2017 Detroit Lions POD Awards: Play of the Year

The Detroit Lions 2017 season may not have ended with the moment we were all hoping for, but that doesn’t mean the entire season was a failure from a fan standpoint. Every season—outside of one—has special moments within it. Moments that make your jaw drop or make you throw your hat across the room.

The Lions’ 2017 season was chock-full of those moments. Here are you nominees for the Detroit Lions’ 2017 Play of the Year.

Week 1 - Kenny Golladay leaps for game-sealing TD

At this point, we were still getting to know young rookie receiver Kenny Golladay. The third-round draft pick had picked up his first NFL touchdown minutes earlier, giving the Lions their first lead of the game. But this amazing outstretched catch was not only the one to put the game away, but it was the moment Lions fans knew they had something special in Golladay.

Week 2 - Jamal Agnew’s MNF special

Speaking of rookies making their presence felt, Jamal Agnew blew everyone away with this huge fourth-quarter punt return. First, it took a lot of skill just to field that punt that went a full 60 yards without any bounce. In the same motion as catching the ball, Agnew managed to shake the first Giants gunner, then he was off to the races. After a solid broken tackle, Agnew destroyed the career of punter Brad Wing:

RIP.

Week 3 - 10 second runoff

Was he down? Probably. Is the 10-second runoff rule archaic and in need of drastic changing? Absolutely.

But this was one of the most notable plays in the entire 2017 NFL season, and it ended up (mathematically) costing the Lions a playoff spot. Had Detroit won this game—and everything else played out as it had—the Lions would have been 10-6 to the Falcons’ 9-7 and would have won a wild card spot. Instead, Lions fans now know every inch of the rulebook surrounding the 10-second runoff.

Week 3 - Glover Quin Pick-Sixes

Before all of the controversy to end the game, Glover Quin made everything possible with this outstanding display of athleticism and football smarts. Quin makes an absolutely phenomenal read of Matt Ryan and is breaking on the ball well before Ryan throws it. We broke down just how amazing this play was back in September.

Week 6 - Marvin Jones Jr. spin-o-rama one-handed TD catch

I’ll be honest, I completely forgot about this play—probably because the Lions were down by 35 in this drunken stupor of a game. However, this is just a phenomenal play from Jones, who was interfered with on the play. Turning around, finding the ball, twisting the body, hauling the ball in with one hand, and keeping the body all inbounds at once. I didn’t think it was possible for someone to do all of those things within a second, but Jones managed to, and it was the first step in what would be one of the most unlikely comeback attempts (that unfortunately fell just short).

Week 12 - Marvin Jones Jr. owns Xavier Rhodes

Just as it seemed like the Minnesota Vikings were going to easily walk away with a win on Thanksgiving, Marvin Jones Jr. made yet another incredible catch. Thanks to a quick snap, the Lions had a free play. Matthew Stafford just heaved a prayer up to Jones, who was solidly double-covered. With Xavier Rhodes, one of the league’s best corners, in tight coverage, Jones managed to have incredible focus and haul in a pass with arms and bodies all over him.

Week 17 - The Greatest Meaningless 2-point conversion ever made

I don’t need to describe this. Just watch.