Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown has done everything well since joining the Detroit Lions in 2021, but not even he is perfect in spite of the fact it constantly appears that way.
While St. Brown always sets high standards for himself and has an unmatched work ethic, mistakes will happen and chaos can ensue during games. That played out against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 6.
Detroit's offense started hot, but struggled to maintain any momentum in the second-half. St. Brown believes that had to do with a solid defensive approach by the Chiefs, but still lamented a lack of execution in key moments that helped hurt the team.
"They had a pretty good plan on defense, but I feel like at the end of the day, we still had plays that we should have made (and plays) that I should have made that would have changed that game."
Specifically, St. Brown is referring to a fourth-down play in which he dropped a pass that hit his hands which would have been an easy first-down. The ball potentially came out low and may have had its flight impacted, but St. Brown didn't want to hear any of those excuses for a play he believes he should have made.
"I mean, I don't know if it was tipped. (I) should have caught it. Went right to (and) right into my hands. It like went through my legs. I should have caught it."
It's likely St. Brown punishes himself with extra reps on the JUGS machine, and give credit to him for taking ownership of a critical moment in the game. Still, the Lions had plenty of other opportunities to get over the hump offensively and defensively and didn't get the job done. They will be searching for those lost inches this week.
Despite the fact the Lions lost in runaway fashion, St. Brown remains keen to the fact that there are major opportunities to improve. Having tape to review after such a loss offers a great chance for a team to make alterations that can positively impact games weeks into the future.
There were a few instances during the defeat where St. Brown knows the Lions could have turned the game around with a simple made play or a case of better execution.
"Hindsight is 20-20. You'd like to have the touchdown on the first drive. I catch the fourth-down, who knows, maybe we get seven (or) three, whatever it may be. There's a lot of plays that we wish we could have had back on offense. But you can watch the tape (and) learn from it. This is a game that you wish you would have won, but at the end of the day, I feel like this is a game we can learn a lot from."
Sometimes, teams end up taking more away from a painful loss than a commanding win. In the past, Dan Campbell has alluded to that phenomenon. The Lions have plenty of work to do as they get ready for Week 7, and as always, St. Brown will be leading the way.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!