Showtime performance lifts Detroit Lions to victory over Chargers in historic great western shootout

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The Detroit Lions put on an offensive showtime performance to lift them to a 41-38 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in what resembled one of those historic great western shootouts.

Many people rolled their eyes at the front office of the Lions when they traded down in last year’s NFL draft to select rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs with the 12th pick in the first round, but the decision is proving to be legit.

Jahmyr Gibbs

Gibbs carried the ball 14 times for 77 yards and two touchdowns and showed signs of burst and agility against the Chargers. The rookie also caught three receptions for 35 yards, proving how special of a talent he is.

On the season, Gibbs carried the ball 51 times for 297 yards in his last three games. During that span, he also caught 17 receptions for 130 yards and four combined touchdowns, and he continues his touchdown streak as he hit paydirt three games in a row to help his team improve to 7-2 on the season.

Gibbs also joined a litany of legendary backs to produce over 400 yards from scrimmage while also achieving four touchdowns in a three-game span, joining Barry Sanders, who achieved such success in 1989, and Billy Sims, who did it in 1980.

David Montgomery

Running mate David Montgomery returned from injury to show he, too, could join the track meet in Inglewood, California.

Montgomery toted the pigskin 12 times for 116 yards and one touchdown, which came on an impressive 75-yard juke and dash in the second quarter.

The lengthy touchdown by Montgomery was the second-longest run in franchise history behind Jahvid Best, who ran for 88 yards inside Ford Field against the Chicago Bears in 2011. Montgomery now has two 40-yard rushing scores in the same season since Sanders did it in 1998.

The tandem helped the Lions offensive explosion in the first half as they accounted for 177 of a combined 307 total yards, which is the second time a team has gone over 300 yards in the first half in the last 10 seasons.

Jared Goff

The other 130 yards came from signal-caller Jared Goff, who returned home to SoFi Stadium, where he opened the stadium in 2020 against the Dallas Cowboys as the quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams.

Goff was prolific in his return to California as he finished the game completing 23-33 for 333 yards and two touchdowns.

His performance on Sunday (Nov. 12) tied him with NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning for the fifth most 300-yard passing games through eight seasons in league history with 34.

Goff hit rookie tight end Sam LaPorta, who caught the game-sealing catch to set up the game-winning field goal four times for 40 yards. LaPorta is the first tight end to record three or more catches in the first nine games of his career.

But his favorite target of the day was California native Amon-Ra St. Brown. The former USC Trojan hauled in eight receptions for 156 yards and one touchdown on nine targets.

“All I know is that he’s playing at a high level for us, so I would say he’s certainly up there (when it comes to talent), but I like our guy,” said Campbell. “I said it before, and I’ll say it again, we got a quarterback, and I’m glad that we do.”

The 156 receiving yards was a career-high for St. Brown, and he now has six 100-yard games receiving in a seven-game span, becoming the first player to achieve such success since Hall of Fame receiver Calvin Johnson.

“He’s a stud, and he just continues to make plays, and he is the most steady, reliable guy that you can find in this league, and I would like to know somebody that is more reliable than him,” Campbell said.

Campbell/Johnson

Campbell and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson were aggressive all day as they continued to go for it on fourth down.

The tough decisions showed that they had faith in their playmakers, which is how they set so many records and/or career highs in the old western shootout.

“This group has been together for the most part for a while,” Campbell said . “LaPorta, Gibbs, and Montgomery have proved that they are reliable pieces for us. The rookies, the offensive line, Goff, St. Brown, Josh Reynolds, and Kalief Raymond are all the same, and I’ve seen these guys function. I know how Ben Johnson would call a game if we want to play this way, and I believe it was the right thing to do, and we did it.”

Campbell continued:

“I told them all week that we were going to play aggressively, and I wanted us ready to go, and that was kind of part of the message. Our demeanor and our coach and play, we were going to be aggressive.”

The creativity was on display with the funky handoffs to St. Brown sweeping left and right for first downs. Both Campbell and Johnson are on one accord no matter how unconventional or outlandish they seem to work, as the Lions are not only atop the NFC North but the No. 2 seed in the NFC behind the 8-1 Philadelphia Eagles.

The unconventional but aggressive Lions will head home to play host to the Chicago Bears on Sunday (Nov. 19). Kickoff is at 1 p.m.