When Amon-Ra St. Brown speaks, people pay attention. The Detroit Lions’ standout receiver has earned a reputation for toughness, precision, and dependability—the guy who delivers when it matters. But following Sunday night’s 30-17 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs, St. Brown didn’t shy away from addressing the play that got away.
Late in the second quarter, with Detroit leading 10-7 and facing a fourth-and-2 at Kansas City’s 44-yard line, Jared Goff went right to his most trusted target. The pass hit St. Brown perfectly in stride—then slipped through his hands and hit the turf.
“I’m not sure,” St. Brown said after the game. “I don’t know if it got tipped. I should’ve caught it. It went right to me… through my legs, actually. I should’ve caught that ball.”
The Game-Changing Moment
That drop proved to be one of the game’s major turning points. Instead of extending the drive and possibly padding their lead, the Lions turned the ball over to Patrick Mahomes—who wasted no time making them pay. The Chiefs scored just before halftime, then opened the third quarter with another touchdown to seize control.
“Hindsight’s 20/20, you never know,” St. Brown said. “You’d love to have those back. The first drive, we could’ve scored; if I catch that fourth down, maybe we get seven, maybe three, who knows.”
It was a routine play that came to symbolize the Lions’ struggles on offense all night. They moved the ball efficiently, but couldn’t finish the critical moments that swung the game’s momentum.
Owning the Mistake
As always, St. Brown refused to make excuses. He didn’t blame coverage schemes or officiating; he looked inward and accepted full responsibility for his part in the loss.
“I mean, I don’t know exactly everything that happened,” St. Brown said. “I’ll have to check the film. But just from being out there, I felt like they always had someone over the top. Their defensive plan was solid. Still, at the end of the day, there were plays we needed to make—plays I needed to make—that could’ve changed the outcome.”
Ready to Rebound
Even amid the disappointment, St. Brown kept his focus on moving forward—specifically, next week’s Monday night matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Lions haven’t dropped consecutive games since 2023, and the Pro Bowler made it clear that he doesn’t intend for that to happen now.
“I think it’s a must for us,” he said. “Tampa’s a really good team, one of the best in the NFC right now. It’s a huge game for us. We just have to study the film, correct our mistakes, and stack a great week of preparation.”
That’s classic Amon-Ra St. Brown—no excuses, no finger-pointing, just accountability and resolve. He let one slip away on Sunday, but if history is any guide, he’ll be the one making the game-winning catch when the Lions hit the field next week.
