Sunday’s international matchup in Munich was never close. The Detroit Lions controlled the game from start to finish and secured another emphatic win.
Detroit’s offense was the centerpiece. Jared Goff threw two interceptions, but he also completed 20 of 31 passes for 303 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs rushed 22 times for 153 yards and two scores, while adding seven catches for 99 yards. German-born receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown finished with four receptions for 98 yards and two touchdowns.
Still, both teams paid a price in Munich. The Patriots offense and Detroit defense each lost a potentially crucial player.
Here are four key takeaways from the Lions’ statement win:
1.
Detroit’s Defense Has Found Its Identity
After a shaky start to the season, Detroit’s defense has turned into one of the NFL’s most reliable units. The Lions kept New England in check throughout a comfortable win in Munich.
From Week 5 through Week 9, Detroit allowed just 15.5 points per game, the second-lowest mark in the league behind only the Steelers’ 14.3. That came after the Lions had allowed roughly twice that amount during their 2-2 start.
The defense has been the driving force behind Detroit’s five-game winning streak, which has pushed the team to 7-2. New England managed just 69 total yards in the first half as the Lions continued their recent surge.
Much of the improvement can be traced to a secondary that is getting healthier. Safety Brian Branch returned three weeks ago, Kerby Joseph appears close to rejoining him, and newly acquired safety Andre Cisco made his Lions debut Sunday after arriving from the Jets.
If Detroit is to challenge for the NFC North title, a realistic goal at this point, its biggest tests may come against former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and the Bears. The Lions host Chicago on Thanksgiving in 11 days before the teams meet again at Soldier Field in Week 17, potentially with division implications on the line.
2. One Play Sidelines Two Key Players
It is a worst-case scenario for the NFL and both franchises.
Five minutes into Sunday’s game, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye exited with an ankle injury. The Lions defender who sacked him, edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, also left the game after suffering a knee injury while celebrating the play.
Aidan Hutchinson receives medical attention after suffering a knee injury against New England. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)
Maye was quickly ruled out. Although the sack was not flagged, Hutchinson brought Maye down with a hip-drop tackle. Hutchinson did not return, clutching his knee immediately after landing from a leaping celebration.
The Patriots struggled without Maye. Backup Tommy DeVito completed 4 of 9 passes for 16 yards and threw an interception in the first half, which ended with New England trailing 21-3. If Maye misses any significant time, even seemingly comfortable matchups, such as the game after their bye against the Chargers, suddenly become uncertain.
Hutchinson, who missed 12 games in 2024 with a broken leg, would be a major loss for Detroit as the Lions try to remain competitive in what is widely considered the NFL’s toughest division.
3.
Can New England Reach the Playoffs Without Drake Maye?
Even before Sunday’s game, New England was positioned as a wild-card contender at 5-4, with enough winnable matchups remaining to secure a postseason return.
But if Maye misses significant time because of the ankle injury, no timeline has been reported, would that still be true with DeVito under center? The Patriots still have three relatively favorable opponents ahead, including the Chargers in two weeks, the Jets in Week 16 and the Dolphins in Week 18. However, New England beat the Jets and Dolphins by just seven and five points with Maye at quarterback, so those games are hardly guaranteed without him.
The Athletic’s playoff simulator gave the Patriots a 64% chance of making the postseason before Sunday’s game. That figure slipped to 53% after the loss. Those numbers do not account for the possibility that Maye could miss multiple weeks, which could allow teams currently on the outside, such as the Ravens at 4-5 or the Texans at 3-5, to re-enter the wild-card race.
New England has rarely looked this ordinary so soon after a Super Bowl season. Sunday’s loss was the team’s third by 18 points or more in 2026. Excluding 2008, when Tom Brady missed nearly the entire year with a knee injury, the Patriots had just four losses by 18-plus points in the eight seasons immediately following their previous Super Bowl appearances with Brady.
4.
A.J. Brown Has Yet to Make an Impact
New England made a bold move this summer by sending a 2028 first-round pick to Philadelphia for receiver A.J. Brown. So far, however, his presence has been minimal, even when healthy.
Brown has played in only three of New England’s first nine games because of ankle and knee injuries. He returned Sunday, but his first four targets were incompletions. His first reception, a 6-yard gain, did not come until late in the third quarter with the Patriots trailing 28-3. Shortly afterward, he was listed with a hamstring injury and questionable to return.
Brown has just five catches for 107 yards this season. If that production continues, there may be legitimate questions about whether he remains on New England’s roster when Philadelphia puts that first-round pick to use.
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