By Moses Joshua 
With Detroit’s defense unraveling, Jared Goff and his top two targets are carrying the playoff push
Inconsistency has defined the Detroit Lions’ season, a frustrating rhythm of wins followed by losses that has kept them hovering on the edge of the playoff picture. Over the last ten games, the pattern has been impossible to ignore. What has become equally clear, however, is where Detroit’s hope now lives.
It lives in the hands of Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.
As the Lions’ defense has slipped into one of its toughest stretches of the year, the offense has been forced to adapt. And in doing so, it has placed its trust squarely in its two most explosive playmakers.
Two Receivers Carrying the Load
Williams’ emergence has been impossible to miss. After being held without a catch against the New York Giants, he has responded with the most productive stretch of his career. Over the last three games, Williams has hauled in a career-high seven receptions in each outing, totaling 374 yards and two touchdowns.
Zoom out slightly, and the picture becomes even clearer. In his last six games, Williams has posted 31 catches for 581 yards and four touchdowns, turning speed into substance at a moment when Detroit desperately needed it.
St. Brown has been just as reliable. Excluding his first-quarter exit against Green Bay, he has delivered 25 receptions for 405 yards and three touchdowns across his last three full games. Against the Rams, the duo accounted for 27 combined targets as Jared Goff repeatedly leaned on them to keep pace in a high-scoring affair.
With Sam LaPorta sidelined, the usage gap has widened even more. Over the last four games, 53 of the 69 targets sent to wide receivers or tight ends have gone to St. Brown or Williams. When the run game stalls, the answer has been simple: throw it to the stars.
Campbell Has No Regrets About the Shift
Head coach Dan Campbell made it clear after Sunday’s loss that leaning into his receivers was not a mistake — even if the result didn’t fall Detroit’s way.
“I thought Goff, I thought (St. Brown) and (Williams) played their tails off,” Campbell said. “I thought they played at a really high level and gave us a chance, but we just weren’t able to overcome some of those things.”
Campbell acknowledged the imbalance on offense, but stood firmly behind the approach.
“Well, when you can’t get the run going, it limits what you can do and what you’re trying to do off of it. I don’t regret one bit getting the ball to St. Brown and Jamo. I have zero regrets about that. But we have to get the run game going. We have got to be better, and we can be better.”
With the defense allowing more than 32 points per game over its last four outings, those words carry extra weight. Until the defense stabilizes, Detroit’s offense has little choice but to keep pushing the accelerator.
Historic Production in a Critical Moment
What makes the reliance on St. Brown and Williams easier to justify is the level at which they are performing. The duo has become the first receiver tandem in franchise history to record seven touchdown catches apiece in back-to-back seasons. St. Brown has also carved his name into the league’s history books, becoming the first player in NFL history to record at least 90 receptions through his first five seasons.
Advanced metrics echo the eye test. Pro Football Focus ranks Williams as the second-best receiver in the league during the last four games, while St. Brown checks in at seventh.
“Those two guys are as explosive as anyone, and being able to get them the ball in space is what we want to do,” Goff said. “We did a good job of that for the most part.”
Goff himself deserves credit for adapting on the fly, navigating coaching changes and offensive line turnover while continuing to maximize his top targets. When Detroit needs points, he knows exactly where to go.
The Path Forward Runs Through the Offense
With three games left and playoff hopes hanging in the balance, the Lions’ margin for error is razor-thin. The defense may have opportunities to regroup against the Steelers and Vikings, but as things stand, Detroit’s clearest path to survival is through offensive firepower.
That means more targets. More trust. And more responsibility for St. Brown and Williams.
As Campbell put it plainly, “We’ve still got an opportunity, so we’ve got to make the most of it.”
Right now, making the most of it means letting the offense lead — and riding two elite receivers as far as they can take the Lions.