This is a road game.
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2025 Detroit Lions: 0-0 Draft, FAs, trades? (13 Viewers)
- Thread starter Da Guru
- Start date
ignatiusjreilly
Footballguy
Minny, @Wash @Phila could be a killer stretch
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
Nothing in ink yet but this is probably it. Will fill in times when available.
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ignatiusjreilly
Footballguy
Will be curious to see if there are more island games. Right now I see one each of TNF-SNF-MNF, plus Christmas (and of course Thanksgiving). I would have expected more. IIRC last year they had two each of SNF (Rams/Texans) and MNF (Sea/SF), plus the Week 18 flex.
Either Philly or Washington seem like obvious candidates
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
The potential schedule pitfalls have been well documented, so here are a few minor positives to be gleaned:
No euro games. Never been a fan of flying overseas to play at 9:30am our time. Escaped that another year.
Fourth shortest travel in miles. Tied into the previous but playing mainly central and east coast road games has the most to do with it.
Week 8 bye. Better than last year's week 5 at least. A couple of later Thursday holiday games create short weeks for both teams, but also a couple 10 day gaps a week later for the Lions.
No euro games. Never been a fan of flying overseas to play at 9:30am our time. Escaped that another year.
Fourth shortest travel in miles. Tied into the previous but playing mainly central and east coast road games has the most to do with it.
Week 8 bye. Better than last year's week 5 at least. A couple of later Thursday holiday games create short weeks for both teams, but also a couple 10 day gaps a week later for the Lions.
The Eagles game is on SNF.
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
Yeah I'm still using a pencil. Once it's confirmed I'll walk over to CVS and buy an ink pen.
Its confirmed. Start walking.
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
I lied. Skubal is pitching so I'll do it in the morning.
Mt. Man
Footballguy
Lions Schedule Reveal Video
As laid out above, but includes some more times. Lions @ Ravens is MNF, too. So that's 5 primetime games plus Thanksgiving and Christmas.
As laid out above, but includes some more times. Lions @ Ravens is MNF, too. So that's 5 primetime games plus Thanksgiving and Christmas.
ignatiusjreilly
Footballguy
Also I don’t see a lot of potential cold-weather games beyond Chicago in W18 (which could well be meaningless for one or both teams)
ETA: From Weeks 12-17 every game is either in a dome (home games plus Minny) or in warm weather (Rams). And I don’t see Philly or Washington experiencing frigid temps or snow in mid-November
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ignatiusjreilly
Footballguy
Same as last year, right? (Again, excluding the W18 flex). Pretty sure all the ones last year were as originally scheduled
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
| WEEK | DATE | OPPONENT | TIME SLOT | GAME TIME | TV |
| 1 | Sunday, September 7 | at Green Bay Packers | late | 4:25 p.m. | CBS |
| 2 | Sunday, September 14 | vs Chicago Bears | early | 1:00 p.m. | FOX |
| 3 | Monday, September 22 | at Baltimore Ravens | Monday Night | 8:15 p.m. | ESPN/ABC |
| 4 | Sunday, September 28 | vs Cleveland Browns | early | 1:00 p.m. | FOX |
| 5 | Sunday, October 5 | at Cincinnati Bengals | late | 4:25 p.m. | FOX |
| 6 | Sunday, October 12 | at Kansas City Chiefs | Sunday night | 8:20 p.m. | NBC |
| 7 | Monday, October 20 | vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Monday Night | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN/ABC |
| 8 | BYE WEEK |
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
| 9 | Sunday, November 2 | vs Minnesota Vikings | early | 1:00 p.m. | FOX |
| 10 | Sunday, November 9 | at Washington Commanders | late | 4:25 p.m. | FOX |
| 11 | Sunday, November 16 | at Philadelphia Eagles | Sunday Night | 8:20 p.m. | NBC |
| 12 | Sunday, November 23 | vs New York Giants | early | 1:00 p.m. | FOX |
| 13 | Thursday, November 27 | vs Green Bay Packers | Thanksgiving | 1:00 p.m. | FOX |
| 14 | Thursday, December 4 | vs Dallas Cowboys | Thursday Night | 8:15 p.m. | PRIME |
| 15 | Sunday, December 14 | at Los Angeles Rams | late | 4:25 p.m. | FOX |
| 16 | Sunday, December 21 | vs Pittsburgh Steelers | late | 4:25 p.m. | CBS |
| 17 | Thursday, December 25 | at Minnesota Vikings | Christmas | 4:30 p.m. | NETFLIX |
| 18 | TBD | at Chicago Bears | TBD | TBD | TBD |
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Thursday - 3 (2 holiday, 1 TNF)
Sunday early - 4
Sunday late - 5
SNF - 2
MNF - 2
TBD - 1
Sunday early - 4
Sunday late - 5
SNF - 2
MNF - 2
TBD - 1
The schedule is tough of course but it could have been a lot worse. The only real freezing cold road game is week 18 against the Bears. Obviously we don't know how the weather will be in mid-November against the Commanders and Eagles but it's unlikely to be really cold like it would in December or January.
ETA: @ignatiusjreilly beat me to it.
ETA: @ignatiusjreilly beat me to it.
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It seems like people are so worried about the schedule that, along with how last season ended, are forgetting just how good of a team the Lions have. Of course the road schedule is brutal and we have to travel to play some great teams, but those teams have to play a great team too.
I'm with Dan Campbell: bring it on.
I'm with Dan Campbell: bring it on.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
We don't actually know who the good teams will be in 4 to 8 months from now, it's all TBD.
No question on paper, it's a daunting road schedule, with arguably all 9 contests being challenging - but we've known that ever since the end of last season, when the opponents were largely set.
I don't know if they'll average 33 ppg again, scoring 70 TDs is pretty rare. As in 4th most all-time rare.
But if they hold opponents to 20.1 PPG or better, they should have a floor of 11-12 wins and a ceiling of 14-16. Last years PA was 7th in the NFL, and that was with a final 4 g avg of 27.0 (+45 in the divisional round.) There was nothing wrong schematically or philosophically with their defense last year, they were a Top 5 unit up until Week 14. But losing Alex, Alim, CD3 and a plethora of others was just too much. Hutch is looking great in rehab and I think the only guys who might land on the PUP are McNeill and Rodrigo. Just having 97 for close to 17 g instead of 5 will make them massively better.
Gotta love how much love they got from the time slots; 5 prime time, 2 holidays, and 6 late afternoon starts. One overlap in the counting so it's 11 primo slots, 4 early games, 1 early holiday game, plus 1 TBD. Lions pay the bills, dudes, and Roger gots to squeeze that golden goose for all its worth.
No question on paper, it's a daunting road schedule, with arguably all 9 contests being challenging - but we've known that ever since the end of last season, when the opponents were largely set.
I don't know if they'll average 33 ppg again, scoring 70 TDs is pretty rare. As in 4th most all-time rare.
But if they hold opponents to 20.1 PPG or better, they should have a floor of 11-12 wins and a ceiling of 14-16. Last years PA was 7th in the NFL, and that was with a final 4 g avg of 27.0 (+45 in the divisional round.) There was nothing wrong schematically or philosophically with their defense last year, they were a Top 5 unit up until Week 14. But losing Alex, Alim, CD3 and a plethora of others was just too much. Hutch is looking great in rehab and I think the only guys who might land on the PUP are McNeill and Rodrigo. Just having 97 for close to 17 g instead of 5 will make them massively better.
Gotta love how much love they got from the time slots; 5 prime time, 2 holidays, and 6 late afternoon starts. One overlap in the counting so it's 11 primo slots, 4 early games, 1 early holiday game, plus 1 TBD. Lions pay the bills, dudes, and Roger gots to squeeze that golden goose for all its worth.
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
I see they stacked the Philly/Was games. Gonna do a long Mid-Atlantic trip, or back & forth?
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
As noted when they made the hire, ARSB and Goff have known Shaw for a decade, having first run into him at youth camps when they were in their teens. Of no particular relevance, my best friend went to Rochester Adams so he's been pretty geeked about this hire since it was announced.
Allen Park — David Shaw’s football life has been circles within circles.
The latest loop has brought him back to Detroit, where he spent a chunk of his youth. While his father, Willie, coached the Lions’ defensive backs from 1985-88, David starred as a receiver for Rochester Adams High School.
“Just as a kid, going to Oakland University (for Lions training camp), shagging balls and watching (former running back) James Jones, and following around (former wide receiver) Pete Mandley and those guys, it was just such a great time for me just to be around the NFL,” Shaw said. “It was my dad’s first NFL job, so to be there for training camp, to meet a lot of the players, and be there for the Monday Night Football game against the ‘85 Bears, that was an exciting time for me.”
Shaw parlayed his success at Rochester Adams into an opportunity at Stanford, where he played for legendary coach Bill Walsh. But it wasn’t long after Shaw exhausted his eligibility that he followed his father into coaching.
After a couple of seasons as an assistant at D-II Western Washington University, Shaw earned his first NFL job as a quality control coach for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1997, working under offensive coordinator Jon Gruden.
A year later, Shaw followed Gruden to Oakland, where he connected with another young coach and former college receiver, John Morton. It would be the beginning of a lifelong friendship and one of the biggest reasons Shaw has joined the Lions coaching staff, where he’ll serve as Morton's right-hand man and head up the passing game for the Lions’ first-year offensive coordinator.
“He’s my best friend,” Morton said. “There’s gotta be one guy in this business that you trust, because it’s hard to trust guys in this business. He’s been the one. We grew up together, we’ve always been friends for the longest time, so we targeted him right away. And we were very fortunate to get him.”
If you met them separately, you might be surprised to learn they’re so tight.
“We present very, very differently,” Shaw said. “We are flip sides of the same coin. Super competitive, Gruden-trained, geared at truly how we can dissect this defense and use our assets to do that. We have a very, very similar mind in attacking defenses, and what we see in the game. While we present very differently, since the first day we have met, our personalities have meshed.”
With the Raiders, under Gruden, Morton and Shaw spent four years together, cutting their teeth. Shaw wound up coaching the quarterbacks before departing when Gruden was traded to Tampa Bay. Morton stayed on staff for a few additional years, eventually becoming the team's tight ends coach.
The two intersected again in 2006 when Shaw replaced Morton as the passing game coordinator and receivers coach under Jim Harbaugh at the University of San Diego. Like Morton, Shaw intended for it to be a one-year pitstop before returning to the NFL, but the one opportunity he couldn’t pass up presented itself.
“We won a national championship, we played really well, broke a bunch of records, and I was on my way back (to the NFL),” Shaw said. “Coach Harbaugh was up for a lot of different jobs from San Diego, and he kept saying, ‘Hey, I got a chance here, chance there.’ I said, ‘Jim, I told you, I’m going back. I’m done. I’m going back to the NFL. This was great, but I’m going back.’ And he said, ‘I have a chance to interview with Stanford.’ And I said, ‘Well, hold on a second. If you get that one, I’ll go with you, but no other ones.’ He got that one.”
In one of those full-circle moments, Shaw was back at his alma mater, serving as the offensive coordinator. And four years later, when Harbaugh made the jump back to the NFL, Shaw stayed, leading the Cardinal for another dozen years, breaking the school record for wins, and earning the conference’s Coach of the Year award four times.
While at Stanford, the NFL came calling. Constantly. Shaw estimates he received interest for an average of three head coaching opportunities each offseason. He didn’t entertain a single one. Running a pro-style system at Stanford, he was always studying the league. Regardless, he was committed to where his feet were planted, pushing aside his previous desire to coach professionally.
“I'm a coach's kid, so growing up in this thing, I have a lot of little principles,” Shaw said. “No. 1, when you have a job, get the most out of that job, not peeking over the fence. There are a lot of great things out there, and that's great. I had a great job and I wanted to get the most out of it. That was the thing for me. I always wanted to go back to the NFL, but so much of it is about timing. I loved what I was doing. I loved where I was doing it. I loved who I was doing it with. ...I wanted to finish that run, knowing that whatever was next was going to be next.
“The other principle I have is, not taking a job thinking about getting another job,” Shaw continued. “I don't think of this profession as stepping stones to other things. When I was going to take a job, I'm taking that job. So, I'm not taking this job to see if I can build enough equity to get a head-coaching job. I took this job to take this job. I want to be here.”
Shaw resigned from Stanford in 2022 after back-to-back 3-9 seasons. When he made the decision, he noted, “It's time.” After a year away from football, he joined the Denver Broncos last year, not in a coaching capacity, but as a senior personnel advisor. There, he had the opportunity to work with Morton for the first time since their time with the Raiders more than two decades earlier.
Shaw recently drove around Rochester, soaking in a little nostalgia. There's time for that now, before the grind begins in earnest. He’s recharged and ready to go into battle with his friend with one goal in mind.
“We’re not resting on our laurels,” Shaw said. “We’re trying to push the envelope. We’re trying to grow, we’re trying to push ourselves, push the players to be better, and that’s the goal every year is to be better, to go farther, and take our best shot at winning that trophy.”
Opportunity with Lions connects David Shaw to his past, ambitions put on hold, and best friend
Allen Park — David Shaw’s football life has been circles within circles.
The latest loop has brought him back to Detroit, where he spent a chunk of his youth. While his father, Willie, coached the Lions’ defensive backs from 1985-88, David starred as a receiver for Rochester Adams High School.
“Just as a kid, going to Oakland University (for Lions training camp), shagging balls and watching (former running back) James Jones, and following around (former wide receiver) Pete Mandley and those guys, it was just such a great time for me just to be around the NFL,” Shaw said. “It was my dad’s first NFL job, so to be there for training camp, to meet a lot of the players, and be there for the Monday Night Football game against the ‘85 Bears, that was an exciting time for me.”
Shaw parlayed his success at Rochester Adams into an opportunity at Stanford, where he played for legendary coach Bill Walsh. But it wasn’t long after Shaw exhausted his eligibility that he followed his father into coaching.
After a couple of seasons as an assistant at D-II Western Washington University, Shaw earned his first NFL job as a quality control coach for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1997, working under offensive coordinator Jon Gruden.
A year later, Shaw followed Gruden to Oakland, where he connected with another young coach and former college receiver, John Morton. It would be the beginning of a lifelong friendship and one of the biggest reasons Shaw has joined the Lions coaching staff, where he’ll serve as Morton's right-hand man and head up the passing game for the Lions’ first-year offensive coordinator.
“He’s my best friend,” Morton said. “There’s gotta be one guy in this business that you trust, because it’s hard to trust guys in this business. He’s been the one. We grew up together, we’ve always been friends for the longest time, so we targeted him right away. And we were very fortunate to get him.”
If you met them separately, you might be surprised to learn they’re so tight.
“We present very, very differently,” Shaw said. “We are flip sides of the same coin. Super competitive, Gruden-trained, geared at truly how we can dissect this defense and use our assets to do that. We have a very, very similar mind in attacking defenses, and what we see in the game. While we present very differently, since the first day we have met, our personalities have meshed.”
With the Raiders, under Gruden, Morton and Shaw spent four years together, cutting their teeth. Shaw wound up coaching the quarterbacks before departing when Gruden was traded to Tampa Bay. Morton stayed on staff for a few additional years, eventually becoming the team's tight ends coach.
The two intersected again in 2006 when Shaw replaced Morton as the passing game coordinator and receivers coach under Jim Harbaugh at the University of San Diego. Like Morton, Shaw intended for it to be a one-year pitstop before returning to the NFL, but the one opportunity he couldn’t pass up presented itself.
“We won a national championship, we played really well, broke a bunch of records, and I was on my way back (to the NFL),” Shaw said. “Coach Harbaugh was up for a lot of different jobs from San Diego, and he kept saying, ‘Hey, I got a chance here, chance there.’ I said, ‘Jim, I told you, I’m going back. I’m done. I’m going back to the NFL. This was great, but I’m going back.’ And he said, ‘I have a chance to interview with Stanford.’ And I said, ‘Well, hold on a second. If you get that one, I’ll go with you, but no other ones.’ He got that one.”
In one of those full-circle moments, Shaw was back at his alma mater, serving as the offensive coordinator. And four years later, when Harbaugh made the jump back to the NFL, Shaw stayed, leading the Cardinal for another dozen years, breaking the school record for wins, and earning the conference’s Coach of the Year award four times.
While at Stanford, the NFL came calling. Constantly. Shaw estimates he received interest for an average of three head coaching opportunities each offseason. He didn’t entertain a single one. Running a pro-style system at Stanford, he was always studying the league. Regardless, he was committed to where his feet were planted, pushing aside his previous desire to coach professionally.
“I'm a coach's kid, so growing up in this thing, I have a lot of little principles,” Shaw said. “No. 1, when you have a job, get the most out of that job, not peeking over the fence. There are a lot of great things out there, and that's great. I had a great job and I wanted to get the most out of it. That was the thing for me. I always wanted to go back to the NFL, but so much of it is about timing. I loved what I was doing. I loved where I was doing it. I loved who I was doing it with. ...I wanted to finish that run, knowing that whatever was next was going to be next.
“The other principle I have is, not taking a job thinking about getting another job,” Shaw continued. “I don't think of this profession as stepping stones to other things. When I was going to take a job, I'm taking that job. So, I'm not taking this job to see if I can build enough equity to get a head-coaching job. I took this job to take this job. I want to be here.”
Shaw resigned from Stanford in 2022 after back-to-back 3-9 seasons. When he made the decision, he noted, “It's time.” After a year away from football, he joined the Denver Broncos last year, not in a coaching capacity, but as a senior personnel advisor. There, he had the opportunity to work with Morton for the first time since their time with the Raiders more than two decades earlier.
Shaw recently drove around Rochester, soaking in a little nostalgia. There's time for that now, before the grind begins in earnest. He’s recharged and ready to go into battle with his friend with one goal in mind.
“We’re not resting on our laurels,” Shaw said. “We’re trying to push the envelope. We’re trying to grow, we’re trying to push ourselves, push the players to be better, and that’s the goal every year is to be better, to go farther, and take our best shot at winning that trophy.”
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Hey this isn't SF going to the East Coast lol.
They will fly back after the game - no reason not too, it's barely an hour flight time in a charter (404 + 452 miles by air.)
They've never had back-to-back west coast games but that might be the only scenario where they might spend the prep time at another facility
Wifey and I probably stay over Sunday night both weeks. If the time slots were flipped I'd come back from Philly same day as it only takes 2.5 hours. But we're old and like our routines hehe.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
That would be a good trivia Q to stump the kids/grandkids. Which is farther from Detroit, Washington or Philadelphia?
By car or plane, DC is closer.
EDIT
Another good one which I know from my son going to Tech: which is farther, Houghton or DC? It's the little town on the Keweenaw pennisula.
By car or plane, DC is closer.
EDIT
Another good one which I know from my son going to Tech: which is farther, Houghton or DC? It's the little town on the Keweenaw pennisula.
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
No, I meant for you - not the team. Sorry, should have been clearer.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
My bad - thought just how old is Urik, does he think they're using stage coaches & trains?
I consider myself a realist. Although some of you may consider me negative. 2025 is much harder than last year in my opinion.
2024, the Lions played four games outdoors.
@ Arizona
@GB
@Chicago
@San Fran
2025, the Lions play Seven.
@GB
@Baltimore
@Cincy
@KC
@Wash
@Philly
@Chi
Let's also look at the QB's they played against outside of the division. In 2024 Goff was better than most. That is not the case in 2025.
2024: 2025
Stafford Lamar
Baker Burrow
Kyler Mahommes
Geno Baker
Dak Daniels
CJ Hurts
Rudolph Dak
Trevor Stafford
Richardson Clev?
Allen Giants?
Purdy Pitt?
This team is in for a battle.
Edit: website messed up my format. Apologies.
King of the Jungle
Footballguy
No doubt a tougher hill to climb, especially with the division improving. I am not expecting the same record as last year, however if we stay healthy I am expecting us to be atop the division. We will certainly be battled tested if we make the playoffs, which I think is a positive.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
If we don't execute and pay attention to details, we can be beaten....by any team, any week. That's the NFL, nothing is given. Those other guys get paid and want to win, too.
But we are a battle for anyone. Very few exploitable weaknesses in any positional group, in all three phases. That's not hopium or wishful thinking or projecting, that's been the reality for 2.5 years and counting. We got better or deeper at DL, OL, WR, CB. We have elite production from QB, RB, TE, WR, ED and S tandem. The OL is highly regarded and the DL/LB is more than adequate, plus we have the best special teams in the NFL.
Go ahead and tell the whole world the sky is falling, IDC. Let's circle back in February to talk about it.
But we are a battle for anyone. Very few exploitable weaknesses in any positional group, in all three phases. That's not hopium or wishful thinking or projecting, that's been the reality for 2.5 years and counting. We got better or deeper at DL, OL, WR, CB. We have elite production from QB, RB, TE, WR, ED and S tandem. The OL is highly regarded and the DL/LB is more than adequate, plus we have the best special teams in the NFL.
Go ahead and tell the whole world the sky is falling, IDC. Let's circle back in February to talk about it.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
We loved Inner Harbor, and there were plenty of historical sites to take in, but obviously that’s a pretty limited take on the city. But I thought the people were awesome.
I'm also a realist. The schedule is much tougher than last year, which makes 15-2 unlikely. But they could have a better team than last years and a worse record. I would think 12-5 is doable and I fully expect the Lions to win their division.
I'm not one bit worried about the QBs we face. Not that they aren't great but we don't play against just QBs, we play against teams. We had the number one offense in the NFL last year and return 10 of 11 starters. Those teams with great QBs will be challenging but their defenses will have a huge challenge stoping the Lions offense.
I'm also not worried about playing road games. The Lions were unbeaten on the road last year. This team runs the ball as well as any team in the league. Obviously the road schedule is tough and I agree it will be a battle. They won't go unbeaten on the road this year. Other than the last game against the Bears, we don't play outdoors in a cold weather stadium in December or January. But this roster is as good as any in the NFL and they can play anywhere.
fatness
Footballguy
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
And Lion fans continue to travel so well. There's our hidden 9th home game!
Ministry of Pain
Footballguy
Not a big fan of the Lions off season but they were already a strong team, it should be expected that you might not see instant starters like they have had from recent drafts several years in a row, it's the backbone of the team up and down the roster.
They will be good in 2025 but perhaps not 14-3 type good
12-5/11-6, more comfortable with that for a win/loss prediction.
The playoff loss to Washington is going to haunt them for a while
That said, I believe in DC the HC and he will have them prepared and ready to do battle
I'll read what you all have to say but for an avg NFL fan that simply has enjoyed the turnaround fo the franchise, I'm happy for the city of Detroit, they have a team to be proud of
They will be good in 2025 but perhaps not 14-3 type good
12-5/11-6, more comfortable with that for a win/loss prediction.
The playoff loss to Washington is going to haunt them for a while
That said, I believe in DC the HC and he will have them prepared and ready to do battle
I'll read what you all have to say but for an avg NFL fan that simply has enjoyed the turnaround fo the franchise, I'm happy for the city of Detroit, they have a team to be proud of
Ministry of Pain
Footballguy
I know it was June and well after the Draft but being part of the personnel crew at Denver last season as they made a total turnaround and developed Bo Nix, pretty nice feather in his cap
Also gave him a full season to see an NFL team from a different POV than the sidelines and coaching, that could be of real benefit to him
Pass Game Coordinator, who is the OC now in Detroit?
Great find, you always being gifts to share around here, thank you Bobby
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
John Morton. He was on the offensive staff in 2022 and helped Ben Johnson install his first offense. Lot of familiarity there and while Ben had a special relationship with Jared Goff, I don’t expect much of a drop off.
(I’m expecting some slippage, due solely to regression. Only 4 teams have scored 70 TDs so doesn’t seem rational to presume they’ll average 33.2 again. In the same way, I think Gibbs will have a great year, but nobody should try to contend 20 TDs is normative.)
I imagine we won’t see Penei running an RPO or Jamo chucking an ill-advised interception off a sweep, but they should still be a very efficient and effective offense. Everyone is back except RG Kevin Zeitler - was great last year but he’s 35 - but either Christian Mahogany or Tate Ratledge will become a starter. Ratledge is a possible Ragnow replacement down the line.
I think the biggest change will be Jamo seeing 20-30 more targets, Morton expects him to breakout in 2025.
Tough schedule, but they’re a tough team.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Seems reasonable. Saw a headline today predicting they’ll go 9-8. I didn’t click but that’s within the range of outcomes. Although I would think that’s pretty far out on the curve and unlikely to happen.
They haven’t lost two games in a row since Week 8 2022.
Moonlight
Footballguy
Very tougH schedule. Hard, very hard to see us going 15-2 again. As has been said earlier we will likely have a worse record with a better team. Expect that we win the division.
I think Dan Campbell is looking forward to playing the Bears and beating Ben Johnson.
I am too.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
New DC Kelvin Sheppard, old (just turned 50) Special Teams Coordinator Dave Fipp and a gaggle of defensive assistants appeared at the podium today. Here’s the recap.
Allen Park — Following Tuesday's sessions with the offensive coaching staff, the Detroit Lions' defensive coaches (and special teams coordinator Dave Fipp) met with the media on Thursday. Here are some of the most interesting items from those chats.
“I went over there during individual (drills), and I said, ‘Hutch, you know how I know you’re back?’” defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard shared. “He said, ‘How?’ I said, ‘Because you’re touching that ground when you run that hoop.' That’s his little thing that he does, like he’s some supernatural cat — which he is. But I’m like, ‘That’s how I know you’re back, big dog.’”
Detroit’s early OTA practices haven’t been open to the media, and we haven’t spoken with Hutchinson since before his injury, so our updates have largely been the same as the public’s — social media posts and random podcast appearances.
To hear that Hutchinson's football-specific movement skills have reached this stage is encouraging.
“He looks really good,” defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers said. “I'm sitting here just imagining what this guy went through, what he worked on to get back in case they made it to the end last year and didn't. Then to see where he is right now is just, this guy, he's a trooper pro."
Sheppard said there’s not a more resilient, mentally tough player on Detroit's roster than Hutchinson. And the young defender, who was leading the NFL in quarterback pressures and sacks at the time of his injury, has been a ball of energy during the early stages of the offseason program.
“He’s out there, he’s the most energetic guy on the field,” Sheppard said. “He’s ready to make the call out the huddle today. …The relationship he has with his peers, his teammates. You would not know he’s the caliber player that he is by the way he carries himself. The way he works, his attention to detail in meetings, the way he helps people, the way he wants to be pushed and coached hard.
“…He’s a guy that’s all-in, and I’m elated to have him out there on the grass.”
In recent days, Anzalone has shared a couple of posts on social media, including one of my film reviews from last year, highlighting his on-field value. Making a relatively safe logical leap, the veteran appears to have issues with his contract status, with his current deal set to expire at the end of this season.
I asked Sheppard if he had any concerns about the situation.
“Zero,” Sheppard said. “Me and Alex are all good. I have zero concern. That player’s a leader here, he’s been a leader here. He’s been an (integral) piece in building the culture that’s here, and I’m gonna pay the respect that he’s earned and that he’s due.
“Whatever his private situations are, I’ll let Alex address those when he’s face-to-face with you all,” Sheppard said. “What I can tell you, as far as it concerns me, it has no effect on how I see Alex or how I view him. That’s one of our captains. He’s been one of our captains, and I still see it as such.
“In this league, you can only travel with so many,” Townsend said. “Right now, we're going to let him focus on outside, let him go compete out there. Amik (Robertson) has done a really good job (at nickel). We have Avonte (Maddox), who is another positional flex type of person. I think that will help (Rakestraw), as well.
Rakestraw was set to join the starting lineup early last season before suffering a hamstring injury during pre-game warmups. That issue lingered, eventually resulting in a lengthy stint on injured reserve.
Townsend said injuries are something often outside of a player’s control. However, he expects Rakestraw to benefit from having a full offseason where he could focus on his development instead of preparing for the draft.
“The thing I do like about how he came back is just his mindset,” Townsend said. “You can tell he understood what went wrong last year.”
Being on the outside, Rakestraw is unlikely to have an opportunity to see significant playing time, at least while starters Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed are healthy. Still, he can earn a critical role as the top backup, given the high rate of injury at the position.
“I’m fired up,” Fipp said. “It’s going to be great. We’re going to get a ton of plays. I think it’s going to change quite a bit.”
The league initially overhauled the kickoff play last offseason. However, most teams quickly determined that the risk outweighed the reward when it came to encouraging returns, reverting to settling for touchbacks.
Now, with a year to study the dynamics of the play, Fipp is more comfortable and confident that his players will be able to capitalize on the setup.
“I feel great about it,” he said. “…I definitely feel like I have a much better grasp of it. We will definitely play the play a whole lot differently than we did a year ago, in a lot of respects, not only obviously forcing a return — we didn’t do it a ton a year ago, for a lot of different reasons — but just how each player will play. We’ll play a lot more on the attack, a lot more aggressively, a lot more trying to create negative field position.
Fipp said another component of being able to play more aggressively on kickoffs is kicker Jake Bates, who has a year of experience in the league, and the confidence that came with that.
“That wasn’t necessarily his strength going into the season,” Fipp acknowledged. “We didn’t want to add a whole lot to his plate. …We kinda stayed away from some of that to help him a little bit, to be honest with you. But he was out there today kicking his balls. He looks great doing it, so I’m excited.”
Safeties coach Jim O’Neil is on the case.
“(Equipment manager) Tim (O’Neil) got a custom bag about that high off the ground,” Jim O’Neil said, holding his hand about waist high. “We're going to live on that post-practice and save some of his money.
“He's not trying to hurt guys out there,” Jim O’Neil said. “A lot of times, as you guys know, those are bang-bang plays. If I'm a DB, I have my aiming point of where I'm about to strike a guy, and then if a guy catches and his aiming point drops, it ends up helmet-to-helmet or shoulder-to-helmet or shoulder-to-neck. That stuff is a lot easier to coach in slow motion than it is in full speed. The answer is you just go lower, but now you're hurting guys. We'll work it. That's a real thing. Tim got that bag for him, so we're going to use it. We'll see if BB can punch a hole in it by the end of the season."
Hutchinson turning a corner, no more nickel for Rakestraw, new drill for Branch, and more from Lions' defensive coaches
Allen Park — Following Tuesday's sessions with the offensive coaching staff, the Detroit Lions' defensive coaches (and special teams coordinator Dave Fipp) met with the media on Thursday. Here are some of the most interesting items from those chats.
Hutch on the mend
Telling someone to touch grass is usually used as an insult. But in the most literal sense, it’s the latest sign Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is inching closer to full strength after breaking his leg last season.“I went over there during individual (drills), and I said, ‘Hutch, you know how I know you’re back?’” defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard shared. “He said, ‘How?’ I said, ‘Because you’re touching that ground when you run that hoop.' That’s his little thing that he does, like he’s some supernatural cat — which he is. But I’m like, ‘That’s how I know you’re back, big dog.’”
Detroit’s early OTA practices haven’t been open to the media, and we haven’t spoken with Hutchinson since before his injury, so our updates have largely been the same as the public’s — social media posts and random podcast appearances.
To hear that Hutchinson's football-specific movement skills have reached this stage is encouraging.
“He looks really good,” defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers said. “I'm sitting here just imagining what this guy went through, what he worked on to get back in case they made it to the end last year and didn't. Then to see where he is right now is just, this guy, he's a trooper pro."
Sheppard said there’s not a more resilient, mentally tough player on Detroit's roster than Hutchinson. And the young defender, who was leading the NFL in quarterback pressures and sacks at the time of his injury, has been a ball of energy during the early stages of the offseason program.
“He’s out there, he’s the most energetic guy on the field,” Sheppard said. “He’s ready to make the call out the huddle today. …The relationship he has with his peers, his teammates. You would not know he’s the caliber player that he is by the way he carries himself. The way he works, his attention to detail in meetings, the way he helps people, the way he wants to be pushed and coached hard.
“…He’s a guy that’s all-in, and I’m elated to have him out there on the grass.”
No concerns about Anzalone
Linebacker coach Shaun Dion Hamilton declined comment when asked if captain Alex Anzalone was participating in the voluntary portions of the offseason program, deferring to coach Dan Campbell.In recent days, Anzalone has shared a couple of posts on social media, including one of my film reviews from last year, highlighting his on-field value. Making a relatively safe logical leap, the veteran appears to have issues with his contract status, with his current deal set to expire at the end of this season.
I asked Sheppard if he had any concerns about the situation.
“Zero,” Sheppard said. “Me and Alex are all good. I have zero concern. That player’s a leader here, he’s been a leader here. He’s been an (integral) piece in building the culture that’s here, and I’m gonna pay the respect that he’s earned and that he’s due.
“Whatever his private situations are, I’ll let Alex address those when he’s face-to-face with you all,” Sheppard said. “What I can tell you, as far as it concerns me, it has no effect on how I see Alex or how I view him. That’s one of our captains. He’s been one of our captains, and I still see it as such.
Locking into a role
After splitting his time between outside cornerback and nickel as a rookie, Ennis Rakestraw’s attention will be focused on the former entering his second season, according to position coach Deshea Townsend.“In this league, you can only travel with so many,” Townsend said. “Right now, we're going to let him focus on outside, let him go compete out there. Amik (Robertson) has done a really good job (at nickel). We have Avonte (Maddox), who is another positional flex type of person. I think that will help (Rakestraw), as well.
Rakestraw was set to join the starting lineup early last season before suffering a hamstring injury during pre-game warmups. That issue lingered, eventually resulting in a lengthy stint on injured reserve.
Townsend said injuries are something often outside of a player’s control. However, he expects Rakestraw to benefit from having a full offseason where he could focus on his development instead of preparing for the draft.
“The thing I do like about how he came back is just his mindset,” Townsend said. “You can tell he understood what went wrong last year.”
Being on the outside, Rakestraw is unlikely to have an opportunity to see significant playing time, at least while starters Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed are healthy. Still, he can earn a critical role as the top backup, given the high rate of injury at the position.
Bring on the returns
It’s hardly a surprise to learn special teams coordinator Dave Fipp is thrilled about the league’s adjustment to kickoffs. Touchbacks will now come out to the 35-yard line, which will undoubtedly lead to more returns and enhance the importance of Fipp’s units.“I’m fired up,” Fipp said. “It’s going to be great. We’re going to get a ton of plays. I think it’s going to change quite a bit.”
The league initially overhauled the kickoff play last offseason. However, most teams quickly determined that the risk outweighed the reward when it came to encouraging returns, reverting to settling for touchbacks.
Now, with a year to study the dynamics of the play, Fipp is more comfortable and confident that his players will be able to capitalize on the setup.
“I feel great about it,” he said. “…I definitely feel like I have a much better grasp of it. We will definitely play the play a whole lot differently than we did a year ago, in a lot of respects, not only obviously forcing a return — we didn’t do it a ton a year ago, for a lot of different reasons — but just how each player will play. We’ll play a lot more on the attack, a lot more aggressively, a lot more trying to create negative field position.
Fipp said another component of being able to play more aggressively on kickoffs is kicker Jake Bates, who has a year of experience in the league, and the confidence that came with that.
“That wasn’t necessarily his strength going into the season,” Fipp acknowledged. “We didn’t want to add a whole lot to his plate. …We kinda stayed away from some of that to help him a little bit, to be honest with you. But he was out there today kicking his balls. He looks great doing it, so I’m excited.”
New paycheck-protecting drills
Lions safety Brian Branch has had issues with penalties and subsequent fines. The coaching staff has previously said they're reluctant to tone down his aggressiveness. Still, they’d like to find a way to eliminate the 15-yard infractions, and he’d certainly prefer to stop the league from docking his paycheck.Safeties coach Jim O’Neil is on the case.
“(Equipment manager) Tim (O’Neil) got a custom bag about that high off the ground,” Jim O’Neil said, holding his hand about waist high. “We're going to live on that post-practice and save some of his money.
“He's not trying to hurt guys out there,” Jim O’Neil said. “A lot of times, as you guys know, those are bang-bang plays. If I'm a DB, I have my aiming point of where I'm about to strike a guy, and then if a guy catches and his aiming point drops, it ends up helmet-to-helmet or shoulder-to-helmet or shoulder-to-neck. That stuff is a lot easier to coach in slow motion than it is in full speed. The answer is you just go lower, but now you're hurting guys. We'll work it. That's a real thing. Tim got that bag for him, so we're going to use it. We'll see if BB can punch a hole in it by the end of the season."
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Dave Fipp presser today
(Outside of Dan Campbell, he’s my favorite guy in the building. Always interesting, he’s a great story teller, self-effacing, and whip smart. I always learn something watching him.)
(Outside of Dan Campbell, he’s my favorite guy in the building. Always interesting, he’s a great story teller, self-effacing, and whip smart. I always learn something watching him.)
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