The Detroit Lions just battled their way to a 20-17 win over the Green Bay Packers in Week 7, pushing their season record to 4-2 and kicking off their NFC North divisional play at 1-0. While the scoreboard tells one story, diving into the snap counts reveals so much more about how this team is evolving and what they needed to do to secure that crucial victory.
Goff Keeps Dealing, Gibbs Goes Untamed
Quarterback Jared Goff was out there for every single offensive snap, 68 of them, and man, did he deliver again. We’re talking another 300-yard passing game, two touchdowns, and zero picks. Sure, he took the hit for a fumble on the snap exchange, but who knows if that was truly on him or just a captain owning up. The guy is playing lights out, plain and simple.
But let’s talk about Jahmyr Gibbs, because his usage was the real headline here. After a few weeks of the Lions trying to save him for the long haul, Sunday’s game was just too important, too close, to keep him off the field. Gibbs played 61 snaps, a massive 90% of the offensive plays, and touched the ball a staggering 34 times. That’s way more than the team usually wants him handling in any given week, but sometimes, you gotta do what you gotta do to get the W. Backup Sione Vaki got in for just nine snaps, including one strong five-yard carry, showing he could have seen more action if the game wasn’t such a nail-biter.
“Bigger” Sets and a Rocky OL Debut
On the outside, Jameson Williams (84% of snaps) and Amon-Ra St. Brown (78%) were huge for the win, even if their snap counts dipped slightly in the second half. The Lions wanted to assert their run game more after halftime, going with “bigger” sets, which naturally meant fewer snaps for the wideouts. But when they were out there, these guys were terrific.
Then you look at the tight ends. Sam LaPorta was practically an iron man at 97% of snaps, with Brock Wright in for 56%. They only snagged two passes for 22 yards combined, but don’t let that fool you. These guys were on the field a ton in blocking situations and both LaPorta and Wright were sharp as pass protectors. LaPorta’s sole catch came in the fourth quarter, and it was a critical one, helping set up the Lions for the game-winning field goal. Talk about clutch!
Up front, the offensive line saw five guys,Christian Mahogany, Blake Miller, Tate Ratledge, Penei Sewell, and Cade Mays,play every single snap. This was Cade Mays’ debut at center, and it was a real mixed bag. He struggled at times, giving up the Lions’ only sack and being involved in both fumbles. Ouch. But, you could also see the raw potential, especially as a “people-mover” in the run game. That’s a huge flash of what he could be for this line.
Moving to 4-2 and leading the NFC North means every snap, every touch, every debut is under a microscope. The Lions just leaned hard on Gibbs, showing their commitment when the stakes are highest. Now, the big question is how they manage his workload going forward. And with Mays getting his first taste of NFL action, watching his development and how he solidifies that offensive line is going to be key for what this team can truly accomplish as the season charges on.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pride of Detroit.
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