FIRST DOWN: GIBBS' BIG DAY
The Detroit Lions had members of their 1991 NFC Central title team out to Ford Field Sunday as part of Homecoming Weekend.
That meant Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders was in the building, and whenever Sanders is around, Lions' fourth-year running back Jahmyr Gibbs feels like he has to put on a show.
Gibbs' first touchdown of the game, a cutback left showing off his vision and speed to elude Jets defenders on the way to the end zone was certainly Sanders-esque as Gibbs continues climbing the Lions' record books.
"Anytime he's here I have to step up my game," Gibbs said of Sanders after rushing for 99 yards and two touchdowns and catching seven passes for 65 yards and another score in Detroit's 31-24 win over the New York Jets on Sunday. "To be in the same conversation as him is humbling."
Gibbs passed Billy Sims for second in franchise history with his 43rd rushing touchdown Sunday. Only Sanders (99) is above him.
"Gibbs hit another gear once we got him going, particularly in the second half," Lions head coach Dan Campbell said. "You could tell he was starting to feel it. We were blocking it a little bit better and then he started taking off. He can do so many things in the run and pass game."
His ability to turn a check down into a big play in the passing game is also something quarterback Jared Goff talked about after the game as influencing opposing defenses and the looks they see.
Gibbs has had a terrific start to the 2026 season. He's the first player in NFL history to hit at least 300 rushing yards, four rushing touchdowns, 150 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns through a player's first three games of the season.
SECOND DOWN: TOTAL TEAM EFFORT
"That's just what the doctor ordered," Campbell said after Sunday's win. "Took all three phases to win that game."
Detroit's defense has taken their fair share of heat over the last 10 days after they didn't play well in a 10-point loss to Buffalo in Week 2. It seemed fitting then that safety Chuck Clark got to Jets quarterback Geno Smith for a sack and forced fumble recovered by linebacker Jack Campbell to seal the win for the Lions.
New York put up 335 yards of total offense, but only 58 of those were on the ground. Jets receivers made several contested catches as Detroit's revamped secondary played better, though there's still work to do on the back end to play cleaner and more consistent.
The Lions' offense scored 31 points for a third straight game to begin the year. They got back to their identity as a physical, downhill rushing team to complement an explosive pass game. Detroit rushed for 131 yards and passed for 269, finding the end zone four times.
Kicker Jake Bates was perfect, making his lone field goal attempt and all four extra point tries. Detroit's special teams coverage units were solid all afternoon, and kickoff returner Jacob Saylors averaged 40.5 yards per kickoff return with 43- and 37-yard returns.
THIRD DOWN: DEFENSIVE CALL
Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard had set up a safety blitz call throughout the game by bringing Clark and fellow safety Christian Izien up to the line of scrimmage, making it look like Clark was coming and then dropping him back into coverage.
On 2nd & 10 at the Detroit 28-yard line with 29 seconds left and the Lions holding on to a seven-point lead, Sheppard made the call to send Clark. Jets left guard Jordan Meredith missed the protection check from Smith, leaving Clark a free path to the quarterback.
Clark knocked the ball out of Smith's hand, which eventually ended up in Campbell's hands. Two kneel-downs later and the Lions secured the win. They are 2-1 on the season with their second win at Ford Field.
"I'm proud of that defensive staff and I'm proud of those players over there," Campbell said. "That was an outstanding call by (Sheppard). It was an outstanding call. I'm proud of him, man. It takes a lot of intestinal fortitude to hang in there and trust and believe in what you do and your guys. What we're about and trust them to win (at the end). That was awesome."
Detroit's defense generated eight tackles for loss, seven quarterback hits, five sacks – DJ Wonnum (2), Alim McNeill, Clark, Aidan Hutchinson (0.5) and Skyler Gill-Howard (0.5) – and the one big turnover to seal it on one gutsy safety blitz dialed up by Sheppard.
FOURTH DOWN: GETTING EVERYBODY INVOLVED
It was a complete team effort offensively for the Lions on Sunday.
The usual main characters certainly played their part, as Detroit fans have become accustomed to. Gibbs had 164 total scrimmage yards and three touchdowns. Goff was also terrific, completing 78 percent of his passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown caught his fifth touchdown of the season. Wide receiver Jameson Williams and tight end Sam LaPorta both had a few key catches.
Some of the Lions' complementary pieces on offense also made a big impact in helping Detroit secure the win. Second-year wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa had a 49-yard catch that set the Lions up in the red zone for what eventually became the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter. TeSlaa also had a key fourth-down catch earlier in the game for a first down. He finished with three catches for 66 yards.
Backup running back Sione Vaki had his best game as a professional. He rushed six times for 26 yards (4.3 avg.) with a few of those being tough first-down runs. He also had an 11-yard catch for a first down and was good stepping up in pass protection.
"I thought Drew (Petzing) did a heck of a job calling the game," Campbell said. "I did. I thought he got our guys going, got them in a rhythm and really everybody got involved. I just thought he did a heck of a job calling the game.
"And especially you get those where now the game gets to back to where it's a little bit tight. I thought he did a good job calling it and got them involved and the players just took it over. They did an unbelievable job."
