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NFL playoff rule change? Amon-Ra St. Brown thinks 14-win Lions getting done dirty
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- NFL playoff rule change? Amon-Ra St. Brown thinks 14-win Lions getting done dirty
Amon-Ra St. Brown has an idea for changing the playoff selection criteria now that the Detroit Lions find themselves in a unique spot going into Week 18.
The Lions (14-2) and Minnesota Vikings (14-2) enter their final matchup with identical records and with the NFC North crown and 1-seed in the playoffs on the line. It is the most wins between two teams in a regular-season meeting in NFL history and the playoff implications only raise those stakes.
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Amon-Ra St. Brown thinks NFL playoff rules should be changed
St. Brown described the situation as "crazy" and said he wouldn't mind seeing a rule change down the line in case another unique situation arises where one of the two top records in the conference finishes as a wild-card team due to the division winners earning the top-4 seeds.
"I think the rules should be changed," St. Brown said before letting out a laugh. "Obviously if you win the division, you should obviously make a playoff spot, but having a 14-win team having to go on the road is kind of crazy. But I guess I don't make the rules.
"So hopefully we can get a win and get homefield advantage. But whatever happens, we both still have a spot in the playoffs so we might see each other again after this game."
The monumental matchup takes place Sunday night at Ford Field as the final regular season game of the NFL season.
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St. Brown said the team is prepared to play in these types of games thanks to the bevy of big games they've played in during the last two years, including five primetime night games already this season.
The Lions are 5-0 in primetime, nationally-televised night games, including 3-0 at home with wins over the Los Angeles Rams , Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers . Detroit 's leading receiver expects an extremely loud and intimidating atmosphere from the Lions faithful in attendance due to the playoff-level stakes.
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It is also a matchup of two of the best units in the NFL between the NFL's highest-scoring offense and one of the stingiest defenses. Detroit leads the NFL in scoring, averaging 33.3 points per game, while Minnesota ranks fourth in scoring defense, holding teams to 18.8 points per game, and tied for the league lead in turnovers forced.
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"We know they are a good team," St. Brown said. "It's going to be a tough game. It's always tough going against that defense for us as an offense so it is going to be a good game. We can't wait. We know Ford Field is going to be rocking, I know fans can't wait either but I wouldn't say any enhanced eagerness. I would just say we know stakes might be a little higher but it's just another game for us."
The Vikings' defense, led by coordinator Brian Flores, has been successful in causing chaos by bringing pressure and disguising coverages between pre- and post-snap to influence the takeaways. St. Brown has been successful against Minnesota, including eight catches for 112 yards and a touchdown in Detroit's Week 7 win, but chalked it up as the play from his quarterback.
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"Jared (Goff) does a great job of distributing the ball, not forcing anything," St. Brown said. "He's been great all year doing that so he's going to be ready — he's locked in."
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Lateral expert
The Lions hit on another hook-and-lateral for a big gain in Monday's win over the San Francisco 49ers .
St. Brown caught an in route on third-and-12 as he was going to the ground. Before a defender touched him, St. Brown flipped the ball up to a streaking Jameson Williams going the opposite way to break off a 42-yard touchdown to cut into the 49ers' early lead.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) makes a catch against San Francisco 49ers cornerback Isaac Yiadom (22) during the first half at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Monday, Dec. 30, 2024.
Detroit fully implemented the play during the preseason and first broke it out this season in Week 3 against the Arizona Cardinals , with St. Brown flipped it to Jahmyr Gibbs for a 21-yard touchdown.
"To me, it's not too much of a trick play, it's kind of an easy play," St. Brown, the pitchman, said. "You run an under with a guy coming from the side, it's kind of like a misdirection."
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The pitches only come when it is wide open, St. Brown said, and he feels like he's become adept at understanding the situation because of the frequency they have run it.
"Pretty sure defenses now are going to be in tune to it," St. Brown said. "So we'll see what happens. Maybe we have something off that but you never know."
Jared Ramsey is a sports reporter for the Detroit Free Press . Follow Jared on X @jared_ramsey22 , and email him at jramsey@freepress.com .
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: NFL playoff change? Amon-Ra St. Brown thinks Lions getting done dirty
