Detroit Lions Week 15 Player of the Game: 5 Game Ball candidates vs. Buccaneers

It was another lackluster performance for the Detroit Lions in Week 15, as they were essentially blown out against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It’s getting harder and harder to see the silver lining in this team, as they trot individual by individual to the injured reserve list, and the backups show little-to-no promise.

That all being said, the Lions did work their way back from a 21-point deficit and were about 35 yards from tying the game up late in the fourth quarter. There’s fight in this team, and that means there are players still performing well enough to justify their place on the field.

So let’s break down our five Game Ball candidates for Lions vs. Bucs. But before we do that, here are the Game Ball standings through 14 weeks.

Matthew Stafford - 14
Marvin Jones Jr. - 9
Kenny Golladay - 9
Justin Coleman - 5
Bo Scarbrough - 5
Trey Flowers - 4
Tracy Walker - 3
T.J. Hockenson - 3
Sam Martin - 3
Matt Prater - 3
Jeff Driskel - 3
Amani Oruwariye - 2
Jamal Agnew - 2
Tyrell Crosby - 2
Devon Kennard - 1
Taylor Decker - 1
Kerryon Johnson - 1
Jarrad Davis - 1
Tavon Wilson - 1

Here are this week’s candidates:

Jahlani Tavai

Stats: 5 tackles, 1 INT, 1 QB hit

Back in October, Tavai told us that he’d much rather get himself an interception than a strip-sack because “an interception is so hard to come by.” Well, he got his first NFL interception on Sunday, and it was a good one.

The rest of Tavai’s day was relatively quiet, but during a season in which the Lions only have six total interceptions, this was a notable day for the rookie linebacker.

Danny Amendola

Stats: 8 catches, 102 yards, 1 ball thrown into the stands

Just when it looked like the Lions may be sleepwalking through the entire game, Danny Amendola gave this team a much-needed spark in the second and third quarters. In those two quarters, Amendola pulled in six catches for 92 yards. He also made one of the best plays of the year for the Lions:

Wes Hills

Stats: 10 carries, 21 yards, 2 TDs

Let’s not pretend like Wes Hills had an incredible game or anything, but it’s a pretty cool story when a rookie running back in his first career game finds the end zone twice. Hills showed power and balance in his two scores, and, believe it or not, he is now tied for the team lead in rushing touchdowns.

Trey Flowers

Stats: 3 tackles, 3 QB hits

Trey Flowers missed on a couple of sack opportunities, but he was consistently generating pressure on Jameis Winston. In a season where pressures are hard to come by, it’s worth pointing out a good performance in that category, even if it didn’t result in sacks.

Devon Kennard

Stats: 4 tackles, 1 sacks, 2 TFLs, 1 QB hit

Kennard was also pretty solid at getting into the backfield on Sunday, picking up one sack and another tackle for loss. Unfortunately, injury forced him out of the game early, but he left after being one of the better defensive performers for Detroit.