swabs
Footballguy
No chance Moseley is the #2, MAYBE he could go into the slot instead of Robertson, but I even doubt that. Would be nice to see Iffy in the slot sometimes for blitzing.
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2025 Detroit Lions: 0-0 Getting ready for camp. (16 Viewers)
- Thread starter Da Guru
- Start date
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Only Sam LaPorta missing from Lions practice on Thursday.
Also notable, Za’Darius Smith got his up-downs in today.
10-year vet, 1st round pick, UDFA, new assistant to the position assistant coach…don’t matter in Dan Campbell’s world. Gimme 50, let’s knock this out first thing, alright?
Also notable, Za’Darius Smith got his up-downs in today.
10-year vet, 1st round pick, UDFA, new assistant to the position assistant coach…don’t matter in Dan Campbell’s world. Gimme 50, let’s knock this out first thing, alright?
King of the Jungle
Footballguy
"If that ain't a $$$$ing lesson that it ain't over until it's over, that's what it is, boys. Way to fight all day. We're $$$$ing different. We're $$$$ing different than all 31 in this league,"
-Jared Goff
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Thursday = let’s here from the 3 coordinators
0:00-13:27 - Aaron Glenn
13:28-26:30 - Dave Fipp
26:31-38:07 - Ben Johnson
AG opened his press conference by talking about the player who impressed him the most in Week 10: Jared Goff. Fought through a tough day, most of the interceptions were a bit flukey (2 tipped balls), Hail Mary end of half, mistimed because a S coming across to cover a WR impeded LaPorta’s route, Jamo running a route incorrectly (Stingley deep ball.) Overcame all that and put the team in his back in the 4th quarter.
Fipp was on a heater today. By far my favorite guy at the podium after MCDC.
Ben is always refreshing.
Phenomenal staff, great culture. These guys are different.
0:00-13:27 - Aaron Glenn
13:28-26:30 - Dave Fipp
26:31-38:07 - Ben Johnson
AG opened his press conference by talking about the player who impressed him the most in Week 10: Jared Goff. Fought through a tough day, most of the interceptions were a bit flukey (2 tipped balls), Hail Mary end of half, mistimed because a S coming across to cover a WR impeded LaPorta’s route, Jamo running a route incorrectly (Stingley deep ball.) Overcame all that and put the team in his back in the 4th quarter.
Fipp was on a heater today. By far my favorite guy at the podium after MCDC.
Ben is always refreshing.
Phenomenal staff, great culture. These guys are different.
Cowboysfan8
Footballguy
How so?
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
It's a quote from Goff after the walk off FG last week. See upthread, somebody posted the full quote.
EDIT
But they are different. The QB threw 5 interceptions and nobody batted an eye. The defense shut out the Texans in the second half, at halftime Ben Johnson told them "This is the 49ers game in reverse."
Another week they threw for 85 yards and scored 52. Between turnovers and long kick returns they had a short field 4x.
This locker room is different. Everybody who comes over from other teams says it. Guys who were here for a few weeks last year talked about what a phenomenal culture exists inside Allen Park. We traded for a badly needed Edge Rusher and told him to take a few days off to go check on your hurricane damaged house. It was the Browns bye week so Za'Darius Smith would have had an 18 game season.....he's a 10 year guy, Dan Campbell gave him the week off. Person before player.
They have at least 3 full time mental health professionals. That's not for maximizing performance. It's because they care about the humans on the payroll.
They are transparent. You don't have to guess where you stand. "Here's where you're at in the hierarchy.....here is how you can get off the scout team/ practice squad and start contributing." "OK, look, there aren't going to be many snaps for you.....but here is where we need to excel, on special teams." New LB coach came in and asked if he should cut off his long dreadlocks. Naw, man, just be yourself. The owner is constantly tweaking things to make the equipment better, improved the meals, offering on site day care....whatever she can do to make everything around the football people as comfortable as possible. And she lets the GM manage and the coaches coach and the players make plays.
It is very unique culture. It doesn't matter what happens, bad calls, turnovers, missed assignment. Accountability is everything, but finger pointing or negativity is not how you overcome adversity. Someone goes out with an injury, hey that's why you have a 70 man roster (53 active, 16 practice squad, 1 international.) Every person is part of this.
The locker room is loose but focused. Bad teams, good teams, doesn't matter, take care of business. There's one goal and it's 87 days away, but right now figure out how to beat Jacksonville. Wasn't that long they were the 2-8 team and came into every game thinking "hey maybe this is the week we finally get it together." Everybody that plays Detroit is giving us their best shot. Comes with the territory.
This team is different.
Last edited:
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Two new injuries popped up today.
Melifonwu now has a finger injury added to his status, likely indicating he suffered this injury while attempting to return from his ankle injury. It’s unclear how this will set him back—if it does at all—but it’s worth noting that he has another 12 days before a decision needs to be made on his status, so there is time for him to recover.
Taylor Decker and Malcolm Rodriguez were full participants Thursday so looks like they’ll play this week.
Laporta might get the week off, but we’ll see if he practices tomorrow. Dealing with an AC shoulder sprain, painful but not serious or LT.
Limited practice
- CB Carlton Davis (hand) — NEW INJURY
- S Ifeatu Melifonwu (ankle/finger) — Days remaining in evaluation window: 12 — NEW INJURY
Melifonwu now has a finger injury added to his status, likely indicating he suffered this injury while attempting to return from his ankle injury. It’s unclear how this will set him back—if it does at all—but it’s worth noting that he has another 12 days before a decision needs to be made on his status, so there is time for him to recover.
Taylor Decker and Malcolm Rodriguez were full participants Thursday so looks like they’ll play this week.
Laporta might get the week off, but we’ll see if he practices tomorrow. Dealing with an AC shoulder sprain, painful but not serious or LT.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Correction
Brodric Martin has 5 days left in his practice window.
Melifonwu & Moseley have 12 days left before the team has to make a call.
For some reason I mistakenly thought they all 3 started their IR-R clock together.
Brodric Martin has 5 days left in his practice window.
Melifonwu & Moseley have 12 days left before the team has to make a call.
For some reason I mistakenly thought they all 3 started their IR-R clock together.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
CBS game this week, I won’t be able to watch. First game I will not see live since week 16 2022 (the debacle in Carolina.)
Will be fun listening to Dan Miller, though.
Will be fun listening to Dan Miller, though.
Cowboysfan8
Footballguy
FYI, you can stream the cbs games on paramount. I think it’s $7 or $8 a month
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
I get all the Fox games through Sling. It’s a glitch - can’t go to the listed local affiliate & watch, but I dvr them & can watch as it’s recording (and navigate as well.)
We also have all the other games through Sling, Prime or Peacock. Not much of an AFC guy unless it’s a good matchup so don’t care if I miss some.
But thanks for the tip, appreciate it. Wifey swaps out steaming services every few months & sometimes we have Paramount, so good to know.
swabs
Footballguy
Every time I see a game listed on Paramount, I go to the app and don't see anything.... Could just be that I'm an idiot.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Not at Lions practice Friday:
- TE Sam LaPorta
- LB Ben Niemann
- S Ifeatu Melifonwu
None of the 3 IR-R guys is being activated this weekend, but bummed to see Iffy pop back up on the report.
Nieman s/b nbd, Nowaske has been outstanding & Malcolm is back this weekend.
Taylor s/b back in the lineup.
LaPorta has 3 DNPs, I imagine they’ll declare him out when the report comes out at 4pm.
- TE Sam LaPorta
- LB Ben Niemann
- S Ifeatu Melifonwu
None of the 3 IR-R guys is being activated this weekend, but bummed to see Iffy pop back up on the report.
Nieman s/b nbd, Nowaske has been outstanding & Malcolm is back this weekend.
Taylor s/b back in the lineup.
LaPorta has 3 DNPs, I imagine they’ll declare him out when the report comes out at 4pm.
Cowboysfan8
Footballguy
I believe the only time I watched a game there is when redzone gets down to the last game of the day and goes off the air. The game is on the front of the app when it opens and I just click watch live
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
CB Carlton Davis reportedly broke his thumb in practice Thursday battling Amon-Ra St. Brown at the line of scrimmage, per @davebirkett
Davis says he’ll cast it up and play through it. Practiced in full today.
Laporta, Martin, Iffy, & EMan declared out, Nieman is questionable.
Davis says he’ll cast it up and play through it. Practiced in full today.
Laporta, Martin, Iffy, & EMan declared out, Nieman is questionable.
TartanLion
Footballguy
Finally got round to it … ordered my first jersey since probably Stafford. Road game jersey Glasgow 60. A weird one but had to be done considering Glasgow is my home town and where I still live. £103 down to £63 with a discount on NFL Europe. Problem is I also want about 5 other players jerseys right now, too many people I love on this team.
Glasgow probably slides in at number 2 on my random jersey lists. Got a Fairley one as well that didn’t turn up in time for a game in London where he tore his ACL and never played for us again
Glasgow probably slides in at number 2 on my random jersey lists. Got a Fairley one as well that didn’t turn up in time for a game in London where he tore his ACL and never played for us again
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Finally got round to it … ordered my first jersey since probably Stafford. Road game jersey Glasgow 60. A weird one but had to be done considering Glasgow is my home town and where I still live. £103 down to £63 with a discount on NFL Europe. Problem is I also want about 5 other players jerseys right now, too many people I love on this team.
Glasgow probably slides in at number 2 on my random jersey lists. Got a Fairley one as well that didn’t turn up in time for a game in London where he tore his ACL and never played for us again
in the retired end of my armoire’:
- 3 Hanson
- 9 Stafford
- 23 Slay Jr
- 32 Swift
- 88 Hockenson
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
Before last week's games the advance line was 10.5. Since then the line shot up all the way to -14, with the current odds at -13.5 and a total of 47.
fatness
Footballguy
It must be that ring.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
34 days after surgery to repair his broken tibia (shin bone) and fibula, Aidan Hutchinson has started walking in water while submerged.
Average recovery time for an NFL player with this injury is 230 days.
From Dallas to New Orleans = 119 days (17 weeks.)
Hutch’s former teammate, G Zak Zinter, came back from the same injury this year. Hurt in tOSU game, was ready to go by rookie minicamp 7 months later.
Average recovery time for an NFL player with this injury is 230 days.
From Dallas to New Orleans = 119 days (17 weeks.)
Hutch’s former teammate, G Zak Zinter, came back from the same injury this year. Hurt in tOSU game, was ready to go by rookie minicamp 7 months later.
Jax has lost to Green Bay, Philly, and Minnesota by 3, 5 and 5 points The last three weeks. 14 points seems like a lot to a team that has been playing good teams close l.
Cowboysfan8
Footballguy
Det covers easy imo
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
They're beyond worrying about "trap games" v 2-8 teams at home
Last week made sense to me, I was not surprised the Texans brought so much intensity.
They're far more talented than the Jaguars, who are missing Lawrence, Bigsby, Kirk + have 10 (ten) players who were LP 3x this week - including Brian Thomas Jr and Josh Hines-Allen.
Detroit will come out and take care of business. Jax doesn't have anyone healthy on either side of the ball that you have to game plan for, this one will be a blowout win for Detroit.
Last week made sense to me, I was not surprised the Texans brought so much intensity.
They're far more talented than the Jaguars, who are missing Lawrence, Bigsby, Kirk + have 10 (ten) players who were LP 3x this week - including Brian Thomas Jr and Josh Hines-Allen.
Detroit will come out and take care of business. Jax doesn't have anyone healthy on either side of the ball that you have to game plan for, this one will be a blowout win for Detroit.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Justin Rogers - Detroit Football Network (Substack)
Lions midseason report - Offense & Special Teams
Jared Goff was in the midst of a historically efficient season before the Houston Texans upended his red-hot run with five interceptions last Sunday. Still, despite that hiccup, the reigning NFC Player of the Month has been everything the Lions have needed him to be in 2024.
Even with the struggles last weekend, Goff is on pace to finish with the best completion percentage and passer rating of his career. And while he’d prefer to not need another, his three fourth-quarter comebacks and three game-winning drives are both one shy of his previous bests in a season.
There’s a reason fans can’t stop chanting his name.
Improvement from 2023:Accuracy
Area for improvement: Going by the eye test, Goff’s deep ball has steadily improved during his time in Detroit. Still, only 45.5% of those attempts 20 yards or more beyond the line of scrimmage have been on target this year, which is middle of the pack and would be better.
Grade: A- (Sorry, the career-worst 3.7% interception rate was too much to overlook)
Led by the dynamic duo of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, the Lions are on pace for their most rushing yards in a season since 1981 and best yards per carry since 1997.
After posting incredible production during their first season together in 2023, the tandem is somehow on pace to exceed it, tracking toward topping 3,000 yard per scrimmage this year.
Improvement from 2023: I’ll hit you with two. First, Gibbs has tapped more into his explosivity. After logging 27 carries of 10 or more yards last season, he’s already at 21 in 2024.
The pair have also been far more productive as pass-catching options, already nearing 90% of their combined receiving yardage from a year ago.
Area for improvement: Gibbs' pass blocking is rough. He’s allowed seven pressures the 25 times he’s been asked to stay in and protect Goff.
Grade: A
It was far from an overhaul, but no group on the offense has changed more since last season than the receiving corps. Amon-Ra St. Brown is the constant as the No. 1 target, while Jameson Williams has stepped into the No. 2 spot previously held by Josh Reynolds, with newcomer Tim Patrick rounding out the starting group.
Because the Lions have leaned so heavily on the ground game this season, St. Brown’s production has dipped significantly. He’s still efficient, with a career-best 70.1% success rate with his targets, but the wideout is tracking toward finishing with fewer than 1,000 yards after topping 1,500 as an All-Pro last year.
Williams, meanwhile, has experienced a breakout despite his recent two-game suspension. He could end up cracking 1,000 yards from scrimmage with another big game or two down the stretch.
Patrick’s production has been modest, but efficient. He’s caught 12 of the 15 throws his direction, plus he’s a willing blocker, which is critical in Detroit’s scheme.
Improvement from 2023: The Lions were one of the worst teams in the NFL with drops a year ago. They're now among the best.
Area for improvement: For a group that takes such pride in the skill, the run blocking could be more consistent. It’s slipped a bit since last year, particularly, and unexpectedly, with St. Brown.
Grade: B+
St. Brown isn’t the only player taking a hit from the increased reliance on the running backs. LaPorta, the second-year player out of Iowa who reset the franchise record books at his position as a rookie, hasn’t come close to repeating last season’s production.
That said, the underlying metrics are really good. He’s still running routes at the same rate — as opposed to being asked to block more on passing plays — he’s catching a higher percentage of the throws his direction, has a better success rate than 2023 on those targets, and is averaging 41.7% more yards per catch.
LaPorta was likely slowed by a hamstring strain early in the season, and he’s unfortunately dealing with a new injury (shoulder) coming off his best game of the season.
There’s not a lot to say about the rest of the group. Brock Wright continues to be the same player — focused more on blocking than receiving — and the team swapped out its No. 3 option a couple weeks back, dumping Parker Hesse in favor of Shane Zylstra.
Improvement from 2023: It’s unquestionably the efficiency with the limited targets. As far as Wright, he’s made modest gains as a pass protector.
Area for improvement: As it has been the past few seasons, there’s room for growth with the group’s run blocking. That was on full display against Houston last Sunday, where the collective struggled, resulting in a season-low yards per carry for the backs.
Grade: B
An offensive line is only as good as its weakest link, so there was understandable concern when the Lions were outbid for Jonah Jackson in free agency, losing the longtime starting guard to the Rams. But they found a hell of a stopgap replacement in Kevin Zeitler, a 2023 Pro Bowler.
After that signing, coach Dan Campbell suggested the group might be better this season and last, which has come to fruition. While there are all kinds of metrics available to evaluate the unit, it's difficult to argue the Lions aren’t among the league’s best, with Pro Football Focus ranking them No. 1 this week.
The group is unique in that they can block any style required. That’s allowed the team to shift to a more zone-heavy run scheme in 2024, helping maximize the talent of the team's running backs.
In terms of pass protection, the line has been good, not great, but there are some challenges that come with keeping the rush off one of the league’s least mobile quarterbacks. Detroit is allowing pressure on 23.3% of passing plays, which is bottom half of the league and up slightly from a year ago.
Improvement from 2023: Run blocking.
Area for improvement: The left side could certainly be better. Guard Graham Glasgow has been the group’s least consistent player in his second year back with the team. Meanwhile, blindside tackle Taylor Decker, who missed the last game with a shoulder injury, has given up six sacks, putting him on pace for a career-worst.
Grade: A-
Coordinator Dave Fipp’s groups have been remarkable this season, ranking near the top of the league in almost every meaningful category. Jack Fox remains on pace to have one of, if not the greatest net punting season of all time. His big leg has been working in conjunction with a stellar coverage group led by gunners Khalil Dorsey and Kindle Vildor.
But the true surprise has been the consistency of the kicking operation, which has a rookie long snapper and an inexperienced kicker in Jake Bates. You wouldn’t know it given the group remains perfect on field goals this year, including a 52- and 58-yarder in the closing minutes against Houston to seal the come-from-behind victory.
To top it off, the Lions are also top-five in kickoff and punt return average.
Improvement from 2023: All of it.
Area for improvement: Even on his record-breaking pace, Fox’s touchback percentage is a career-worst. If he could keep the ball out of the end zone more often, he might blow the net-punting mark out of the water.
Grade: A
Improvement from 2023:Rushing production, up. Passing efficiency, up. Third down conversion percentage, up. Yards per play, up. Scoring, up.
Area for improvement: Well, Johnson could always scheme up a way for Penei Sewell to throw a pass. Sorry, I’m not giving up on the idea. Practically, the coordinator will tell you he’d like to trim the three-and-outs, which are happening nearly once every five possessions.
Grade: A
Lions midseason report - Offense & Special Teams
Where Detroit Lions' offense is thriving and could stand to improve at 2024 season's midpoint
Quarterback
Key stat: 104.4 passer rating overall, 124.4 when running play-actionJared Goff was in the midst of a historically efficient season before the Houston Texans upended his red-hot run with five interceptions last Sunday. Still, despite that hiccup, the reigning NFC Player of the Month has been everything the Lions have needed him to be in 2024.
Even with the struggles last weekend, Goff is on pace to finish with the best completion percentage and passer rating of his career. And while he’d prefer to not need another, his three fourth-quarter comebacks and three game-winning drives are both one shy of his previous bests in a season.
There’s a reason fans can’t stop chanting his name.
Improvement from 2023:Accuracy
Area for improvement: Going by the eye test, Goff’s deep ball has steadily improved during his time in Detroit. Still, only 45.5% of those attempts 20 yards or more beyond the line of scrimmage have been on target this year, which is middle of the pack and would be better.
Grade: A- (Sorry, the career-worst 3.7% interception rate was too much to overlook)
Running back
Key stat: 1,326 rushing yards, 4.7 yards per carryLed by the dynamic duo of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, the Lions are on pace for their most rushing yards in a season since 1981 and best yards per carry since 1997.
After posting incredible production during their first season together in 2023, the tandem is somehow on pace to exceed it, tracking toward topping 3,000 yard per scrimmage this year.
Improvement from 2023: I’ll hit you with two. First, Gibbs has tapped more into his explosivity. After logging 27 carries of 10 or more yards last season, he’s already at 21 in 2024.
The pair have also been far more productive as pass-catching options, already nearing 90% of their combined receiving yardage from a year ago.
Area for improvement: Gibbs' pass blocking is rough. He’s allowed seven pressures the 25 times he’s been asked to stay in and protect Goff.
Grade: A
Wide receiver
Key stat(s): 2.0% drop rateIt was far from an overhaul, but no group on the offense has changed more since last season than the receiving corps. Amon-Ra St. Brown is the constant as the No. 1 target, while Jameson Williams has stepped into the No. 2 spot previously held by Josh Reynolds, with newcomer Tim Patrick rounding out the starting group.
Because the Lions have leaned so heavily on the ground game this season, St. Brown’s production has dipped significantly. He’s still efficient, with a career-best 70.1% success rate with his targets, but the wideout is tracking toward finishing with fewer than 1,000 yards after topping 1,500 as an All-Pro last year.
Williams, meanwhile, has experienced a breakout despite his recent two-game suspension. He could end up cracking 1,000 yards from scrimmage with another big game or two down the stretch.
Patrick’s production has been modest, but efficient. He’s caught 12 of the 15 throws his direction, plus he’s a willing blocker, which is critical in Detroit’s scheme.
Improvement from 2023: The Lions were one of the worst teams in the NFL with drops a year ago. They're now among the best.
Area for improvement: For a group that takes such pride in the skill, the run blocking could be more consistent. It’s slipped a bit since last year, particularly, and unexpectedly, with St. Brown.
Grade: B+
Tight end
Key stat: 22.2% per game decline in Sam LaPorta’s productionSt. Brown isn’t the only player taking a hit from the increased reliance on the running backs. LaPorta, the second-year player out of Iowa who reset the franchise record books at his position as a rookie, hasn’t come close to repeating last season’s production.
That said, the underlying metrics are really good. He’s still running routes at the same rate — as opposed to being asked to block more on passing plays — he’s catching a higher percentage of the throws his direction, has a better success rate than 2023 on those targets, and is averaging 41.7% more yards per catch.
LaPorta was likely slowed by a hamstring strain early in the season, and he’s unfortunately dealing with a new injury (shoulder) coming off his best game of the season.
There’s not a lot to say about the rest of the group. Brock Wright continues to be the same player — focused more on blocking than receiving — and the team swapped out its No. 3 option a couple weeks back, dumping Parker Hesse in favor of Shane Zylstra.
Improvement from 2023: It’s unquestionably the efficiency with the limited targets. As far as Wright, he’s made modest gains as a pass protector.
Area for improvement: As it has been the past few seasons, there’s room for growth with the group’s run blocking. That was on full display against Houston last Sunday, where the collective struggled, resulting in a season-low yards per carry for the backs.
Grade: B
Offensive line
Key stat: 2.8 yards before contact, up 12% from last seasonAn offensive line is only as good as its weakest link, so there was understandable concern when the Lions were outbid for Jonah Jackson in free agency, losing the longtime starting guard to the Rams. But they found a hell of a stopgap replacement in Kevin Zeitler, a 2023 Pro Bowler.
After that signing, coach Dan Campbell suggested the group might be better this season and last, which has come to fruition. While there are all kinds of metrics available to evaluate the unit, it's difficult to argue the Lions aren’t among the league’s best, with Pro Football Focus ranking them No. 1 this week.
The group is unique in that they can block any style required. That’s allowed the team to shift to a more zone-heavy run scheme in 2024, helping maximize the talent of the team's running backs.
In terms of pass protection, the line has been good, not great, but there are some challenges that come with keeping the rush off one of the league’s least mobile quarterbacks. Detroit is allowing pressure on 23.3% of passing plays, which is bottom half of the league and up slightly from a year ago.
Improvement from 2023: Run blocking.
Area for improvement: The left side could certainly be better. Guard Graham Glasgow has been the group’s least consistent player in his second year back with the team. Meanwhile, blindside tackle Taylor Decker, who missed the last game with a shoulder injury, has given up six sacks, putting him on pace for a career-worst.
Grade: A-
Specialists
Key stat(s): 46.0 net punting average, 14/14 on field goalsCoordinator Dave Fipp’s groups have been remarkable this season, ranking near the top of the league in almost every meaningful category. Jack Fox remains on pace to have one of, if not the greatest net punting season of all time. His big leg has been working in conjunction with a stellar coverage group led by gunners Khalil Dorsey and Kindle Vildor.
But the true surprise has been the consistency of the kicking operation, which has a rookie long snapper and an inexperienced kicker in Jake Bates. You wouldn’t know it given the group remains perfect on field goals this year, including a 52- and 58-yarder in the closing minutes against Houston to seal the come-from-behind victory.
To top it off, the Lions are also top-five in kickoff and punt return average.
Improvement from 2023: All of it.
Area for improvement: Even on his record-breaking pace, Fox’s touchback percentage is a career-worst. If he could keep the ball out of the end zone more often, he might blow the net-punting mark out of the water.
Grade: A
Coaching
Passing up head coaching opportunities this offseason, Ben Johnson has Detroit’s offense humming again. Yes, there have been some duds, including a rough day in the red zone against Tampa Bay and the turnover-fest against Houston, but the unit is a little bit better in almost every way.Improvement from 2023:Rushing production, up. Passing efficiency, up. Third down conversion percentage, up. Yards per play, up. Scoring, up.
Area for improvement: Well, Johnson could always scheme up a way for Penei Sewell to throw a pass. Sorry, I’m not giving up on the idea. Practically, the coordinator will tell you he’d like to trim the three-and-outs, which are happening nearly once every five possessions.
Grade: A
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Justin Rogers - Detroit Football Network (Substack)
Lions midseason report - Defense (DL & LB)
Detroit had a vision for the defensive end position this season, and in the brief window we got to see it in action, it looked pretty damn good. Hutchinson was on an early path to Defensive Player of the Year consideration, racking up sacks and pressure at an absurd rate, while Marcus Davenport was crushing pockets the way coordinator Aaron Glenn desired.
But Davenport’s longstanding durability issues reared their ugly head early in the campaign, and Hutchinson caught the injury bug for the first time in his pro career, suffering a broken leg in Week 4.
Since those two went down, it’s been tough sledding. The pass-rush production has predictably plummeted, and the run defense has also suffered, as the Lions have rotated in a couple practice squad players trying to put a band-aid over the gaping wound.
The good news? Josh Paschal looks like he’s rounding the corner into a quality contributor, and reinforcements have arrived with the trade-deadline acquisition of accomplished veteran Za’Darius Smith. The depth remains a little shaky, but that’s a starting group you can live with.
Improvement from 2023:Hutchinson had clearly taken another step toward superstardom before his injury. Unfortunately, it won’t matter the rest of this season, unless he’s able to write the storybook ending of coming back for a Super Bowl appearance.
But Paschal’s development shouldn’t be ignored. He was at or below replacement level his first two seasons, but he’s embraced his physicality in his third season and it's showing up in the run game and with his ability to condense the pocket when the quarterback drops to pass.
Area for improvement: Last week’s game in Houston was a rebound performance for the run defense, but the team still needs to generate more pressure off the edge. Smith isn’t Hutchinson, but he can definitely add some much-needed juice.
Grade: B (carried by Hutchinson’s Herculean efforts the first five games)
Detroit similarly had a vision for the interior of its defensive line, but that’s come closer to matching reality.
McNeill has taken another step forward with his performance, particularly his ability to affect the quarterback. Meanwhile, fellow 2021 draft pick, Levi Onwuzurike, has been one of the best stories on the roster, not just because he’s finally healthy, but because he’s producing at a level no one could have imagined with 27 QB pressures. Finally, DJ Reader, a top addition through free agency, has been solid with absorbing double teams coming off last year’s torn quad. That's helped create more opportunities for his teammates.
The Lions could use a little more juice further down the depth chart. Rookie Mekhi Wingo plays with effort, but the adjustment to the level of competition is ongoing for the undersized lineman. Meanwhile, the contributions of veterans Kyle Peko and Pat O’Connor to round out the rotation have been replacement-level, at best, although the latter is trending up with a sack and TFL in the last game.
It would be nice if the team could squeeze anything out of Brodric Martin in his second season. He’s nearing a return from a hyperextended knee that’s sidelined him since training camp.
Improvement from 2023:McNeill and Onwuzurike have pushed the team's interior pass-rush production to another level.
Area for improvement: The Lions could use more reliability from its depth to take some of the load off the starters. McNeill and Onwuzurike have each been asked to play more than 400 defensive snaps through nine games.
Grade: A-
The best way to describe Detroit’s linebacking corps is they’ve been sound. For the first time in three seasons, someone other than Alex Anzalone is on pace to lead the team in tackles. It’s not particularly close at the halfway point as Jack Campbell has 18 more stops through nine games.
What you like to see is the overall capitalization on opportunities. The collective is on pace to miss 22% fewer tackles in 2024. They’ve also combined for 14 tackles behind the line of scrimmage after 17 a year ago.
The season-ending loss of Derrick Barnes was a devastating blow. He wasn't racking up gaudy stats, but his versatility and execution were on another level this year. The silver lining is the injury has opened the door for Malcolm Rodriguez and Trevor Nowaske to earn expanded roles and both have performed well in their opportunities.
Improvement from 2023: The missed tackles are key, especially when you consider the group is on pace for 22% more stops this season. That's a Pro Football Focus metric that constitutes causing a defensive failure.
Area for improvement: The group’s success rate when blitzing is sharply down in 2024. Anzalone racked up 30 QB pressures on 104 blitzes last year, but just six on 44 rushes in 2024. Also, we’re still waiting for Campbell to take a step forward in zone coverage. His awareness isn’t matching his more than 1,200 snaps of experience between the regular season and playoff playing time.
Grade: B+
Lions midseason report - Defense (DL & LB)
Midseason review: Where Detroit Lions' defense is thriving and can still improve
Edge
Key stat: 36 pressures, 3.0 sacks since Aidan Hutchinson’s injuryDetroit had a vision for the defensive end position this season, and in the brief window we got to see it in action, it looked pretty damn good. Hutchinson was on an early path to Defensive Player of the Year consideration, racking up sacks and pressure at an absurd rate, while Marcus Davenport was crushing pockets the way coordinator Aaron Glenn desired.
But Davenport’s longstanding durability issues reared their ugly head early in the campaign, and Hutchinson caught the injury bug for the first time in his pro career, suffering a broken leg in Week 4.
Since those two went down, it’s been tough sledding. The pass-rush production has predictably plummeted, and the run defense has also suffered, as the Lions have rotated in a couple practice squad players trying to put a band-aid over the gaping wound.
The good news? Josh Paschal looks like he’s rounding the corner into a quality contributor, and reinforcements have arrived with the trade-deadline acquisition of accomplished veteran Za’Darius Smith. The depth remains a little shaky, but that’s a starting group you can live with.
Improvement from 2023:Hutchinson had clearly taken another step toward superstardom before his injury. Unfortunately, it won’t matter the rest of this season, unless he’s able to write the storybook ending of coming back for a Super Bowl appearance.
But Paschal’s development shouldn’t be ignored. He was at or below replacement level his first two seasons, but he’s embraced his physicality in his third season and it's showing up in the run game and with his ability to condense the pocket when the quarterback drops to pass.
Area for improvement: Last week’s game in Houston was a rebound performance for the run defense, but the team still needs to generate more pressure off the edge. Smith isn’t Hutchinson, but he can definitely add some much-needed juice.
Grade: B (carried by Hutchinson’s Herculean efforts the first five games)
Defensive tackle
Key stat: Alim McNeill’s pace after nine games: 59 QB pressures, 6.5 sacksDetroit similarly had a vision for the interior of its defensive line, but that’s come closer to matching reality.
McNeill has taken another step forward with his performance, particularly his ability to affect the quarterback. Meanwhile, fellow 2021 draft pick, Levi Onwuzurike, has been one of the best stories on the roster, not just because he’s finally healthy, but because he’s producing at a level no one could have imagined with 27 QB pressures. Finally, DJ Reader, a top addition through free agency, has been solid with absorbing double teams coming off last year’s torn quad. That's helped create more opportunities for his teammates.
The Lions could use a little more juice further down the depth chart. Rookie Mekhi Wingo plays with effort, but the adjustment to the level of competition is ongoing for the undersized lineman. Meanwhile, the contributions of veterans Kyle Peko and Pat O’Connor to round out the rotation have been replacement-level, at best, although the latter is trending up with a sack and TFL in the last game.
It would be nice if the team could squeeze anything out of Brodric Martin in his second season. He’s nearing a return from a hyperextended knee that’s sidelined him since training camp.
Improvement from 2023:McNeill and Onwuzurike have pushed the team's interior pass-rush production to another level.
Area for improvement: The Lions could use more reliability from its depth to take some of the load off the starters. McNeill and Onwuzurike have each been asked to play more than 400 defensive snaps through nine games.
Grade: A-
Linebacker
Key stat: 18 missed tacklesThe best way to describe Detroit’s linebacking corps is they’ve been sound. For the first time in three seasons, someone other than Alex Anzalone is on pace to lead the team in tackles. It’s not particularly close at the halfway point as Jack Campbell has 18 more stops through nine games.
What you like to see is the overall capitalization on opportunities. The collective is on pace to miss 22% fewer tackles in 2024. They’ve also combined for 14 tackles behind the line of scrimmage after 17 a year ago.
The season-ending loss of Derrick Barnes was a devastating blow. He wasn't racking up gaudy stats, but his versatility and execution were on another level this year. The silver lining is the injury has opened the door for Malcolm Rodriguez and Trevor Nowaske to earn expanded roles and both have performed well in their opportunities.
Improvement from 2023: The missed tackles are key, especially when you consider the group is on pace for 22% more stops this season. That's a Pro Football Focus metric that constitutes causing a defensive failure.
Area for improvement: The group’s success rate when blitzing is sharply down in 2024. Anzalone racked up 30 QB pressures on 104 blitzes last year, but just six on 44 rushes in 2024. Also, we’re still waiting for Campbell to take a step forward in zone coverage. His awareness isn’t matching his more than 1,200 snaps of experience between the regular season and playoff playing time.
Grade: B+
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Justin Rogers - Detroit Football Network (Substack)
Lions midseason report - Defense (CB & S, Coaching)
It’s difficult to overstate how big of a problem Detroit’s cornerback play was last season. But that statement does require clarity. Rookie nickel Brian Branch was excellent. The primary issue was the play of the outside options.
That led to the much-discussed offseason overhaul of the position group, headlined by a trade for Carlton Davis, the signing of Amik Robertson in free agency, and the selections of Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw in the first two rounds of the draft.
Stylistically, the man-to-man prowess of the newcomers has allowed Glenn to lean into his schematic preferences. Davis, in particular, has been a godsend. After a slow start, he’s been outstanding in recent weeks, culminating in his two-interception performance against Houston last weekend. Going back to Week 4, he’s allowed just 50% of the passes thrown his direction to be completed.
Arnold earned the starting spot opposite the veteran and has predictably battled rookie inconsistency. There have been flashes of potential, paired with unshakable confidence, but he's dealt with standard struggles related to the enhanced speed of the pro game.
Robertson, meanwhile, took over the nickel job after Branch moved to safety. The veteran isn’t nearly as dynamic in the slot, but is aggressive and effective against the run, and he's gotten his hands on a few throws.
Improvement from 2023: Not only has the coverage been stickier, but the group, led by Davis, has been better in run support than the 2023 collective.
Area for improvement: Playing a heavy dose of man coverage tends to lead to more penalties, but Arnold leads NFL defenders in flags drawn, while Davis is tied for the second most.
Grade: B
It’s not hyperbolic to suggest Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph have been the NFL’s two best at their position. Joseph, with his outstanding range, instincts and hands, is a threat to intercept any ball in his vicinity. After snagging four picks each of his first two seasons, he’s already set a career-high and is tied for the league lead with six takeaways.
Branch is more of a do-everything playmaker with otherworldly read-and-react ability. In the same game, he’ll shoot a gap to drop a running back for a loss, break up a pass in man-to-man coverage, and disguise his intent in zone, baiting the quarterback into an interception.
The unique thing about the tandem is even though Joseph is clearly at his best patrolling center field and Branch thrives in the box, the two can seamlessly switch roles, adding an underappreciated layer of stress to a quarterback trying to get a read on the defense’s intent pre- and post-snap.
Improvement from 2023:Granting Branch an every-down role that allows him to move around the defense has unlocked the playmaking potential of Detroit’s defense. Additionally, Joseph has made under-the-radar strides as a tackler and reduced his risk-taking.
Area for improvement: No notes.
Grade: A+
It’s even more impressive when you consider the team has lost so much this season, including the heartbeat of the pass rush in Hutchinson and one of the defense's most versatile pieces in Barnes.
Through nine games, the team is allowing a paltry 19.0 points per game, is No. 1 on third down, No. 1 against the pass, and top-five in turnover generation and red-zone defense. Glenn has put himself firmly in contention to earn a head coaching job this offseason with this stellar performance.
Improvement from 2023:Almost everywhere, but the improvements against the pass, especially the takeaways, stands out above the rest.
Area for improvement: Despite bringing on a defensive line coach who specializes in stopping the run, the run defense has taken a step back in 2024.
After finishing near the top of the league last season, allowing 3.7 yards per carry, the Lions are currently middle of the pack, surrendering 4.4 yards per pop. Injuries to Hutchinson, Barnes and Davenport have been a big part of the problem, but it’s something where the unit needs to adjust and overcome down the stretch.
Grade: A
Lions midseason report - Defense (CB & S, Coaching)
Cornerback
Key stat: 62.3% completion percentage againstIt’s difficult to overstate how big of a problem Detroit’s cornerback play was last season. But that statement does require clarity. Rookie nickel Brian Branch was excellent. The primary issue was the play of the outside options.
That led to the much-discussed offseason overhaul of the position group, headlined by a trade for Carlton Davis, the signing of Amik Robertson in free agency, and the selections of Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw in the first two rounds of the draft.
Stylistically, the man-to-man prowess of the newcomers has allowed Glenn to lean into his schematic preferences. Davis, in particular, has been a godsend. After a slow start, he’s been outstanding in recent weeks, culminating in his two-interception performance against Houston last weekend. Going back to Week 4, he’s allowed just 50% of the passes thrown his direction to be completed.
Arnold earned the starting spot opposite the veteran and has predictably battled rookie inconsistency. There have been flashes of potential, paired with unshakable confidence, but he's dealt with standard struggles related to the enhanced speed of the pro game.
Robertson, meanwhile, took over the nickel job after Branch moved to safety. The veteran isn’t nearly as dynamic in the slot, but is aggressive and effective against the run, and he's gotten his hands on a few throws.
Improvement from 2023: Not only has the coverage been stickier, but the group, led by Davis, has been better in run support than the 2023 collective.
Area for improvement: Playing a heavy dose of man coverage tends to lead to more penalties, but Arnold leads NFL defenders in flags drawn, while Davis is tied for the second most.
Grade: B
Safety
Key stat: 10 interceptionsIt’s not hyperbolic to suggest Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph have been the NFL’s two best at their position. Joseph, with his outstanding range, instincts and hands, is a threat to intercept any ball in his vicinity. After snagging four picks each of his first two seasons, he’s already set a career-high and is tied for the league lead with six takeaways.
Branch is more of a do-everything playmaker with otherworldly read-and-react ability. In the same game, he’ll shoot a gap to drop a running back for a loss, break up a pass in man-to-man coverage, and disguise his intent in zone, baiting the quarterback into an interception.
The unique thing about the tandem is even though Joseph is clearly at his best patrolling center field and Branch thrives in the box, the two can seamlessly switch roles, adding an underappreciated layer of stress to a quarterback trying to get a read on the defense’s intent pre- and post-snap.
Improvement from 2023:Granting Branch an every-down role that allows him to move around the defense has unlocked the playmaking potential of Detroit’s defense. Additionally, Joseph has made under-the-radar strides as a tackler and reduced his risk-taking.
Area for improvement: No notes.
Grade: A+
Coaching
Essentially running a daycare (along with on-field assistant Alex Anzlaone) his first year on the job, Glenn’s group took a thrashing in 2021, allowing the second-most points in the league. Improvement was slow and steady the next two seasons, but all that time invested into developing young talent, paired with some key veteran additions (Davis, Robertson, Reader) has Detroit’s defense performing at its highest levels since 2014.It’s even more impressive when you consider the team has lost so much this season, including the heartbeat of the pass rush in Hutchinson and one of the defense's most versatile pieces in Barnes.
Through nine games, the team is allowing a paltry 19.0 points per game, is No. 1 on third down, No. 1 against the pass, and top-five in turnover generation and red-zone defense. Glenn has put himself firmly in contention to earn a head coaching job this offseason with this stellar performance.
Improvement from 2023:Almost everywhere, but the improvements against the pass, especially the takeaways, stands out above the rest.
Area for improvement: Despite bringing on a defensive line coach who specializes in stopping the run, the run defense has taken a step back in 2024.
After finishing near the top of the league last season, allowing 3.7 yards per carry, the Lions are currently middle of the pack, surrendering 4.4 yards per pop. Injuries to Hutchinson, Barnes and Davenport have been a big part of the problem, but it’s something where the unit needs to adjust and overcome down the stretch.
Grade: A
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
Well that escalated quickly.
whoknew
Footballguy
Out 6-8 weeks. Dammit.
Should be back (or close) for the playoffs.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Anzalone timeline is either at SF Week 17 or first playoff game.
Most points scored in three consecutive regular season home games | NFL history
This is the first time the Lions have started a season 9-1.
In 1934, the year they relocated to Detroit, they started 10-0.
Six Lion teams - most recently 2023 - have a started a season 8-2. Interestingly, only one of those teams won an NFL Title (the 1953 repeat team.)
Most points scored in three consecutive regular season home games | NFL history
- 180 Los Angeles Rams (1950)
- 163 Los Angeles Rams (1950)
- 149 San Francisco 49ers (1949, AAFC)
- 146 Detroit Lions (2024)
- 146 Green Bay Packers (2014)
- 144 Los Angeles Rams (1980)
This is the first time the Lions have started a season 9-1.
In 1934, the year they relocated to Detroit, they started 10-0.
Six Lion teams - most recently 2023 - have a started a season 8-2. Interestingly, only one of those teams won an NFL Title (the 1953 repeat team.)
| Rk | Team | Span Started | Span Ended | W | G | Final Record | Rank | Postseason | G | W | L | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DET | 1934-09-23 | 1934-11-18 | 10 | 10 | 10-3 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2 | DET | 2023-09-07 | 2023-11-19 | 8 | 10 | 12-5 | 1 | Division Champ | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| 3 | DET | 1962-09-16 | 1962-11-18 | 8 | 10 | 11-3 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | |
| 4 | DET | 1956-09-30 | 1956-12-02 | 8 | 10 | 9-3 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | |
| 5 | DET | 1954-09-26 | 1954-12-05 | 8 | 10 | 9-2-1 | 1 | Division Champ | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | DET | 1953-09-27 | 1953-11-26 | 8 | 10 | 10-2 | 1 | Division Champ | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| 7 | PRT | 1931-09-13 | 1931-11-08 | 8 | 10 | 11-3 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
The Lions have produced two games with 7 TDs and 50 points in a season for the first time in franchise history.
Kerby Joseph has produced an INT in 7 of the first 10 games of the season.
The last Lions player to record a pick in 7 of the first 10 games of a season was Bob Smith in 1949.
Over his last eight games, Lions QB Jared Goff has produced a completion percentage of 77.5% and a passer rating of 131.0.
This marks the highest completion percentage in any eight-game span in NFL history while his passer rating ranks seventh.
(with a 5 INT game in there lol)
The Lions are the 4th team in NFL history to produce 52+ points in consecutive home games, joining the:
The only teams in NFL history to allow 1 passing TD or less and intercept at least 1 pass in each of the first 10 games of a season:
With their 52-6 victory today, the Lions are the third team in the Super Bowl era with three wins of 35+ points in their first 10 games of a season.
They join the 1973 Falcons and 1969 Vikings.
Thru the first 10 games of any season in team history, the 2024 Lions rank:
Today, the Lions set single-game franchise records in:
The Lions have produced three-straight winning seasons for the first time since 1993-95.
The Lions have totaled 30 wins over the last three seasons, their most in any three-season span in franchise history.
Since Halloween 2022, Detroit's record:
29-8-0 in the last 37 regular season games ties the best mark in franchise history (4 overlapping spans between Nov 1951 to Nov 1954 also were 29-8 stretches.)
This is the first 8 game winning streak in a season since 1934.
Amon-Ra St Brown is the third player in franchise history to post a game with at least 10 receptions, 150 receiving yards and two receiving TDs.
He joins Brett Perriman (1995) and Cloyce Box (1950).
Kerby Joseph has 15-career INTs.
This ties for the most INTs a Lions player has logged through the first three-seasons of a player's career since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger.
Joseph is the first Lions player since James Hunter in 1976 to produce 7 INTs and a pick-six in a season.
Absolutely INCREDIBLE
Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery and Amon-Ra St. Brown all scored TD in the same game for the Lions for the 8th time.
That is the MOST instances of a trio of teammates doing so in NFL HISTORY.
Detroit is 8-0 In those games.
The Lions have scored 6+ TDs in three-straight home games for the first time in franchise history.
The Lions have also scored 42+ points in three-straight home games, tying the franchise record-long streak, which was done in 1952.
ARSB is now tied for the third-most 100-yard receiving games (18) in franchise history.
The first seven TD receptions of Lions WR Jameson Williams' career have all been on catches of 30+ yards.
The last NFL player whose first seven-career receiving TDs were on 30+ yard plays was JJ Birden (1990-1992).
WR Jameson Williams has three TD receptions of 50+ yards this season.
This ties for the third-most in a season in franchise history and are the most since Calvin Johnson had three in 2013.
The Lions have scored a rushing TD in 24 straight games, including the postseason, the longest streak in NFL history.
Their streak of 21 straight regular-season games with a rushing TD is tied with the 1974-76 Dolphins for the 3rd-longest ever.
ARSB has 29-career receiving TDs, the 3rd-most any Lions player has had through four-career seasons.
It also ties Roy Williams for the 9th-most receiving TDs in franchise history overall.
The Lions recorded 19 first downs by halftime, the most for the team in a first half since at least 1991 when the stat was first tracked.
Kerby Joseph has produced an INT in 7 of the first 10 games of the season.
The last Lions player to record a pick in 7 of the first 10 games of a season was Bob Smith in 1949.
Over his last eight games, Lions QB Jared Goff has produced a completion percentage of 77.5% and a passer rating of 131.0.
This marks the highest completion percentage in any eight-game span in NFL history while his passer rating ranks seventh.
(with a 5 INT game in there lol)
The Lions are the 4th team in NFL history to produce 52+ points in consecutive home games, joining the:
- 2014 Packers
- 1966 Cowboys
- 1950 Rams
The only teams in NFL history to allow 1 passing TD or less and intercept at least 1 pass in each of the first 10 games of a season:
- 2024 Lions
- 1985 Eagles
- 1984 Broncos
- 1939 Giants
With their 52-6 victory today, the Lions are the third team in the Super Bowl era with three wins of 35+ points in their first 10 games of a season.
They join the 1973 Falcons and 1969 Vikings.
Thru the first 10 games of any season in team history, the 2024 Lions rank:
- 1st in points scored (336)
- 1st in TDs (42)
- 2nd in point differential (+159)
- 2nd in first downs (228)
- T-3rd in rushing TDs (18)
- T-3rd in passing TDs (22)
- 4th in total net yards (3,947)
Today, the Lions set single-game franchise records in:
- margin of win (+46)
- total net yards (644)
- total first downs (38)
The Lions have produced three-straight winning seasons for the first time since 1993-95.
The Lions have totaled 30 wins over the last three seasons, their most in any three-season span in franchise history.
Since Halloween 2022, Detroit's record:
- 2022 8-2
- 2023 14-6
- 2024 9-1
29-8-0 in the last 37 regular season games ties the best mark in franchise history (4 overlapping spans between Nov 1951 to Nov 1954 also were 29-8 stretches.)
This is the first 8 game winning streak in a season since 1934.
Amon-Ra St Brown is the third player in franchise history to post a game with at least 10 receptions, 150 receiving yards and two receiving TDs.
He joins Brett Perriman (1995) and Cloyce Box (1950).
Kerby Joseph has 15-career INTs.
This ties for the most INTs a Lions player has logged through the first three-seasons of a player's career since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger.
Joseph is the first Lions player since James Hunter in 1976 to produce 7 INTs and a pick-six in a season.
Absolutely INCREDIBLE
Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery and Amon-Ra St. Brown all scored TD in the same game for the Lions for the 8th time.
That is the MOST instances of a trio of teammates doing so in NFL HISTORY.
Detroit is 8-0 In those games.
The Lions have scored 6+ TDs in three-straight home games for the first time in franchise history.
The Lions have also scored 42+ points in three-straight home games, tying the franchise record-long streak, which was done in 1952.
ARSB is now tied for the third-most 100-yard receiving games (18) in franchise history.
The first seven TD receptions of Lions WR Jameson Williams' career have all been on catches of 30+ yards.
The last NFL player whose first seven-career receiving TDs were on 30+ yard plays was JJ Birden (1990-1992).
WR Jameson Williams has three TD receptions of 50+ yards this season.
This ties for the third-most in a season in franchise history and are the most since Calvin Johnson had three in 2013.
The Lions have scored a rushing TD in 24 straight games, including the postseason, the longest streak in NFL history.
Their streak of 21 straight regular-season games with a rushing TD is tied with the 1974-76 Dolphins for the 3rd-longest ever.
ARSB has 29-career receiving TDs, the 3rd-most any Lions player has had through four-career seasons.
It also ties Roy Williams for the 9th-most receiving TDs in franchise history overall.
The Lions recorded 19 first downs by halftime, the most for the team in a first half since at least 1991 when the stat was first tracked.
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BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Vikings TCB in Nashville, still only a game back, and the Packers blocked a FG on the last play of the game. Still gonna be tough to wrap up the North, have to stay focused.
John Maakaron | Nov 16, 2024
New Detroit Lions defensive end Za'Darius Smith did not take too long to realize why the team was currently on a seven-game winning streak and are among the favorites to win the Super Bowl this year.
Speaking with CBS-Detroit reporter Rachel Hopmayer this week, the 32-year-old revealed what he has learned in the one week he has spent in the locker room and out on the practice field.
Many new players joining the team have noticed that different practice habits deployed in Detroit, led by head coach Dan Campbell.
Smith quipped he already feels like he has already played a game, based on the intensity at practice.
"It's all about the attitude, man. I saw it here today at practice," said Smith. "When one guy had messed up on the play, it was like it was the end of the world. But that is what you want."
Smith commented further, "You want to have that to where the young guys know that when they come on the field, 'Hey, I can't make a mistake.' Throughout the nights and throughout the days, they can practice more. They can know exactly what their assignment is, so when they get out on the field, they know that coach, if you mess it up, coach is going to curse you out."
Advice for Aidan Hutchinson
The talented defensive end expressed he has already had conversations with Aidan Hutchinson and is sharing with him actions a defensive team captain should take to help boost team camaraderie.
"He likes to play cards. He is a card guy," said Smith. "All is love, man. Teaching him a couple of things with the camaraderie of the team. Some things to do. I know I have been a guy that when I had the (captain) patch on, I invite guys to my house on Thursday night, for Thursday Night Football. Just sprinkling a little bit of that stuff on him like, 'Bro, this is you bro. This is your defense.' You have to be doing that kind of stuff. Obviously, he is still young. He is going to grow as a player. Hopefully, I can be that light on him to help him grow as a player."
Za'Darius Smith: Dan Campbell Treats Mistakes Like 'End of the World'
Veteran defensive lineman shared what he has learned about Lions in his first week.John Maakaron | Nov 16, 2024
New Detroit Lions defensive end Za'Darius Smith did not take too long to realize why the team was currently on a seven-game winning streak and are among the favorites to win the Super Bowl this year.
Speaking with CBS-Detroit reporter Rachel Hopmayer this week, the 32-year-old revealed what he has learned in the one week he has spent in the locker room and out on the practice field.
Many new players joining the team have noticed that different practice habits deployed in Detroit, led by head coach Dan Campbell.
Smith quipped he already feels like he has already played a game, based on the intensity at practice.
"It's all about the attitude, man. I saw it here today at practice," said Smith. "When one guy had messed up on the play, it was like it was the end of the world. But that is what you want."
Smith commented further, "You want to have that to where the young guys know that when they come on the field, 'Hey, I can't make a mistake.' Throughout the nights and throughout the days, they can practice more. They can know exactly what their assignment is, so when they get out on the field, they know that coach, if you mess it up, coach is going to curse you out."
Advice for Aidan Hutchinson
The talented defensive end expressed he has already had conversations with Aidan Hutchinson and is sharing with him actions a defensive team captain should take to help boost team camaraderie.
"He likes to play cards. He is a card guy," said Smith. "All is love, man. Teaching him a couple of things with the camaraderie of the team. Some things to do. I know I have been a guy that when I had the (captain) patch on, I invite guys to my house on Thursday night, for Thursday Night Football. Just sprinkling a little bit of that stuff on him like, 'Bro, this is you bro. This is your defense.' You have to be doing that kind of stuff. Obviously, he is still young. He is going to grow as a player. Hopefully, I can be that light on him to help him grow as a player."
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Lions Embrace Ruthlessness with ‘Finish Your Food’ Mentality
Justin Rogers - Detroit Football Network
Detroit — Here’s what I learned bouncing around the Detroit Lions’ locker room following the team’s 52-6 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Finish them
The word of the day is ruthless. It might be my word choice, but is there one more applicable to what we watched on Sunday?
Part of the identity of this team is they don’t take their foot off the gas, playing relentlessly on both sides of the ball until the final whistle.
Let’s start with the offense, which continued to push the ball downfield and go for it on fourth down, despite having the game well in hand in the fourth quarter.
“The reality was that they’re a team who has (fewer) wins than us and we could have played down to our competition in some ways, and — not to disrespect them, they’re a hell of a squad — but, we wanted to play to our standard (of having a) nameless, faceless opponent,” quarterback Jared Goff said. “That’s not just them, that’s every week. I think we wanted to come out and stay on the gas the whole game, no matter what happened.
“If it had been a closer game, we still would have stayed on the gas,” Goff continued. “We talked about it all week, holding our standard. What is our standard, and exceeding it, and trying to push ourselves. So, regardless of our opponent, we did want to do that this week.”
The same ethos applies to Detroit's defense. Often, when a team gets up three scores, they’ll soften their coverage and allow some easy catches, trying to run out the clock.
Not this defense, run by a coordinator who preaches constant aggression.
“We are a reflection of our coaches, man,” cornerback Amik Robertson said. “Dan Campbell and (defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn) AG tell us all the time, 'Finish your food.' They harp on making sure guys don't score the ball on us because we feel like we are the best defense in the NFL.
“…They were just in the way, man.”
Even as the lead expanded to more than 30 points, the Lions continued to play most of their starters until the middle of the fourth quarter. Campbell said pulling the first-stringers can be a tricky decision.
“Normally this doesn’t happen,” Campbell said. “It’s just like the third time this has come up this season, which, it’s a good problem to have. There’re a number of things, and I think you want to know that you finish on a good note, you found a rhythm, you keep the rhythm. 'OK, now the time says, let’s get them out.'
“What’s hard is (when) you’re playing pretty good, and then you take this dip, and then it starts to taste bad,” Campbell said. “OK, now we pull them out because we don’t want to get anybody hurt, and then does that bleed into the next week. …So, some of those come in, and I think you’ve just got to feel it out.”
Another critical injury
Well before the team entertained pulling anyone, the Lions suffered another critical injury, losing linebacker and captain Alex Anzalone to a broken forearm.
The early projection from Campbell is Anzalone will miss 6-8 weeks. That means even more is going to fall on the plate of Jack Campbell down the stretch.
“I would say, with Alex, what he's meant to the team — he's just been with AG and Dan for so long — he's just meant so much to this organization,” Jack Campbell said.
“I don't know the extent of (the injury) yet, but I'm just praying for him and his family. I'm going to do everything in my power to make this team better each and every day.”
Jack Campbell finished with a team-high nine tackles and also split the team’s only sack.
Teammates are fully confident in his and the other remaining linebackers’ ability to step up.
“It's always hard losing a player like that, man,” Robertson said. “It's always hard. Of course, we probably don't have another Anz, but we've got younger guys who can step up and finish on a roll. If we've got guys out there playing for one another, I think we'll be fine.
“Jack is Jack, man,” Robertson continued. “We expect a lot from Jack, man. Jack seems to go out there and make plays every week. I don't expect anything less from Jack.”
Some questioned the Lions’ decision to roll into the year with seven linebackers, but arguably no group has been more decimated by injury. In addition to Anzalone, the team lost Derrick Barnes to a season-ending knee injury, recently placed Jalen Reeves-Maybin on injured reserve with a neck issue, and Malcolm Rodriguez returned Sunday after a two-game absence due to an ankle sprain.
Anzalone posted a message on Twitter/X after the game, choosing to take a glass-half-full approach to his situation.
“Thank you everyone for the well wishes!” Anzalone wrote. “As an athlete, a lot of times you think “Why did this have to happen?” But I like to think about all the countless reps something bad didn’t happen. I’m beyond blessed! I’ll be back in no time, fresh legs and all.”
Holstered weapon
For the second straight time against the Jaguars, and the third time of his career, Jack Fox didn’t have to punt. I asked him if he ever gets bored during these games.
“Nah, it's awesome,” Fox said. “We had like 600 yards of offense.”
Honestly, the reality is there's no time to get bored. Fox had to go out there to hold for eight kicks, and it’s not like you know while the game is going on that you won’t be called to execute your primary duty.
“You never expect you're not going to punt, so the whole game we're waiting,” Fox said. “We're really ready, as funny as that sounds. We're preparing ourselves throughout the game like we would in a game where we punt 10 times. Mentally, really, just making sure you stay locked in.”
Justin Rogers - Detroit Football Network
Detroit — Here’s what I learned bouncing around the Detroit Lions’ locker room following the team’s 52-6 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Finish them
The word of the day is ruthless. It might be my word choice, but is there one more applicable to what we watched on Sunday?
Part of the identity of this team is they don’t take their foot off the gas, playing relentlessly on both sides of the ball until the final whistle.
Let’s start with the offense, which continued to push the ball downfield and go for it on fourth down, despite having the game well in hand in the fourth quarter.
“The reality was that they’re a team who has (fewer) wins than us and we could have played down to our competition in some ways, and — not to disrespect them, they’re a hell of a squad — but, we wanted to play to our standard (of having a) nameless, faceless opponent,” quarterback Jared Goff said. “That’s not just them, that’s every week. I think we wanted to come out and stay on the gas the whole game, no matter what happened.
“If it had been a closer game, we still would have stayed on the gas,” Goff continued. “We talked about it all week, holding our standard. What is our standard, and exceeding it, and trying to push ourselves. So, regardless of our opponent, we did want to do that this week.”
The same ethos applies to Detroit's defense. Often, when a team gets up three scores, they’ll soften their coverage and allow some easy catches, trying to run out the clock.
Not this defense, run by a coordinator who preaches constant aggression.
“We are a reflection of our coaches, man,” cornerback Amik Robertson said. “Dan Campbell and (defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn) AG tell us all the time, 'Finish your food.' They harp on making sure guys don't score the ball on us because we feel like we are the best defense in the NFL.
“…They were just in the way, man.”
Even as the lead expanded to more than 30 points, the Lions continued to play most of their starters until the middle of the fourth quarter. Campbell said pulling the first-stringers can be a tricky decision.
“Normally this doesn’t happen,” Campbell said. “It’s just like the third time this has come up this season, which, it’s a good problem to have. There’re a number of things, and I think you want to know that you finish on a good note, you found a rhythm, you keep the rhythm. 'OK, now the time says, let’s get them out.'
“What’s hard is (when) you’re playing pretty good, and then you take this dip, and then it starts to taste bad,” Campbell said. “OK, now we pull them out because we don’t want to get anybody hurt, and then does that bleed into the next week. …So, some of those come in, and I think you’ve just got to feel it out.”
Another critical injury
Well before the team entertained pulling anyone, the Lions suffered another critical injury, losing linebacker and captain Alex Anzalone to a broken forearm.
The early projection from Campbell is Anzalone will miss 6-8 weeks. That means even more is going to fall on the plate of Jack Campbell down the stretch.
“I would say, with Alex, what he's meant to the team — he's just been with AG and Dan for so long — he's just meant so much to this organization,” Jack Campbell said.
“I don't know the extent of (the injury) yet, but I'm just praying for him and his family. I'm going to do everything in my power to make this team better each and every day.”
Jack Campbell finished with a team-high nine tackles and also split the team’s only sack.
Teammates are fully confident in his and the other remaining linebackers’ ability to step up.
“It's always hard losing a player like that, man,” Robertson said. “It's always hard. Of course, we probably don't have another Anz, but we've got younger guys who can step up and finish on a roll. If we've got guys out there playing for one another, I think we'll be fine.
“Jack is Jack, man,” Robertson continued. “We expect a lot from Jack, man. Jack seems to go out there and make plays every week. I don't expect anything less from Jack.”
Some questioned the Lions’ decision to roll into the year with seven linebackers, but arguably no group has been more decimated by injury. In addition to Anzalone, the team lost Derrick Barnes to a season-ending knee injury, recently placed Jalen Reeves-Maybin on injured reserve with a neck issue, and Malcolm Rodriguez returned Sunday after a two-game absence due to an ankle sprain.
Anzalone posted a message on Twitter/X after the game, choosing to take a glass-half-full approach to his situation.
“Thank you everyone for the well wishes!” Anzalone wrote. “As an athlete, a lot of times you think “Why did this have to happen?” But I like to think about all the countless reps something bad didn’t happen. I’m beyond blessed! I’ll be back in no time, fresh legs and all.”
Holstered weapon
For the second straight time against the Jaguars, and the third time of his career, Jack Fox didn’t have to punt. I asked him if he ever gets bored during these games.
“Nah, it's awesome,” Fox said. “We had like 600 yards of offense.”
Honestly, the reality is there's no time to get bored. Fox had to go out there to hold for eight kicks, and it’s not like you know while the game is going on that you won’t be called to execute your primary duty.
“You never expect you're not going to punt, so the whole game we're waiting,” Fox said. “We're really ready, as funny as that sounds. We're preparing ourselves throughout the game like we would in a game where we punt 10 times. Mentally, really, just making sure you stay locked in.”
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
[continued from previous post]
A little push from your friend
On David Montgomery’s second touchdown run, a 6-yard effort in the second quarter, he was pushed the final one or two yards across the goal line by right tackle Penei Sewell.
I joking asked Sewell if he gets half-credit for the score. The response wasn’t nearly as playful.
“Oh, no, that was all him,” Sewell said. “I was doing my job, being there.”
Sewell was likely still locked in, even though the game had ended 15-20 minutes earlier. He was coming off a down performance against Houston the previous week and was a man on a mission Sunday.
“I took this one kind of personally,” Sewell said. “…I kind of had a mindset coming into this game of what I wanted to do and what I wanted to show the coaches, the team and everybody in the organization. I've got to watch the film, but I think I did that.”
The assist on the score wasn’t lost on Montgomery.
“It means everything, knowing the kind of guy he is,” Montgomery said. “He's already an elite player, but for him to be the guy giving his all, all the time, it shows he's elite beyond his physical abilities. It's a blessing to be able to run behind a guy like that.
“But I did feel that hit.”
Can’t believe he was caught
Montgomery scored twice against the Jaguars, while the other half of Detroit’s dynamic backfield duo, Jahmyr Gibbs, only got into the end zone once. That’s only because linebacker Ventrell Miller made a remarkable diving tackle in the open field on a swing pass Gibbs took 54 yards before he was tripped up.
“He was skating,” Gibbs said, still in disbelief he was caught. “On Jamo's touchdown, (Miller) was right behind him too, so I don't feel as bad. But Jamo scored, so I'm kind of behind. Good hustle by him, though.”
I asked Gibbs what he saw on the swing pass and what goes through his mind when he sees that much open space ahead of him.
“I said ‘ooh,’” Gibbs said, laughing. “I ran the route and nobody ran out there with me. Jamo did a good job blocking downfield, and (Amon-Ra St. Brown), too. I just didn't finish. That's on me.”
Fighting through the pain
The first starter the Lions pulled on Sunday was cornerback Carlton Davis. He was playing the contest with a cast on his left hand after breaking his thumb during Thursday’s practice.
Davis admitted he was in a lot of discomfort while playing the first half, but was trying to fight through the ailment for his teammates.
“I never got used to it,” Davis said about the club. “The break had just happened in practice on Thursday and I don't really feel like it had enough time to just heal as much as I would have liked it to. So it was weird. I was having pain the whole game and I was just trying to fight through it for my team, trying to be there, make sure my presence was felt.”
You know when you know
After scoring touchdowns on their first seven drives, I asked Sewell when he sensed the offense was having its way. The answer was different than I expected.
“I think it really depends on the second half, what you do coming out,” Sewell said. “That first drive, we knew we had the ball coming out. When we marched down and put the ball in the end zone there, you kind of have a sense.”
So even after racking up more than 300 yards of offense, and putting it in the end zone on all four possessions, it wasn’t until the team maintained its intensity after the break that Sewell was convinced.
I suppose it's a boost when even the opponent’s hypothetical adjustments can’t slow you down.
Greatest show on (Ford Field’s) turf
Detroit’s offense is on pace to break franchise records. They did some of that on the micro level on Sunday, setting a new bar for single-game yardage, racking up 645 yards of offense in the victory.
Within that, St. Brown set a new personal best with 161 receiving yards on 11 catches. And while he’s trying to appreciate what he’s experiencing while it's happening, he’s not going to allow himself to stop and smell the roses for more than a moment.
“It's really fun,” St. Brown said. “It's a lot of fun to be part of it. Looking back, probably a few years from now, I'm going to be able to say I was part of one of the best offenses the Lions maybe ever had.
“But we've got to keep going,” St. Brown said. “Now is not the time for me to sit down and really admire the offense I'm in. I'm in the thick of it. We have to keep trying to win games and move forward. …10 games left. I think that's the number.”
Within that, the Lions aren’t shying away from being looked at not only as the franchise’s best offenses, but one of the league’s.
“Yeah, we’ve got that capability, certainly,” Goff said. “We’ve got to do it for another. I don’t know how many games are left in the year now — eight, nine, regular season. Yeah, we got some work to do still, but we’ve certainly got that capability. I think that’s kind of been something we talked about in the offseason is history and how great we can be. We know the group we have, we know what our capabilities are, and today was a good example of that.”
A little push from your friend
On David Montgomery’s second touchdown run, a 6-yard effort in the second quarter, he was pushed the final one or two yards across the goal line by right tackle Penei Sewell.
I joking asked Sewell if he gets half-credit for the score. The response wasn’t nearly as playful.
“Oh, no, that was all him,” Sewell said. “I was doing my job, being there.”
Sewell was likely still locked in, even though the game had ended 15-20 minutes earlier. He was coming off a down performance against Houston the previous week and was a man on a mission Sunday.
“I took this one kind of personally,” Sewell said. “…I kind of had a mindset coming into this game of what I wanted to do and what I wanted to show the coaches, the team and everybody in the organization. I've got to watch the film, but I think I did that.”
The assist on the score wasn’t lost on Montgomery.
“It means everything, knowing the kind of guy he is,” Montgomery said. “He's already an elite player, but for him to be the guy giving his all, all the time, it shows he's elite beyond his physical abilities. It's a blessing to be able to run behind a guy like that.
“But I did feel that hit.”
Can’t believe he was caught
Montgomery scored twice against the Jaguars, while the other half of Detroit’s dynamic backfield duo, Jahmyr Gibbs, only got into the end zone once. That’s only because linebacker Ventrell Miller made a remarkable diving tackle in the open field on a swing pass Gibbs took 54 yards before he was tripped up.
“He was skating,” Gibbs said, still in disbelief he was caught. “On Jamo's touchdown, (Miller) was right behind him too, so I don't feel as bad. But Jamo scored, so I'm kind of behind. Good hustle by him, though.”
I asked Gibbs what he saw on the swing pass and what goes through his mind when he sees that much open space ahead of him.
“I said ‘ooh,’” Gibbs said, laughing. “I ran the route and nobody ran out there with me. Jamo did a good job blocking downfield, and (Amon-Ra St. Brown), too. I just didn't finish. That's on me.”
Fighting through the pain
The first starter the Lions pulled on Sunday was cornerback Carlton Davis. He was playing the contest with a cast on his left hand after breaking his thumb during Thursday’s practice.
Davis admitted he was in a lot of discomfort while playing the first half, but was trying to fight through the ailment for his teammates.
“I never got used to it,” Davis said about the club. “The break had just happened in practice on Thursday and I don't really feel like it had enough time to just heal as much as I would have liked it to. So it was weird. I was having pain the whole game and I was just trying to fight through it for my team, trying to be there, make sure my presence was felt.”
You know when you know
After scoring touchdowns on their first seven drives, I asked Sewell when he sensed the offense was having its way. The answer was different than I expected.
“I think it really depends on the second half, what you do coming out,” Sewell said. “That first drive, we knew we had the ball coming out. When we marched down and put the ball in the end zone there, you kind of have a sense.”
So even after racking up more than 300 yards of offense, and putting it in the end zone on all four possessions, it wasn’t until the team maintained its intensity after the break that Sewell was convinced.
I suppose it's a boost when even the opponent’s hypothetical adjustments can’t slow you down.
Greatest show on (Ford Field’s) turf
Detroit’s offense is on pace to break franchise records. They did some of that on the micro level on Sunday, setting a new bar for single-game yardage, racking up 645 yards of offense in the victory.
Within that, St. Brown set a new personal best with 161 receiving yards on 11 catches. And while he’s trying to appreciate what he’s experiencing while it's happening, he’s not going to allow himself to stop and smell the roses for more than a moment.
“It's really fun,” St. Brown said. “It's a lot of fun to be part of it. Looking back, probably a few years from now, I'm going to be able to say I was part of one of the best offenses the Lions maybe ever had.
“But we've got to keep going,” St. Brown said. “Now is not the time for me to sit down and really admire the offense I'm in. I'm in the thick of it. We have to keep trying to win games and move forward. …10 games left. I think that's the number.”
Within that, the Lions aren’t shying away from being looked at not only as the franchise’s best offenses, but one of the league’s.
“Yeah, we’ve got that capability, certainly,” Goff said. “We’ve got to do it for another. I don’t know how many games are left in the year now — eight, nine, regular season. Yeah, we got some work to do still, but we’ve certainly got that capability. I think that’s kind of been something we talked about in the offseason is history and how great we can be. We know the group we have, we know what our capabilities are, and today was a good example of that.”
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
I think at least part of it goes back to the NFC final game from last year. They didn't finish the game properly and some players were already celebrating a win at halftime. Not ever going to allow that to happen again, even in a less meaningful game like this.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Someone needs to explain to me when it's OK to stop playing hard.
Last night the Chargers kicked a FG at the end of the half, came out and drove for another FG, to stretch it out to 27-6. That wasn't enough.
Two years ago the Colts led the Vikings by 5 scores at halftime. 33-0. They lost in OT.
Back in the day, Houston beat Buffalo 27-3 in the final game fo the regular season. 7 days later, with the Bills being forced to start their backup QB, they led 35-3 in the 3rd quarter. Lost in OT.
If you start playing with the thought "Hey guys let's show Chris Christy we know how to be classy", how exactly would you then 40 minutes later try to motivate them to restart their engines because suddenly it's in peril?
It's an absurd complaint. Being lobbied against a team that probably lost 40 games in my lifetime because they started playing prevent defense with a big lead.
Last night the Chargers kicked a FG at the end of the half, came out and drove for another FG, to stretch it out to 27-6. That wasn't enough.
Two years ago the Colts led the Vikings by 5 scores at halftime. 33-0. They lost in OT.
Back in the day, Houston beat Buffalo 27-3 in the final game fo the regular season. 7 days later, with the Bills being forced to start their backup QB, they led 35-3 in the 3rd quarter. Lost in OT.
If you start playing with the thought "Hey guys let's show Chris Christy we know how to be classy", how exactly would you then 40 minutes later try to motivate them to restart their engines because suddenly it's in peril?
It's an absurd complaint. Being lobbied against a team that probably lost 40 games in my lifetime because they started playing prevent defense with a big lead.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Da Guru
Fair & Balanced
Knowing how Hutch's family operates and given he lives about 2 minutes away from mom and dad he probably watches TNF at his parents house.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
with both his sisters and his girlfriend
they're pretty tight
+ a ridiculously good looking family
King of the Jungle
Footballguy
I agree, it is fine until it is not.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Look both ways (twice) before you cross
Everyone was mad LaPorta got hurt Week 18
That was devastating for their deep-run-in-the-playoff chances!
Oh wait…
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
I wonder if three $10K fines + an ejection will cause Brian Branch to be a less aggressive tackler?
Never mind, found the answer.
Never mind, found the answer.
