Amon-Ra St. Brown is set to face a formidable challenge against the Seattle Seahawks.
Heading into the Detroit Lions’ Week 4 showdown with the Seahawks, fourth-year wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown appears to be hitting his stride at just the right time. After a slow start to the 2024 season, where he managed only three catches for 13 yards in the Lions’ Week 1 game against the L.A. Rams, St. Brown has bounced back in a big way.
Over the past two weeks, the 2021 fourth-round pick has returned to his Pro Bowl-caliber form, posting 18 catches for 194 yards and a touchdown. His performance included seven receptions for 75 yards in Detroit’s 20-13 win against the Arizona Cardinals last week.
In addition to his recent strong play, St. Brown has historically performed well against the Seahawks. In his two career games against Seattle, he has accumulated 14 receptions for 213 yards and a touchdown, catching 77.8 percent of the passes thrown his way. His most recent outing against the Seahawks, in Week 2 of the 2023 season, saw him deliver six catches for 102 yards, underscoring his ability to make an impact even against tough defenses.
However, St. Brown faces a stiff test on Monday night, as he will likely spend much of the game matched up with Seattle’s second-year cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who is quickly becoming one of the best slot defenders in the league. Witherspoon had a breakout rookie campaign in 2023, earning Pro Bowl honors and establishing himself as a premier defensive back. He became the first rookie since 1999 to record 16 passes defensed, three sacks, and eight tackles for loss in the same season. Additionally, he logged an interception, held opposing quarterbacks to a 58.3 percent completion rate, and earned an 84.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF), including a 79.7 coverage grade.
In 2024, Witherspoon has continued to impress through the first three games of the season. He has allowed only eight completions on 15 targets for a mere 44 yards, while quarterbacks targeting him have posted a passer rating of just 77.4. He has earned a solid 70.8 overall grade from PFF this year, including a 67.0 grade in coverage.
The Lions’ coaching staff, led by head coach Dan Campbell, had high praise for Witherspoon during the 2023 pre-draft process. In fact, Campbell and the team’s front office were so impressed with the former Illinois standout that they would have selected him with the sixth overall pick had the Seahawks not taken him just one spot earlier. After missing out on Witherspoon, the Lions traded down with the Arizona Cardinals, acquiring additional draft capital. They used those picks to select running back Jahmyr Gibbs (No. 12 overall) and tight end Sam LaPorta (No. 34 overall).
“We really liked him a lot,” Campbell said of Witherspoon. “What you see on tape is exactly what we thought he would be. He’s a competitive, feisty, tough football player. He can play corner, he can play nickel, and he’s always active and around the ball.”
St. Brown knows he’ll be in for a tough battle on Monday night against Witherspoon and Seattle’s top-ranked pass defense.
“Witherspoon’s feisty. He can cover and is sticky,” St. Brown told reporters ahead of the Monday Night Football matchup. “I think their secondary is probably the best we’ve seen all year. So, it’s going to be a challenge for us.”
With LaPorta dealing with a low-ankle sprain, Lions quarterback Jared Goff may lean even more heavily on St. Brown in the passing game. I predict the fourth-year receiver will be up to the task, finishing with seven catches for 89 yards and a touchdown in what promises to be a key showdown with Witherspoon and the Seahawks.
