The regular season edition of Monday Night Football came to a close with a familiar sight. The Detroit Lions walked off the field basking in their fifth primetime win of the season, the 14th win of their campaign, and a perfect road record in 2024. Head coach Dan Campbell’s squad will now look ahead to a critical Week 18 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, in which the loser will become a 14-win Wild Card team. Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers headed to the locker room not only defeated but bruised, too, as starting quarterback Brock Purdy exited the game in the fourth quarter with an elbow injury and did not return. A frustrating end to a frustrating season will lead to plenty of question marks in San Francisco once Week 18 is over, question marks that were answered at least in part by Monday night’s game.
1) Jahmyr Gibbs is a Top Five Running Back in the NFL
After an MCL injury to backfield mate David Montgomery, there were some concerns surrounding Gibbs’ ability to carry the running back load on his own. Gibbs has responded to those concerns with two excellent outings, proving that he is not only capable of manning the backfield alone but establishing himself as one of the best backs in the league. The sophomore runner gashed the Niners for 117 yards and a touchdown on the ground, forcing missed tackle after missed tackle against a depleted San Francisco run defense.
Gibbs also contributed in a big way through the air, catching four balls for 46 yards, ripping through arm tackles to create yardage out of nothing. His versatility is the key to Detroit’s offense, as coordinator Ben Johnson is consistently able to attack the defense in every direction because of Gibbs’ status as a threat to any part of the field. Montgomery’s eventual return will certainly impact the volume Gibbs receives, but the University of Alabama back has already established himself as a truly elite talent at his position.
2) Defensive Depth is an Issue in the Bay
While it’s easy to write off a poor defensive performance against the Lions, there’s reason to worry about San Francisco’s defensive depth chart heading into 2025. The Niners were without linebacker Dre Greenlaw and cornerback Charvarius Ward, and both absences would contribute massively to the team’s defensive failure. The tackling was abysmal throughout the game, with backup linebacker Dee Winters having a particularly rough go of it against the run. Communication on the back end between backup cornerbacks Isaac Yiadom and Renardo Green was questionable, as demonstrated by a crucial fourth down play late in the third quarter in which Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was left wide open in the end zone. General manager John Lynch has plenty of bigger fish to fry, namely a potential Brock Purdy extension, but this facet of the team is worth keeping an eye on.
3) Detroit Desperately Needs Defensive Reinforcements
It’s rare that a team manages a deep playoff run while being incredibly one-dimensional. Right now, that’s exactly what the Lions are. The offense is either the best or the second-best in the NFL, with excellent players at every key position. Coming into the season, that statement looked to be true for the defense too, but injuries have ravaged every position group of coordinator Aaron Glenn’s unit. Those injuries clearly took their toll against the Niners, who looked like they were moving the ball at will throughout the first half. Detroit’s first major play came in the form of an unforced error, as Purdy airmailed a pass that was intercepted by safety Kerby Joseph. While the defense did improve in the second half, it was a concerning showing against a Niners team that hasn’t exactly been an offensive juggernaut. The Lions will need more bodies to prevent similar performances in the postseason.
Thankfully, some help will arrive in the form of linebacker Alex Anzalone and rookie cornerback Ennis Rakestraw. Both are slated to return for Detroit’s playoff run, especially if the team is able to secure a first-round bye in Week 18. It also wouldn’t be a surprise to see general manager Brad Holmes dip into the free agent pool as playoff teams tend to do this time of year. Cornerbacks like Xavien Howard, Patrick Peterson, and JC Jackson are all available and could be worth a flier. Edge rusher Charles Harris, who has an extensive history with the Lions, is also a name to watch as the team prepares for what it hopes to be a run well into January.
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