Lions News

[whatever_gong82]

Lions rookies come out swinging in season-opening win over Chiefs

By Colton Pouncy
Sep 10, 2023




For anyone who’s still confused by the Detroit Lions’ 2023 draft, allow GM Brad Holmes to explain the vision.

“We don’t want to take a step back, and we don’t want to stay stagnant,” Holmes said on April 29. “We appreciate and we are extremely proud of the success that we had last year, but we didn’t make the playoffs, you know? We didn’t make the playoffs, and that’s not good enough. So, we gotta get to the point as a football team where we can put ourselves in a position where we can get in the postseason and hopefully make some noise.”

Sure, the Lions could’ve taken a more long-term approach and drafted an outside cornerback, defensive end or offensive lineman — premium positions — in the first two rounds. But those weren’t glaring holes. The Lions’ edge room is deep and versatile. They added two starting corners in free agency. And they have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.

With this draft, Holmes was looking to draft game-ready talent at positions of need. It’s how the Lions drafted an “offensive weapon” at running back, a “future anchor” at linebacker, a “gritty” mismatch at tight end and an “instinctive” defensive back, as Holmes described Detroit’s first four draft picks.

In their own way, each contributed to the Lions’ 21-20 win Thursday over the Kansas City Chiefs.

“I didn’t feel like any of those, any of our pups, that it was too big for them,” coach Dan Campbell said Friday. “I felt like, boy, they settled in and the stage wasn’t too much for them. And, man, that was really encouraging. I really thought all those guys really helped us out and had a part in that win last night.”

Let’s review how they did it.


RB Jahmyr Gibbs


Gibbs looked as advertised against the Chiefs despite a limited sample size. He looked explosive as a receiver and out of the backfield. He rushed for 42 yards on seven carries (6.0 YPC) and added two receptions for 18 yards. If he hadn’t tripped on a red zone carry, Gibbs likely would’ve scored a touchdown in his NFL debut.

What was really impressive about Gibbs, more than the burst and acceleration, was his power. Gibbs was bouncing off defenders, generating six missed tackles on those seven carries, per PFF. Of his 42 rushing yards, 34 came after contact. For a smaller back who’s barely 200 pounds, that was impressive to see.



While Gibbs’ usage seems to have upset the fantasy community, best believe the Lions don’t care. It appears to have been partly by design, partly just the flow of the game. The Lions were trying to take it slow with their rookie running back, easing him in with nine touches. Additionally, facing a quarterback like Patrick Mahomes — who can put points on the board in a hurry — likely increased David Montgomery’s workload. One of the best ways to defend Mahomes is to keep him off the field, and the Lions did that by hammering the run with Montgomery and eating up clock. Montgomery was on the field for 55 of the offense’s 70 snaps, compared to 19 for Gibbs.

Gibbs’ strengths as a pass-catching back weren’t as necessary in this one. But they will be.

“He’ll begin to get more touches now,” Campbell said Friday. “That was just the beginning.”



DB Brian Branch


In the days leading up to the Chiefs game, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn was asked to offer his expectations for rookie defensive back Brian Branch.

“To be a damn good player,” Glenn said, straight-faced. “I mean, we knew that when we drafted him. … There’s a reason why we had him graded that high.”

The Lions did. Other franchises did not. Widely regarded as one of the best defensive players in the draft, Branch fell all the way to pick No. 45. The reasons Branch lasted as long as he did remain puzzling, though you can try to piece together a few. A nickel with some safety capabilities isn’t exactly a premium position. His 4.58 40 didn’t wow scouts, and neither did his measurables. But turn on the tape and you’ll see exactly what kind of football player you’re getting in Branch.

He did his best to show a national audience in his first pro game.



continued..

[whatever_gong82]

Branch recorded a game-altering pick six, catching a ball that deflected off the hands of Kadarius Toney and taking it to the house to tie the score at 14, just when it seemed the Chiefs were gaining momentum. Say what you want about the play and how much Branch had to do with it, but this was par for the course for him in training camp. He was always around the football — right place, right time. At some point, that’s not luck. It’s just a player’s identity, and Branch has been this way since his freshman year at Alabama.

A bonus: Per ESPN’s NextGenStats, Branch was clocked at 20.7 mph on his return. Only three defensive players were clocked faster on returns in 2022.

Game speed > 40 time.

It wasn’t just the interception. Branch was sticky in coverage, allowing just two receptions on four targets for a total of 7 yards, per PFF. His passer rating when targeted was 56.3, and Branch recorded two “stops,” or tackles that constitute a “failure” for the offense.

There’s a reason the Lions traded up for Branch and reconfigured their defense to plug him in as a starter. He’s a piece this secondary was missing, and they’re happy to have him on their side.

“The thing about Branch is, man, he’s a playmaker and he came up with a big one for us,” Campbell said. “And I think what’s most encouraging is he’s got a ton to clean up, and when he’s got that stuff cleaned up, he’s going to be that much better. But he’s got a knack for finding the football.”




TE Sam LaPorta


The narrative about rookie tight ends is they typically have a tough time adjusting to the NFL. They’re asked to do so much — run block, pass protect, catch the ball — that it can sometimes be an overwhelming amount of work for a first-year player trying to navigate the league.

Don’t tell LaPorta that.

The Lions asked LaPorta to do everything in his NFL debut. He paced Detroit tight ends in offensive snaps, playing 58 of a possible 70 compared to 27 for Brock Wright and six for James Mitchell. He was targeted five times and caught all five for 39 yards. No surprise, considering the chemistry he displayed with Jared Goff in training camp, often looking like his second-favorite target. Two of LaPorta’s receptions went for first downs, and 18 of his 39 yards came after the catch. Goff’s passer rating when targeting LaPorta was 99.2.

As a blocker, LaPorta looked even better than his billing coming out of Iowa. Montgomery wouldn’t have scored the go-ahead touchdown without a crucial block from LaPorta, which is something Campbell made sure to highlight in his postgame news conference. And that run when Gibbs tripped? LaPorta won his rep against 2022 first-round defensive end George Karlaftis (No. 56), one of the reasons Gibbs nearly scored.


“LaPorta, I thought, did some really good things,” Campbell said. “And honestly, he blocked well. It’s some of the best blocking I’ve seen out of him even through camp, so that was encouraging.”

There will be some growing pains along the way as LaPorta figures out the NFL, but in a hostile environment against the defending champs, LaPorta looked unafraid of the moment and ready to go. That’s all you can ask for.


LB Jack Campbell


Of the Lions’ first four selections, Campbell played the fewest snaps, but they were essentially starting-caliber reps. Alex Anzalone paced all Detroit linebackers, playing 61 snaps, followed by Derrick Barnes (27), who got the start alongside Anzalone, then Campbell (25) and Malcolm Rodriguez (14).

Even though Campbell isn’t quite a starter yet, he’s playing meaningful reps and displayed some of the attributes that made him a first-round pick.



Campbell was known for his coverage ability coming out of Iowa. Of Campbell’s 25 snaps, 19 were in pass coverage. His ability to flip his hips and use his length to make a diving PBU as Toney sat and waited for the ball was impressive for a linebacker as big as Campbell. Heck, it was impressive for a linebacker, period.

“I thought Jack really stepped up,” Dan Campbell said. “I’m watching his tape and, to me, he didn’t play like a rookie, which is encouraging. Now, he’s got a few things to clean up, but that was pretty good. He was on it.”

When he figures it out and the game slows down, Jack Campbell could be a good one.

The same could be said for each of these rookies.

“Those guys helped us win, but yet, there’s room to improve and grow with all of them,” the head coach said. “That’s a good thing.”




Colton Pouncy is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Detroit Lions. He previously covered Michigan State football and basketball for the company, and covered sports for The Tennessean in Nashville prior to joining The Athletic. Follow Colton on Twitter @colton_pouncy

[Whitley]

His chats were so awesome

I loved it when Killer got time on WDFN back in the day, especially when Sean Baligin was the host.

[ghandi]

NFC after week 1:

Tier 1 (11+ wins) Eagles, 49ers
Tier 2 (10+ wins) Cowboys, Lions
Tier 3 (6-9 wins) alot of teams
Tier 4 (5 wins or less) Cardinals, Bears, Panthers

Anyone you all want to move up or down on that list?

[Iron Lion]

NFC after week 1:

Tier 1 (11+ wins) Eagles, 49ers
Tier 2 (10+ wins) Cowboys, Lions
Tier 3 (6-9 wins) alot of teams
Tier 4 (5 wins or less) Cardinals, Bears, Panthers

Anyone you all want to move up or down on that list?

Looks about right. As pumped as we all are after the Thursday night game, we are probably a year away from true contention. This year the goal is to just win a playoff game. Anything after that is bonus. Anything less is failure.

[froot loops]

I'd put the Packers in tier 2 and maybe the Cowboys in tier 1.

[Nick Pappageorgio]

the 9ers looked like a juggernaut yesterday. Unless there are injuries or someone finds Purdy's kryptonite..I think the road to the SB goes through SF.

I'm not sold on the Eagles, they're good but not infallible....I'd move them down with us.

[Nick Pappageorgio]

I'd put the Packers in tier 2 and maybe the Cowboys in tier 1.

I can't put the cowboys on tier 1 yet....the Giants were just too terrible last night.

And the same thing for Love and GB...the Bears were so awful yesterday it's hard to really evaluate love. If he handles atl the same way maybe

[kayrone]

agreed - the Giants and Bears looked like JV squads out there.

[Iron Lion]

I'm not sold on the Giants actually being bad at all. 2 freak TDs scored against them and a rookie called for PI to gift Dallas a FG. That's 16-0 and it's not really the team's fault. From there the game got out of hand. I think the Giants will annihilate the Cards next week.

Edit - to clarify, I don't see them going to the playoffs. I'm just not seeing them pick top 10 either.

[Mainevent]

Dallas might also just be really, really good on defense. They have talent and speed all over the place.

Always beware the overreaction to a dominant win or loss in week 1.

[JGSpartan]

I dont have any doubt Dallas is exceptional on defense. When it's raining really heavy like that though you don't really learn anything other than who handled the conditions better that day.

Especially If it gets out of hand early like it did. Dallas is allowed to play safe ball while NY needs to try to push it in conditions where they really shouldn't be.

It's a much different situation than in Chicago where the Beats just blew ass. There was no reason to believe the Packers defense wouldn't still be good. The Question is Love. He obviously had a good day on the stat sheet but he was also never forced to have to make tough throws. So we will see how he does when he's not throwing to wide open guys with no pressure. Maybe he'll be fine, maybe he won't. We just didn't learn anything about it sunday.

[whatever_gong82]

https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2023/9/12/23869624/podcast-detroit-lions-kansas-city-chiefs-analysis-what-means-2023-season

https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2023/9/12/23869695/aaron-rodgers-injury-fallout-impact-detroit-lions-nfl-news

[whatever_gong82]

With both starting OTs hurt, Lions' upcoming opponent adds six-time All-Pro as insurance

Justin Rogers

The Detroit News


Allen Park — With both of the team's starting offensive tackles dealing with injuries, the Detroit Lions' opponent this Sunday, the Seattle Seahawks, added some high-profile insurance at the position, signing Jason Peters to the team's practice squad.

A six-time All-Pro and nine-time Pro Bowler, the 41-year-old Peters played as a reserve with the Dallas Cowboys last season. Undrafted out of Arkansas in 2006, he initially signed with Buffalo and went on to play five years with the franchise before making 148 starts across 11 seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles.


The signing makes him the oldest, active player in the NFL.



Peters gives the Seahawks options after left tackle Charles Cross sprained his big toe in the season opener and right tackle Abe Lucas aggravated a knee issue that sidelined him for a good portion of the team's training camp. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll acknowledged being concerned about the situation on Monday.




"We’re going to go day-to-day once we get back Wednesday and see where we are," Carroll told reporters. "Abe came in the office today and he was walking alright, and we’ll hold a good thought. Charles is making it around, but it’s going to take a little bit before we know."

Even though Peters is on the practice squad, he could be temporarily elevated and play in Sunday's game without being added to the team's 53-man roster.


jdrogers@detroitnews.com

Twitter/X: @Justin_Rogers

[whatever_gong82]

'What streak?': Lions' Jared Goff, nearing NFL record, focused on winning




James Hawkins

The Detroit News

Allen Park — Lions quarterback Jared Goff is closing in on etching his name into the record books.

He’s thrown 359 consecutive passes without an interception, a franchise mark that ranks as the third-longest streak in NFL history. He’s made 10 starts since he was last picked off by a defender, another streak that’s tied for the second-longest in the league since 1965.

Impressive stuff, to be sure. It’s just not something that’s at the forefront of Goff’s mind as the Lions prepare to host the Seattle Seahawks in Sunday’s home opener at Ford Field.


“What streak?” Goff said midway through a reporter’s question on Tuesday when the topic was brought up.

“It’s not on my mind at all. It's really not. It's been a lot of things. Obviously, we've been playing well, taking care of the ball. And then there's a lot of luck in it. We have balls batted that hit the ground; that doesn't always happen. There are a few different things, but if I'm taking care of the ball, we usually win games, so got to keep doing that.”



The last time Goff threw an interception was during last season’s Week 9 win over the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 6, 2022.

Since then, Goff has gone on a remarkable run that has put him in some elite company. He’s 41 pick-free passes away from leapfrogging Tom Brady, whose streak of 399 passes is No. 2 on the list. Not far after that is Aaron Rodgers’ top mark of 402 consecutive interception-less throws.


If Goff can make it 11 straight games without throwing an interception, he’ll move past Derek Carr and tie Rodgers for the longest streak in the league in nearly six decades.

When asked about being included in the same category with quarterbacks like Brady and Rodgers, Goff once again downplayed the feat, interjecting “you (media) guys are talking about it way too much.”



“We (the players) don't talk about it at all really,” Goff said. “We talk about winning and, again, it's become a byproduct of taking care of the ball and it typically always is. But there's a lot of luck, a lot of those guys making catches, a lot of the defensive (guys) not making catches. It's been a good thing, but it’s not on my mind.”

One thing that is, though, is Detroit’s losses to the Seahawks the past two seasons, which were both high-scoring shootouts. While a knee injury kept Goff out of the 2021 matchup, he played in last season’s tilt and threw a costly pick-six early in the second half of a 48-45 defeat.


That one big mistake — the type that tended to plague him earlier in his career — hasn’t been as much of an issue. He’s been more careful than careless with the ball and has done of better job of picking and choosing his spots to be aggressive.

And the Lions have benefitted, going 8-2 during his streak.



“I think as you get older, you realize when the shot is there and when it's not,” Goff said. “I think that's something that I've kind of learned as I've gone through the last handful of seasons. Just because the shot is called doesn't mean (it has to be) a shot taken. But then it’s also knowing when it's there and pulling the trigger and making those tight-window throws and finding that balance.”

Goff noted the Lions want to get their “shot back” at the Seahawks after being beaten two years in a row.

One way to help do so? Goff continuing his pick-free play and extending an astounding streak that he doesn’t think about would go a long way.


“It's a cool thing to look back on it one day, but if you told me it kept going and we've lost games, I don't care,” he said. “I'm trying to win games. That being a part of that formula, sure, it's helped but it's not by any means the focus.”



jhawkins@detroitnews.com

Twitter/X: @jamesbhawkins