Detroit Lions were a ‘different’ team in Week 14 win over Cowboys | Pro Football Talk | NFL on NBC
So, the Lions beat the Cowboys 44-30. Chris and I had both picked the Cowboys to win. We saw a different Lions team last night than we’d seen in recent weeks, specifically on the offensive side of the ball. I know they scored enough points to beat the Giants in overtime, but that still felt like kind of a flat performance. And the first game in which Dan Campbell took over play calling at a time when no one knew it officially. We just gleaned it from the fact that every time a play was in the process of being called, he was looking through his cheaters and he was talking into his microphone, which created the impression that he’s calling the plays. Last night, it seemed to work better than it has. And one of the reasons it works, you got to give the ball to Jir Gibbs. Look at what happens when you give the ball to Jir Gibbs, both in the running game and in the passing game. He finished, if I can read my handwriting here, and sometimes I can’t, with 12 carries for 43 yards, but three touchdowns on the ground and he had seven catches for 77 yards. And he’s just got a nose for the end zone. When he starts moving, the defenders more often than not can’t get to him. You got to you got to get him quick. If you don’t get him quick, he kicks it into high gear and off he goes. There was that key third down in the first half where he slammed on the brakes. Don Bland went flying and Jir Gibbs picked up the extra yardage necessary to get the first down. So, it was working better last night. It wasn’t perfect. Whatever that play was where they were trying to throw it to Dan Skipper, take that one out of the playbook. Let’s not get too fancy. That’s usually the kind of play we see from an offensive coordinator who’s trying to become a head coach. Like, hey, look what I can do. Look, Ma, no hands. Look, Ma, no brains. We see that from time to time. It was just a weird glitch. And they managed to keep the Cowboys pass rush for the most part from getting to Jared Goff. Early on, there was a sack right up the middle. The kind of thing that that the Vikings put out there for the rest of the NFL to try to try to duplicate pressure up the middle on Jared Goth. Get him off the spot, make him uncomfortable. It clicked last night for the Lions. And every time the Cowboys started to get back into it, the Lions were able to get down the field and get more points and stretch out the lead and take it to the point where it was impossible for the Cowboys to come back. When it was 30 to 27, could have gone either way, but that’s when the Lions, I think, realized playoffs are on the line here. And it was expected for the Lions to not just be a playoff team, but to be a Super Bowl content. So, one of these two teams had to lose. That’s what’s so compelling about many of the games that are coming up this weekend. It’s the same kind of stakes. Whether it’s Steelers, Ravens, whether it’s Bengals, Bills, Colts, Jaguars, Bears, Packers, Texans, Chiefs, even Chargers, Eagles, although there’s a little less a little less steam for the Eagles now that the Cowboys have lost. We’ll talk about playoff pictures for those teams coming up. The bottom line is the offense was working and Dan Campbell did a much better job than we had seen of calling the plays. And this isn’t the crappy Cowboys defense that we saw earlier in the year. They had played better in recent weeks. The Lions just got back to being the Lions were used to seeing. It also helped that Oman St. Brown played. Dan Campbell created the impression after the loss to the Packers on Thanksgiving that St. Brown was going to miss a game or two with the ankle injury he suffered early against the Green Bay Packers. There he was. And at first I thought if you saw the video of him walking in, it looked like he was being a little careful without trying to create the impression that he was being careful. Just take it slowly, move deliberately, but when it was time to play, he got it done. And he got enough catches and it was inevitable he was going to do it this year unless he missed the rest of the season due to injury. He has the most catches of any player in the players first five seasons. He passed Michael Thomas last night, the former Saints receiver who was doing all-time stuff in that offense in the latter years of Shawn Payeyton and Drew Brees in New Orleans. 510 was the record. 5’11 is the new record and Almond Ross St. Brown has four games left to add to it. So having him there helped the offense, too. There were some some big moments late in the game when you think they’re going to run. They softened up a little bit. The Cowboys defense did and Oman Ross St. round made a big catch, got the ball down into into what ultimately was third touchdown range for Jir Gibbs. I neglected to mention Jir Gibbs has now caught Barry Sanders for the most total touchdowns before turning 24. That’s a very specific stat that is unrelated to how many games someone’s played or how many seasons they’ve played. Regardless, before the age of 24, Jamir Gibbs has 47 total touchdowns. And if they use him like they did last night, he will have a lot more. That’s not to say they should ignore David Montgomery. has a role, but if Gibbs was in an offense where he was the guy, he’d be an MVP candidate. And credit to him for not saying anything, doing anything to suggest frustration with the fact that he could be regarded as one of the best players in the game with the most impressive stats and the awards that go along with it. It’ll be interesting to see what happens when the season ends and he’s eligible for a second contract. And will the Lions pay him, not based on what he’s actually done, but what this player is capable of doing. You have a Ferrari. It’s up to you to decide how much you’re going to drive it, but you’ve got a Ferrari in Jir Gibbs. You got to pay accordingly for that Ferrari. Hi, it’s Mike Florio. Thanks for watching PFT on YouTube. Hit subscribe for the latest news and analysis from Pro Football
Mike Florio explains what stood out from the Lions’ critical win over the Cowboys, where Jahmyr Gibbs flashed his superstar abilities and Detroit’s offensive line effectively contained Dallas’ pass rush.#NBCSports #NFLonNBC #ProFootballTalk #NFL
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Detroit Lions were a ‘different’ team in Week 14 win over Cowboys | Pro Football Talk | NFL on NBC
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34 comments
Didn't take Pickens long to revert back to the lackadaisical attitude he had in Pittsburgh.
1:51 didn’t know Florio was a Waka Flocka fan
That throw to skipper was only because noone was lined up on him.. it wasn't an actual play.
I'm a Lions fan and all I have to say is let's wait until after the Rams game to talk about playoffs.
Different opponent with no defense, not impressed.
You can't throw out the games played stats and not look it up gibbs beat Barry to it in games played as well
Big Lions fan, Lions played like trash last night. That injured O Line is a massive problem especially when we don't have a QB who can scramble.
I always get a good laugh when Florio pretends he's giving advice to NFL coaches.
Lmao every team is a "different " team, every week. Nice take.
You guys totally overreacted to the Green Bay loss . The difference in that game was the 7 4:down plays which all went for Green Bay two of which were completely helped out by officiating . You
The Detroit Lions have the best statistics in the NFL since Dan Campbell took over play calling period look it up they're averaging almost seven yards of play they've had two games with 500 yards out of the and last night's game well over 47 yards of play. No team has scored more points in the last 5 weeks since Campbell's taking over then the Lions as well
The throw to Skipper was improvised by Goff since no one covered him at all. Dont think it was designed. I could be wrong
This is why I don’t watch pregame trash. Analysts are either supremely ignorant or hedging their bets so they don’t look stupid when they’re wrong.
I find it offensive when someone is getting paid by the network to do a show and they use their kitchen as the background like some part time streamer. Get a room or corner set up as a studio or get a green screen.
Ya, you guys have no idea what you’re talking about.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 😂😂😂😂😂a salary cap is for leveling the field so everyone is designed to be 9-8 or 8-9 so all this waste of oxygen is pointless
The skippee "play" wasn't really a play. Goff saw no one out with him and was jusr trying to throw it to him. The actual play had Skipper going in motion to a tight formation.
Yeah… You and Chris, Hold my beer 😂🦁
Tom Kennedy was a factor in the kick return department
Mike's mic still not working very well – or at all? The lights are still not on.
5:07 dawg, youre garbage. Always been a lions hater. Gibbs did it in less games played.
5:23 look at this bum hoping to stir some bs pot 😂 vikings florio wants the Lions to break down go figure
They are going to get shredded by the Rams.
First game Dan called plays was actually against the Commanders
Let's not forget they also got some turnovers. They have not been doing that much at all in the last 3 weeks.
They were the hungry lions of last year, 1st time this year
The play you cite regarding Dan Skipper was not a called play. Goff saw that no one was guarding him out wide, and the field was completely open, so he quick snapped the ball. A false start killed the play.
No one ever called throwing to Dan Skipper a weird glitch when wonder boy Ben Johnson was calling those plays. 😁
I love it when these nerds tell head coaches and play callers to take a play out the book because it doesn’t work 😂😂
Fix the set. Mike looks tiny.
GO LIONS
Florio pretending he has a medical situation. Gotta give it to lawyer Florio, he knows what to do!
That Skip play was not on Dan lol, the players messed it up hence the penalty for an illegal formation.
Amon Ra was in a boot when he left the game last week. 95% of players aren’t going to play with the pain Amon Ra was dealing with.