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Nov 04, 2024

Detroit Lions Week 9 studs and duds: Amon-Ra St. Brown backs up talk

The Detroit Lions' first outdoor game of the 2024 season was a messy one. With rain pouring down and heavy wind gusts filtering through Lambeau Field, the Lions and Green Bay Packers dueled for first

The Detroit Lions' first outdoor game of the 2024 season was a messy one.

With rain pouring down and heavy wind gusts filtering through Lambeau Field, the Lions and Green Bay Packers dueled for first place at the halfway point of the 2024 season. In the end, it was the Lions which withstood the challenges and didn't make mistakes, moving to 7-1 as a result.

Detroit used a timely takeaway and a series of long drives to keep the Packers at bay, with the defense overcoming the loss of one of its best players to keep Green Bay's offense out of the end zone until late in the game.

Here are the studs and duds from Detroit's 24-14 win over the Packers on Sunday.

STUD: S Kerby Joseph

After a sluggish start, the Lions' defense buckled down to hold the Packers to a pair of field-goal attempts despite multiple long runs from Josh Jacobs. Late in the first half, though, Joseph spearheaded Detroit's big moment.

With the Packers trying to mount a rally after falling behind, 10-3, Jordan Love scrambled to avoid a sack, and hurled the ball into the hands of Joseph, who sprinted 27 yards for a touchdown. It was the 14th interception of his career, the sixth of his season and his fifth against the Packers in his career.

Joseph became the first Lions player to record a pick-six at Green Bay since at least the 1970 AFL/NFL merger. His 14 interceptions through three seasons is the third-most by a Lions player since the merger, and is the most through the first three years of a career since Ed Reed from 2002-04.

DUD: S Brian Branch

Branch committed a costly penalty that wound up resulting in his ejection. With the Packers facing a second-and-20 in the second quarter, Love overthrew Bo Melton. At the end of the play, however, Branch swooped in late, and had a helmet-to-helmet collision with the receiver.

The defender was initially whistled for unnecessary roughness. However, a league official phoned an on-field ref, resulting in Branch's ejection before the ball was snapped. On his way off the field, Branch incurred an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

While the Lions' defense demonstrated resolve in limiting the Packers to a field-goal attempt, which was missed, Branch's penalty was unnecessary, and caused the Lions to be without one of their best defensive playmakers in a pivotal game.

STUD: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown

St. Brown set the tone for Sunday's game when he arrived in a hoodie that read, 'Green Bay sucks.' He made his disdain for the NFC North rival public during his appearance on Netflix's 'Receiver,' and made good with another scoring grab on Sunday.

In the game, he achieved 4,000 career receiving yards with a first-quarter catch. He scored for the sixth consecutive game on a fourth-and-goal, and celebrated by doing a headstand afterwards.

The USC product finished with seven receptions for 56 yards, with both totals leading the team. On the television broadcast, it was revealed that quarterback Jared Goff has completed his last 30 passes targeting St. Brown.

STUD: LB Jack Campbell

Campbell paced the defense with 13 total tackles, and demonstrated plenty of leadership in the process. He was part of the effort that rebounded after struggling to stop the run early, as running back Josh Jacobs was held under 100 yards rushing after notching 89 midway through the second quarter.

The Iowa product also had three total tackles on special teams, including one solo and two assisted. He played a big part in stuffing Jacobs short on a fourth-and-1 deep in Detroit territory, to ice the game in the fourth quarter.

STUD: RB Jahmyr Gibbs

With the weather playing a big factor, the Lions relied heavily on their run game. The result was a combined 138 rushing yards between Gibbs and David Montgomery. Gibbs had a touchdown run in the third quarter, a 15-yard dash on fourth-and-1.

In the process, Gibbs set an NFL record for most consecutive games averaging five yards per carry with seven. He averaged 5.9 yards on his 11 attempts Sunday.

Montgomery, meanwhile, chipped in a team-high 73 yards on 17 carries. It was a true team effort from the tandem. The veteran Montgomery iced the game with a 12-yard run and a 14-yard catch.

Sports journalist who has covered the Detroit Lions the past three NFL seasons. Christian brings expert analysis, insights and an ability to fairly assess how the team is performing in a tough NFC North division.