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The Detroit Lions took the Buffalo Bills right down to the wire on Thanksgiving Day, kicking off a slate of thrilling video games {that a} report 138 million individuals tuned in for. Although their 4-7 report contradicts it, the Lions are a significantly better crew than they’re given credit score for and have performed a number of contenders powerful this season.
Plus, they’re simply enjoyable to look at. They rating factors. Most of their losses have come due largely as a consequence of the truth that they can not cease different groups from scoring in opposition to them, however they’re able to large manufacturing themselves, the most recent instance of which got here final Thursday.
A serious purpose for that manufacturing is broad receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. In opposition to the Payments’ top-10 protection, the second-year wideout caught 9 of 10 targets for 122 yards and a landing. It is significantly spectacular provided that his quarterback, Jared Goff, has the Twenty third-ranked completion proportion amongst certified passing leaders this season. To drag off that 90% catch charge on Thursday, St. Brown pulled off a number of acrobatics, the sorts of which Justin Jefferson is lauded for simply throughout the division.Â
Actually, St. Brown’s catch charge hasn’t been decrease than 87.5% in his previous three video games. He amassed greater than 100 yards receiving in two of these contests. He is had triple-digit totals in three video games this season and although he has missed the higher a part of two video games this season (and Detroit already had its bye), St. Brown has caught the ninth-most passes within the NFL.
Not solely is St. Brown making these catches, however he is doing so in vital conditions. On Thursday, eight of his 10 catches gave the Lions a primary down. It was initially 9 earlier than a overview pushed one again. It nonetheless went for a 14-yard completion, thoughts you. And in a recreation through which Detroit was very shut but once more, St. Brown was the participant the Lions went to again and again once they wanted chunk yardage. 5 of the Lions’ longest performs on Thursday went to St. Brown.
He is averaging 11 yards per reception this season and greater than 70 yards per recreation. He is about as constant as they arrive for a Lions crew that does not fairly have all of the items collectively and traded away their different high goal in T.J. Hockenson simply a few weeks in the past.
It is totally understood that if the Lions had been successful, St. Brown could be extra current in headlines. However there’s nothing flawed with giving him his flowers anyway, particularly when Detroit might be finishing its turnaround by subsequent season.
Justin Jefferson Leads Professional Bowl Voting
One receiver who’s getting his flowers is Jefferson. The third-year receiver has obtained a complete of 90,313 Professional Bowl votes, main all gamers in balloting as of Week 12.
Jefferson ranks second in complete receiving yards amongst all gamers with 1,232 and third in catches and targets. His heroics had been on full show on Thanksgiving as effectively, with the Vikings rounding out the three-game day within the night time recreation. Jefferson caught 9 of 11 targets for 139 yards and a landing. That was simply his fifth-highest yardage complete this season, to present you some concept of the whole tear he is on this 12 months. He is had seven video games in triple digits.
The Minnesota Vikings lead all golf equipment in complete Professional Bowl votes obtained, actually. They head up a high 5 that features the Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles.
Vikings Near Clinching
Minnesota followers have rather a lot to have fun already. The Vikings may clinch a playoff berth as early as this weekend, in accordance with NFL Analysis. Ought to they get the win over the New York Jets and will the Lions lose to or tie the Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota is assured a spot within the postseason. Clinching the division title with 5 weeks nonetheless to play would tie for the earliest within the Tremendous Bowl period with six different groups, together with the 1973 Vikings.
Vikings defeat Patriots 33-26 on Thanksgiving
Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe share their largest takeaways from the Vikings’ win.
At 9-2, Minnesota continues to have the biggest lead over its division of any crew, up by a full 5 video games over the Lions at 4-7.
Each Rodgers, Fields in Query for Packers-Bears Rematch
The primary contest between these bitter rivals this season went a lot because it has in current historical past: the Packers gained convincingly. In Week 2, the Chicago Bears went as much as Lambeau Area and scored a landing on their first possession. It could be their solely TD of the night time.
Quarterback Justin Fields was in simply his second recreation within the Bears’ new system. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy was additionally in simply his second recreation as a playcaller, recent from the Frozen Tundra himself after being Inexperienced Bay’s quarterbacks coach in 2021. The Bears are a younger crew, and the Packers capitalized on that as they at all times do, finally successful by a convincing 27-10 margin.
Quick-forward to Week 13, nonetheless, and this matchup appears to be like something however typical. Actually, each quarterbacks may not even play. Aaron Rodgers sustained a rib injury on Sunday night against the Eagles that knocked him out of the sport early. This was along with his already-broken thumb. He reportedly has an avulsion fracture, which made gripping the soccer laborious. Rodgers threw two picks in opposition to Philadelphia because the Packers’ finally misplaced. They’re sitting at 4-8 on the season and have only a 3% probability on the playoffs.
Rodgers mentioned following the sport that he needs to play if the Packers are nonetheless mathematically “in it.” He additionally mentioned he needs to begin in opposition to the Bears ought to there be no structural harm to his ribs. Head coach Matt LaFleur supplied no replace on Monday when he met with the media, although Rodgers mentioned he was to endure additional assessments on Monday. We’ll know extra within the coming days.
Ought to the Packers sit Aaron Rodgers?
Nick Wright, Kevin Wildes and Greg Jennings talk about the Packers’ loss to the Eagles on Sunday Night time Soccer, together with Aaron Rodgers exiting the competition early with a rib damage.
In the meantime, the Bears took their quarterback determination proper up till kickoff in opposition to the Jets on Sunday. Fields went into the sport listed as questionable, although I am unsure anybody believed he was going to play after struggling a major left shoulder damage through which he partially tore ligaments along with having an damage to his AC joint.
Trevor Siemian reportedly sustained an indirect damage in warmups, and simply when it seemed just like the Bears could be right down to their third-string quarterback in Nathan Peterman, Siemian bought the beginning. It went exactly how you thought it would go, with Siemian working an offense utterly tailor-made to Fields and his ability set — which may be very totally different from his personal.
So whereas again in Week 2 it seemed as if this season would go what number of have earlier than it previously decade, with the Packers finally sitting on high of the standings and Rodgers taking part in at an MVP stage, the 2022 season had different plans. All that is left to play for — for each of those groups — is satisfaction, particularly in opposition to each other. For that purpose alone, Rodgers and Fields could wish to play by their accidents. However maybe each of those groups could be clever to not allow them to.
Both means, it’ll be something however predictable come Sunday afternoon.
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Carmen Vitali covers the NFC North for FOX Sports activities. Carmen had earlier stops with The Draft Community and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. She spent six seasons with the Bucs, together with 2020, which added the title of Tremendous Bowl Champion (and boat-parade participant) to her résumé. You may comply with Carmen on Twitter at @CarmieV.
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