What Lions Snap Counts Against Packers Reveal

The Detroit Lions fell in their season opener, as the Green Bay Packers held serve for most of the afternoon in a 27-13 win.

Here is a breakdown of the Lions' snap counts in Sunday's game, as well as analysis on what this can mean for the team moving forward.

Quarterbacks

• Jared Goff — (67) 100%

Goff was up and down in Sunday's game. While he only threw eight incompletions, he had a costly turnover with a red zone interception and had his lack of mobility exposed at points.

Running backs

• Jahmyr Gibbs — (44) 66%
• David Montgomery — (25) 37%
• Craig Reynolds — 11 special teams snaps (46%)
• Jacob Saylors — 11 special teams snaps (46%)

The split between Gibbs and Montgomery's workload wasn't exactly 50/50, as Gibbs was clearly the focal point. While Montgomery was used to spell Gibbs and wound up with more carries, the Lions threw 10 passes to Gibbs and he wound up setting a new NFL low for receiving yards by a player with 10 or more receptions.

Wide receivers

• Jameson Williams — (65) 97%
• Amon-Ra St. Brown — (63) 94%
• Kalif Raymond — (44) 63% — Three special teams snaps (12%)
• Isaac TeSlaa — (3) 4% — Nine special teams snaps (38%)
• Dominic Lovett — Three special teams snaps (12%)

Williams got two more snaps than St. Brown in his first game since signing his three-year contract extension. Kalif Raymond is the clear No. 3 receiver at this stage, as he got 41 more snaps than TeSlaa. However, the rookie keeps producing when called upon, as he had a one-handed touchdown snag on his only target. He continues to trend upwards and should see more snaps.

Tight ends

• Sam LaPorta — (61) 91%
• Brock Wright — (24) 36% — Nine special teams snaps (38)
• Shane Zylstra — (6) 9% — 10 special teams snaps (42%)

The Lions leaned on LaPorta, who led the team in receptions and receiving yards on Sunday. New offensive coordinator John Morton wasn't super heavy on the two-tight end personnel packages, but Wright was utilized in certain situations as both a tight end and a fullback

Offensive line

• Christian Mahogany — (67) 100% — Three special teams snaps (12%)
• Penei Sewell — (67) 100% — Three special teams snaps (12%)
• Tate Ratledge — (67) 100% — Three special teams snaps (12%)
• Taylor Decker — (67) 100%
• Graham Glasgow — (67) 100%
• Giovanni Manu — Three special teams snaps (12%)
• Kayode Awosika — Three special teams snaps (12%)
• Kingsley Eguakun — Three special teams snaps (12%)

The Lions had some growing pains on the interior, and the injury to Jamarco Jones led to Giovanni Manu making his NFL debut. Of note, the team did not implement any jumbo packages with an extra offensive lineman, which is in part due to the fact that Jamarco Jones is out for the year and practice squad OL Dan Skipper was also dealing with an injury.

Defensive line

• Aidan Hutchinson — (46) 96% — One special teams snap (4%)
• DJ Reader — (37) 77% — Six special teams snaps (25%)
• Marcus Davenport — (33) 69% — Six special teams snaps (25%)
• Tyleik Williams — (32) 67% — One special teams snap (4%)
• Roy Lopez — (17) 35% — Five special teams snaps (21%)
• Pat O’Connor — (14) 29% — 17 special teams snaps (71%)
• Al-Quadin Muhammad — (7) 15% — Three special teams snaps (12%)

Aidan Hutchinson played nearly the entire game in his return from injury, while the team had to get creative opposite of him with just three true edge rushers active. Reader anchored the middle, with Lopez spelling him as the nose tackle at times. Williams, the Lions' 2025 first-round pick, played 32 snaps in his debut.

Linebackers

• Alex Anzalone — (48) 100% — One special teams snap (4%)
• Jack Campbell — (48) 100% — One special teams snap (4%)
• Derrick Barnes — (43) 90% — 12 special teams snaps (50%)
• Grant Stuard — 20 special teams snaps (83%)
• Anthony Pittman — 20 special teams snaps (83%)
• Zach Cunningham — 13 special teams snaps (54%)

Detroit leaned on its three starters throughout Sunday's game, with Anzalone and Campbell playing the entire game and Barnes missing just 10 snaps. Stuard, Pittman and Cunningham were all special teams aces but were not called upon defensively.

Cornerbacks

• D.J. Reed — (48) 100% — One special teams snap (4%)
• Amik Robertson — (31) 65%
• Terrion Arnold — (23) 48% — Four special teams snaps (17%)
• Khalil Dorsey — (3) 6% — 13 special teams snaps (54%)
• Rock Ya-Sin — (2) 4% — 12 special teams snaps (50%)
• Avonte Maddox — 10 special teams snaps (42%)

Arnold's groin injury is not expected to be serious, but when he went down the Lions leaned on Robertson to play on the boundary. Dorsey and Ya-Sin both got limited action after Arnold suffered his injury.

Safeties

• Kerby Joseph — (48) 100% — Seven special teams snaps (29%)
• Brian Branch — (48) 100% — Seven special teams snaps (29%)
• Daniel Thomas — 11 special teams snaps (46%)

The Lions had both Joseph and Branch on the field for every snap. Thomas got 11 special teams snaps in his Lions debut, but did not get any defensive action.

Specialists

• Jake Bates — Seven special teams snaps (29%)
• Jack Fox — Six special teams snaps (25%)
• Hogan Hatten — Six special teams snaps (25%)