collected by a defender for an interception, but got off the mat following a quiet night in Philadelphia by hauling in nine catches for 149 yards and a touchdown. Goff was 28-for-42 passing for 279 yards and a touchdown.

But after his touchdown, the Giants wasted no time in extending the lead to 10 once again. Running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. broke out for a 42-yard gain on the opening play of New York’s ensuing possession, and with the Lions hoping to get off the field on third-and-8 later in the series, Winston fired a touchdown pass to Isaiah Hodgins in the back of the end zone for a 17-7 lead.

Photo gallery from the Lions’ overtime win over the Giants

After both offenses had a failed drive, the Lions took over with 4:10 left in the second quarter, down 10. And then the Gibbs Show arrived.

He ripped off a 49-yard run to get Detroit to the 3-yard line of New York, then caught a pass in the flat for his first touchdown of the afternoon, cutting the Giants’ lead to 17-14.

The Giants used another explosive catch by Robinson to reach Lions territory and add a 44-yard field goal by Younghoe Koo with 38 seconds left in the half.

But a pair of big-time plays by veteran receiver Kalif Raymond helped the Lions erase the points added. He returned the kickoff 44 yards, his longest kick return of the season, and then caught a 30-yard pass, leading to a 37-yard field goal from Bates to make it 20-17.

Takeaways as the Detroit Lions avoid upset, defeat New York Giants in overtime

The Lions’ offense finally got rolling toward the end of the third quarter after a quiet start to the half. A couple of big catches by St. Brown got Detroit into the red zone, but a third-down throw from Goff bounced off St. Brown’s hands and was intercepted by Giants safety Jevón Holland, erasing the opportunity for a game-tying field goal on fourth down.

The Giants used the momentum to add insult to injury. After marching right back downfield, the Giants scored on a 33-yard reverse pass from wide receiver Gunner Olszewski to Winston, taking a 27-17 lead.

Gibbs motored the Lions back into the contest, breaking free on a 49-yard rushing touchdown in which he broke three tackles to bring the Lions within a field goal, 27-24, with 10:50 to go in the game.

The Detroit Lions kicked off a three-game stretch in the next 11 days with a home matchup against the New York Giants.

Even though the Giants were dealing with their own issues, Dan Campbell’s squad was seeking to get back on track, following a tough loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, especially on offense.

“Listen, this is step number one in getting back in the win column,” Campbell said in a pregame interview with Dan Miller. “We’ve got them at home, our crowd, our place. Just take it one game at a time, and take each play one at a time. Give it your full attention, and let’s get back to playing winning football.”

While many expected the game to be a blowout, it remained competitive all throughout the four quarters of action.

The Giants had a chance to ice the game late, but a failed fourth-down try in the red zone gave the Lions an opportunity to march down the field to tie the game.

After 60 minutes, the game was tied, 27-27, when Jake Bates drilled a 59-yard field goal, sending the game to overtime.

Here are several takeaways from the Lions’ 34-27 victory, which improved their record to 7-4.

 

Giants give Lions taste of their own medicine

The Lions and their aggressive head coach have become synonymous with trick plays over the years.

After winning the opening coin toss and deferring, Kelvin Sheppard’s defensive unit took the field first. The Giants, with really nothing to lose in the Week 12 contest, were willing to try a trick play of their own.

After an explosive 23-yard reception by wideout Darius Slayton and a couple of rushing attempts, the Giants caught the Lions’ defense and successfully ran a trick play of their own at Ford Field.

Running back Devin Singleton tossed the football back to quarterback Jameis Winston, who was then able to find Wan’Dale Robinson wide open for a 39-yard touchdown reception.

The Giants quickly took an early 7-0 lead on a four-play drive that spanned 70 yards.

Again in the fourth quarter, the Giants dialed up a trick play that extended their lead to 27-17. Wideout Gunner Olszewski tossed the football to Winston for a 33-yard highlight score.

Defense allows too many explosives

Making his second start of the season, Winston looked far too comfortable at times against a Lions’ defense that has had success pressuring passers throughout the year. In addition to his touchdown to Robinson on the first drive, Winston had multiple other explosive passes throughout the first half.

Winston and Robinson connected for a 40-yard gain on the Giants’ third possession, then again for 15 yards that would turn into an even bigger gain thanks to a helmet-to-helmet hit by Brian Branch. The Lions’ safety could face a fine for this for a second straight week.

After the Lions cut New York’s lead to 10-7, Winston rolled out and hit a wide open Tyrone Tracy for a 42-yard catch and run. On the play, cornerback Amik Robertson ran with the vertical route and the flat was completely vacated, leading to Tracy having plenty of running room.

Winston would throw his second touchdown pass of the game to Isaiah Hodgins in the second quarter. He finished the first half completing 9-of-14 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns.

Safety Thomas Harper was able to intercept Winston in the fourth-quarter, but Detroit’s offense was not able to take advantage, as the Giants defense clamped down and forced a Jack Fox punt.

Lions’ offense picks up pace in second quarter

After falling behind 10-0, the Lions’ offense was able to get on the scoreboard early in the second quarter.

To start the game, Detroit’s offense punted on their first two possessions. On Detroit’s second possession, Amon-Ra St. Brown had another drop and causing supporters at Ford Field to get quite restless.

Detroit’s offensive line had some early struggles with the Giants defensive line.

Tight end Brock Wright, who is now tasked with leading the unit after Sam Laporta injured his back, kicked off the team’s third drive with a 20-yard reception.

St. Brown was also able to draw a rare defensive pass interference call on Detroit’s first scoring drive.

The former fourth-round pick capped off the seven-play, 65-yard drive with an 11-yard reception, cutting the Giants lead to 10-7.

Jahmyr Gibbs breaks free, rescues Lions in overtime win vs. Giants

After drop, Amon-Ra St. Brown gives offense needed boost

Following an uncharacteristic drop in the fist half, the talented wideout found his groove, especially in second half.

St. Brown was able to recover from the mishap to be the key playmaker on offense, along with Gibbs.

Trailing 20-17 midway through the third-quarter, St. Brown gave the offensive a boost with a 30-yard reception that took the Lions from their own 10-yard Lions to the 40-yard line.

On the brink of taking a lead or at least tying the game, Goff’s pass to St. Brown went off his hands and into the arms of safety Jevon Holland, halting the offensive momentum Detroit had gained in the third-quarter.

Goff, who was pressured all afternoon, led his team on a 13-play, 53-yard drive late in the game, leading to Bates most crucial kick of the season.

Photo gallery from the Lions’ overtime win over the Giants

Gibbs takes advantage of poor Giants rush defense

Trailing early in the fourth-quarter by 10, Detroit again struck quickly. It only took three plays for the Lions to trim the lead to 27-24.

Gibbs exploded for a 49-yard touchdown rush that gave Detroit’s offense momentum.

Campbell continues to lean on the speedy running back, as he continued to earn more carries than David Montgomery.

Jahmyr Gibbs again sparked the offense, as a 49-yard scamper was integral in a three-play drive that cut the Giants lead to 17-4. Gibbs caught a short three-yard toss to cap off the quick scoring drive late in the second-quarter.

In overtime, the former first-round pick took a Goff handoff and scampered 69-yards to give Detroit the lead in the extra period.

The former Alabama Crimson Tide running back secured 219 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 15 carries. He also added 11 receptions for 45 yards and a receiving touchdown.

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions

The Lions needed overtime — and a career day from Jahmyr Gibbs — to get past the cellar-dwelling New York Giants, 34-27, on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025.

Here are the sights from Ford Field:

Jahmyr Gibbs breaks free, rescues Lions in overtime win vs. Giants

Takeaways as the Detroit Lions avoid upset, defeat New York Giants in overtime

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart will miss a second consecutive game because of a concussion.

Interim coach Mike Kafka said Friday that Dart remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol and will not play Sunday at Detroit. Journeyman Jameis Winston is set to start again in Dart’s absence, with Russell Wilson backing up.

Dart was knocked out of the Giants’ game against the Bears on Nov. 9 after taking a hit to the head. He did not play last weekend when New York hosted Green Bay.

The team hoped Dart would progress quickly enough to get cleared to face the Lions. The 22-year-old was a limited participant in practices Wednesday and Thursday and would have needed to take part fully Friday to play.

Winston was 19 of 29 for 201 yards passing with a rushing touchdown and an interception in a 27-20 loss to the Packers that dropped New York to 2-9 this season.

PHILADELPHIA — A week after the Detroit Lions’ offense kicked into gear, it found itself stuck in the mud at Lincoln Financial Field.

In a game that was supposed to be a litmus test for this team’s title hopes, the Lions came up short offensively on just about every big play against the reigning Super Bowl champions.

Detroit went 4-for-15 on third down and tied an NFL record, according to TruMedia data, by whiffing on all five of its fourth-down attempts as they were K.O.’d by the title defenders in a 16-9 loss on “Sunday Night Football.”

Detroit’s key cogs in the passing game — quarterback Jared Goff, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and the entire offensive line — all earned their fair share of the blame for Detroit’s shortcomings.

The Lions (6-4) entered the day in first place in the NFC North and are now in third. The Eagles are 8-3.

Could the protection have been better? Sure. The Eagles’ pass rush was humming on Sunday night, and it was most noticeable during a fourth-and-goal from the 4-yard line: Goff had a wide-open Brock Wright for a would-be touchdown, but with edge rusher Jaelen Phillips, the Eagles’ shiny deadline acquisition, barreling down on him after cleanly beating Penei Sewell, he made an ill-advised throw to St. Brown that fell incomplete.

Still, a number of the conversions just came down to poor execution — an underthrown pass here, a blatant drop there — as the Lions let the opportunity they’ve waited for slip right through their fingers. Goff targeted St. Brown six times on third and fourth down, connecting on none of them. He targeted Jameson Williams once on fourth down; the pass was low, but catchable, and dropped.

Goff set a career-low in completion rate (14-for-37, 37.8%) as he threw for 255 yards, a touchdown and an interception with a passer rating of 60.1. St. Brown had two catches for 42 yards on a whopping 12 targets. Williams had four catches for 88 yards and a 40-yard touchdown.

The Lions’ defense held up its end of the bargain, holding the Eagles to 273 yards of offense and 3-for-13 on third down. It was repeatedly put in bad spots — the Eagles had three drive starts in Lions territory during the first half, including an early field-goal drive that started at Detroit’s 11 after an interception. Saquon Barkley was held to 3.2 yards per carry (83 yards on 26 attempts).

Not all the blame can be attributed to the players. Sunday night was not Dan Campbell’s best coaching performance. He kept going for it on fourth down until perhaps the most important one of the game; with 5:10 remaining and the Lions down 10, Detroit surrendered their weapons and punted it away.

Detroit miraculously had a chance to get back in the game on Philadelphia’s final possession. After cutting the deficit to 16-9, the Lions appeared to get a stop on third-and-8 with 1:47 remaining that would’ve given them the ball back, but the officials — who’d let handsy cornerback play go all game — threw a pass-interference flag on Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin.

Of course, the Eagles deserve their credit, too. They were far and away the better team on Sunday night, which is perhaps a more difficult reality to grapple with than the one in which the Lions simply wasted their opportunities.

Philadelphia’s pass rush sure looks Super Bowl-caliber, and they made sure Goff felt the heat down-in, down-out. He was 0-for-10 with an interception when pressured, according to Pro Football Focus live data.

And the Eagles’ run defense was as mean as ever. Jahmyr Gibbs was limited to 39 yards on 12 carries — but had a career-high 107 receiving yards — as David Montgomery carried it six times for 27 yards.

The Lions got a quick stop to start the game and immediately started moving the ball on offense. The Eagles reversed the momentum when Jordan Davis deflected a pass at the line of scrimmage, and it was intercepted by Cooper DeJean, who returned the ball to Detroit’s 11-yard line.

Detroit’s defense held and limited the Eagles — the NFL’s No. 1 red zone offense entering Sunday — to a field goal that made it 3-0 at 9:43 in the first quarter.

The Lions gambled on fourth-and-1 from their own 48-yard line, rushing to the line after getting stuffed on third-and-short to try another handoff. But Gibbs was stuffed again, resulting in a turnover on downs. But Detroit’s defense got another stop, forcing a three-and-out on the ensuing possession.

Detroit was stopped again in its own territory during the following series. Facing a fourth-and-2 at their own 43, the Lions ran a direct snap to Grant Stuard, who was stuffed short of the line for another turnover on downs. The Eagles turned this stop into points, adding a 34-yard field goal off the foot of Jake Elliott for a 6-0 lead with 6:02 to go in the half.

The failed fake punt was the first of two costly coaching decisions in the first half.

The Lions’ offense got on track in the blink of an eye, taking the ball 74 yards in three plays as Jameson Williams exploded for a 40-yard touchdown. He caught a pass from Goff over the middle and accelerated into the end zone, drawing a personal foul for excessive celebration when he celebrated by hugging the goalpost.

The Eagles then marched right down the field for a touchdown to regain the lead near the end of the first half. After A.J. Brown caught an 11-yard pass to set up first-and-goal at the 5-yard line with more than a minute left in the half, Campbell — who had all three timeouts in his pocket — allowed Philadelphia to burn off most of the remaining clock and give the ball back to Detroit with a 13-6 lead and only 16 seconds left in the half.

Photo gallery from Sunday Night Football matchup between the Lions and Eagles

Jalen Hurts gave Philadelphia the lead with a 1-yard rushing touchdown via the “Tush Push,” the Eagles’ infamous quarterback sneak.

The Lions caught a break early in the third quarter when Philadelphia was called for a false start before attempting the “Tush Push,” which NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay said should have been a neutral-zone infraction on Lions defensive tackle Tyleik Williams.

Detroit’s defense got off the field with a stop on the ensuing third-and-6, then raced down the field behind some significant gains from Gibbs, including a 42-yard reception. The Lions again failed to convert on a money down as Goff, under heavy pressure, threw an incompletion to a covered St. Brown instead of a wide-open Brock Wright on fourth-and-goal at the 4 for the turnover on downs.

Takeaways as lifeless Lions offense flounders in 16-9 loss to Eagles

The Lions’ defense continued to get stops as the offense continued to sputter. Detroit had another fourth-down attempt near midfield near the end of the third quarter, but again the St. Brown connection faltered, as Goff misfired to his most trusted weapon for Detroit’s fifth turnover on downs.

The Eagles took a big step toward putting the game away when they added a 49-yard field goal from Elliott with 10:15 remaining.

The Lions gave themselves an opportunity when they stopped a pair of “Tush Pushes” to force a turnover on downs in Philadelphia territory with 2:57 to go. Detroit made it a one-score game with a 54-yard field goal from Jake Bates.

But after kicking the ball away with all three timeouts, the Lions couldn’t get the stop required as officials made a controversial third-down pass interference call on Ya-Sin to all but end the game.

It was a cold and blustery evening at Lincoln Financial Field, when the the Detroit Lions arrived to face a Philadelphia Eagles squad that had won seven of their first nine games of the season.

Dan Campbell is quite familiar with the hostile environment, as he spent several seasons playing for the New York Giants.

“To go back to all this, in my own history I was in the NFC East for seven years. Philly, I know it well and it’s a special place to play,” Campbell said in an interview with FOX-2. “It is hostile, it’s gonna be as hostile as a place we’ve ever been to. It is an electric atmosphere, man. Our guys are going to love this. We get a champion, get to play a champ, it’s gonna be a heavyweight fight. We’ve got to be on cue, and it’s just the type of game that we love, so this is perfect.”

Both teams understood the significant ramifications of the NFC heavyweight showdown.

After 60 mins of action, the Lions’ offense was not able to overcome Vic Fangio’s stingy Eagles defense.

Next up is a home contest against the New York Giants at Ford Field.

Here are several takeaways from the Lions’ 16-9 loss to the Eagles:

 

Eagles defense forces early turnover

After Detroit won the opening coin toss, the defense was able to force a stop on the Eagles opening offensive drive.

Campbell decided to start the game on their first possession passing the football, finding Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs for early completions.

Unfortunately, the Eagles defensive line made a play early in the Week 11 contest. Jordan Davis was able to tip a Jared Goff pass that was intended for tight end Brock Wright, resulting in Cooper DeJean interception that was returned to the Lions 11-yard line.

After a sudden change of possession, Detroit’s defense held, as the Eagles were forced to settle for a Jake Elliott 27-yard field goal.

Lions offense struggles to establish rhythm in first half

It was tough sledding for Detroit’s offense throughout their first four offensive possessions.

Last week, Detroit was able to move the football quite easily. In the rougher weather conditions, the ability to extend drives early in the game proved to be quite difficult.

Unfortunately, rookie right guard Tate Ratledge left the game during the team’s third offensive possession. He was replaced by Trystan Colon for a brief period of time before returning to action.

Eagles linebacker Jaelan Phillips made his presence felt by sacking Goff in the first quarter.

Early in the second quarter, Campbell made the decision to go for it on fourth-and-1 near midfield. The Eagles defensive line, which stuffed Jahmyr Gibbs the play prior, was able to again stuff Detroit’s rushing attack, forcing a turnover on downs.

Jameson Williams helps team, also hurts team

The Eagles capitalized on sniffingn out Detroit’s attempt at a fake punt in the second quarter.

After taking a 6-0 lead, the Lions found their top two offensive weapons on their sixth offensive drive of the first half.

Amon-Ra St. Brown was on the receiving end of a 34-yard reception. The very next play, Goff found Jameson Williams, who was then able to easily scamper for a 40-yard touchdown.

After jumping into the uprights, the speedy wideout incurred an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, forcing kicker Jake Bates to try a 48-yard extra-point. Williams celebration ended up costing his team.

In tougher conditions, Bates sent the extra point wide right, keeping the game tied at 6-6.

Super Bowl champs put clamps on Lions’ offense, Eagles prevail

Lions do not execute at championship level on fourth down

Last week, Gibbs recorded three touchdowns against Washington, becoming the sixth player in NFL history to score 40 prior to his 24th birthday.

On Detroit’s first drive of the second half, the team was not able to execute on fourth down, as a Goff pass was low and unable to be caught by Williams.

Following a defensive stop, Gibbs sparked the offense, assisting the team move down the field and into the red zone. He took a screen pass for a big gain, bursting 42 yards to the Philadelphia 24-yard line.

However, after Gibbs took three more runs inside the Eagles’ 10, the drive stalled out. On fourth down, the Eagles defensive line pressured Goff, forcing the incompletion on a toss to St. Brown.

Photo gallery from Sunday Night Football matchup between the Lions and Eagles

Eagles defensive line exposes Lions offensive line

The Eagles feature one of the top defensive line units in the league. As the game went on, and noticeably in the third quarter, the offensive line struggled to protect Goff enough to allow him enough time to make throws.

It was pointed out on the television broadcast just how much difficulty Detroit’s offensive line had with Phillips and Jordan Davis.

As a result, Goff was regularly pressured, hurried and struggled to consistently find his receivers in stride or in position to allow for yards after the catch. He had multiple passes batted at the line of scrimmage and was forced off platform routinely.

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions

The Detroit Lions’ offense couldn’t get anything going in their Sunday Night Football matchup, turning the ball over on downs five times in a 16-9 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, their fourth loss of the season, dropping them to third in the NFC North standings.

Here are all the sights from the game:

Takeaways as lifeless Lions offense flounders in 16-9 loss to Eagles

Super Bowl champs put clamps on Lions’ offense, Eagles prevail

The Detroit Lions will be without tight end Sam LaPorta for at least the next four games after placing him on injured reserve with a back injury on Saturday afternoon.

LaPorta was not spotted at practice or in the locker room all week. Lions coach Dan Campbell was not specific when asked about his injury on Friday, other than noting that he probably wouldn’t practice. The earliest LaPorta can return is Week 15 against the Rams.

The loss is a big one for Detroit, as LaPorta is a major contributor in both the run and passing game. Through nine games this season, he caught 40 passes for 489 yards and three touchdowns.

The Lions also chose not to activate several players who were eligible to come off of injured reserve lists for Sunday’s primetime game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Detroit on Saturday announced that defensive end Marcus Davenport, cornerback D.J. Reed (hamstring), linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (knee), and offensive lineman Miles Frazier (knee) were not activated and were downgraded to out for the contest. All players were previously listed as questionable.

None of those moves comes as a surprise, except perhaps Rodriguez, who’s beginning to push up against the end of his 21-day acclimation window. Rodriguez must be added to the roster by Tuesday, Nov. 18, or be shut down for the rest of the year.

The Lions also added wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa to the game status report with an oblique injury; he is now questionable for Sunday’s game. The Lions will be shorthanded in the secondary, with Reed joining cornerback Terrion Arnold and All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph in their absence.

Defensive lineman Pat O’Connor, who was placed on injured reserve this week with a knee injury, was waived with an injury settlement.

To round out the roster for Sunday’s game against the Eagles, the Lions signed offensive lineman Michael Niese from the practice squad to the active roster and temporarily elevated wide receivers Tom Kennedy and Jackson Meeks from the practice squad.

ALLEN PARK — Listen to Dan Campbell talk about Saquon Barkley, and you’ll hear the Detroit Lions head coach describing an oxymoron.

Barkley couples elite size (233 pounds) and strength at his position with rare talent and athleticism. The combination makes him one of the NFL’s best running backs, even if his production in 2025 isn’t quite as historic as it was in 2024, when Barkley ran for a league-best 2,005 yards, helping power the Eagles to their second Super Bowl win in eight years.

“He’s big, but he’s got the agility and the speed of a scat back,” Campbell said of Barkley this week. “He’s powerful, he’s strong, explosive. He can hit the hole. And if he’s got a step and there’s a hole, he can take it the distance. And so you can’t just stick an arm out and pull this guy down. That’s what it is. You’re talking about a power back that’s got very good feet, lateral quicks, and explosiveness and speed to go the distance. That’s what it is.”

Barkley has rushed for 579 yards and four touchdowns on 149 attempts this season, numbers that rank 16th, 17th and eighth, respectively, among all running backs. The Eagles and new offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo haven’t quite found a way to unlock Barkley to his fullest potential, like last season. Barkley is averaging 3.9 yards per carry (31st) and has a rushing success rate of 42.3% (39th).

Perhaps the biggest difference in Barkley’s production is a downtrend in explosive plays. Barkley paced the NFL in designed rushing attempts of 15 or more yards last season (32), according to Pro Football Focus. He’s at seven this season, which currently is tied with Baltimore’s Derrick Henry and Chicago’s D’Andre Swift for 11th.

Those numbers, however, don’t change the Lions’ respect of Barkley. The running back flashed his explosive capabilities in the fourth quarter of a win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, when he caught a pass behind the line of scrimmage and spun away from cornerback Carrington Valentine on the way to picking up 41 yards. The play set the Eagles up to score their only touchdown of the game on their next snap.

“I think he is an explosive player, that every time his hands are on the ball, he’s a threat to score a touchdown,” outside linebackers coach David Corrao said. “You can’t give him a crease. He outruns angles. You see DBs come out of the secondary (and) they think they’ve got the angle on him, and he just runs by them. Then he runs you over. He’s physical, he’s fast, and he’s a complete back that, every time he touches the ball, you better find a way to get multiple guys there to get him on the ground.”

Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard called Barkley a “generational talent.”

“If you give 26 a lane, he’s going to find it, and he has home run ability,” Sheppard said. “He’s one of the most elite backs in this league.”

ALLEN PARK — Kelvin Sheppard had never heard Roy Lopez’s name before the Detroit Lions visited the Arizona Cardinals last season.

But the former linebackers coach and now first-year defensive coordinator quickly became aware of what Lopez, who signed with the Lions in March after spending two seasons with the Cardinals, was capable of. Former All-Pro center Frank Ragnow and offensive line coach Hank Fraley raved about the defensive tackle, with Ragnow saying, as Sheppard recalled, “That dude’s real, and that’s one of the best noses I’ve gone against this year.”

Lopez has developed a reputation as a stingy run defender, someone who makes his money doing the dirty work, taking on double teams and filling gaps. He’s continued that type of approach with the Lions this season, so far posting a grade against the run from Pro Football Focus (70.6) that ranks 11th among the 112 defensive linemen who’ve received at least 80 run-defense reps.

The Lions’ win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday may have featured Lopez’s best performance through the season’s first 10 weeks. He saw 12 defensive snaps, but he was a force, notching three runs stops (tackles that result in a failed play for the offense) and two pressures. Lopez has eight run stops on the season, leading all defensive linemen on the Lions. The only players on the roster with more are starting linebackers Jack Campbell (18), Alex Anzalone (13) and Derrick Barnes (11).

“He’s playing at a high level, man,” head coach Dan Campbell said of Lopez during his weekly interview with 97.1 The Ticket’s “Costa & Jansen with Heather” show. “It’s one of the reasons we wanted him here. He’s an outstanding role player for us. When he comes in, we don’t miss a beat, man. … He plays with leverage, he’s stout, he’s strong, he’s explosive. But then he can run the line of scrimmage, too, now, so you wanna run wide zone on him, he can get knock-back and run. That was evident the other day. … He plays hard, man. He plays snap to whistle.”

Campbell went on to say Monday that Lopez “showed up big time” against the Commanders, and they he’s been a “quietly productive guy for us the whole season.”

Similar sentiments were shared by Sheppard on Thursday: “You talk about a guy popping off the tape and making the most of your opportunities. That’s why I say, ‘Don’t sulk and feel sorry for yourself. No matter if you get five or 50 plays, what are you going to do with those?’ He got 12, and I felt him on all 12.”

Defending the run starts with proper technique, of course, from pad level to keeping your feet active. But Lopez tabbed want-to as a run defender’s most underrated quality. Sometimes, a defensive lineman’s duty on a rep (especially a nose tackle) isn’t to make the play, per se, but to change the ball-carrier’s path and redirect him toward a teammate. High-level run defenders have to be OK with not stuffing the stat sheet.

“You’ve got to take in pride in walking out of a game with one tackle, no tackles, and know that you did a great job that day. … I think that’s the biggest thing, too, is find the little joys in sending the ball back, cutting the play off, anchoring a double team, a fourth-down stop,” Lopez said. “Those little things, man … you’ve got to live on those. Everybody’s got their thing that they search for. … Don’t get me wrong, I want sacks and TFLs. But sometimes sending the ball back to your team, cutting off a play is your job on that play, so you’ve got to find love in the little things.”

Hearing compliments from his coaches this week was encouraging for Lopez, but what he really takes pride in is the respect he gained from his now-teammates after last year’s game in Arizona. When the Lions signed him, members of the offensive line first introduced themselves before letting him know how much of a pill he was to deal with.

“Those are always cool to hear, especially when you’re not this big name guy in the league and you feel like you’ve played enough ball,” Lopez said. “I wonder if people know my game. And then you go out there and someone’s like, ‘Hey, bro, you’re nice.’ (Then I think to myself), ‘OK, maybe I am.’”

Campbell and Sheppard certainly seem to think so.

ALLEN PARK — The Detroit Lions will try to beat the Philadelphia Eagles without at least three starters.

Tight end Sam LaPorta (back), safety Kerby Joseph (knee) and cornerback Terrion Arnold (concussion) have all be ruled out for Sunday’s game at Lincoln Financial Field, along with defensive lineman Josh Paschal (back). The situation is particularly murky at cornerback, as both D.J. Reed (hamstring) and Amik Robertson (hamstring) were tabbed as questionable.

Head coach Dan Campbell said Friday he doesn’t see Reed playing against the Eagles. Robertson, meanwhile, told The Detroit News he was feeling “great,” and that he was dealing with some hamstring tightness. “It wasn’t nothing major,” Robertson said.

Down at least two starting defensive backs (Arnold and Joseph) and another (Reed) unlikely to play, the Lions will likely lean on some combination of Rock Ya-Sin, Nick Whiteside and Arthur Maulet at cornerback. Thomas Harper figures to continue starting in place of Joseph. Avonte Maddox, who can play nickel and safety, may see some opportunity, as well.

Also questionable for Sunday’s game are offensive linemen Taylor Decker (shoulder), Penei Sewell (ankle) and Miles Frazier (knee), defensive end Marcus Davenport (shoulder), linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (knee), running backs Sione Vaki (ankle) and Jacob Saylors (back), and tight end Brock Wright (ankle).

Wright, who is expected to fill in for LaPorta, said his ankle is “good.”

“It might change a little bit. Of course, maybe a different snap count, stuff like that,” Wright said, when asked how much his role changes if he’s the team’s first option at tight end. “But overall, the job is always the same.”

Campbell said his trust in Wright is “sky high.”

“Brock’s a guy we don’t talk a lot about, but he’s the jack of all trades, man, he does everything for us, pass protect, run block, he can run some routes, he plays special teams, like, he’s one of the most dependable players we have on this team,” Campbell said.

“And at the end of the day, what you really need in the tight end position is versatility and smarts, and he’s got both of those, and he’s tough. He checks a lot of boxes of a well-rounded tight end, so that is always going to make me feel a lot better — make us, offensively, feel a lot better.”

So far this season, Wright has nine catches for 71 yards and two touchdowns.

Sewell and Decker did not practice Friday. It’s possible that the players were just resting their preexisting injuries. Decker was limited by his shoulder injury on Wednesday and Thursday, while Sewell missed Wednesday’s practice and was limited on Thursday.

LANDOVER, Md. — All it took for the Detroit Lions to see their offensive problems clearly was head coach Dan Campbell putting on a pair of glasses.

With Campbell and not offensive coordinator John Morton calling the plays at Northwest Stadium on Sunday, the Lions’ offense returned to its potent self, exploding for a 44-22 win over the Washington Commanders.

Detroit totaled a season-high 546 yards of offense (8.0 per play) and scored on all eight of its drives, except the final one running out the clock. Quarterback Jared Goff went 25-for-33 passing for 320 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

About calling the plays Sunday, Campbell said, “It was just, let’s try something a little different. I know what I want to do, I know how I want to do it. That being said, this is a collaborative effort. I was taking input from John Morton that whole time, and the other coaches.”

Campbell added: “The coaches work together, but I just wanted to change it up a little bit. Maybe a different play-caller can get us a little rhythm, that’s all.”

Nobody benefitted more than wide receiver Jameson Williams and running back Jahmyr Gibbs.

Williams had a game-high 119 receiving yards on six catches with one receiving touchdown, while Gibbs totaled 172 yards from scrimmage (including 142 rushing) for three total touchdowns. Amon-Ra St. Brown, who had 58 receiving yards, added a 9-yard receiving touchdown that put the Lions up 14-3 with 1:54 to go in the first quarter.

Williams made a critical third-down catch to keep the Lions’ opening drive alive, paving the way for Gibbs to give Detroit a 7-0 lead when he broke free on a Texas route to reach the end zone on a 14-yard receiving touchdown.

Gibbs reached the end zone again with 9:41 left in the first half. He found the edge on an outside run before getting dragged into the end zone by teammates St. Brown and Sam LaPorta.

After the play, St. Brown was cold-cocked in the face by Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne, prompting Payne’s ejection from the game. The Lions used the penalty yardage to their advantage by attempting a successful 2-point conversion to go up 22-3 behind a 1-yard run from David Montgomery.

Commanders defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw was assessed a 15-yard personal foul for making contact with an official as players from both teams gathered in a heated exchange after the 2-point attempt.

Williams was activated again as the Lions took over to begin the third quarter, catching three passes for 47 yards on the drive, including a 14-yard receiving touchdown that gave the Lions a 32-10 lead.

Gibbs completed the hat trick early in the fourth quarter. He ran behind right tackle Penei Sewell before accelerating in the open field for a 44-yard rushing touchdown that sent Commanders fans heading for the exits as the scoreboard read 41-16.

It wasn’t a perfect game for Detroit, especially on special teams. The Lions gave up another big kickoff return as Noah Igbinoghene ripped off 46 yards to kickstart the Commanders’ first scoring drive. Kicker Matt Gay cut the Lions’ lead to 7-3 with a 44-yard field goal at 5:43 in the first quarter. After Gibbs’ third touchdown, the Commanders blocked an extra-point try off the toe of Jake Bates.

Detroit was also troubled by an offense led by backup quarterback Marcus Mariota, who finished 16-for-22 and threw for 213 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions with a passer rating of 133.3. The Lions were without starting safety Kerby Joseph and lost starting cornerback Terrion Arnold to a concussion in the second quarter.

After the Lions took a 22-3 lead, Washington got off the mat with a 75-yard touchdown drive, which was sprung by an early 44-yard completion to Jaylin Lane. The Commanders cut their deficit to 22-10 with a 1-yard rushing touchdown by Chris Rodriguez with 3:39 left in the second quarter.

Detroit Lions offense is commanding in 44-22 road win at Washington

Washington’s offense kept fighting after Williams’ second-half touchdown and reached the end zone for the second time with 7:05 to go in the third quarter. Facing fourth-and-3 from Detroit’s 4-yard line, the Commanders called a perfect play to get wide receiver Deebo Samuel open for a 4-yard touchdown catch. Detroit led 32-16 after the Commanders missed a 2-point attempt.

Ultimately, the Lions’ offense had enough gas in the tank to outpace anybody.

Photo gallery from Detroit Lions’ road win over Washington Commanders

The Commanders added another touchdown with 6:57 left in the game, but again failed on the 2-point attempt, helping maintain the Lions’ sizable lead. The Lions’ offensive starters were pulled after the drive.

Bates had three field goals, including a long of 48.