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NOTEBOOK: St. Brown a clutch player for Lions' offense

TAMPA BAY – We have gotten so used to wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown racking up catches and making big plays it almost seems routine at this point.

But there's certainly nothing routine about catching 12 passes for 124 yards and a terrific 27-yard catch and run touchdown against a really good Buccaneers defense to help lead the Lions to a 20-6 win Sunday on the road.

"I trust the hell out of him, and he's earned it," Lions quarterback Jared Goff said of his star receiver after the game. "That's really the best answer for you. He's one of the best players in the league at his position. We are lucky to have him. He keeps making plays like that, he's fun to play with."

Four of St. Brown's receptions came on key third downs that went for first downs. Goff said after the game that's something he continues to marvel at with St. Brown. The defense knows it's coming and still can't stop him from getting open and making key catches.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell probably said it best after the game when he described St. Brown simply as a clutch player.

"He's a clutch player that always shows up and makes plays," he said. "He's one of the most consistent players you are ever going to find in this league."

Sunday was St. Brown's ninth career 100-yard game, which ties him with Calvin Johnson for the second most 100-yard receiving games a Lion has had through their first three career seasons. He was the first Lions player to catch 12 balls in a game since Johnson in 2013.

St. Brown continues to show why he's not just one of the best slot receivers in the game but one of the best overall receivers in the NFL.

DEFENSIVE LEADER

There are a lot of players that deserve credit for Detroit's defensive performance to begin the year. Edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson has been a terror upfront, cornerback Cam Sutton has been as steady as they come on the outside and a number of backups have been pressed into starting roles and are playing great.

But maybe at the top of the list should be veteran linebacker Alex Anzalone, who is playing arguably the best football of his career to begin this season. Anzalone is the captain on defense, the team's leading tackler and he's the best cover linebacker on the team. He's just been an all-around terrific player on that side of the ball for the Lions.

"He's been a guy going on three years now that guys look up to," Campbell said. "He's one of our guys. He's a bell cow for the defense."

Anzalone led the Lions with nine tackles (seven solo) vs. the Bucs and also had two pass defenses and a tackle for loss. Anzalone produced five-or-more tackles for the 23rd straight game and became the first Lions linebacker since DeAndre Levy in 2013 to produce a game with nine tackles, two pass defenses and a tackle for loss.

View photos from the Detroit Lions vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Week 6 game at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 15 in Tampa, FL.

EXTRA POINTS

  • Campbell said after the game they'll know more Monday about the severity of running back David Montgomery's rib injury that forced him to leave the game in the second quarter and not return.
  • Detroit won their fourth straight game by 14-or-more points for the first time since 1969.
  • Rookie tight end Sam LaPorta is just the third tight end in NFL history to produce three-or-more receptions in each of a player's first six career games. LaPorta had four receptions for 36 yards Sunday.

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