New Lions OC Petzing learns the offense from Goff?

According to one of Jones’ sources, Lions GM Brad Holmes “does not like losing his draft picks, especially high ones.” A second-rounder in 2023, LaPorta made waves earlier this week when he expressed frustration with his lack of a contract extension on the Pardon My Take podcast. While those frustrations persist, the 25-year-old tight end clarified some of his comments to local Detroit media Friday, reiterating his desire to stay with the Lions long-term. Jones notes that other extensions the Lions have handed out have taken some time to get done. He also cautions that the team shouldn’t wait too long to sign LaPorta as the Raiders are unlikely to waste time making Brock Bowers the highest-paid tight end in football when he becomes extension-eligible after the season.

Earlier this week, LaPorta expressed frustration in an interview about his contract negotiations stalling in-season. The Athletic’s Colton Pouncy asked him a few follow-up questions today on the matter today, and LaPorta made clear that he hopes to remain a Lion long-term and is excited about the prospect of raising a family in Detroit. LaPorta seemed extremely earnest, saying he felt bad about his comments potentially causing a distraction for his team, but he knows his teammates care for him and want him to be happy and compensated. He handled the issue well and appears to be ready to play hard for a lucrative contract extension, which is good news for fantasy managers. LaPorta is a locked-in TE1 against the Packers this week.

Gibbs scored twice today, bringing his career touchdown total up to 57, breaking the NFL record set by former Lions RB Barry Sanders for the most touchdowns scored by a player under 25 years old. The exceptionally talented player gets a boost from his sharp coaching staff, who continue to maximize Gibbs’ strengths. OC Drew Petzing dialed up a trick-play screen pass for Gibbs after the two-minute warning, in which Gibbs took the handoff, pitched it to Amon-Ra St. Brown, who pitched it back to Jared Goff, who then chucked it back to Gibbs with three offensive linemen in front of him on the left side of the field. An 18-yard gain ensued. Gibbs later produced a season-long 22-yard run. Although he scored two touchdowns today, he could have had a third. On the Lions’ ninth drive, Gibbs got two chances from the one-yard line on the ninth drive before the coaching staff greenlit a successful QB sneak for Goff. The Lions are on bye in Week 6, but he returns to the top of the running back ranks against the Packers in Week 7.

LaPorta got involved on the Lions’ third drive, making a clutch 12-yard grab on 4th-and-3 while suffering what the officials deemed an unnecessarily rough hit by LB Mack Wilson at the end of the play. He chipped in two catch-and-run plays on the following drive. The first being an 11-yard play that was controversially ruled down in front of the sticks. Coach Dan Campbell called his number on the next play, resulting in an effortless 38-yard touchdown down the right side of the field. LaPorta tacked on an eight-yard catch and a 19-yard catch in the second half as the Lions cruised to a blowout win. He goes on bye next week but returns to the TE1 ranks in Week 7 against the Packers.

The Lions’ speedster only caught two passes today, but he made them count. Williams’ first catch was a nine-yard, fourth-down touchdown on the Lions’ fifth drive. He nearly hauled in a 25-yarder via a play-action target on the sixth drive, but Cardinals CB Max Melton batted it away. He was open for an explosive gain on the next drive, but Jared Goff checked down to Sam LaPorta about 10 yards beneath Williams. A few plays later, Williams dusted his coverage defender for a 39-yard score from bunch formation, hauling in the touchdown pass in stride in the end zone. Goff later gave him another touchdown chance on a downfield throw targeted inside the Cardinals’ five-yard line, but Williams couldn’t secure it. He’ll now take a week off with the Lions’ Week 6 bye, but return as a WR2 against the Packers in Week 7.

Lions coach Dan Campbell tasked St. Brown with punt return duties (2/36) after Tom Kennedy got hurt. While St. Brown looked great weaving through traffic, his first return nearly ended in a lost fumble, but a teammate dove on the loose ball, bailing him out after it was punched out of St. Brown possession. St. Brown nearly had a 43-yard touchdown on a sideline play-action shot on the Lions’ seventh drive, but he couldn’t quite get his hands on it. He almost bagged short scores via out routes on the Lions’ eighth and ninth drives, but his coverage defender effectively challenged the pass on the first and the pass was just out of his reach on the second. He had a nice 36-yard catch-and-run on the eighth drive and nearly nabbed another explosive gain on the sixth drive, but Sam LaPorta accidentally knocked him down 11 yards downfield after St. Brown leapt over a downed Cardinals defender. He had another fumble recovered by a teammate after snagging a pass on a crosser. The Lions’ stud wide receiver will be an elite WR1 against the Packers following the Lions’ Week 6 bye.

Sacks and a few errant throws under pressure derailed the Lions’ first three drives. Goff got things back on track after that, guiding the offense to seven straight scoring drives, including six touchdowns. He even punched in a one-yard rushing touchdown via a quarterback sneak, marking his first rushing score since 2023. Goff could have boosted his passing yards total with a likely explosive gain by targeting an open Jameson Williams on the first drive after halftime, but he instead checked down to Sam LaPorta in the flats for an eight-yard pickup. The Lions are on bye in Week 6, but Goff will be a locked-in QB1 against the Packers in Week 7.

LaPorta was the primary beneficiary against the single-high-heavy Panthers, which was interesting considering both of Carolina’s top two corners were absent from this game. The 13 targets were easily a season high for the veteran tight end, primarily the result of 52 Jared Goff pass attempts in what would become a negative game script. LaPorta routinely found space behind the linebackers as the primary outlet through pressure for Goff, and while it remains unlikely he repeats the lofty target totals, LaPorta’s red zone acumen keeps him a fantasy TE1 ahead of a very different matchup in the two-high-heavy Cardinals in Week 5.

It was quite the disappointing outing for the fantasy darling considering the Panthers were without their top two corners, with opposing defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero dialing up consistent pressure that caused quarterback Jared Goff fits throughout the evening. Two of Goff’s incompletions that were directed at St. Brown were batted down at the line of scrimmage, ultimately enough to keep St. Brown out of the end zone for the first time this season. St. Brown remains a top-tier WR1 ahead of a potential shootout against the Cardinals in Week 5.

Fantasy managers had suffered through three down games with the middle-round pick before Williams was able to take advantage of a Carolina secondary missing its top two corners. He was kept out of the end zone for the fourth consecutive contest to start the 2026 season but returned his first fantasy-viable outing on the backs of 52 Jared Goff pass attempts. While that level of volume is unlikely to be the norm for the Lions, a Week 5 meeting with the Cardinals provides another opportunity for Williams to return value in a potential shootout. Williams will be an upside WR3.