It was a game that mattered very little for the bigger picture of the Detroit Lions. They weren’t making the playoffs. They had no chance at a winning record. Their offense was decimated.
But in that moment against the Green Bay Packers in Week 17, there was also opportunity. Chances for the present and the future to simultaneously work together in a way that could give confidence to younger players and allow coaches to get an idea for the future.
It’s probably too much to read into one performance in one game, particularly at wide receiver – where the history of the NFL is littered with one-game wonders who never find sustainability in professional football.