To say that the Detroit Lions needed to make a statement on defense would've been a huge understatement. Dan Campbell's team was fresh off a win, but they also had more time to rest and prepare for this game after the bye week.
With all the talk around Sam LaPorta's future and Kelvin Sheppard's job security, this team desperately needed to take down their divisional rivals. Beating the Green Bay Packers was about much more than just a win.
Ultimately, the team got the job done on both sides of the field, and while it took until the last second, the Lions secured the win. Notably, these three players were the main ones responsible for getting the job done on Sunday.
3 winners from the Lions' big divisional win over the Packers
Brian Branch
Brian Branch finally made his season debut. It seemed that he was ready to play against the Arizona Cardinals, but the team erred on the side of caution and gave him two more weeks to prepare his body. Clearly, it worked like a charm.
The Lions' hard-hitting safety was his usual self in his first game back in action. He finished the game with four total tackles (one solo) and three run stops. Pro Football Focus gave him a 92.6 grade, the highest on the defense.
Jahmyr Gibbs
There's not much that hasn't been said about Jahmyr Gibbs at this point, yet he never ceases to amaze. We're running out of superlatives for a guy who can shoulder otherworldly workloads on a weekly basis. Hopefully, this heavy usage won't take a toll on his body at any point in the season.
Gibbs ran all over the Packers' defense. He turned 29 carries into 116 yards, an average of four yards per attempt. He also had five receptions for 27 yards, and even though he lost a costly fumble, he helped the offense keep Jordan Love off the field.
Amon-Ra St. Brown
While everyone knows how big a star Amon-Ra St. Brown is, he hadn't had a signature breakout game this season yet. That's a thing of the past after watching him have one of the best games of his career on Sunday. It was a thing of beauty.
The Lions' WR1 sliced and diced through the secondary, turning nine receptions into 153 yards (including a 40-yard explosion). He didn't find paydirt, but he led the team with 11 targets and made the most of every single one of those.
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