DETROIT >> Andre Roberts is one of those guys who seems under the radar and then he breaks open a huge play.
That’s how it was for the Lions wide receiver and returner in Sunday’s 26-19 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars at Ford Field.
Roberts did not have a good start when he muffed a punt late in the first quarter. Jacksonville recovered on Detroit’s 11 and scored on a field goal four plays later.
Naturally he wanted to make up for that miss.
PHOTOS FROM LIONS 26-19 WIN OVER THE JAGUARS
“I was thinking in my mind not to press, but you know, it kind of just happened,” Roberts said. “Obviously you know, I don’t ever want to drop a punt, regardless of if it was going to be a fair catch or what. Just because, you know, it gives the offense the ball back but fortunately our defense was playing great and held them to a field goal.”
Early in the second quarter, he made everyone forget that muff when he returned a punt 55 yards for a touchdown to give Detroit a 6-3 lead.
“It was a middle return and there were a couple guys coming down. It was pretty good hang time but once again our guys did a great job blocking and we know that we’re going to have limited opportunities, but we make the most of it,” Roberts said.
The Jaguars grumbled because they thought he had called for a fair catch.
“I’m 100 percent sure I didn’t call for a fair catch on that one,” Roberts said.
He is in his first season in Detroit, but it’s his seventh in the NFL.
Roberts clearly has the mindset of an NFL veteran who cannot let one play dictate his whole afternoon.
“Obviously you love to see a guy bounce back that way,” coach Jim Caldwell said. “He has shown he has the ability to do that on a number of occasions. He doesn’t shy away. Some guys will wilt in that situation and continue to make mistakes and compound them one after another, but Andre is able to kind of get over it quickly and then do something big for you later on.”
He’s the fourth player in Lions history to return two punts for a touchdown in same season. Eddie Drummond did it last.
Roberts also scored a touchdown on a return in the loss to the Chicago Bears.
“I think this one’s better than the other one. I believe, I don’t know if that guy ended up touching me but i felt untouched the whole time,” Roberts said. “So you know, credit the punt return team for doing a great job blocking.
The touchdown was nice, but Roberts wasn’t done.
Late in the third quarter, Roberts caught a 44-yard pass on a second-and-7. It was followed by a Golden Tate fumble that was recovered by the Jaguars.
“He’s a talented player, obviously made a big play in special teams today with a great return. And then had a big 44- or 45-yarder down the sideline,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “He’s an extremely fast guy, an explosive player, and he’s really made some big-time clutch plays for us this year.”
While it doesn’t show in the statistics, Roberts also made a big play on Eric Ebron’s 61-yard pass play that set up the Lions’ only offensive touchdown.
Roberts sped down the field and knocked a cornerback out of bounds to clear the way for Ebron to get to the 8-yard line.
It’s not always in the stats, but Roberts has been instrumental in the Lions’ six wins this season.
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