The Detroit Lions employed a balanced attack to grind out a 38-30 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night at M&T Bank Stadium, improving to 2-1.
David Montgomery’s 31-yard run in the final minutes sealed it, but it was Amon-Ra St. Brown’s impact throughout that truly set the tone.
The wideout not only sparked a crucial trick-play pitch to Jahmyr Gibbs for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, but also added seven catches for 77 yards and a score of his own.
St. Brown explained postgame that the pitch to Gibbs had been in the Lions’ playbook for over a year and finally got the call.
“Funny story, Gibbs, in the meeting room this week, he goes, ‘We have that planned every week and we never call it.’ I said, ‘Just because you said that, we’re calling it this week.’ And sure enough, we called it,” he told ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt.
But it was his late-game dagger against Marlon Humphrey that crystallized the night. As reported by Josh Tolentino of The Baltimore Sun, with Detroit facing a fourth-and-2 near midfield, St. Brown burst off the line and drew a holding penalty.
That alone would’ve ended Baltimore’s last chance. Instead, he kept running, shaking free to haul in Jared Goff’s throw down the right sideline. Humphrey’s desperate dive failed, and as he lay flat on the turf, St. Brown flexed over him, a snapshot of Detroit’s all-around dominance.
Baltimore’s defense, hyped all offseason, failed to deliver in prime time. The Ravens didn’t force a single turnover for the second time in three weeks and allowed Detroit to record an 18-play, 98-yard touchdown drive that chewed nearly 11 minutes off the clock.
According to The Baltimore Sun, it was the first time Baltimore had surrendered a 95-yard scoring drive at home since 2001.
Humphrey admitted afterward that the defense had not met the standard.
“We’re just not very good,” he said. “The organization and fans have seen greatness. Anything other than great is below the standard. We can’t just expect Lamar [Jackson] to score 28 or 30 points every game. We’ve got to do our part.”
Detroit left Baltimore with another statement victory. And in the defining moment of the night, St. Brown’s flex was more than a celebration; it was the exclamation point on a win that showcased the Lions’ balance, grit, and growing confidence as NFC contenders.
