NFL Week 15 Game Recap: Detroit Lions 20, New York Jets 17

The Detroit Lions defeated the New York Jets 20-17 on Sunday afternoon, getting back to .500 on the year and keeping themselves in the playoff hunt in the NFC with their third consecutive win. 

It wasn’t pretty, with the Detroit run game held relatively in check and Jared Goff missing some opportunities in the passing game, but the Lions managed to find the game-winning touchdown on a 51-yard touchdown reception by Brock Wright on fourth-and-1 with 1:49 left in the game.

QB Zach Wilson was able to get the Jets back into very long field-goal range after that, but Greg Zuerlein’s 58-yard field goal missed wide right.

Offensive spotlight: Despite combing for 569 passing yards in the game, it was a pretty poor day for quarterback play. Zach Wilson completed just 12 passes for 268 yards on passes thrown beyond the sticks and recorded just two big-time throws and two turnover-worthy plays in the game. For the Lions, 170 of their 252 passing yards came after the catch, and Jared Goff managed just one big-time throw in the game on first review. 

Defensive spotlight: If you didn’t see much of Sauce Gardner in the game, that’s because the Lions simply avoided throwing at him. From 38 snaps in coverage, he was targeted just once, resulting in a seven-yard reception. The likely Defensive Rookie of the Year when all is said and done, Gardner is already reaching the level of reputation where offenses avoid him where possible.

Rookie spotlight: Along with an impressive performance from Sauce Gardner, we saw another of the Jets first-round draft picks, wide receiver Garrett Wilson, show why expectations are so high for him even this early in his career, catching four passes for 98 yards. On the other side of the ball, Lions’ sixth-round draft pick James Houston IV registered a sack for the fourth straight game.

Offensive line spotlight: The interior of the Lions offensive line struggled in pass protection in the game, with Jonah Jackson allowing a hit and a hurry and Evan Brown allowing three hurries. Penalties were an issue for the offensive line, too, with two each from Brown and center Frank Ragnow and one from 2021 first-round draft pick Penei Sewell.

Box Score

Passing

Rushing

Receiving

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