The good:This season, the Lions’ pass game was a major factor in their dynamic attack, which was among the best in the NFL. Detroit placed third in total yards and second in net passing during the NFL season.
Amon-Ra St. Brown, a third-year wide receiver, led Detroit’s receiving group, which was among the league’s most reliable and productive. With 39 catches on 73 contested targets, Detroit had the highest contested catch percentage (53.4%) in the NFL. They ranked third in yards per play (5.9), second in passing first downs (228), and third in completions of 20 yards or more (70).
With more than 100 catches, 1,500 yards, and ten touchdowns, St. Brown had an incredible season. He received his first All-Pro selection and is regarded as one of the best in the NFL at only 24 years old.
The bad: This team’s inability to stop drops was evident in the NFC Championship Game. With 432 catchable passes, Detroit’s drop percentage of 5.6 was 22nd in the NFL.
Key stat: Detroit’s ability to get its playmakers in space is one area in which they are extremely dangerous. That applies to running back Jahmyr Gibbs as well as tight end Sam LaPorta, in addition to St. Brown and Williams from the receiving corps.
Ben Johnson, the offensive coordinator, is a master at finding players who are open in space and knows exactly what to do with them once he has them. Detroit was fifth in the NFL this season with 2,211 yards after the catch.
St. Brown had an incredible season, leading all league players in receptions with 100 yards, ranking second in receptions (119), third in yards (1,515), third in first downs (75), first in yards after the catch (677), and sixth in receptions of 15 yards or more (35).
In the NFL’s history, St. Brown ranks third with 315 receptions and seventh with 3,588 receiving yards over his first three seasons in the league.
Jameson Williams has progressed the most.
It’s like night and day comparing Williams’ season-ending position to his beginning position. Considering he appeared in just six games as a rookie, we must keep in mind that this season was effectively his rookie year. He then had a hamstring injury at the start of this season, missing a significant portion of training camp and receiving a four-game suspension.
Williams had an impact player status by the end of the season. Every game, he was averaging more than 40 snaps. In the NFC Championship Game, he caught a touchdown and ran for a 42-yard score.
“I was incredibly proud of him for all the plays he made during this postseason run and the second half of the season,” Raymond said of Williams. “Everything he was doing it didn’t come as a surprise because he was putting in so much work. It was actually crazy to see how much work he put in.”
Reynolds had a couple uncharacteristic drops in the loss to the 49ers but he’s been one of Detroit’s most reliable targets since arriving in Detroit. He and quarterback Jared Goff have great chemistry. Reynolds caught 40 passes for over 600 yards and five touchdowns this season.
Peoples-Jones was brought in at the trade deadline to add depth to the receiving corps and he ended up playing a big role as Detroit’s punt returner in the playoffs after Raymond suffered a knee injury the final week of the regular season.
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