The Detroit Lions (7-4) pulled out a win over the New York Giants (2-10) in overtime in Week 12, overcoming several self-inflicted mistakes and holding off a scappy team that put it all on the line. The Lions slightly altered their approach on both sides of the ball this week and may have given some hints about how they plan to deploy their personnel moving forward.
Let’s take a look at how the Lions utilized their personnel against the Giants in Week 12.
Quarterbacks:
- Jared Goff: 68 snaps (100%)
- Kyle Allen: 0 (0%)
Goff had a better game than in Week 11, finding ways to escape pressure and pushing the ball into tough spots. While he ended with a decent stat line—28 of 42 for 279 yards, 2 TD, an interception, and a 91.3 passer rating—it certainly could have been better, as Lions receivers dropped, at least, five passes in this game.
Running backs:
- Jahmyr Gibbs: 50 (74%)
- David Montgomery: 23 (34%)
- Sione Vaki: 0 (0%) — special teams snaps 20 (62%)
- Jacob Saylors: 0 (0%) — 20 (62%)
- Craig Reynolds: Inactive
With a career-high 264 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winning score, Gibbs has once again made the case that he should be in the conversation for best player in the NFL. While the Lions likely entered this game looking to split Gibbs’ carries with Montgomery, it quickly became clear that they had no answer for Gibbs, and the Lions leaned on him to carry them to victory.
Wide receivers:
- Amon-Ra St. Brown: 66 (97%)
- Jameson Williams: 66 (97%)
- Isaac TeSlaa: 28 (41%) — 9 (28%)
- Kalif Raymond: 27 (40%) — 8 (25%)
- Dominic Lovett: 0 (0%) — 2 (6%)
With tight end Sam LaPorta on injured reserve, the Lions have leaned on their receivers more, and that shows up in their snap counts. Not only are St. Brown and Williams seeing slight upticks in their snaps, but TeSlaa and Raymond have also seen their time on the field increase.
Raymond injured his ankle in this game, which opened up the door for more TeSlaa opportunities to increase, and on a short week, the Lions may need their rookie to step into a WR3 role against the Packers on Thanksgiving Day.
Tight ends:
- Brock Wright: 60 (88%) — 6 (19%)
- Dan Skipper: 15 (22%) — 6 (19%)
- Ross Dwelley: 3 (4%) — 7 (22%)
- Anthony Firkser: 2 (3%) — 11 (34%)
While still technically an offensive lineman, I’m grouping Skipper in with the tight ends because that’s how the Lions are using him right now. With Wright elevated into LaPorta’s TE1 role, the Lions need a reliable run blocker that they feel comfortable lining up in space as their TE2, and the 6-foot-10 Skipper fits the bill. The towering offensive tackle will line up in-line, in the slot, and even out wide. And while they haven’t thrown the ball to him in 2025, defenses are surely aware of his 2024 touchdown reception and have to account for him when defending.
Offensive line:
- Graham Glasgow: 68 (100%) — 6 (19%)
- Kayode Awosika: 68 (100%) — 6 (19%)
- Tate Ratledge: 68 (100%) — 6 (19%)
- Penei Sewell: 68 (100%)
- Taylor Decker: 68 (100%)
- Trystan Colon: 0 (0%) — 6 (19%)
- Michael Niese: 0 (0%) — 6 (19%)
For the first time in nearly a month, the Lions did not suffer an in-game injury to an offensive lineman. Of course, they had four players carrying a questionable injury designation into the game, but they all managed to play through their ailments.
Defensive end:
- Aidan Hutchinson: 77 (94%) — 1 (3%)
- Al-Quadin Muhammad: 31 (38%) — 6 (19%)
- Tyler Lacy: 20 (24%) — 6 (19%)
- Tyrus Wheat: 5 (6%) — 18 (56%)
After leaning on Muhammad and Lacy opposite Hutchinson for the majority of the season, the Lions continue to incorporate more Alim McNeill on the edge in their 4i (big set) role, primarily used to stop the run. And while most fans seem disappointed with the Lions’ choice to deploy more big sets than traditional pass rushers, Detroit is getting the results it wants against the run.
However, with the Lions soon to return Josh Paschal and Marcus Davenport from injury, look for this room to switch things up again in the near future.
Defensive tackle:
- Alim McNeill: 69 (84%) — 6 (19%)
- DJ Reader: 46 (56%) — 1 (3%)
- Tyleik Williams: 45 (55%)
- Roy Lopez: 30 (37%) — 6 (19%)
- Mekhi Wingo: Inactive
- Quinton Jefferson: Inactive
With McNeill spending some time on the edge, it opens up the Lions’ usage of defensive tackles. Leaning on four big bodies on the interior line goes against modern norms, but again, this is all done with the mindset of stopping the run, first and foremost.
Linebacker:
- Jack Campbell: 82 (100%) — 7 (22%)
- Alex Anzalone: 79 (96%)
- Derrick Barnes: 66 (80%) — 5 (16%)
- Malcolm Rodriguez: 4 (5%) — 26 (81%)
- Trevor Nowaske: 0 (0%) — 25 (78%)
- Grant Stuard: 0 (0%) — 25 (78%)
After deploying three linebackers nearly 100% of defensive snaps the last several weeks, the Lions scaled back the usage of Anzalone and Barnes a tick this week. They’re still amongst the league leaders in this usage (if not the leader) because of the versatility each brings to the Lions’ scheme.
Rodriguez was activated off PUP this week and made a solo special teams tackle on the opening play of the game. Like Zach Cunningham—before he landed on injured reserve—Rodriguez found the field on defense for a handful of snaps in goal line and short yardage stacked fronts.
Cornerback:
- Amik Robertson: 79 (96%) — 1 (3%)
- Rock Ya-Sin: 70 (85%) — 12 (38%)
- D.J. Reed: 31 (38%)
- Arthur Maulet: 5 (6%) — 2 (6%)
- Khalil Dorsey: 0 (0%) — 18 (56%)
- Nick Whiteside: Inactive
- Terrion Arnold: Inactive (injury)
Reed was activated off injured reserve and was eased back into game action. On most downs, the Lions deployed Robertson and Ya-Sin on the outside, with Reed spelling Ya-Sin on a handful of snaps. However, when the Lions shifted into subpackage looks, they took two approaches: Using Reed and Ya-Sin on the outside with Robertson in the slot, or Robertson and Ya-Sin/Reed on the outside with Maulet in the slot. Dorsey, who also returned from injured reserve this week, got his feet wet on special teams.
Look for Reed and Dorsey’s roles to grow in the coming weeks.
Safety:
- Brian Branch: 82 (100%) — 6 (19%)
- Thomas Harper: 81 (99%) — 1 (3%)
- Daniels Thomas: 0 (0%) — 25 (78%)
- Avonte Maddox: 0 (0%) — 2 (6%)
- Kerby Joseph: Inactive (injury)
Pretty straightforward safety usage, with the only real change coming with Maddox, who saw his special teams role reduced, likely due to the return of Dorsey.
Specialists:
- Jake Bates: 12 (38%)
- Jack Fox: 11 (34%)
- Hogan Hatten: 11 (34%)
After a few weeks of working through errors, the Lions’ special teams unit bounced back in a big way. Not only did Bates hit a 59-yard field goal to send the game into overtime, but Fox got a game ball from coach Dan Campbell after dropping four punts inside the 20, with two reaching inside the 10-yard line.
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