Sam LaPorta — Week 4: Thirteen Targets and the Touchdown

Down 32 to 19 against the Panthers, four oh five left in the fourth quarter, fourth and five at the Carolina 10. Jared Goff threw short right to Sam LaPorta, who was brought down at the three after seven yards and a first down. +3.1 expected points added — expected points added is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position — the most of any of his targets. A false start pushed it back to first and goal at the eight, and Goff went right back to him, short right, eight yards, touchdown, with three 42 left. After the kick it was 32 to 26.

The line: 13 targets, eight catches, 84 yards, one touchdown, six first downs, +8.9 expected points on the targets. The fourth quarter was most of it: seven targets, five catches, 68 yards and the score, including 25 on first and 10 from the Detroit 24, on the drive that ended on downs, and 21 on second and 10 to the Carolina 15 on the touchdown drive. Three third-down targets, none caught. Third and 12 at the Carolina 36 on the first drive, after which Detroit kicked a 54-yard field goal; third and six at the Carolina eight in the third, after which it kicked from 26; and third and 13 deep right on the last drive.

His 13 targets were the most on the Lions, ahead of Amon-Ra St. Brown's 11 and a quarter of Detroit's targets.

Back in June the preview framed LaPorta around his back: a herniated disc and surgery had ended his season after nine games, and whether he would be on the field was the whole question. He has been on it all four weeks. Last week the targets had gone eight, seven, four; this week they went to 13, his most of the season. Weeks 1 through 3: 19 targets, 14 catches, a hundred 44 yards, one touchdown. Four games: 32 targets, 22 catches, 228 yards, two touchdowns. The availability half keeps answering yes, and this week the volume did too; four games settle little.

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_Data via nflverse._