The Detroit Lions high-end firepower is tough to contain. That is why their offensive triplets ranked second best in the NFL, per Matt Verderame of Sports Illustrated. The ranking consisted of the top quarterback, running back, and pass catcher on every team.
Entering 2026, the Lions have two of the best skill players in the NFL. Their running back, Jahmy Gibbs, has already been one of the best rushers in the NFL. However, now the team is looking to increase his workload, and the trade of David Montgomery sealed it. There are few running backs that rank higher.
Only a small list of receivers are higher than Amon-Ra St. Brown as well. St. Brown is entering his sixth NFL season and has five seasons with over 1,110 yards. He has three All-Pro selections, and two of them were first-team All-Pro. There is one or two receivers that can rank higher, but no top five list is missing St. Brown.
With these two at the top, it is hard to leave them lower than second on an offensive triplet ranking. While Jared Goff is not the sole reason they did not finish in first, he is also not the reason they are this high.
The Detroit Lions Offensive Triplets are Elite
GettyJahmyr Gibbs #0 of the Detroit Lions
Goff has the reputation that he is good and not great, and that he can only go as far as the skill players around him will take him. With Gibbs and St. Brown, it is easy to go far. However, when the play calling drops off or the offensive line gets banged up, Goff has not been known to rise to the occasion.
The team that finished first was the Los Angeles Rams. We know the history between the two teams and the two quarterbacks. We know that the Rams preferred their current quarterback, and by choosing Matthew Stafford over Goff, the Rams immediately won a Super Bowl.
The Rams triplets consist of Puka Nacua, Kyren Williams, and Matthew Stafford. Nacua and St. Brown are close, but there might be a slight edge to Nacua. However, Gibbs is firmly better than Williams and not many would debate that. The issue for the Lions is that Stafford is ranked firmly better than Goff in this ranking. With the edge that Stafford has, crossing out the edge that Gibbs has, it is the slight edge of Nacua that is carrying the Rams. It is either that, or Stafford is leaps and bounds better, according to Verderame.
Lions Have the Most Skill Talent in the Division
Lions firmly top the division in offensive triplets, though. The Chicago Bears are young and ascending, but ranked 11th on this list. Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers‘ lack of a proven pass catcher has them 18th overall. Despite Justin Jefferson, the Minnesota Vikings finished in 27th. This is due to the questions of Kyler Murray and Aaron Jones.
Still, if the Lions do not win the division in 2026, it will not be because of a lack of star power on the offensive side of the ball.
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