The Detroit Lions look like a heavy favorite in the NFC to start the 2024 season. The Dallas Cowboys always look like a contender in October, but we all know how that story usually ends. Their Week 6 matchup was a measuring stick game for both teams, and Detroit brought out its best plays to show who really runs the conference.
David Montgomery’s epic stiff arm helped the Lions get the scoring started in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson called a trick play we’ve seen from him before: the reverse into a flea flicker. This exact play produced a touchdown almost one year ago to the day when the Lions’ pulled it off against the Carolina Panthers last season.
Guess what? It happened again. The Cowboys defense was lulled to sleep by Detroit’s reverse, and it once again left Sam LaPorta wide open once QB Jared Goff got the pitch back for the flea flicker. This is beautiful.
Johnson is regarded as one of the best offensive coordinators in the NFL, and someone who will draw serious head coaching interest until he decides to take a job. This play is a work of art, and opponents should suspect it could be coming now that it’s all over the tape.
LaPorta also caught the TD pass when the Lions ran this play last season:
The Lions’ offense is phenomenal. Detroit has a great offensive line, a bad-ass running game, a star wide receiver in Amon St. Brown, and a capable QB in Goff. Having a genius like Johnson calling in plays certainly doesn’t hurt either.
The Lions are the kings of the trick play. This is the third time this season they’ve scored on one:
The NFC should run through Detroit this season until further notice.
