Detroit Lions Week 18 Report Card: Season ends on a winning note

SideLion Report
Tom Kennedy, Detroit Lions

Credit: Rey Del Rio/Getty Images

The 2021 season has officially come to an end for the Detroit Lions. They ended the season in winning style on Sunday though, beating the Green Bay Packers 37-30.

With the win, Detroit officially ends the season with a 3-13-1 record. They maintained their hold the second overall pick in the 2022 draft, despite a win by Jacksonville Sunday opening the door back to the No. 1 pick.

In terms of entertainment value, this might have been the best game of the entire season for the Lions. From start to finish it was a thrilling game, even if there really wasn’t anything for either team to play for.

So for the final time this season, let’s grade a Lions game.

Detroit Lions Week 18 Report Card

Offense- 5/5 Stars

In the final game of the season, the Lions busted out all the trick plays. And they worked flawlessly.

Beyond the trickery, Detroit actually had a lot of success in the passing game. Jared Goff did a very good job evading the rush and finding his receivers.

Because of that, Detroit had the most success passing the ball they’ve had since Week 1. It was just the second time this season they finished the game with over 300 passing yards.

The success through the air helped Detroit put up 37 points, their highest total of the season.

In totality it was a very good game offensively, culminating a season-long saga of inconsistency with their best game of the year.

Best offensive player: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown

What an incredible stretch of football St. Brown ended the season with. Let’s quickly run through some of the records he set against the Packers.

It’s not like St. Brown is being force-fed the ball, he’s just always open. His nuanced route-running was something beat writers noted in training camp, and over the past few games he has shown the world.

He has such a good feel for defenders in man coverage and knows how to subtly use his physicality to create separation.

Not to mention he is an absolute pit bull when he gets the ball, fighting for every inch.

What a find by Brad Holmes and company, in the fourth round of he 2021 draft.

Worst offensive player: No one

I could nitpick the offense but realistically they played about as good as they could have.

D’Andre Swift was the leading candidate to be in this spot, but his touchdown to take the lead just after the two-minute warning was enough to save his day. So with that, everyone on offense gets a pass to end the season

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