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Detroit Lions winners, losers: Kerby Joseph delivers when needed most
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- Detroit Lions winners, losers: Kerby Joseph delivers when needed most
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Free Press sports writer Dave Birkett highlights the best and worst performances of the Lions ' 40-34 win over the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium.
Winners
Lions S Kerby Joseph
The Lions were not very good defensively Monday, and they seemed on their way to their second loss in three games until Joseph saved the day with two interceptions in the second half.
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Niners quarterback Brock Purdy overthrew receiver Ricky Pearsall on Joseph's first pick, Joseph showed good instincts to jump a pass to Pearsall on the second, and the Lions converted both turnovers into touchdowns on a day they didn't force a punt. Joseph now leads the NFL with nine interceptions and needs one in Sunday's season finale against the Minnesota Vikings to become the first player with double-digit picks since Trevon Diggs had 11 in 2021.
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) celebrates an interception against San Francisco 49ers during the second half at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Monday, Dec. 30, 2024.
"We knew we needed to get takeaways, and it was just another example playing complimentary football," Lions coach Dan Campbell said. "He came up in a big way, not just that the picks, he had some critical tackles in this game and just really showed up for us
Lions TE Sam LaPorta
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The Lions weren't lacking for offensive standouts on a day they scored 40 points for the sixth time this year. Jared Goff threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns. Jahmyr Gibbs had 163 yards from scrimmage. And LaPorta delivered big catches and bigger blocks throughout the game.
LaPorta caught six passes for 64 yards, had three of the Lions' 11 third- or fourth-down conversions, beat Isaac Yiadom with a crisp route for a 6-yard touchdown and delivered key blocks on both of Jameson Williams ' scores.
LaPorta took out two defenders with his block on Williams' 3-yard touchdown run on the Lions' opening drive, and while he didn't physically block a defender on Williams' hook-and-lateral TD, he ran the pick route to free Amon-Ra St. Brown for the catch and was in the right position to thwart a Talanoa Hufanga tackle attempt on the sideline. Both of Williams' TDs came on third downs, too, and the Lions were a deadly 9 of 14 on third downs for the day.
Goats
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Lions LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin
San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk (44) celebrates a touchdown against Detroit Lions linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin (42) during the first half at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Monday, Dec. 30, 2024.
Reeves-Maybin had some rust to shake off after missing seven games with a neck injury, and it showed Monday as he was one of several Lions linebackers who had a rough day.
The veteran special-teams standout played 40 of a possible 64 defensive snaps, was part of several coverage busts that led to big plays – he got beat on a long pass to Isaac Guerendo and appeared to be out of position on a touchdown pass to fullback Kyle Juszczyk – and let Purdy slip out of his hands for a sack.
The Lions got good play from their linebacking corps early in the season, but the unit's production has fallen off in the face of injuries and while piecing together a playing group made up largely of journeymen and career backups.
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49ers K Jake Moody
The 49ers lost by six points Monday, and Moody, the first kicker taken in the 2023 NFL draft, missed two long field goals and an extra point.
Moody pushed his first miss wide right from 51 yards just before halftime, missed his second kick wide left from 58 yards early in the fourth quarter and had one short kickoff that led to good field position for the Lions.
Neither of Moody's field goals were a gimme, but in a season where kickers have made a record number of 50-plus-yard kicks, his lack of accuracy was one of the few things that held back the 49ers' offense.
Dave Birkett is the author of the new book, " Detroit Lions : An Illustrated Timeline." Order your copy here. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com . Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Lions winners, losers: Kerby Joseph delivers, Reeves-Maybin flops
