Lions' 475-yard advantage vs. Jaguars sounds fake
The powerful Detroit Lions delivered a beating of epic proportions to the struggling Jacksonville Jaguars in their Week 11 meeting at Ford Field. The Lions scored touchdowns on the first seven possessions of the game after the Jaguars took an early 3-0 lead, and they delivered body shot after body shot in a relentless offensive showing.
The statistical differences between the two teams had to be embarrassing for head coach Doug Pederson and the Jaguars. The Lions gained a shocking 645 yards in the games, while the Jaguars could only manage 170 yards. Quarterback Jared Goff and his teammates held the ball for a 39:54-20:06 advantage over the visitors.
This game was a mismatch between what may be the strongest team in the NFL and one of the weakest and most disorganized. The Lions improved to 9-1 with the victory, while the Jaguars are in the basement of the AFC South with a 2-9 record.
The yardage differential between the two teams seemed more like a college football blowout by a team that wanted to impress pollsters by blowing out an overmatched opponent. No NFL team had been outgained by 475 yards since the 1979 season, and it seems clear that the Lions did exactly what they wanted throughout the game.
Lions appear unstoppable as the season reaches a critical point
Many expected the Lions to compete with the San Francisco 49ers for NFC superiority this season, but Detroit appears to be quite a bit ahead of the defending NFC champions. After the Lions lost a Week 2 game at home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they have reeled off eight straight wins. Head coach Dan Campbell 's team has a 9-1 record and a 1-game lead over the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC North. That's the best record the Lions have had after 10 games since 1934.
The Lions set multiple records throughout the game, including the 46-point margin of victory, the 644 net yards and 38 first downs. Goff has been on top of his game all season, and he was scintillating against the Jaguars. He completed 24 of 29 passes for 412 yards with 4 TD passes and no interceptions.
Running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs did plenty of damage for the Lions. Montgomery ran for 75 yards and 2 touchdowns while Gibbs ran for 69 yards and 1 TD on 11 carries. He also had one catch for 54 yards.
Amon-Ra St. Brown was simply unstoppable as he caught 11 passes for 161 yards and 2 touchdowns. Fellow wideout Jameson Williams caught 4 passes for 124 yards and 1 TD.
