Detroit Lions Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. Seattle Seahawks Devon Witherspoon is the key game

Luckily for the Lions, fourth-year receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown appears to be getting back into the swing of things in time for their Week 4 showdown with the Seattle Seahawks.

After a slow start to his 2024 season (three catches for 13 yards in Week 1 against the LA Rams), the 2021 fourth-round pick has returned to his Pro Bowl form over the past two weeks. During the aforementioned span, he collected 18 catches for 194 yards and a touchdown, including seven receptions and 75 yards in Detroit's 20-13 win over the Arizona Cardinals last week.

St. Brown also has solid career numbers against Seattle. In two career games against the Seahawks, he recorded 14 catches for 213 yards and a touchdown while catching 77.8 percent of the passes thrown his way. Additionally, he recorded six catches for 102 yards in his last game against Seattle (Week 2 of the 2023 season).

It won't be an easy task for St. Brown to face the Seahawks' best pass defense on Monday night. Still, I believe the 2023 All-Pro receiver will be up to the challenge.

For most of Monday Night Football, he will likely be paired with Seattle's second-year cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who excels at the spot.

Witherspoon, a Pro Bowler in 2023, has put together an impressive debut campaign. He became the first rookie since 1999 to have 16 passes defended, three sacks and eight tackles for loss in the same season. He also recorded an interception, held opposing quarterbacks' completion percentage below 60 percent (58.3), and earned an overall grade of 84.1 for his efforts from Pro Football Focus, including a coverage grade of 79.7.

Additionally, the Illinois product has allowed just eight completions on 15 targets for 44 yards in three games this season. He also posted a passer rating of 77.4 and received an overall grade of 70.8 from PFF, including a coverage grade of 67.0.

Dan Campbell and the Lions senior leadership highly valued Witherspoon during the 2023 pre-draft process. So much so that they would have selected the standout defensive back at No. 6 overall if he hadn't been selected by the Seahawks first. Detroit traded to the Arizona Cardinals and secured two picks and a fifth-rounder in the first two rounds of the draft. With these first two picks, Campbell & Co. specifically selected running back Jahmyr Gibbs (No. 12 overall) and tight end Sam LaPorta (No. 34 overall).

“We really liked him,” Campbell said of Witherspoon. “And I would say what you see on the tape is exactly what we expected from him. He's a competitive, spirited, tough, soccer-playing guy. Plays corner, plays nickel, active player. Ball man.

St. Brown knows he's in for a fight with Witherspoon on Monday night.

“Witherspoon is lively. Can cover, (is) sticky,” St. Brown told reporters ahead of the MNF contest. “I think their secondary is probably the best we’ve seen all year. So it will be a challenge for us.”

With LaPorta dealing with a lower ankle sprain, I think that gives Lions signal-caller Jared Goff even more reason to target St. Brown early and often. I believe the fourth-year pro has seven catches, 89 yards and a touchdown in Detroit's Week 4 matchup against Witherspoon and Seattle.