Key stats for Lions vs. Saints: The rookie class from Detroit performs admirably on both sides of the ball.
On Sunday, the Detroit Lions surprised the New Orleans Saints and resumed their winning ways. The Lions led 21-0 less than eight minutes into the contest, and fortunately for them, Detroit was able to hang on for a 33-28 victory in Louisiana.
We’ll go through some of the advanced data provided by PFF to help us better understand the football the Lions have played thus far and what to expect in the upcoming weeks, as we’ll do every week for this Lions team throughout the season. After the Lions defeated the Saints in Week 9 to improve their record to 9-3, let’s take a closer look at the team’s stats.
by the stats following their victory over the Saints in Week 13 to raise their record to 9-3.
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3. run stops, 9.1% run stop percentage, and an average tackle depth of -0.7
For this Week 13 matchup against the Saints, the Lions were without arguably their most well-rounded defensive player—Aidan Hutchinson—due to a wrist injury that sidelined him. A year ago, I could not have imagined typing that.
But with Anzalone sidelined, it was Jack Campbell’s turn to take over as the MIKE linebacker for a defense that was in complete disarray for the Lions.
In response, Campbell gave one of his best performances to date, particularly in his run defense role. The Saints ran the ball 36 times and only gained 113 yards for 3.1 yards per carry against the Lions, despite their best efforts to establish a ground game. Campbell’s three run stops (tied for third among linebackers in Week 13), 9.1% run stop percentage (ranked ninth among all defenders in Week 13), and -0.7 average depth of tackle in run defense (best among all linebackers in Week 13) all played a significant role in stifling that New Orleans ground game.
For Detroit’s 2023 rookie class, Campbell’s development has taken the longest to take hold. However, given how he’s progressed after switching around to different positions on this defense (from WILL to SAM to MIKE), it’s encouraging to see the good plays continue to pile up for Campbell as December approaches.
155.8 passer rating when targeted, 4 missed tackles forced, 5 first downs, and 7.00 yards per route run
Now is the appropriate time to discuss Sam LaPorta’s potential as an All-Pro tight end this season. With 12 games played so far this season, he has already surpassed even the highest of expectations placed on the former second-round pick, recording 64 catches, 679 yards, and six touchdowns.
Against the Saints, LaPorta had the best performance of his professional career thus far, catching a career-high nine passes for 140 yards and a touchdown. LaPorta was essential to the Lions at different points in the game to keep the offense flowing, and in Week 13, he delivered a standout performance that led the tight end pack. With a 7.00 yards per route run, four missed tackles forced, five first downs, and a 155.8 passer rating when targeted—all top marks for tight ends in Week 13—LaPorta demonstrated extraordinary efficiency.
elusive rating of 125.0, with each attempt at 5.63 yards after contact
Jahmyr Gibbs touching the football was definitely what this game needed more of. For the Saints, Gibbs only had eight carries and one reception, but his nine touches were the fewest in a game since his Week 1 debut. Although it was evident during the game that Detroit intended to use David Montgomery and his physicale running style on New Orleans right away, averaging just 3.1 yards per carry on 18 attempts felt as ineffectiv as it does in the box score.
In contrast, Gibbs demonstrated his big-play ability despite having a light workload.
Even though Gibbs wasn’t used much by Detroit on Sunday, his big play—a 36-yard run that demonstrated the patience and burst that have made him one of the team’s most valuable offensive weapons—put the Lions within striking distance of the Saints on the opening drive of the contest. Gibbs is tied for the most rushes of 20 yards or more this season (7). Along with that, it enabled him to record the third-best elusive rating (125.0), which is “a PFF Signature stat measuring success and impact of a runner with the ball independently of the blocking,” and the best yards after contact per attempt among running backs with at least eight carries in Week 13.
