DETROIT — Amon-Ra St. Brown’s early exit during Thursday’s game at Ford Field forced an unexpected trio to carry the load for the Detroit Lions.
With 6:37 left in the first quarter of the Thanksgiving matchup against the division-rival Green Bay Packers, St. Brown suffered an ankle injury and was ruled out early in the third quarter of what would become a 31-24 loss for the Lions.
Jared Goff losing his most reliable target created early concern. Still, receivers Jameson Williams, rookie Isaac TeSlaa, and veteran Tom Kennedy — recently elevated to the active roster — played a significant role in Goff’s 256 passing yards and two-touchdown performance.
“(St. Brown) is the heart and soul of the team, and that’s the thing — when guys go down, other guys have to come out and make plays,” Williams told reporters after the game. “You see TeSlaa come with the touchdown, making plays out there. We just got to make way more plays. Don’t even give other guys a chance. We’re playmakers and just got to execute, be on the real details, and get everything together. We’re going to be good.”
Williams delivered the best game of his career: seven catches, 144 yards, and a touchdown that pulled the Lions within 17–14. His score came after breaking a tackle and bouncing off a defender before sprinting upfield — a sequence he described as simply trying to stay alive and finish the play.
As Williams mentioned, TeSlaa added his second NFL touchdown — a 17-yard grab late in the third quarter that cut the deficit to 24–21. He finished with two catches for 35 yards.
“It’s unfortunate whenever you lose a player in any position, especially a star player like Saint,” TeSlaa said. “So, like you said, it was an opportunity for me to step up, but I would’ve liked to get a win. And that’s really what I’m focused on right now. If the team’s got less points than the other team, you’re not too happy about it at the end of the day.”
Kennedy, already active because of Kalif Raymond’s injury, took on an even larger role after St. Brown went down. He caught all four of his targets for 36 yards, including a 23-yard gain in his season debut.
“You’re always working for an opportunity or staying ready for an opportunity. You don’t know if or when it’s going to come — you just have to be prepared if it does,” Kennedy said. “And you don’t want it to come in a sense where Leaf goes down, Saint goes down… I’m just trying to be consistent and help the team however I can if I’m needed.”
Once St. Brown was ruled out, Kennedy also took on the Pro Bowl receiver’s responsibilities in 11 personnel. He praised Detroit’s coaches for adjusting quickly and giving the offense a clear structure after losing its top playmaker.
“I think I was able to kind of go in… I’m sure there’s stuff that I’d like to do differently after watching the tape, but I felt pretty good out there,” Kennedy said. “I didn’t think I had too many mental errors… once Saint went down, I kind of assumed his role.”
With St. Brown expected to miss time and Detroit’s hopes of a third straight division title all but gone, the Lions remain outside the playoff picture. One more loss could be the final blow to their postseason chances.
Still, when asked whether the Lions have the proper preparation for the stretch run — potentially without their offensive leader — Williams didn’t hesitate.
“Honestly, we are the most prepared. That question shouldn’t even be a question,” Williams said. “We prepare ourselves every day, every week, every night… we are the most prepared… we pride ourselves in the best way we can, and we just come out and play.”