Sam LaPorta — Week 3: Twenty-Eight Yards to Open the Half
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Monday, Sep 28
LaPorta caught 3 of 4 targets for 44 yards, the longest a 28-yarder deep right from the Detroit 31 on the opening drive of the second half, which ended in Jahmyr Gibbs' 17-yard touchdown. His one miss was third and two at the Jets 9 before halftime, one snap before Isaac TeSlaa's fourth-down conversion, in a 31–24 win over the Jets.
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10 to seven, Lions, 13 25 left in the third quarter, first and 10 at the Detroit 31 on the opening drive of the second half. Jared Goff threw deep right to Sam LaPorta, and he was pushed out at the New York 41 after 28 yards. +1.6 expected points added — expected points added is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position — and 4.5 points of win probability, the chance of winning the game after the play against before it. Four snaps later Jahmyr Gibbs ran 17 yards for the touchdown that made it 17 to seven.
The line: four targets, three catches, 44 yards, one first down, no touchdown, +1.0 expected points on the targets. The other two catches were eight yards apiece over the middle: first and 10 from the Detroit 27 with 12 21 left in the first quarter, and first and 10 from the Detroit 47 with five 26 left in the second. The one incompletion came down seven to three with one 54 left in the half, third and two at the Jets nine, short middle, incomplete, −1.6 expected points. Detroit went for it, Isaac TeSlaa caught a five-yarder to the four, and Amon-Ra St. Brown scored two snaps later. Later in the third, a throw his way on second and 10 fell incomplete, but an illegal-use-of-hands penalty on the Jets gave Detroit a first down instead. Three targets before halftime, one after.
Four targets tied Jameson Williams for third on the Lions, behind eight each for St. Brown and Gibbs, 13 percent of Detroit's 31 throws with a receiver. His 44 yards were fourth on the team.
Back in June the preview framed LaPorta around his back: a herniated disc and surgery ended his season after nine games, 40 catches for 489 yards and three touchdowns, and whether he would be on the field was the whole question. He has been on it for all three. Week 1 was eight targets, five catches, 48 yards, the highest expected-points figure of any Lions receiver. Week 2 was seven targets, six catches, 52 yards, a touchdown and an 18-yard fourth-down conversion. This week was four targets. Three games: 19 targets, 14 catches, a hundred 44 yards, one touchdown. The availability half of the June question keeps answering yes; the target count has gone eight, seven, four, and three games settle little about where it lands. Detroit is at the Panthers on Sunday night, the fourth.
_Data via nflverse._
When Sam LaPorta's week moves the numbers, you'll know — every episode, in one weekly email.
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