**Lions at Cowboys (+3, 52.5) 4:25 (1 Viewer)

[BobbyLayne]

@FBG Moderator @Joe Bryant

Best Game of the Week?

There are several gams I am interested in this week, but in my biased opinion this is the best of the Sunday matchups.

"America's team" vs America's team

Detroit Lions vs Dallas Cowboys, 1:25 p.m., FOX
Announcers:
Kevin Burkhardt (play-by-play),
Tom Brady (analyst)

Week 6 referee assignment:​

Lions at Cowboys - John Hussey

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Give the points & take the over
(the above statement is for entertainment purposes only and should not construed as professional advice from an expert or seasoned gambler.)

Cowboys have the 27th ranked run defense. Sumtin’ sumtin’ injuries.

Detroit rushing attack versus Dallas depleted defense - Lions have the best OLine. Lions the best RB combo. Dallas is a run funnel (allegedly.)

Cowboys run [defense] has been better in their last two games, road wins versus the Giants and Steelers. Then again, they are coming off two games facing Devon Singletary and Najee Harris; collectively they have averaged 3.56 YPC with 2 TDs this season.

CeeDee versus the new look secondary - leading the league (or close to it) in penalties on their DBs. Them new guys are pretty grabby. They’ll also smack you in the mouth, & smile while they do.

Hutch is leading the league in pressures, sacks, effort. Man on a mission, wants that ring, early frontrunner for the DPotY (way too early but #factsare).

Sometime in the next year or so he’ll get a contract north of $120M. Stays healthy, has the career arc of a HoFer (way too early but #stubbornthings).

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4 Stats to Know for Detroit Lions vs Dallas Cowboys matchup, impact on Sunday's game

Detroit Lions vs Dallas Cowboys preview: Here are important stats to know for the NFL Week 6 matchup between the Lions vs Cowboys.

sportsnaut.com

​

• NFL Analysis

4 Stats to Know for Detroit Lions vs Dallas Cowboys matchup, impact on Sunday’s game​

NFL Week 6 marks the rematch of last season’s controversial game between the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys. One year after two of the best teams in the NFC went head to head, this week’s Lions vs Cowboys game feels a little different. It also projects to be one of the most fascinating games to watch on Sunday.

Detroit sits near the top of the NFL standings and is coming off the bye week with the team riding a wave of confidence into Week 5. There was even promising Lions news coming out of the bye, with head coach Dan Campbell revealing that Frank Ragnow (pectoral) and Brian Branch (illness) could return soon. On the other side, Dallas is coming off a nail-biting win but there are still major concerns with this team.

With all of that in mind, let’s dive into some stats you need to know for Sunday’s Lions vs Cowboys game and what they mean for a variety of matchups on the field.

15 – Dallas Cowboys’ opponents averaging 4+ YPC, 100+ YPG in the last 15 games​

Plenty has been made of the Cowboys’ run defense this season and in the second half of the 2023 campaign. There’s an argument to be made that the last two weeks – 59 rush ypg and 2.4 yards per carry average – are a sign of improvement. We tend to believe that’s more of an indictment on Devin Singletary (Week 4) and Najee Harris (Week 5), especially with a larger sample size.

• Dallas Cowboys run defense (last 15 games): 123.8 rush ypg allowed (1,857 rushing yards), 18 rushing touchdowns, 4.35 yards per carry average

Over the last 15 games, including the NFC Wild Card loss to the Green Bay Packers, 10 Cowboys’ opponents have averaged at least 4 yards per carry with 100-plus rushing yards. In that same span, Dallas allowed three games of 190-plus rushing yards and seven with their opponents averaging at least 4.5 yards per carry.

The advanced stats this season, especially with the context of this Lions vs Cowboys matchup, look even worse for Dallas. Entering Week 6, the Lions rank third in ESPN run-block win rate (74 percent) while the Cowboys are 30th in run-stop win rate (29 percent). Highlighting the discrepancy another way, per RBSDM.com, Dallas is allowing the fourth-highest Rush Success Rate (46.2 percent) this season and Detroit boasts the second-highest Rush Success Rate (50.8 percent). Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery should feast.

4.33 – CeeDee Lamb’s yards per route run vs man coverage​

It’s been a slow start to the 2024 season for CeeDee Lamb, who became one of the highest-paid NFL players just before Week 1. Heading into Sunday’s matchup, the Cowboys’ wideout ranks ninth in receiving yards (378), 15th in receptions (25) and 23rd in receiving touchdowns (2).

However, Week 6 could provide a path to a bounce-back season. According to Pro Football Focus, Lamb averages the second-highest yards per route run (4.33) in the NFL just behind Justin Jefferson. He’s also pulled in the seventh-most targets (nine) versus man coverage with the fifth-highest yards per reception (26).

That matters because Detroit loves to play man coverage. Among all qualified NFL cornerbacks, per PFF, Carlton Davis III (79 snaps in man, fourth-most in NFL), Terrion Arnold (74 snaps in man, seventh-most in NFL) and Amik Robertson (55 snaps in man, 21st in NFL) all play that coverage scheme heavily. Dallas doesn’t have a lot of advantages in this matchup, but this is one it can exploit.

70.3 – Jared Goff’s QB rating vs pressure​

It’s a tale as old as time and one of the biggest reasons why Jared Goff has statistically been one of the 10 best quarterbacks in the NFL over the last two years. Goff has always struggled versus pressure, ranking near the bottom of the league in QB rating and TD-INT rate when under duress. In a clean pocket, behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, he thrives.

• Jared Goff stats vs pressure (PFF): 70.3 QB rating, 0% Big-Time Throw rate, 2.2% Turnover-Worthy Play rate, 63.5% completion rate, 7.3 ypa, 1-2 TD-INT
• Jared Goff stats vs clean pocket (PFF): 104.4 QB rating, 3.3% Big-Time Throw rate, 4.2% Turnover-Worthy Play rate, 73.6% completion rate, 8.5 ypa, 4-2 TD-INT

It’s part of the reason why he struggled last season against Dallas. In Week 16 against the Cowboys, Goff completed just 55.9% percent of his attempts with 2 interceptions and a 67.2 QB rating. However, Dallas is now without DeMarcus Lawrence, Marshawn Kneeland and potentially Micah Parsons. Considering the Lions’ offensive line has allowed the fourth-fewest pressures (33) in the NFL, Goff’s jersey should be kept clean.

27 – Pressures allowed this season by the Dallas Cowboys offensive tackles​

Once a strength of this team, the Cowboys’ offensive line is taking a massive step backward in 2024. While the interior is holding up fairly well, rookie left tackle Tyler Guyton and veteran right tackle Terence Steele have had massive issues in pass protection this season. Needless to say, that’s a problem against Detroit.

Aidan Hutchinson, who has played roughly 70 percent of his snaps lined up against the right tackle in the last two weeks, enters Sunday leading the NFL in sacks (6.5) even coming off the bye. He also leads all edge rushers in ESPN pass-rush win rate (34 percent). Steele, who Hutchinson will primarily line up against, has allowed the seventh-most pressures (14) among starting offensive tackles and the eighth-most sacks (three). Guyton, who is questionable with a knee injury, has allowed the second-most sacks (four) this year. Dallas will need to throw all the extra help it can to keep Prescott upright.

 

[BobbyLayne]

Dallas Morning News

5 things to know about the Detroit Lions, the Dallas Cowboys’ Week 6 opponent​

The Lions offense and quarterback Jared Goff are firing on all cylinders coming into Dallas.​

1. Offense firing on all cylinders​

The Cowboys will look to win their first home game of the season when they host the Detroit Lions at AT&T Stadium on Sunday. The Cowboys (3-2) and Lions (3-1) met in Week 17 of last season, and Dallas won 20-19 in a nail-biter. What should Dallas look out for regarding its next opponent? Here are five things to know about the Lions:
Made in Detroit, this offense is exciting, modern and explosive. The Lions, coming off a bye week, have the third-best offense in the NFL averaging 397 total yards per game on 245.8 passing and 151.3 rushing. The Lions score an average of 26 points per game. The Lions have won their last two games. The Cowboys lead the series against the Lions with a 19-12-0 record. Since 1963, the Lions have visited the Cowboys 16 times for a 3-13 record on Texan soil.

2. Shaky defense​

The passing defense is the Achilles heel of this team that fell one win short of playing in the Super Bowl last season. Detroit ranks 21st in the league in total defense, allowing an average of 349 yards per game. Their passing defense is particularly vulnerable, with 258.3 yards allowed per game, while on the ground, they allow 90.8 yards, which is the fourth-best in the NFL. The Lions’ defense allows 5.5 yards per play, which puts a lot of pressure on this unit when it comes to stopping opposing offenses. Detroit’s defense averages 2.8 sacks per game, 14th in the league.

3. Luxury quarterback​

Jared Goff led the Lions franchise to its first NFC title game since 1991 last season and the team rewarded him in the offseason with a contract extension worth $212 million over four years, including $170 million guaranteed. The deal made Goff, who will be 34 when it expires in 2028, the highest-paid player in franchise history. In his fourth year with Detroit, Goff is on pace to have his best season since he came to the NFL with the LA Rams in 2016. He has 1,068 yards passing in just four games this season, on pace to break his career-best mark of 4,688 in 2018. Goff has five TD passes, although he has already been intercepted four times. Goff has completed 71% of his pass attempts. He has started 52 games for the Lions with a 27-24-1 record.

4. Commanding voice​

In his first season (2021) as head coach, the Lions had a 3-13-1 record. Few imagined Dan Campbell could turn around this franchise that fell to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC title game last season. In his third year at the helm, Campbell directed the Lions to a historic season, finishing the regular season with a 12-5 record that tied the single-season franchise record for wins in a season. The team went on to clinch their first division championship since 1993. Few remember that Campbell was head coach of the Miami Dolphins for 12 games in the 2015 season with a 5-7 record, replacing Joe Philbin. Campbell has a 27-27-1 record coaching the Lions.
Related:Lions’ Dan Campbell is another success story from Bill Parcells’ Cowboys coaching tree

5. Oh no, oh no​

Detroit and Dallas often make referees work overtime by picking up yellow flags all over the field. The Lions were flagged for the fifth-most penalties in the league through the first four weeks of the season. They were flagged for a season-high 12 for 101 yards in their Week 4 win against Seattle. The defense has been responsible for 20 of the 31 accepted penalties. The Lions have been penalized for 307 yards in four games, 15th in the league. With one more game played, the Cowboys, the fourth-most penalized team in the league, have committed 43 penalties that have cost them 331 yards.

 

[BobbyLayne]

Detroit Free Press
everyone's least favorite beat writer, Carlos Monarrez

Dan Campbell's Detroit Lions don't need controlled fury in Dallas Cowboys rematch​

Less than 48 hours after he lost a huge game to the Dallas Cowboys that he thought he had won last December, Dan Campbell was spitting fire.
After an ineligible-receiver reporting kerfuffle that will live in Detroit Lions lore for the rest of time — one that turned backup tackle Dan Skipper into a martyred folk hero, part Joan of Arc and part Paul Bunyan — Campbell spoke in Allen Park on New Year’s Day.

The Lions coach had barely had two mornings to process the 20-19 loss on prime-time television in Dallas that you’ll never be able to convince any Lions fan that the biased NFL, through its crooked cabal of zebra henchmen, didn’t steal from them.

So Campbell spoke of having “controlled fury” and using “pure octane” in his blood. He would use it, all of it, as fuel to power his team into the playoffs, where he expected a rematch with the likely second-seeded Cowboys.

Of course, the Cowboys did Cowboys things in the playoffs and strangely didn’t get more help from the NFL while losing their playoff opener to Green Bay. That denied us the most anticipated rematch since at least Rocky Balboa vs. Apollo Creed, Godzilla vs. King Kong, and Bob Barker vs. Happy Gilmore.

Now, 10 months later, it’s finally here. Sunday in Dallas. Fox’s national game of the week. The Lions vs. the Cowboys (and probably the refs). And yes, Campbell still has that controlled fury and octane pumping through him.

“Well, that never really leaves,” he said with a smile. “But yeah, I’m excited. I’m excited for this one.

“And really, look, it’s the next one in front of us and it’s a conference opponent and they’ve had our number for a while and I grew up down there, so I have a lot of people there. I think it’ll be a special game. National television, 4 o’clock, which that’s awesome.”

The only tiny, little, miniscule problem: I’m not sure I believe Campbell. Of course he’ll be ready to go and spitting fire on the sidelines once the game arrives. But on Monday, he wasn’t anything close to being as charged up and emotional as he was 10 months ago.

How could he be? All the time that has passed is one thing. But the sweetest revenge the Lions could have asked for was advancing in the playoffs, with Campbell taking this franchise to a place it has rarely been, while America’s Team was left wondering if it even has the best coach in Texas.

The irony is that now, after all the fury that followed the failed 2-point conversion all that time ago, Campbell might have to reach back and access just the right amount of animus because the Lions are the better team with a lot less to prove than the Cowboys.

So I asked Campbell if it’s better when a team plays with less emotion or if it’s a concern when it plays with too much of it?

“You’ve got to keep your head about you, no matter what it is,” he said. “And I think each game — look, you can always find something. To me, you always find a nugget, it doesn’t matter who you’re playing. There are reasons behind why you want to win them, and you find what those are and they’re different every week.”

Campbell also made sure he touched on the basic table stakes of playing disciplined football with good fundamentals. Of course the Lions will do exactly that, because Campbell is an excellent coach who doesn’t tolerate freelancing psychos on his team.

In fact, it goes even further than discipline and fundamentals with Campbell. It goes to a higher place of consciousness located in an area of the mind that’s usually accessed only by Shaolin monks. And thus Campbell said Monday that his team found a way to turn that devastating loss to Dallas into an edifying experience.

“Well, I think everything that happens during a season makes you or breaks you,” he said. “And that was just another one of the things that I felt like happened that we had to overcome, and we grew from, and I do think it helped us.”

He also credited the lessons learned from victory. But any good coach or athlete, in private honesty, will tell you they learn more from losses than wins. It’s exactly what allowed the Lions to thump the Vikings the next week and get on a roll in the playoffs.

“I mean, these guys are pros,” Campbell said. “They understand how to bounce back and how to correct the issues. They don’t go in the tank, they don’t freak out. You just put the work in, clean it up.”

I would expect nothing less. Just as I would expect this to be a good game, worthy of all the anticipation.

Oh, yes. And I would expect one more thing from Campbell and the Lions on Sunday: Skip the subterfuge on the first offensive play of the game so the refs can clearly and correctly announce which offensive tackle is an eligible receiver.

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Pride of Detroit

Wednesday injury report: Frank Ragnow, Brian Branch return​

Lions News: ESPN details Jameson Williams'’ ‘complicated’ journey​

Dan Campbell tells great story of Frank Ragnow’s toughness​

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Detroit Football Network
my favorite Detroit Lions beat writer, Justin Rogers

Lions 3-1 at the bye: A lot of positives with plenty of room to grow ahead ​

(30 minute podcast - breakdown of all three units at the quarter pole)​

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ALL 22 Films:

ARE AARON GLENN'S DEFENSIVE COVERAGES SUSTAINABLE ? LIONS COVERAGE BREAKDOWN - WK 6 #lions
(40 minute analysis - that channel is the best schematic breakdown of Detroit's schemes IMO)

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[BobbyLayne]

When Dan Campbell is coming off a bye week - or a Thanksgiving/Thursday Night Football - the team holds padded practices on Tuesday, day off on Wednesday, finish the installs on Thursday, Red Zone and special circumstances/plays on Friday.

On their day off yesterday, Amon-Ra St Brown and several other players were part of the record crowd of 44,885 at Comerica Park to support the city's other cats. The Tigers beat the Guardians 3-0 to take a 2-1 lead in a series I *think* is called the Divisional Round. They won the Wild Card 2 g to 0, and if they close it out today, they move on to the ALCS. Championship, right?

PRACTICE REPORTS

Dallas Cowboys
Table - Injury report

Player	Position	Injury	Wed	Thu	Fri	Game Status
Markquese Bell	S	Illnes	DNP			(-)
DaRon Bland	CB	Foot	FP			(-)
Caelen Carson	CB	Shoulder	FP			(-)
Trevon Diggs	CB	Ankle	FP			(-)
Tyler Guyton	T	Knee	FP			(-)
Eric Kendricks	LB	Calf/Shoulder	DNP			(-)
Marist Liufau	LB	Quad	FP			(-)
Zack Martin	G	NIR-Rest	DNP			(-)
Nick Vigil	ILB	Foot	DNP			(-)
Micah Parsons	LB	Ankle	DNP			(-)

Detroit Lions
Table - Injury report

Player	Position	Injury	Wed*	Thu	Fri	Game Status
Brian Branch	DB	Illness	FP			(-)
Christian Mahogany	G	Ilness	FP			(-)
Frank Ragnow	C	Pectoral	FP			(-)

*estimate; Lions practiced Tuesday and had Wednesday off, as is their custom coming off a bye week.​

Legend​

• Practice Status
  • DNP - Did not participate in practice
  • LP - Limited participation in practice
  • FP - Full participation
  • (-) - Not listed
• Game Status
  • Out - Player will not play
  • Doubtful - Player is unlikely to play
  • Questionable - Player is not certain to play
  • (-) - Not listed

 

[BobbyLayne]

Note to Lions fans WRT Mahogany - after contracting mononucleosis prior to TC, the Lions 6th round rookie G went on the NFI to give him a month long runway of conditioning and lifting. His 3 week practice window is now open.

He lost a significant amount of weight when he was sick. MCDC said yesterday there is a possibility he does not get activated his rookie year, but that is yet to be determined. Asked his first impression from Tuesday's practice in pads, Campbell said " Welp...he looked like that was his first day of practice. It’s like his first practice and it’s his first NFL practice, which you would expect."

There is no guarantee he will be elevated to the 53-man this year.

 

[FairWarning]

A rested Detroit OL should push the Dallas D all over.

 

[BobbyLayne]

On Thursdays, One Pride hears from the three coordinators.

Coordinator recap: Glenn out on practicing in oven mitts; Johnson won't game plan around completion record​

JUSTIN ROGERS OCT 10

Allen Park — If there's an area irking Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn during a bye-week evaluation of his unit, it's the number of penalties they've committed through four games.

The issues are most glaring in the secondary, where the Lions have been flagged nine times for pass interference and drawn three more for defensive holding. All dozen infractions belong to starting cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Carlton Davis III.

But the counter to those struggles is the Lions are getting more hands on throws than any other time under Glenn. Only the Minnesota Vikings are averaging more pass defenses per game than the six the Lions have racked up.

And the more Glenn thinks about it, it’s a balance he can live with while continually working to reduce penalties.

“That’s something that we’ve emphasized and I’ve wanted here for a long time,” Glenn said about the pass breakups. “I know a lot of times that can be back and forth because now; when you’re not challenging, then you’re playing too soft, when you are challenging, you’re getting those (breakups). So, the thing is, I’m going to ride with the fact that our guys are out there challenging and we’re going to continue to do what we do. Now, we’re going to get better at these penalties also, and our guys know that.”

Glenn said the corners will continue to hone their skills through one-on-one reps in practice, but one strategy is off the table; putting the defensive backs in oven mitts that restrict their ability to grab.

“Listen, I was a part of that (as a player),” Glenn said. “I forgot when it was, but you don’t play with oven mitts on, so I don’t want to put oven mitts on guys.”

Strategy regret​

At the end of the first half against Seattle, when the Seahawks lined up for a 62-yard field goal, the Lions placed cornerback Khalil Dorsey under the crossbar to field a potentially short kick. That’s how things played out, but Dorsey was only able to bring it back to the 22-yard line before he was stopped.

Dorsey has returned kicks previously for the Lions, but special teams coordinator Dave Fipp wished he had planned better and got one of the team’s dynamic offensive weapons in position to handle a missed kick.

Fipp noted the running clock, a lack of timeouts and not wanting to draw a penalty that would have moved Seattle 5 yards closer were all factors, but he ideally would have had Kalif Raymond, Jameson Williams or Jahmyr Gibbs back deep.

“Any one of those guys would be a good option,” Fipp said. “And I think highly of Dorsey and think he can do a good job too, so it’s not like I felt like we had somebody back there that I didn’t believe in. But there was probably other options too, had we had time, more time, to get the right guy. But the offense is all the way down on the far side of the bench.”

Wash, rinse, repeat​

The Lions spent the week leading up to the last game telling us Josh Paschal needed to step up after a season-ending injury to Marcus Davenport. Well, the third-year defensive lineman out of Kentucky delivered one of his better games against Seattle.

Now it’s about finding the consistency that’s eluded Paschal early in his career.

“I expect more from that player,” Glenn said. “And he’s expecting more from himself. And yes, he did a really good job against Seattle, but the thing is we have to consistently be able to do that, week in and week out. So, I’m looking forward to seeing how he’s going to come out this week and I know he’s going to do a good job. He’s practicing his butt off, he’s learning a lot from (Aidan Hutchinson) Hutch, and those guys are spending a lot of time together on how they want to operate and how they want to rush the passer.”

Record must come naturally​

With his perfect 18-for-18 performance vs. Seattle, and completing his last pass the previous week against Arizona, Lions quarterback Jared Goff is six away from matching the NFL record for consecutive completions.

In the past, the Lions have occasionally manipulated their playing call to help players achieve milestones, but that won’t be part of the agenda this week in Dallas.

“Not even on my thought process, no,” offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said. “We’re playing ball.”

Different kicks for different folks​

You can expect to see vastly different approaches to the dynamic kickoff during Sunday’s game against the Cowboys.

Detroit is near the top of the league in touchback percentage, at over 80%, while Dallas is encouraging returns more than most teams. Their 44.8% touchback percentage ranks 28th.

“Their kicker does a good job,” Fipp said. “I think that factors into the decision, too, is your kicker and the balls he can hit. He kicks a low-trajectory ball, he can spray it around both left and right, so that challenges the return group a little bit more.”

Meanwhile, Detroit seems likely to stick to its early-season strategy with Pro Bowler KaVontae Turpin handling kicks for the Cowboys. Most opponents are steering clear of him this season, but he’s managed to average 35.7 yards with the three attempts he’s had in 2024.

Identity emerges​

The Lions utilize the early part of the season to allow for an identity to emerge. Johnson believes one has for the offense.

“We believe that we are an extremely physical, detailed and explosive unit,” Johnson said. “That’s what we want to bring to the table each and every week. We want our physicality to show up. Obviously, the easiest way to do that is in the run game, but we have perimeter players that are going to block down the field. We have players that don’t have the ball in their hands, but they’re finding a way to finish around the football. And so that’s our definition of finishing and being a physical team.

“I think when you watch us on tape, you see a deliberateness in our guys and where they line up, the depths of their routes, the execution, the fundamentals,” Johnson continued. “That’s the detail part of it. And then, so far this year, we’ve been fairly explosive in both the run game and the passing game. I know our numbers dipped because we had the bye week, just relative to the league, but prior to the bye week we were top-10 in regards to explosives. Hopefully, when teams turn on the tape, that’s what they’re seeing: Physical, detailed and explosive.”

That seems to be a winning combination in the NFL. From a run-game perspective, the Lions are averaging a healthy 4.7 yards per carry, putting the franchise on pace for its best efficiency since the days of Barry Sanders.

In terms of explosives, the Lions have a combined 17 plays that have gained at least 20 yards.

 

[Bankerguy]

Take Detroit and the points and thank me later.

 

[BobbyLayne]

Thursday practice reports

Dallas Cowboys
Table - Injury report

Player	Position	Injury	Wed	Thu	Fri	Game Status
Markquese Bell	S	Illnes	DNP	FP		(-)
DaRon Bland	CB	Foot	FP	FP		(-)
Caelen Carson	CB	Shoulder	FP	FP		(-)
Trevon Diggs	CB	Ankle/Illness	FP	DNP		(-)
Tyler Guyton	T	Knee	FP	FP		(-)
Malik Hooker	S	Neck	(-)	FP		(-)
Eric Kendricks	LB	Calf/Shoulder	DNP	DNP		(-)
Marist Liufau	LB	Quad	FP	FP		(-)
Zack Martin	G	NIR-Rest/Back	DNP	DNP		(-)
Nick Vigil	ILB	Foot	DNP	DNP		(-)
Micah Parsons	LB	Ankle	DNP	DNP		(-)

Detroit Lions
Table - Injury report

Player	Position	Injury	Wed	Thu	Fri	Game Status
Brian Branch	DB	Illness	FP	FP		(-)
Kerby Joseph	S	Hamstring	(-)	LP		(-)
Christian Mahogany	G	Ilness	FP	FP		(-)
Frank Ragnow	C	Pectoral	FP	FP		(-)

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Everything you need to know and everything you didn't know you needed to know
Excellent job Bobby, we missed you the last couple weeks, good to see you

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Allen Park — If there's an area irking Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn during a bye-week evaluation of his unit, it's the number of penalties they've committed through four games.

The issues are most glaring in the secondary, where the Lions have been flagged nine times for pass interference and drawn three more for defensive holding. All dozen infractions belong to starting cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Carlton Davis III.

But the counter to those struggles is the Lions are getting more hands on throws than any other time under Glenn. Only the Minnesota Vikings are averaging more pass defenses per game than the six the Lions have racked up.

And the more Glenn thinks about it, it’s a balance he can live with while continually working to reduce penalties.

I was just thinking that as bad as those penalties are, last year a lot of times the previous CBs were just getting beat, many times for TDs. One step at a time I guess.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Road games for Detroit including this week...Dallas, Minnesota, Green Bay and Houston all on the road, they get 1 home game vs TN sandwiched between those 4
Going to be a big test for them over the next 5 weeks

 

[BobbyLayne]

Let's talk about it

0:00 - 6:28 - Jameson Williams
6:29 - 13:35 - Amon-Ra St. Brown
13:36 - 17:04 - Frank Ragnow

 

[BobbyLayne]

Road games for Detroit including this week...Dallas, Minnesota, Green Bay and Houston all on the road, they get 1 home game vs TN sandwiched between those 4
Going to be a big test for them over the next 5 weeks

Our fans travel so well it rarely feels like a road game; the blue wave invades cities and takes over.

Detroit has not had a losing streak since October 2022. Big part of that is their resilience, and that really shows up when they are away from home.

Road Record in the Dan Campbell era

• 2021 0-8-1
• 2022 Sep/Oct 0-3-0
• 2022 Nov-Jan 4-1-0
• 2023 6-4-0
• 2024 1-0-0

0-11-1 (.042) Sep 2021 - Oct 2022

11-5-0 (.688) Nov 2022 - Oct 2024

11-16-1 overall

Especially for the guys who have gone through it all together - Goff, Sewell, St Brown, Onwuzurike, McNeill, Reeves-Maybin - they stay pretty chill when things look bleak. There are ups and downs to every season, most games, a series. Jared , Ragnow, Decker, and Hutch do a great job of keeping everyone on task. Get burned or have a bad penalty - ain't no time to sulk, go make a play to redeem that. Dropped a ball or missed a block? Pick yourself up, keep fighting.

I love the mentality of this team. They do things the right way.

 

[TartanLion]

Wonderful information as ever @BobbyLayne thank you

I favour us because of our superior run game. Probably will be a track meet but we can control the clock better ultimately, I think, and that’s what could win us the game in the 4th

 

[Wrigley]

I’ll be starting in one league

Dak
Tolbert
ASB
J Williams

13-10 Detroit

 

[shadrap]

I’ll be starting in one league

Dak
Tolbert
ASB
J Williams

13-10 Detroit

much better than 9-6.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

I have Dallas K.
So Detroit 24 - Dallas 18

 

[Wrigley]

I’ll be starting in one league

Dak
Tolbert
ASB
J Williams

13-10 Detroit

much better than 9-6.

Pretty sure you’re telling me to pick Bates up

 

[BobbyLayne]

The Cowboys have lined up in their base 4-3-4 defense 136 snaps through 5 games. That is twice as high as league average.

The Lions have run base defense versus 11 formation for 72 snaps in their first 4 games. More than anyone else, by a good margin. That would make sense versus the Rams because of the route concepts McVey employs to scheme open the Slot WR. They continued the trend versus Seattle. Again, the matchup kind of dictated an uptick. With no Brian Branch they likely weren’t as confident they could stop Kenneth Walker III if they were in nickel or dime.

Branch is back. That’s huge because he is so versatile - tremendous box safety, and the Lions best slot cover corner.

FYI - Kerby Joseph (illness) will be a FP today. Doesn’t look like any Lions will have an injury designation for Sunday but we’ll see if anything pops up at 4pm.

The Lions will continue to play a lot of single man coverage on the outside. CD3 and Terrion Arnold will continue to play tough, physical coverage. There will be flags. 16 first downs allowed from penalty by the defense so far. Folks, Aaron Glenn is not going to adjust, not yet. This is the aggressive, hard nosed style they want n every phase of the game. Just win your one-on-ones, they will always be the as far away from the Fangio-style shell as can be imagined. They'll live with the consequences.

Defensive Stats

Yards Passing Allowed

• Dallas - 972 11th
• Detroit - 1033 16th

Yards Passing Per Game

• Dallas - 194.4 10th
• Detroit - 322.8 28th

Passing TD % Allowed

• Dallas - 4.17 15th
• Detroit - 2.53% 8th

Rushing Yards Allowed per game

• Dallas - 135.0 23rd
• Detroit - 90.8 4th

Rushing YPC

• Dallas - 4.4 12th
• Detroit - 4.4 13th

Rush TDs Allowed

• Dallas - 8 30th
• Detroit - 5 20th

Blitz Rates:

• Dallas - 27.8% 11th
• Detroit - 32.0% 5th

PFF Team Grades

Team

Record

Points For

Points Allowed

Overall

Offense

Passing

Pass Blocking

Receiving

Rushing

Run Blockng

Defense

Run Defense

Tackling

Pass Rush

Coverage

Special Teams

Dallas

3-2

117

121

68.5

67.3

66.7

59.7

69.1

65.2

62.1

54.7

38.6

46.8

70.1

63.3

87.6

Rank

3rd

14th

25th

24th

21st

24th

26th

18th

29th

18th

30th

32nd

23rd

12th

19th

4th

Detroit

3-1

104

82

83.9

77.7

57.2

74.4

73.3

86.8

75.4

76.6

68.2

62.7

85.0

68.6

90.1

Rank

2nd

17th

5th

3rd

4th

25th

6th

8th

5th

4th

2nd

7th

4th

2nd

11th

9TH

It's the NFL, any given Sunday. No matter how it may look on paper, this is a tough one for the Lions.

 

[BobbyLayne]

Tom Pelissero
@TomPelissero
·
2h

#Lions All-Pro C Frank Ragnow (pectoral) is off the injury report and will play Sunday vs. the #Cowboys.

---

Frank Ragnow punched Dan Campbell at the team facility. Twice. To prove his torn pectoral was sufficiently healed to play on Sunday.

Frank Ragnow Punched Dan Campbell Into Wall to Prove Health

How Ragnow tried to playfully show Campbell his readiness to play in Week 4.

www.si.com

---

Frank Ragnow, Jared Goff & Flava Flav - new Old Spice commercial

 

[BobbyLayne]

Friday Practice Report

Detroit Lions

Table - Injury report

Player	Position	Injury	Wed	Thu	Fri	Game Status
Christian Mahogany	OL	Illness	FP	FP	FP	OUT
Brian Branch	DB	Illness	FP	FP	FP	(-)
Kerby Joseph	S	Hamstring	(-)	LP	FP	(-)
Frank Ragnow	C	Pectoral	FP	FP	FP	(-)

Dallas Cowboys

Table - Injury report

Player	Position	Injury	Wed	Thu	Fri	Game Status
Markquese Bell	SAF	Illnes	DNP	FP	FP	UNSPECIFIED
DaRon Bland	CB	Foot	FP	FP	DNP	QUESTIONABLE
Caelen Carson	DB	Shoulder	FP	FP	FP	QUESTIONABLE
Trevon Diggs	CB	Ankle/Illness	FP	DNP	FP	UNSPECIFIED
Tyler Guyton	OT	Knee	FP	FP	FP	UNSPECIFIED
Malik Hooker	FS	Neck	(-)	FP	FP	UNSPECIFIED
Eric Kendricks	MLB	Calf/Shoulder	DNP	DNP	DNP	OUT
Marist Liufau	LB	Quad	FP	FP	FP	UNSPECIFIED
Zack Martin	G	NIR-Rest/Back	DNP	DNP	FP	UNSPECIFIED
Nick Vigil	OLB	Foot	DNP	DNP	DNP	QUESTIONABLE
Micah Parsons	LB	Ankle	DNP	DNP	DNP	OUT

 

[Rubi]

Over/Under 52?
Lions 3 point favorites
So Vegas is saying Lions- 27 1/2...Boyz- 24 1/2
I think the winner tops 30...easily
And I think the winner is...

Motor City Revengers- 37
America's Former team- 30

.....and Taylor Decker scores the winning touchdown.

 

[BobbyLayne]

Since 2021, only the Kansas City Chiefs have won more games than the Dallas Cowboys. After winning 3 Super Bowls 1991-1994, they have not advanced to the NFCCG in the 30 years since. 9 NFC East titles, 4 times a Wild Card playoff team, playoff record of 5-13 (.385).

Since Halloween 2022 - when Dan Campbell had a record of 4-19-1 (.188) - the Detroit Lions, one of four NFL teams to never appear in the Super Bowl, have gone 25-9 (.735). Their 31-34 loss to the 49ers on January 28th was a sad end to what had otherwise been the best Detroit season of the Super Bowl era. 2023 saw them win their first ever NFC North title, their first division title of any kind in 32 years, their second ever NFC Championship Game appearance. They set many franchise records, including most regular season wins (12), and were the first Lions team to win 2 playoff games in the same year since 1957. In the immediate (painful) aftermath of the loss, HC Dan Campbell told his players told his locker room that this might have been their only shot. Campbell doesn’t believe that, but he says it’ll be twice as difficult next year. “You’re not hiding from anyone anymore. Everyone will want a piece of you.”

Bring it on.

How do the Detroit players feel about this game?

They want all the smoke.

 

[Zeppelin]

Bring it on.

 

[BobbyLayne]

All 22 Films

CAN JARED GOFF CONTINUE HIS HOT STREAK INTO WEEK 6? - LIONS/COWBOYS PREVIEW #1​

aside - Ben Johnson said on Thursday they have given no consideration to Goff having a chance to break the consecutive passes without an incompletion record; just not on the table

f it happens, great, but just not their focus

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Washington vs Baltimore is the only other nominee for possible Game of the Week

There are several games I am interested in watching even if I don't have a big stake in many of the skill players
Eagles-Browns is interesting to me and the Cardinals-Packers is a 1:00 game I want to watch

 

[BobbyLayne]

Detroit
Offense

PLAYER

CP/ATT

YDS

TD

INT

FPTS

J. Goff	88/124	1015	5	4	67
J. Fox	1/1	17	0	0
A. St Brown	1/1	7	1	0	68

PLAYER

ATT

YDS

TD

LG

FPTS

J. Gibbs	54	285	3	24	69
D. Montgomery	63	271	4	21	67
J. Williams	3	21	0	15	54
J. Goff	8	16	0	8	67
K. Raymond	1	12	0	12	7

PLAYER

TAR

REC

YDS

TD

LG

FPTS

J. Williams	25	13	289	2	70	54
A.St Brown	38	27	252	2	20	68
S. LaPorta	14	12	147	0	30	25
D. Montgomery	9	9	94	0	40	67

J. Gibbs	13	11	76	1	20	69
T. Patrick	7	5	72	0	29	11
B. Wright	8	7	49	0	11	11
K. Raymond	5	4	36	0	18	7
S. Vaki	1	1	17	0	17	2
J. Goff	1	1	7	1	7	67
T. Kennedy	1	0	0	0	0	0

DallasOffense

Player

Passing

CP/ATT

YDS

TD

INT

FPTS

D. Prescott		125/191	1424	8	4	100
C. Rush		6/3	6	0	0	0

PLAYER

ATT

YDS

TD

LG

FPTS

R. Dowdle	54	221	0	13	50
E. Elliott	30	98	1	9	20
C. Lamb	7	35	0	12	73
D. Prescott	8	24	1	8	100
D. Vaughn	7	20	0	4	3
H. Luepke	4	14	0	6	14
B. Cooks	2	2	0	5	22
C. Rush	1	-1	0	-1	0
K. Turpin	3	-3	0	2	25

PLAYER

TGT

REC

YDS

TD​

LG

FPTS

C. Lamb	41	25	378	2	65	73
J. Tolbert	29	20	247	2	48	55
J. Ferguson	30	22	229	0	27	43
K. Turpin	13	9	105	1	34	25
R. Dowdle	14	11	101	2	22	50
B. Cooks	19	9	91	1	21	22
N. Luepke	8	7	91	0	24	14
J. Brooks	8	4	62	0	24	9
L. Schoonmaker	10	8	56	0	15	12
E. Elliott	9	6	36	0	15	20
B. Spann-Ford	4	2	20	0	13	4
D. Vaughn	3	2	14	0	8	3
T. Smith	1	1	0	0	0

 

[BobbyLayne]

[Justin Rogers Detroit Football Network]

● Line: Lions -3

● Injury report: The Lions had a midweek scare when Kerby Joseph was limited during Thursday’s practice with a hamstring concern, but the team ended the week without a player having an injury designation for the contest.

The Cowboys weren't as fortunate. They’ll be without star edge rusher Micah Parsons (ankle) for a second consecutive game. He'll be joined on the sideline by linebacker Erik Kendricks (shoulder), while 2023 interception leader DaRon Bland (foot) still isn’t ready to return from the injured list.

Additionally, guard Zach Martin and cornerback Caelen Carson are questionable.

● Officiating assignment: John Hussey’s crew. He officiated two Detroit games last season, wins over Kansas City and Denver. Through five weeks of the 2024 season, his crew is averaging the fourth fewest flags thrown.

● Last meeting: No reminder is needed of last year’s Saturday Night Football game, which the Lions lost, 20-19, after the officials incorrectly announced the wrong offensive lineman as eligible on a go-ahead two-point conversion in the closing minute of the contest.

Three things worth watching​

● With Bland ailing, the Lions should expect to see an old friend starting at cornerback for the Cowboys, Amani Oruwariye.

A former fifth-round draft choice for Detroit, Oruwariye started 37 games for the franchise from 2019-22. After tallying six interceptions in his third season, he was tracking toward a hefty pay raise before his play fell off a cliff during his contract year.

He split last season between the Giants and Jaguars’ practice squads, only landing in Dallas in late August. With injuries mounting in the team’s secondary, he’s seen action as a practice squad elevation the past two weeks, playing 100% of the team’s defensive snaps in last week’s victory over the Giants, which he sealed with his first interception since 2021.

● Dallas is down multiple pieces defensively, particularly up front, where they’ll be without their top three edge rushers. Despite the injuries, they’ve performed well the past couple of weeks, particularly against the run. Plus, it doesn’t matter who is on the field, defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer is going to find a way to turn up the heat with aggressive pre-snap looks that stress the A gaps, aiming to generate unblocked rushers.

So how will Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson opt to attack the weaknesses? Will he stick with Detroit's working script of a smashmouth ground game and play-action passes, or will he dial up more of an aerial attack to take advantage of Persons’ absence?

This could be an excellent week for tight end Sam LaPorta to break out. After a record-setting rookie year, the Iowa product is off to a sluggish start to the 2024 campaign. He did show signs of turning things around with four grabs for 53 yards in the team’s win over Seattle before the bye. With Kendricks’ injury softening the middle of the Dallas defense, Detroit's young Pro Bowler could eat.

● After losing Marcus Davenport and Derrick Barnes to long-term injuries, the Lions put a lot of effort into mixing and matching personnel during the team’s win over Seattle.

Third-year lineman Josh Paschal stepped up and had a nice outing, suggesting he's capable of softening the Davenport blow, but Barnes’ absence loomed large. Ben Niemann and James Houston each saw a sharp increase in playing time, but neither calmed concerns with their trial runs.

The bright spot was Nowaske, who surprisingly generated three QB pressures on six tries rushing the passer, but it’s challenging to make a meaningful assessment after eight snaps.

Expect the defense to continue tinkering with its personnel coming out of the bye. Undrafted rookie Isaac Ukwu is set to be added to the equation after getting elevated off the practice squad this weekend.

 

[TampaMike19]

Jake Bates - get ready to learn 50+ yard field goals, buddy.

 

[doeseatplace]

This is one of 9 games this week featuring home dogs, including all the 4 pm games, TNF, SNF & MNF. To date, they've been 10-10-1, so no trends.

Dak Prescott is 5-0 lifetime vs. the Lions, fwiw.

DAL +3 and under 52.5

 

[BobbyLayne]

Ex-Lion Amani Oruwariye will be lining up against Jameson Williams today.

GOODLUCK

 

[Cowboysfan8]

Ex-Lion Amani Oruwariye will be lining up against Jameson Williams today.

GOODLUCK

Williams and Amon Ra overs today. Maybe Laporta too.

 

[BobbyLayne]

Ex-Lion Amani Oruwariye will be lining up against Jameson Williams today.

GOODLUCK

Williams and Amon Ra overs today. Maybe Laporta too.

not fantasy relevant but Goff has a nice connection starting to blossom with Tim Patrick

he's running a lot of the same dagger routes that Josh Reynolds was so good at

just having a big bodied guy in the RZ gives Ben Johnson more options

their offense is rounding into shape after a somewhat sluggish start

(the run game never lets them down if they stick with it, but Jared had a few meh games before his perfect MNF stat line)

 

[Cowboysfan8]

not fantasy relevant but Goff

I’ve been starting him :(

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

The Cowboys stink. If Detroit loses, this says more about them.

 

[jon_mx]

The Cowboys stink. If Detroit loses, this says more about them.

Winning on the road in the NFL is never easy. The wheels may be coming off the Cowboys, but they still have talent and this game seems like a trap. The Lions have to be seeing what the Bears, the Packers and Vikings are doing and know this is a must win if they want the division title.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Go Monty and may the Jameson FLOW!!!

 

[dickey moe]

Lions 31
Cowboys 20

 

[jon_mx]

Houston inactive. So Ukwa is going to see a significant number of snaps. Houston must be deep in the doghouse as the Lions are very thin at Edge.

 

[jon_mx]

Phantom defense hold call negating INT.

 

[Cowboysfan8]

Phantom defense hold call negating INT.

Lol

 

[Doug B]

My notebook is obviously very old … but when did the Cowboys stop wearing white jerseys at home?

 

[dickey moe]

Nice tackling.

 

[jon_mx]

Monty! Sweet run.

 

[Desert_Power]

He can afford a new shirt.

 

[Zeppelin]

Great catch by Patrick, especially given that he was mugged

 

[ShamrockPride]

Bulldozer Monty

 

[BobbyLayne]

beastly

 

[Mt. Man]

Monty running fierce!