Snap Counts: Brian Branch Is Defensive Leader

Branch played every snap in Sunday's win.

Here's a look at the Detroit Lions' snap counts from their Week 3 game against the Atlanta Falcons.

Quarterback

• Jared Goff: (70) 100%

Goff finished with a passer rating of 85.8. It wasn't his best effort, as he took nine hits, but he made enough solid throws to keep Detroit's offense moving.

Running backs

• Jahmyr Gibbs: (42) 60% -- One special teams snap (4%)
• Craig Reynolds: (20) 29% -- 13 special teams snaps (48%)
• Jason Cabinda: (10) 14% -- 19 special teams snaps (70%)
• Zonovan Knight: (7) 10% -- Seven special teams snaps (26%)

Gibbs started slow and didn't have much to speak of at halftime, but he burst out with a much better showing in the final two quarters.

Zonovan Knight, who some expected to play more, only played 10 percent of offenive snaps in his debut for Detroit. 

With short rest, it will be intriguing to see if Knight's workload increased against the Packers. 

Wide receivers

• Amon-Ra St. Brown: (66) 94% -- One special teams snap (4%)
• Josh Reynolds: (54) 77%
• Marvin Jones: (29) 41%
• Kalif Raymond: (25) 36% -- Seven special teams snaps (26%)
• Antoine Green: (14) 20% -- Six special teams snaps (22%

St. Brown and Reynolds were both limited by injuries throughout the week. Still, St. Brown managed to have over 100 yards in an impressive, workman-like performance.

Tight ends

• Sam LaPorta: (52) 74% -- One special teams snap (4%)
• Brock Wright: (29) 41% -- 13 special teams snaps (48%)
• James Mitchell: (2) 3% -- Seven special teams snaps (26%)

Sunday was LaPorta's breakout game. He's second on the team behind only St. Brown in several receiving categories.

Offensive line

• Penei Sewell: (70) 100% -- Four special teams snaps (15%)
• Frank Ragnow: (70) 100%
• Jonah Jackson: (70) 100% -- Four special teams snaps (15%)
• Graham Glasgow: (70) 100% -- Four special teams snaps (15%)
• Colby Sorsdal: (36) 51% -- Four special teams snaps (15%)
• Matt Nelson: (18) 26% -- One special teams snap (4%)
• Dan Skipper: (16) 23% -- Three special teams snaps (11%)
• Kayode Awosika: Four special teams snaps (15%)

Detroit's offensive line was forced to reconfigure after losing a total of four players to injuries by the end of the game Sunday. Moving forward, it will be interesting to see who can and cannot suit up on a short week Thursday.

Rookie Colby Sorsdal play 51% of offensive snaps, filling in at right tackle for the injured Matt Nelson and Dan Skipper.

Defensive line

• Aidan Hutchinson: (56) 84%
• John Cominsky: (44) 66% -- Two special teams snaps (7%)
• Charles Harris: (41) 61% -- Three special teams snaps (11%)
• Alim McNeill: (40) 60% -- Three special teams snaps (11%)
• Romeo Okwara: (20) 30% -- Three special teams snaps (11%)
• Isaiah Buggs: (18) 27%
• Benito Jones: (17) 25% -- Three special teams snaps (11%)
• Levi Onwuzurike: (9) 13% -- One special teams snap (4%)

The defensive line took their criticism and bounced back strong Sunday, as they totaled five sacks. Hutchinson had two, while Harris, McNeill and Jones each had one of their own. Buggs made his 2023 debut.

Linebackers

• Alex Anzalone: (67) 100%
• Derrick Barnes: (48) 72%
• Jack Campbell: (38) 57% -- 13 special teams snaps (48%)
• Malcolm Rodriguez: (20) -- 20 special teams snaps (74%)
• Jalen Reeves-Maybin: (3) 4% -- 23 special teams snaps (85%)
• Anthony Pittman: 22 special teams snaps (81%)

The snap counts were a bit more balanced than last week, though Barnes has still separated himself from the competition.

Cornerbacks

• Cameron Sutton: (67) 100%
• Jerry Jacobs: (66) 99%
• Will Harris: (1) 1% -- 23 special teams snaps (85%)
• Chase Lucas: 22 special teams snaps (81%)
• Steven Gilmore: 11 special teams snaps

Emmanuel Moseley's impending return could shake things up at cornerback, though Jacobs had a solid showing in Sunday's game. Gilmore made his NFL debut on special teams.

Safety

• Brian Branch: (67) 100% -- Four special teams snaps (15%)
• Tracy Walker III: (67) 100% -- One special teams snap (4%)
• Ifeatu Melifonwu: (48) 72% -- Three special teams snaps (11%)
• Brandon Joseph: Six special teams snaps (22%)

Without two starters, the Lions got good performances from both of their backup safeties. Walker gives the team a reliable presence for the long haul without C.J. Gardner-Johnson, but Melifonwu also proved to be solid in a pinch Sunday.

Specialists

• Jack Fox: 15 special teams snaps (56%)
• Scott Daly: 10 special teams snaps (37%)
• Riley Patterson: Four special teams snaps (15%)