“What?” receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, wearing a microphone in-game, muttered in a befuddled tone as he looked around, unsure where to go.
“We called the play,” St. Brown subsequently stated. “I was like, yeah, I don’t know what I’m doing on this play I’m not supposed to be in.”
The Lions stepped on the field in the wrong personnel grouping to run the play called in by offensive coordinator Ben Johnson with three minutes and seven seconds remaining in the second quarter and a 17-10 lead over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Instead of “12” personnel, which included one rushing back and two tight ends on the field, the Lions used “11” personnel, which included one running back and one tight end.
“I knew it was wrong kind of when we broke the huddle,” Goff stated in a statement. “I should have noticed it when we were in the huddle.” I recognized it was bad after we broke the huddle and lined up.”
Even things that start so badly can suddenly turn right in a season in which the 7-2 Lions continue to demonstrate that they’ve broken free from their historically terrible tendencies.
Johnson yelled into Goff’s ear to audibly exit the play.
“I look at Jared, and he double-checks it,” St. Brown explained. “He’s like, you know what, let’s just check it to a run.”
Everyone calmed down, and Goff threw the ball to David Montgomery, who had missed the previous two games due to a rib ailment. Montgomery broke through a space up the middle, then eluded a couple of tackles as he cut to his left and went down the sideline for a 75-yard touchdown run, the longest by a Lions player since Jahvid Best’s 88-yard score in 2011.
The Lions sit atop the NFC North (7-2), but behind the Eagles (8-1) in a race for the top seed in the NFC as they attempt to earn their first Super Bowl trip in franchise history.
“It was a good run,” remarked Montgomery. “It wouldn’t have been anything without the o-line and the wide receivers.”
“Once we figured it out and knew the play, we were all able to communicate,” said center Frank Ragnow. “Then it was ready to go, and it looked great.” “I was ecstatic.”
The ability to detect, rectify, and convert the initial blunder into a long score indicates a squad that can overcome errors and pave a road not only to their first playoff berth since 2016, but perhaps much further. According to ESPN Analytics, the Lions have a 25.8% probability of reaching the NFC title game, trailing only the San Francisco 49ers.
Over the final eight weeks of the season, the team will face five NFC North opponents. The Lions have won six straight divisional games dating back to last season, which is tied for the best win streak in divisional games since the 1970 merger.
Their NFC North road trip begins Sunday at Ford Field against the Chicago Bears (3-7), who have dropped 11 straight division games, the NFL’s longest active streak and the Bears’ longest since the merger.
Overcoming Sunday’s personnel mishap and eventually defeating the Chargers, 41-38, provided further proof of the Lions ability to establish themselves not only as the best in their division, but in the conference and league.
“We’re not just trying to compete in our division, but we’re trying to win the whole division,” safety Tracy Walker said of earning the conference’s top seed. “We’re already at the top, so why not chase it down and take it?” We’re that connected and that strong of a team.”
“We were laughing about it,” Goff said of Montgomery’s nearly unintentional touchdown. “You plan everything from Monday to Saturday for what you want to do and make everything perfect.” Then we fumble it and it’s a 75-yard score… It’s a testament to a solid team that we can adjust and make changes on the fly like that.”
“Sometimes — believe it or not, coaches mess something up every once in a while, and they made it right,” Dan Campbell, the team’s coach, said. “The players made it right and that’s the sign of a good team.”
