After weeks of angst and anxiety, the Detroit Lions offense looked exactly how fans expected it to look in Sunday’s blowout 44-22 win over theq Washington Commanders. Head coach Dan Campbell’s decision to take over in play-calling has paid dividends as two star players rebounded from the Week 9 loss against the Minnesota Vikings in a big way.
Quarterback Jared Goff and running back Jahmyr Gibbs have been nominated for the FedEx Air & Ground Players of the Week for Week 10. Unlike the more formal Offensive Player of the Week award, the FedEx Air & Ground Players of the Week are voted on by fans as many times as they would like, with two of the six nominees selected as award-winners. Since 2024, the award is no longer exclusive to QBs and RBs, and two players of the same position can take home both weekly honors.
The Lions are the only team with two players nominated this week. The other nominees are Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford, Indianapolis Colts RB Jonathan Taylor, Miami Dolphins RB De’Von Achane, and New England Patriots RB Treveyon Henderson.
Goff has won the honor six times in the past, while Gibbs has won it three times. Both Goff and Gibbs were recipients of the honor in the same week last season for the Week 7 performances in a two-point victory over the Vikings. That was the most recent time Goff won the award. Gibbs’ most recent win was Week 18 of that season, also against the Vikings.
Goff and Gibbs put up a deserving performance
After a disappointing performance against the Vikings, Goff looked like his old self with Campbell calling the plays. Goff posted his second-highest passing yard total of the season (320) along with three touchdowns and zero turnovers. Goff was even able to find wide receiver Jameson Williams consistently. Goff’s 75.8% completion percentage propelled him back to the top of the league leader’s list in that category, while his 135.9 passer rating leads all QBs in Week 10, pending Monday Night Football.
Gibbs also rebounded from what was arguably one of the least-productive games in his career. In 15 carries, Gibbs rushed for 142 yards on Sunday, including a 43-yard rush for his second of two rushing TDs. Gibbs also added a receiving TD to go along with his 30 receiving yards. Gibbs’ three scrimmage TDs bring him to 10 on the season, after leading the league with 20 last season.
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Competition for the two awards will be stiff. Taylor is likely a shoo-in for one of the slots with his 286-yard from scrimmage performance, along with three rushing TDs. Stafford also poses a challenge for the Lions’ duo with his four TD performance in his own blowout win against a superior opponent in the San Francisco 49ers.
Even if neither Goff nor Gibbs wins the FedEx Air & Ground Players of the Week award this week, their performance in Week 10 was a great sign for weeks to come. If Campbell’s great play-calling isn’t a mirage, then it won’t be much longer before these two are up for the weekly awards again.
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