Falcons vs Lions Week 3 2023: Final Score 20

Final2023 Week 3

Ford Field, Detroit, MISun, Sep 24, 2023, 1:00 PM ET

Atlanta Falcons vs Detroit Lions, Week 3 2023

Atlanta Falcons

Away

Detroit Lions

HomeWon

Scoring by quarter
Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Final
Falcons	0	3	0	3	6
Lions	3	10	0	7	20

ATL 6DET 20 Final

Passing leader
Jared Goff
DET · QB
19.0PPR pts
22/33, 243 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1 RUSH TD
Top fantasy scorer
Sam LaPorta
DET · TE
22.4PPR pts
8 REC, 84 YDS, 1 TD
Falcons leader
Bijan Robinson
ATL · RB
10.0PPR pts
10 ATT, 33 YDS, 4 REC, 27 REC YDS
Defensive playmaker
Jessie Bates III
ATL
1 INT, 11 TKL

Lions 20, Falcons 6: Detroit leads from start to finish

Detroit led 13–3 at halftime and outscored Atlanta 7–3 after the break to win 20–6. The Lions finished with a 358–183 edge in total offense and averaged 5.6 yards per play.

The Falcons went 4-for-14 on third down and committed one turnover, while the Lions kept the ball for 32:57.

The two teams meet again in Week 13 of 2026. If you roster anyone from either side, run the start/sit call in Redraft Command and it will weigh your lineup, your opponent and your league scoring, not only the player rankings.

Key advantages

+2.8 yards/play DET 5.6 · ATL 2.8
+175 total yards DET 358 · ATL 183
+5:54 time of possession DET 32:57 · ATL 27:03

Game Highlights

Official NFL highlights · Opens from YouTube

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Why the Lions Won

Detroit won the efficiency and time of possession battles.

Team stats comparison, Falcons vs Lions
Falcons	Stat	Lions
2.8	Yards per play	5.6

183	Total yards	358

27:03	Time of possession	32:57

Other team stats
65	Plays	64

1	Turnovers	1

29%	Third-down conversion	29%

Scoring Summary

The Lions scored two touchdowns and two field goals; the Falcons scored two field goals.

Scoring plays, Falcons vs Lions
Time	Team	Play	ATL	DET
1st quarter
1:46	DET	Riley Patterson 37-yard FG Takes lead	0	3
2nd quarter
11:32	ATL	Younghoe Koo 48-yard FG Ties game	3	3
10:05	DET	Jared Goff → Sam LaPorta, 45-yard TD Takes leadRiley Patterson XP	3	10
1:53	DET	Riley Patterson 24-yard FG Extends lead	3	13
3rd quarter
No scoring
4th quarter
9:50	DET	Jared Goff 3-yard TD run Extends leadRiley Patterson XP	3	20
4:19	ATL	Younghoe Koo 24-yard FG	6	20

Fantasy Points: Falcons vs Lions, Week 3 2023

Fantasy leaders

Sam LaPortaDETTE22.4 PTSTE1
Amon-Ra St. BrownDETWR19.6 PTSWR12
Jared GoffDETQB19.0 PTSQB14
Bijan RobinsonATLRB10.0 PTSRB22

Player Stats

Quarterbacks

Quarterback statistics
Player	FPTS	FIN	CMP/ATT	Pass YDS	TD	INT	Rush ATT	Rush YDS	Rush TD	Rate	Start/Sit
Jared GoffDETQB	19.0	QB14	22/33	243	1	1	5	3	1	85.8	Start/Sit →
Desmond RidderATLQB	6.3	QB30	21/38	201	0	0	2	3	0	70.2

WRs, RBs, & TEs

Receiver, running back and tight end statistics
Player	FPTS	FIN	POS	Rush ATT	Rush YDS	Rush TD	TGT	REC	Rec YDS	Rec TD	Start/Sit
Sam LaPortaDETTE	22.4	TE1	TE	—	—	—	11	8	84	1	Start/Sit →
Amon-Ra St. BrownDETWR	19.6	WR12	WR	1	4	0	12	9	102	0	Start/Sit →
Bijan RobinsonATLRB	10.0	RB22	RB	10	33	0	6	4	27	0	Start/Sit →
Kalif RaymondDETWR	9.5	WR49	WR	—	—	—	6	4	55	0	Start/Sit →
Jahmyr GibbsDETRB	9.2	RB25	RB	17	80	0	2	1	2	0	Start/Sit →
Kyle PittsATLTE	8.7	TE16	TE	1	-4	0	9	5	41	0
Jonnu SmithATLTE	8.7	TE15	TE	—	—	—	8	5	37	0	Start/Sit →
Drake LondonATLWR	5.1	WR80	WR	—	—	—	6	2	31	0	Start/Sit →
Tyler AllgeierATLRB	4.9	RB48	RB	7	12	0	3	2	17	0	Start/Sit →
Mack HollinsATLWR	3.3	WR89	WR	—	—	—	4	1	23	0	Start/Sit →
KhaDarel HodgeATLWR	2.5	WR98	WR	—	—	—	1	1	15	0
MyCole PruittATLTE	2.0	TE47	TE	—	—	—	1	1	10	0
Craig ReynoldsDETRB	1.5	RB68	RB	4	15	0	—	—	—	—
Zonovan KnightDETRB	1.3	RB72	RB	3	13	0	—	—	—	—

Fantasy Usage

Atlanta Falcons

Snap Share

Drake LondonWR62 snaps93%
Bijan RobinsonRB54 snaps81%
Kyle PittsTE52 snaps78%
Jonnu SmithTE48 snaps72%
Mack HollinsWR48 snaps72%

Target Share38 targets

Kyle Pitts24%, 9 targets
Jonnu Smith21%, 8 targets
Drake London16%, 6 targets
Bijan Robinson16%, 6 targets
Mack Hollins11%, 4 targets
Other13%, 5 targets

Carry Share20 carries

Bijan Robinson50%, 10 carries
Tyler Allgeier35%, 7 carries
Desmond Ridder10%, 2 carries
Kyle Pitts5%, 1 carries

Detroit Lions

Snap Share

Amon-Ra St. BrownWR66 snaps94%
Josh ReynoldsWR54 snaps77%
Sam LaPortaTE52 snaps74%
Jahmyr GibbsRB42 snaps60%
Marvin JonesWR29 snaps41%

Target Share31 targets

Amon-Ra St. Brown39%, 12 targets
Sam LaPorta35%, 11 targets
Kalif Raymond19%, 6 targets
Jahmyr Gibbs6%, 2 targets

Carry Share30 carries

Jahmyr Gibbs57%, 17 carries
Jared Goff17%, 5 carries
Craig Reynolds13%, 4 carries
Zonovan Knight10%, 3 carries
Amon-Ra St. Brown3%, 1 carries

View full usage tableHide full usage table

Offensive snaps and share for the skill positions
Player	SNAPS	SNAP %	TGT	TGT %	CAR
Amon-Ra St. BrownDETWR	66	94%	12	39%	1
Drake LondonATLWR	62	93%	6	16%	0
Bijan RobinsonATLRB	54	81%	6	16%	10
Kyle PittsATLTE	52	78%	9	24%	1
Josh ReynoldsDETWR	54	77%	0	0%	0
Sam LaPortaDETTE	52	74%	11	35%	0
Jonnu SmithATLTE	48	72%	8	21%	0
Mack HollinsATLWR	48	72%	4	11%	0
Jahmyr GibbsDETRB	42	60%	2	6%	17
Marvin JonesDETWR	29	41%	0	0%	0
Brock WrightDETTE	29	41%	0	0%	0
Kalif RaymondDETWR	25	36%	6	19%	0
Tyler AllgeierATLRB	20	30%	3	8%	7
Craig ReynoldsDETRB	20	29%	0	0%	4
MyCole PruittATLTE	18	27%	1	3%	0
Antoine GreenDETWR	14	20%	0	0%	0
KhaDarel HodgeATLWR	13	19%	1	3%	0
Scotty MillerATLWR	10	15%	0	0%	0
Zonovan KnightDETRB	7	10%	0	0%	3
James MitchellDETTE	2	3%	0	0%	0

Fantasy Points vs Expected

PPRHalf PPRStandard

Expected points (xFP) are what a player's pass attempts, carries and targets are worth at the league's average rates; the difference is what the player made of them.

Biggest overperformer+4.0Sam LaPorta22.4 PTS vs 18.4 xFP
Biggest underperformer−10.9Desmond Ridder6.3 PTS vs 17.2 xFP
Highest expected volume20.7 xFPAmon-Ra St. Brown19.6 PTS scored

Usage and expected fantasy points
Player	PTS	xFP	vs xFP	Snap%	Usage	Rte%	Pass att	Car	Car%	Tgt	Tgt%
Amon-Ra St. BrownDET · WR	19.6	20.7	−1.1	94%	39% tgt	—	0	1	3%	12	39%
Sam LaPortaDET · TE	22.4	18.4	+4.0	74%	35% tgt	—	0	0	0%	11	35%
Desmond RidderATL · QB	6.3	17.2	−10.9	100%	38 att	—	38	2	10%	0	0%
Jared GoffDET · QB	19.0	17.0	+2.0	100%	33 att	—	33	5	16%	0	0%
Bijan RobinsonATL · RB	10.0	16.2	−6.2	81%	50% car	—	0	10	50%	6	16%
Kyle Pitts Sr.ATL · TE	8.7	15.6	−6.9	78%	24% tgt	—	0	1	5%	9	24%
Jahmyr GibbsDET · RB	9.2	13.8	−4.6	60%	55% car	—	0	17	55%	2	6%
Jonnu SmithATL · TE	8.7	13.4	−4.7	72%	21% tgt	—	0	0	0%	8	21%
Drake LondonATL · WR	5.1	10.0	−4.9	93%	16% tgt	—	0	0	0%	6	16%
Kalif RaymondDET · WR	9.5	10.0	−0.5	36%	19% tgt	—	0	0	0%	6	19%
Tyler AllgeierATL · RB	4.9	9.3	−4.4	30%	35% car	—	0	7	35%	3	8%
Mack HollinsATL · WR	3.3	6.7	−3.4	72%	11% tgt	—	0	0	0%	4	11%
Craig ReynoldsDET · RB	1.5	2.5	−1.0	29%	13% car	—	0	4	13%	0	0%
Bam KnightDET · —	1.3	1.8	−0.5	—	10% car	—	0	3	10%	0	0%
KhaDarel HodgeATL · WR	2.5	1.7	+0.8	19%	3% tgt	—	0	0	0%	1	3%
MyCole PruittATL · TE	2.0	1.7	+0.3	27%	3% tgt	—	0	0	0%	1	3%
Jason CabindaDET · RB	0.0	0.6	−0.6	—	3% car	—	0	1	3%	0	0%

Team totals: Falcons 38 targets and 20 carries; Lions 31 targets and 31 carries. Shares are from the box score. Snap counts are from the weekly player logs (Sleeper), and include plays wiped out by penalties. Route counts, air yards and red-zone touches appear when the tracking feed is connected. League-average rates from the 2023 season: 1.67 PPR points per target (67% catch rate), 0.61 per carry and 0.42 per pass attempt. They don't adjust for field position or target depth.

Fantasy Verdicts

Desmond Ridder Unlucky

ATL · QB · 6.3 pts on 17.2 expected

21 of 38 passing for 201 yards; 2 carries for 3 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 17.2 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Jared Goff

DET · QB · 19.0 pts on 17.0 expected

22 of 33 passing for 243 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception; 5 carries for 3 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 17.0 expected.

Start/Sit: Jared Goff →

Bijan Robinson Unlucky

ATL · RB · 10.0 pts on 16.2 expected

6 targets (16% of the team's), 4 catches for 27 yards; 10 carries (50% of the team's) for 33 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 16.2 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Start/Sit: Bijan Robinson →

Kyle Pitts Sr. Unlucky

ATL · TE · 8.7 pts on 15.6 expected

9 targets (24% of the team's), 5 catches for 41 yards; 1 carry (5% of the team's) for -4 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 15.6 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Trend: Season high in targets (9).

Amon-Ra St. Brown Volume, no payoff

DET · WR · 19.6 pts on 20.7 expected

12 targets (39% of the team's), 9 catches for 102 yards; 1 carry (3% of the team's) for 4 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 20.7 expected.

Trend: Season high in targets (12).

Start/Sit: Amon-Ra St. Brown →

Sam LaPorta Strong role

DET · TE · 22.4 pts on 18.4 expected

11 targets (35% of the team's), 8 catches for 84 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 18.4 expected.

Trend: Season high in targets (11).

Start/Sit: Sam LaPorta →

Tyler Allgeier

ATL · RB · 4.9 pts on 9.3 expected

3 targets (8% of the team's), 2 catches for 17 yards; 7 carries (35% of the team's) for 12 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 9.3 expected.

Start/Sit: Tyler Allgeier →

MyCole Pruitt

ATL · TE · 2.0 pts on 1.7 expected

1 target (3% of the team's), 1 catch for 10 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 1.7 expected.

Stock Up, Stock Down

Atlanta Falcons

Stock down: Tyler Allgeier played 30% of the snaps, down from a 50% season average.
Stock down: MyCole Pruitt played 27% of the snaps, down from a 47% season average.

Detroit Lions

Stock up: Jahmyr Gibbs played 60% of the snaps, up from a 38% season average.

Fantasy Matchups

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, 2023 through Week 18.

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, Falcons defense and Lions defense
Points allowed to	Falcons D	Lions D
QBs	17.7	19.4
RBs	18.3	14.6
WRs	28.8	39.7
TEs	13.8	13.4

Regular season, summed from each game's box score and scored with this page's rules.

How the Game Swung

Detroit opened at 50% win probability and passed 98% in the fourth quarter on the way to the win.

Lions win probability

Key Swings

+10Patterson 37-yd FG50% → 60%Q1 1:46
−11Koo 48-yd FG61% → 50%Q2 11:32
+24Goff → LaPorta, 45-yd TD50% → 74%Q2 10:05
+8Patterson 24-yd FG76% → 85%Q2 1:53
+3Goff 3-yd TD run97% → >99%Q4 9:50

Swing in Lions win probability, in points

Play Calling and Possessions

Play calling, Falcons vs Lions
Atlanta Falcons	Measure	Detroit Lions
65	Plays	64
69%	Pass rate	52%
3.1	Yds / dropback	7.4
2.2	Yds / carry	3.7
4/14	Third downs	4/14

Efficiency edge Detroit ran 1 fewer plays but gained 4.3 more yards per dropback.

Top targets
ATL Pitts 24% · Smith 21% · Robinson 16%
DET Brown 39% · LaPorta 35% · Raymond 19%

Possession Results

How each possession ended, Falcons vs Lions
Result	ATL	DET
Touchdowns	0	2
Field goals	2	2
Punts	6	6
Turnovers	1	1
Turnovers on downs	1	0
Missed field goals	1	0

The Lions opened the scoring on their second possession, a 11-play, 48-yard drive that ended in a field goal.

All 24 possessions, drive by drive

Drive chart
Team	Start	Plays	Yards	Time	Result
ATL	Q1 15:00	3	8	1:37	Punt
DET	Q1 13:23	3	4	1:33	Punt
ATL	Q1 11:50	6	13	3:33	Punt
DET	Q1 8:17	11	48	6:31	Field goal
ATL	Q1 1:46	10	45	5:14	Field goal
DET	Q2 11:32	5	75	1:27	Touchdown
ATL	Q2 10:05	3	1	1:03	Punt
DET	Q2 9:02	13	67	7:09	Field goal
ATL	Q2 1:53	3	-4	1:02	Punt
DET	Q2 0:51	4	20	0:32	Punt
ATL	Q2 0:19	4	21	0:19	End of half
DET	Q3 15:00	3	9	2:01	Punt
ATL	Q3 12:59	8	53	4:34	Missed FG
DET	Q3 8:25	6	21	3:08	Punt
ATL	Q3 5:17	4	12	1:38	Punt
DET	Q3 3:39	3	3	1:49	Punt
ATL	Q3 1:50	3	-7	0:56	Punt
DET	Q3 0:54	3	0	0:54	Interception
ATL	Q4 15:00	4	6	1:18	Downs
DET	Q4 13:42	7	62	3:52	Touchdown
ATL	Q4 9:50	17	76	5:31	Field goal
DET	Q4 4:19	5	16	2:02	Punt
ATL	Q4 2:17	3	3	0:18	Fumble
DET	Q4 1:59	3	-3	1:59	End of game

About these numbers

Possessions that ended with the clock running out at the half or the end of the game aren't counted.

Personnel groupings, average depth of target and pass rate over expected appear when the tracking feed is connected.

Falcons vs Lions Head-to-Head

The Falcons and Lions first met in 1966 and have played 40 times since.

All-time series: 26–14Lions lead, 40 meetings since 1966
Postseason: 0No playoff meetings
Largest Falcons win: 36–152002
Largest Lions win: 31–61973

Since 2021

1–1 Series tied

2 meetings since the 2021 season, regular season and playoffs.

Oldest to newest. F = Falcons win, L = Lions win, outlined = this game.

2026 Meetings

Week 13 Lions at Falcons Sun, Dec 6, 2026 Upcoming

Recent Meetings

2023 Wk 3 Falcons at Lions Sun, Sep 24, 2023 DET 20 ATL 6 DET W
2021 Wk 16 Lions at Falcons, 2021 Wk 16 recap Sun, Dec 26, 2021 ATL 20 DET 16 ATL W

Season to Date (Through Week 18)

The 2023 regular season, from each game's box score.

Season to date, Falcons vs Lions
Falcons	Stat	Lions
7-10	Record	12-5

18.9	Points per game	27.1

334.3	Yards per game	394.8

5.2	Yards per play	5.9

21.9	Points allowed per game	23.2

321.1	Yards allowed per game	336.1

Falcons vs Lions Fantasy Outlook for 2026

One meeting is left on the 2026 schedule: Week 13 in Atlanta. Here's how to decide who to play in your league.

Keep Exploring

2023 Game Logs for Players in This Game

Falcons vs Lions Game FAQ

Who won the 2023 Falcons vs Lions Week 3 game?

The Detroit Lions beat the Atlanta Falcons 20–6 in Week 3 of the 2023 season. The game was played at Ford Field in Detroit, MI, on September 24, 2023. See the Lions' 2023 schedule.

What was the final score of Falcons vs Lions?

The final score was Lions 20, Falcons 6. The Lions led 13–3 at halftime, and the second half went Falcons 3, Lions 7.

What happened in the Falcons vs Lions game?

Detroit led 13–3 at halftime and outscored Atlanta 7–3 after the break to win 20–6. The Lions finished with a 358–183 edge in total offense and averaged 5.6 yards per play. Sam LaPorta led all players with 8 catches for 84 yards and a touchdown.

Who scored the most fantasy points in Falcons vs Lions?

Sam LaPorta led the game with 22.4 PPR fantasy points, the TE1 of Week 3, on 8 catches for 84 yards and a touchdown. Amon-Ra St. Brown was next with 19.6 (WR12). See Sam LaPorta's 2023 game log.

Who led Falcons vs Lions in passing, rushing and receiving?

Jared Goff (DET) led all passers with 22 of 33 for 243 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Jahmyr Gibbs (DET) led in rushing with 17 carries for 80 yards. Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET) led in receiving with 9 catches for 102 yards.

How many fantasy points did Sam LaPorta score against the Falcons?

Sam LaPorta scored 22.4 points in PPR leagues, 18.4 in half-PPR and 14.4 in standard scoring against the Falcons in Week 3 of the 2023 season, on 8 catches for 84 yards and a touchdown. He drew 35% of his team's targets.

Who outperformed and underperformed expected fantasy points in Falcons vs Lions?

Sam LaPorta outperformed his expected fantasy points the most, scoring 22.4 PPR points on 18.4 xFP (+4.0). Desmond Ridder fell furthest short, with 6.3 points on 17.2 xFP (−10.9). A gap either way reflects efficiency and touchdowns in one game; it is not a forecast. For matchups ahead, see fantasy points allowed by position.

Who had the highest expected fantasy points in Falcons vs Lions?

Amon-Ra St. Brown had the most fantasy opportunity in the game, worth 20.7 expected PPR points (xFP) at league-average rates, and scored 19.6. Expected points measure the volume of a player's pass attempts, carries and targets, not how well he used them.

How did the Lions beat the Falcons?

The Lions beat the Falcons 20–6 because they averaged 5.6 yards per play to 2.8 and outgained them 358–183.

What is the all-time Falcons vs Lions record?

The Lions lead the all-time series 26–14 across 40 meetings since 1966.

When did the Falcons and Lions last play before this game?

Before Week 3 of 2023, they last met in the 2021 season on December 26, 2021, when the Falcons beat the Lions 20–16.

What is the Falcons vs Lions record since 2021?

The series is tied 1–1 across 2 meetings since the 2021 season, including this game.