In a very evenly fought battle, the Detroit Lions managed to eke out a win over the New York Jets on Sunday.
Head coach Dan Campbell said himself after the game that “it wasn’t the cleanest game they’ve played” and that showed to be true throughout all four quarters of the game.
At the same time, there were several players who really stood out against the Jets and should get credit for their performances.
Offense: TE Brock Wright
It’s not often that the player of the game is a guy who had just one catch on the day, but Wright’s late-game heroics are the reason Detroit walked away with the win,
Wright is typically a blocking tight end for the Lions’ offense. He took the field for about half of the team’s snaps on offense and predominantly was utilized in the run game as a blocker.
His blocking wasn’t the most stellar that it’s been all year, but the team did total 107 yards on the ground, so credit is due there.
The play that earned Wright the credit of being the player of the game is due to his game-winning touchdown catch late in the fourth quarter.
The Lions came out of the two-minute warning facing a fourth-and-inches from their 49-yard line. The Jets rushed five players while having their cornerbacks play man coverage on Detroit’s wide receivers. Two linebackers covered the middle of the field, and there was one safety back deep playing zone.
Pre-snap, Amon-Ra St. Brown motioned and the defense followed him, rightfully so as he tends to be the guy Jared Goff would target in this exact situation.
Made the Wright play on 4th down!#DETvsNYJ 📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/RkLdogmS3S
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) December 18, 2022
On the snap, Wright sold himself as a blocker and chipped one of the Jets’ defensive linemen just for a second before releasing on a crossing route. Goff hit him in stride and Wright took the pass 51 yards for the winning score, while also making two Jets defenders miss in the process.
Defense: DE Romeo Okwara
The Detroit Lions’ defensive line was an unstoppable force on Sunday, and Romeo Okwara played a big role in that success.
In just his second game of the season, Okwara recorded two sacks on Zach Wilson in a dominant show of force.
Romeo got 'em!#DETvsNYJ 📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/KhxQ1P8ND2
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) December 18, 2022
He didn’t do it without help; rookie Aidan Hutchinson drew much of the attention from the offensive line and made lanes for Okwara to break through. At the same time, the veteran has only 51 snaps under his belt since tearing his Achilles in Week 4 of last season.
This performance was a great reminder to everyone of what he’s capable of when he’s healthy, and why the Lions signed him to a massive contract just one year ago.
Special teams: RS Kalif Raymond
Its no secret that Kalif Raymond has been an impact player as a return specialist for Detroit all season.
A quick and shifty wide receiver, Raymond has been able to make something out of nothing on several punt returns, but his first return of the day against New York may have been the best of his career.
Raymond off to the races!#DETvsNYJ 📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/8HbJYptojg
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) December 18, 2022
The Jets were forced to punt from their own endzone and Raymond received the kick around the 47-yard line. Between his shifty skills as a returner and some key blocks laid down by Detroit’s return team, Raymond managed to find a lane and take it in for the team’s first touchdown of the day.
This play got the momentum started early for Detroit, especially after a lackluster start on offense not long prior to that play.
