Lions News

[whatever_gong82]

Detroit Lions fragility no longer in question. Jared Goff is a big reason why.


Dave Birkett
Detroit Free Press


Whether it’s residual from the past hardships they’ve endured or simply a product of having a better roster, the Detroit Lions are 2-1 and tied atop the NFC North after three weeks, thanks in part to the resilience they’ve shown on the field.

Unlike past versions of the Lions, who’d often wilt at their first encounter with adversity, this year’s team is in the habit of brushing off the bad things that happen to it in games.


Take Jared Goff’s interception Sunday as a prime example.

The Lions led by 10 points at the time and Atlanta had nothing going on offense. The Falcons needed a jumpstart in the worst way, and seemed to get it with Goff’s INT. They took possession at the Lions’ 43-yard line, their best field position of the day, then quickly went four-and-out to give the ball back to Goff.


He followed with a nine-play touchdown drive that dashed Atlanta’s hopes of a comeback at Ford Field.

“I think more importantly than making the big play every time is how do you respond to the bad ones,” Goff said Sunday. “That’s the most important thing at our position, at quarterback in this league it’s hard, man. You’re going to make mistakes. That’s about as bad as I’ve thrown a ball in my career (on the interception). Just straight missed him. And like how do I respond the next drive, the next play to be as best I can. And that’s where I think you’re truly judged is after the bad plays and being able to respond.”



Goff showed similar mettle in the Lions’ Week 1 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, when he led a fourth quarter touchdown drive on a day the Lions had little cooking offensively.

The Lions went six offensive possessions between touchdowns in that game and had only three first downs on those drives, but still answered back-to-back Chiefs field goal drives with a grind-it-out nine-play possession for the winning score.


Goff made one of his best throws of that game to Josh Reynolds, under pressure on a third-and-12, that came one snap after a delay-of-game penalty, then converted another third down after coach Dan Campbell weirdly declined a defensive holding penalty that would have given the Lions an automatic first down.

Even in the Lions’ Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Goff was at his best on the possession after he threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown, completing 5 of 6 passes and converting a pair of third downs.



The Lions are bound to hit more bumps in the road this season, and some will absolutely cost them games. But their fragility no longer is in question and their quarterback’s steadiness — a trait he didn’t always exude early in his career — is a big reason why.



“I think that’s always been a strength of mine is kind of letting things slip off my back a little bit,” Goff said. “I think as you get older, you realize how much time and work is being put in throughout the week but once you get to game day, it’s not going to be perfect. You’re going to have plays that weren’t exactly how you thought they’d look like and you’re going to have the ball come out of your hand not exactly how you’d hope, and how do you put on the right face and show everyone that doesn’t bother you and be the leader that you say you are?”


Night moves


The Lions are 2-1 in primetime games under Campbell. They beat the Chiefs in their 2023 Thursday night opener and spoiled the Packers’ playoff hopes on Sunday Night Football in Week 18 last season, but lost a Monday Night game at Green Bay in Week 2 in 2021.


Thursday’s game will mark the third straight night game the Lions have played at Lambeau Field, and like last season’s tilt, could have a significant impact on the division and conference playoff races.


Three weeks into the season, both the NFC North and NFC in general are trending toward having two distinct groups of haves and have-nots.

The San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles are the cream of the NFC, with the Lions, Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks heading up the next tier. The Packers could be in that group, too, depending on what type of play they get from their quarterback the rest of the way, and someone has to win the mediocre NFC South.


The Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers are at the bottom of the NFC pecking order — the Bears seem on the verge imploding and it’s not even October yet.

The Minnesota Vikings are the third and final winless team in the NFC, and while they have some glaring holes on their roster, they’re not in anywhere near as bad of shape as their friends in the Windy City. Minnesota has lost its first three games by scores of 3, 6 and 4 points.


Last year, the Vikings were 11-0 in games decided by eight points or less. My, how lady luck has turned.


QB wins

Quarterback play still rules the NFL, and the Lions are fortunate to be in the midst of a two-month span where they don’t face any of the game’s elite passers. After drawing Patrick Mahomes, Geno Smith and Desmond Ridder to the start the season, the Lions have games against Love, Bryce Young (or Andy Dalton), Baker Mayfield, Lamar Jackson and Jimmy Garoppolo on their schedule the next five weeks.

Jackson is a former MVP who’s most dangerous with his feet, and the Raiders have two good receivers in Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers that will be tough to contend with. But that’s five bottom-third-of-the-NFL quarterbacks in a six-week span, with the caveat that Love and Young are still very much in the growing phase of their careers.


The Lions do face Justin Herbert in early November and have games against the sometimes dangerous Kirk Cousins and Dak Prescott to end the season, but the schedule is favorable enough that the Lions should be able to work out some of the kinks they’re still dealing with in the back end.


Emmanuel Moseley is closing in on his return from a torn ACL — he was listed a limited participant on the Lions’ estimated practice report Monday, but it seems like a stretch to have him play meaningful snaps this week given the limited practice time he had before pulling his hamstring in early September. If C.J. Gardner-Johnson can make it back from his torn pectoral muscle, the Lions could have their entire projected starting secondary on the field for the playoffs.

Gardner-Johnson posted a video Saturday on Instagram with his right arm in a sling after undergoing surgery. His injury usually requires a three- to four-month recovery, and he needs to be healthy heading into free agency. But it’s not out of the question that he’ll be back around the holidays.


Drop in the bucket


One more thought on the secondary: Both Tracy Walker and Ifeatu Melifonwu did some good things Sunday while starting at safety in place of Gardner-Johnson and Kerby Joseph. Walker had six tackles and one of the game’s biggest hits, and Melifonwu broke up one pass and had a tackle for loss.


Walker also let two picks slip out of his hands, which is a reminder of why he lost his starting job in the first place.


Joseph, who had four picks last season, and Gardner-Johnson (six last season) have excellent ball skills, and the Lions are counting on their secondary to be a playmaking force like it was in their 8-2 stretch late last season.

It’s early, but through three games, that hasn’t been the case. The Lions have two takeaways (more than just four teams) and are tied for 25th with a minus-3 turnover margin heading into Monday night’s games.


Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him @davebirkett.


Next up: Packers

Matchup: Lions (2-1) at Green Bay (2-1).

Kickoff: 8:15 p.m. Thursday; Lambeau Field, Green Bay Wisconsin.

TV/radio: Amazon Prime (Simulcast Channel 2 in Detroit); WXYT-FM (97.1).

Line: Lions by 1½.

[dpatnod]

HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa!!!!!!!!!!!! I love it so much. So glad that the draft worked out this way!

[jaadam4]

Hey Gonger. Can post the freep article about the Red Wings Scrimmage observations in the Red Wings thread?

[whatever_gong82]

Lions film review: Game planning, impressive individual efforts shut down Bijan Robinson


Justin Rogers
The Detroit News



One of the Detroit Lions' points of emphasis coming into this season was to be better against the run after ranking bottom-five in yards per game and yards per carry allowed in 2022. And through two games, despite some other defensive concerns, they were achieving that goal, which included holding the Seattle Seahawks to 82 yards on 25 carries after that opponent had racked up 500 rushing yards in a pair of meetings the previous two seasons.


But the Atlanta Falcons figured to be a different beast behind arguably the best backfield tandem in the league, rookie Bijan Robinson and hammer-headed, north-south runner Tyler Allgeier. Along with dual-threat quarterback Desmond Ridder, the Falcons were coming off a win over Green Bay where they ran the ball 45 times for more than 200 yards. So if the Lions wanted to get on track, they had to find a way to limit what this opponent did best.


Obviously, we now know the Lions accomplished just that. Paired with a pass rush that finally found its way to the quarterback, the Lions managed to hold the Falcons to six points, a quarter of their season average coming into the day.

So how did Detroit stifle Robinson, limiting the dynamic rookie to 33 rushing yards after he churned out 6.2 yards per carry his first two NFL games? And how did they make the typically efficient Allgeier anything but in the victory? Let's explore the topic in this week's film review.


Immediately after the game, defensive end Aidan Hutchinson noted his surprise that the Falcons got away from the run, the core of their offensive identity. His assessment had merit, especially when you consider Robinson didn't log his first carry until late in the first quarter, on Atlanta's third possession, and finished with just 10 carries on the day.

That's why the starting point to the conversation of Detroit's effectiveness begins with the game plan. Through the first two games, Robinson rarely faced a stacked box. According to data tracked by the league, he saw an eight-man box a little more than 20% the first two weeks.



But understanding the Falcons' passing attack was the secondary threat, the Lions loaded the box regularly, often with safety Ifeatu Melifonwu or nickel corner Brian Branch, depending on the Falcons' pre-snap formation. The defense forced the opposition to choose: Play left-handed or try to run the ball regardless. And by jumping out to a 10-point lead in the first half, they further forced Atlanta away from what they do best. Still, it's worth noting, when Robinson did take a handoff, he faced a stacked box 40% of the time, nearly double the rate he'd experienced prior to Sunday.

Building on the theme of preparedness — which is a credit to defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and his staff — the Lions were well aware of Atlanta's predilection for running stretch-zone concepts, where the offensive line slides one direction in unison at the snap, allowing the back to pick a lane as he flows with his blockers.


Again, we can turn to the NFL-provided data to highlight how the Lions effectively handled these bread-and-butter concepts. Using a metric called efficiency, the ratio of how many yards a running back runs laterally compared to vertically, we can see Robinson averaged 3.28 and 3.39 yards the first two weeks. Those are fairly standard figures. But against the Lions, that spiked to an ugly 5.9 yards per carry. That shows the defensive front did a nice job flowing with the blocking while maintaining gap integrity, which regularly forced Robinson to run wider toward the sideline before turning up field. Detroit really put the stretch in stretch zone.

Finally, the plan came together because of some high-level individual performances. In some instances, it was a single snap, like when cornerback Jerry Jacobs ran the length of the field to track down Robinson on an end-around designed to get the elusive runner in space, or Hutchinson showing impressive athleticism and burst to shut down a designed, backside cutback lane. Those two carries each had the potential to do real some damage, but resulted in a combined 5 yards gained.



More consistently, two defenders who showed up repeatedly on film by winning their individual assignment were Branch and defensive tackle Alim McNeill.

Given the nature of his position, and how unusual it is for a nickel to play a big role in the run game, Branch already has gotten his flowers for the job he did Sunday, which included two tackles for loss in run support. But a closer inspection of the performance truly highlights the rookie's football IQ and his downhill suddenness when he triggers.

The first tackle for loss came on Robinson's third carry, you see Branch's ability to diagnose and react without hesitation when he fires around the edge to drop the back almost immediately after taking a pitch.



More impressively was Branch's block avoidance in the second half, resulting in his second TFL.

Initially flowing with the stretch-zone concept, the defender used his quickness and left tackle Jake Matthews' own momentum against him, refusing to engage in a block where Branch would clearly be overwhelmed. Instead he takes a cutback lane like a running back and is able to square up Allgeier behind the line of scrimmage.


As for McNeill, this was one of the most consistently dominant performances of his career, behind only his 10-pressure breakout against the New York Giants last season. Not only did McNeill contribute in the pass rush on Sunday with three pressures and a sack, he routinely beat blocks while defending the run, either contributing to the stop or changing the running back's path significantly to allow for teammates to clean things up for minimal damage.


Detroit's early-season success against the run is sustainable. With Hutchinson, Romeo Okwara and John Cominsky, they have a group of long and physical edge setters. The linebacking corps, with the emergence of third-year man Derrick Barnes and addition of Jack Campbell, is as big and athletic as we've ever seen in Detroit. And Branch truly adds a different dynamic with his ability to read-and-react, whether lined up in the box or just outside of it while covering the slot.


The key to continuity will be the defensive interior. McNeill stepped up in a huge way, finally showcasing that improved athleticism and quickness that comes with losing more than 30 pounds. But just as was noted by the player himself heading into this season, he needs to do this more consistently.

The lone area of concern from this one was the performance at the nose tackle spot, where Benito Jones really struggled with the Falcons' cut blocks, often losing his footing and going to the ground. That's a gap integrity concern future opponents could look to exploit, knowing anything is possible if they can get their ball carrier to the second level untouched.


With another young, inexperienced quarterback on deck in Jordan Love, this week's defensive game plan is likely to look very similar for the Lions. The Packers have their own dynamic backfield tandem in Aaron Jones (assuming he's medically cleared for the contest) and A.J. Dillion.

After averaging 4.6 yards per carry as a team last season, the Packers are off to a sluggish start running the ball this year, mustering just 3.4 yards per carry through three games. If the early-season trends are sustained, and the Lions can force the opposition to lean on Love's arm Thursday night, they'll have a good chance of emerging victorious and taking an early lead in the NFC North race.



jdrogers@detroitnews.com

Twitter/X: @Justin_Rogers

[Meano.Culpa]

Justin Rogers, The Detroit News...More consistently, two defenders who showed up repeatedly on film by winning their individual assignment[s] were Branch and defensive tackle Alim McNeill.

Impossible to miss McNeill's improvement over the first couple of weeks. Happy for him, especially given the off-season dedication to improving quickness.

[jaadam4]

Impossible to miss McNeill's improvement over the first couple of weeks. Happy for him, especially given the off-season dedication to improving quickness.

Yeah he was really good against ATL.

[whatever_gong82]

Lions' David Montgomery shares injury status ahead of Packers showdown



Nolan Bianchi
The Detroit News


Allen Park — There are two sides to David Montgomery: The pessimist and the competitor. They appeared to be dueling it out as the injured Detroit Lions running back talked about his potential availability for Week 4.

After missing Sunday’s win over Atlanta with a bone bruise on his thigh, Montgomery on Monday was asked about his status for Thursday night's game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.


“Anybody that’s a competitor would say they go out and play, so that’s where I’m at,” Montgomery said, later being asked if he could pinpoint the level of optimism.

“I’m good. I’m not a very optimistic human being in general, so just taking one day at a time and being where my feet are.”


Not optimistic, you say?

“I’m just chill. I just let things be what things are,” Montgomery said at his locker.


Perhaps, though, Montgomery is just trying not to get his hopes up. Make no mistake, he is dying to roll into Lambeau Field with more than a fighting chance to walk out with a win. Over four seasons with the Chicago Bears, by whom he was drafted in 2019, Montgomery went winless — 0-7 — against the Pack.


“I’ve played at Lambeau a couple of times. It’s definitely one of the best fields and one of the greatest atmospheres that I’ve played in. So just being able to go back there again with a new opportunity within the guys around me, it’ll be super fun. I’m excited,” said Montgomery, who scored a touchdown in each of his first two games after signing a three-year deal this offseason with $8.75 million guaranteed.

In Montgomery’s absence, the Lions run game saw no drop-off in performance behind 80 yards on 17 carries from rookie Jahmyr Gibbs and a combined 28 yards on seven carries by Craig Reynolds and Zonovan Knight. With 115 yards on the ground, the Lions actually outperformed the average of Weeks 1 and 2 (110.0).


“Jah is Jah. He’s always on top of everything, making sure that he knows what he needs to know, he’s confident in himself,” Montgomery said. “When you got somebody like that, ain’t much you can tell him. So you just pray for his success and pray that no one gets hurt, and he went out and he played ball so I’m proud of him for that.”


Montgomery is looking forward to returning, not just because he wants to contribute again. He also feels he has some wrongs to right. His fumble on the first drive of the second half against Seattle was a critical turning in the 37-31 overtime loss — and completely out of character. He fumbled just six total times in 1,070 touches with Chicago. Even his lack of availability is new to him. Over those four seasons with the Bears, he appeared in all but six games.


But according to Montgomery, it goes even deeper than that.

“(I need to be better in a) lot of areas, not just running the ball. Some things that I’m a hard critic on myself that you guys see from a naked eye that’s not a big deal, it’s a large deal to me,” Montgomery said.


“So just being sure that I’m being accountable for myself and being adamant about the things that I didn’t do well and being able to go back and look at myself in the mirror and say, ‘Hey, you weren’t great here, so you gotta be better the next opportunity that you get.’”

The Lions would love to have Montgomery back for Sunday’s game against the Packers, one of the least productive run defenses in the NFL through three weeks. Green Bay has allowed 410 yards over its first three games at a clip of 4.3 yards per carry while allowing 5.3 net yards per attempt through the air, which ranks 11th across the league.


nbianchi@detroitnews.com

Twitter/X: @nolanbianchi

[whatever_gong82]

Lions rookie Jack Campbell getting chance to show pass-rush chops


Nolan Bianchi
The Detroit News


Allen Park — After his selection with the No. 18 overall pick in April's NFL Draft, Jack Campbell is not a starting linebacker for the Detroit Lions.

And yet, the rookie's impact has still been beyond the scope of what the Lions thought they were getting in him. With Derrick Barnes playing well to start the season, the Lions have had the opportunity to let Campbell — a Butkus Award-winning player at middle linebacker — get his feet wet in other areas, most noticeably as a pass rusher.


After Campbell came up with his first career sack to close the first half Sunday, it's easy to see what they like about him in that role. The speed, instincts, strength, pursuit — it all shows up in that setting. Campbell was an interior rusher on a blitz to end the half, quickly disengaged with the right guard, as Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder escaped the pocket, and grabbed his legs for the sack before immediately sprinting to the locker room.


"Right now, that's something that obviously I haven't got a lot of experience ... but I'm taking anything that's been given to me. Whatever role I get, I'm going to own it to the best of my ability and just be the piece of the defense that the coaches (need)," Campbell said. "If they expect that out of me, they're going to get that out of me."

Seventeen of Campbell's 38 defensive snaps in Sunday's 20-6 win over the Atlanta Falcons came as a pass rusher; on 26 of those snaps, he lined up at outside linebacker. For context, he rushed the passer on just 159 of 2,027 snaps at Iowa and lined up at outside linebacker just 21 times over his entire senior season with the Hawkeyes.


In coverage this season, Campbell has allowed four receptions on six targets for 53 yards, with one pass defended. While there are obvious benefits to becoming more versatile as a player, Campbell, who said coaches just started putting pass-rush reps to his plate last week, has noticed that moving around to different parts of the field allows him to see everything from a different perspective.



"Right now, obviously, just starting to kinda morph into some pass-rush stuff, setting edges. ... I'm still focusing on the inside backer — I'm just trying to learn the whole (defense)," Campbell said. "Honestly, it helps me learn the whole defense because now that I'm playing a different position, I know what they're feeling when I'm back in the middle. Honestly, it's fantastic. I'm just going to hold my role in whatever way I can help the team."

By nearly everyone's account, Campbell is as serious of a guy as they come, so it was pretty funny — and on-brand — to see him immediately get up after the sack and sprint straight to the room without a celebration.


While most rookies are focused solely on forging a long career for themselves, making sure they see the field as much as possible, Campbell insisted he isn't. Of course, he wants those things for himself, but at the end of the day, his eye is on something much bigger. It's hard not to believe him.

"I feel like I'm just kind of who I was mentored by. I'm enjoying it, I'm having a lot of fun, but again, that's just how I was brought up. I'm always trying to look to do another thing, but at the end of the day, yeah, I do sit back, and then I'm proud of what I've done," Campbell said.


"But, as of right now, at this point in time, I'm not worried about what I'm doing. I'm worried about what the team's doing and what the defense is doing, because I know, ultimately, if we want to reach where we're going to reach, you can't have people thinking on an individual basis."



nbianchi@detroitnews.com

Twitter/X: @nolanbianchi

[whatever_gong82]

Lions' Ifeatu Melifonwu, a new disciple of TB12 training, delivers promising performance


Justin Rogers
The Detroit News


Allen Park — It wasn't his first start, but Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons was the best open-to-close performance in Detroit Lions safety Ifeatu Melifonwu's three-year career.

Fourth on the depth chart, Melifonwu was pressed into action after both of the team's starters suffered injuries in Week 2. Logging 48 of a possible 67 defensive snaps, he looked like the player the Lions were thrilled fell to them in the third round of the 2021 draft.


"Yeah, he did some really nice things," Lions coach Dan Campbell said. "It was good to see him out there make the plays that he made. Iffy’s a smart guy and it’s just about getting him on the field and keeping him out there health-wise. This is the most time we’ve had on him consistently to be able to just bank those reps at the safety position, in particular.


"We thought he did a real nice job," Campbell said. ""He played a physical game. He was good in coverage, but he also came up and he hit, and he was where he was supposed to be. It was just good." It was an excellent first start for him at safety."

Melifonwu finished the game with three solo tackles, including one for a loss after he identified and blew up a screen pass, as well as a physical pass breakup of a third-down throw across the middle.



And to think, there was a time when it was reasonable to question whether he'd make the roster this offseason. Mind you, it was never a lack of physical gifts, but rather struggles with durability that brought about those concerns. Remember, he spent a good chunk of his first two seasons dealing with various injuries, including one that sidelined him while initially trying to make the offseason conversion from cornerback to safety.


One of the most visibly in-shape guys on the roster, Melifonwu sought to find new ways to better his chances of staying healthy this offseason. While continuing to work with top trainer Yo Murphy in Tampa, Florida, along with several Lions teammates, Melifonwu also got connected with the training staff of TB12 Performance and Recovery, future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady's brand.


Melifonwu grew up in Massachusetts, and his older brother Obi briefly played for the New England Patriots, so the younger Melifonwu was no stranger to the brand, visiting twice for consultations during his pre-draft process. But after an injury last season, he was put in touch with TB12 co-founder Alex Guerrero, who had worked directly with Brady for years.

With the help of TB12, Melifonwu got on a routine of soft-tissue work, as well as a curated supplement plan. He's combined that process by working with Detroit's revamped medical and training staff, who have him on a detailed maintenance exercise routine. It's all part of his effort to make sure he's giving the Lions the best ability: availability.


Sunday's performance was unquestionably a confidence builder. Anyone paying attention this offseason could see Melifonwu looked more comfortable and confident his second year at safety, a position he hadn't played since his freshman year of high school before the Lions approached him about making a switch last year.

"I definitely like playing safety and I think it does fit my skill set, which is obviously part of the reason why they saw fit to change my position," he said. "It plays well into what I do well."


But he also understands one game means very little to the big picture. And whether he logs another start this week in place of the still-recovering Kerby Joseph (hip) or slides back into a primarily special teams role, Melifonwu understands the most important challenge is building on the improvements he showed against the Falcons.

"Just to put good film on tape and play well, and most importantly, help the team get a win, it feels good," Melifonwu said. "But that's already in the past. It's on to the next one and looking to build off that one."


jdrogers@detroitnews.com

Twitter/X: @Justin_Rogers

[whatever_gong82]

As Emmanuel Moseley nears debut, Lions planning to carve out immediate role in secondary


Justin Rogers
The Detroit News



Allen Park — With the way things are trending, it won't be long before cornerback Emmanuel Moseley makes his debut with the Detroit Lions. And if everything goes according to plan, it probably won't be much longer before he takes over a starting job.

Moseley, a free-agent addition this offseason, is still recovering from a torn ACL he suffered while playing for San Francisco last year. After spending training camp on the physically unable to perform list, he likely would have already seen action this season had he not suffered a hamstring strain that altered his timetable.


The Lions are only conducting walkthroughs this week ahead of Thursday's game against Green Bay. Even though Moseley is projected as a limited participant, the team is unlikely to rush him into the lineup without some traditional practices to ensure he's prepared.

That makes the team's Week 5 home game against Carolina the likely target date for a debut, with the plan being to rotate Moseley with starter Jerry Jacobs.



"I think, more than anything, it will probably be by series," Lions coach Dan Campbell said. "Certainly give him a couple in a row where he gets a good feel and I think most of it will be we'll put a governor on his reps so that we'll be smart about that as he comes back. Then, really from there, it's how does he feel? What's his body saying? Then it's just about getting in conditioning, like the rest of the guys have done over time."

Campbell confirmed Moseley will have to prove he deserves the playing time, just like everyone else on the roster, while also highlighting there's a reason the veteran corner was targeted in free agency.


"I think everybody feels pretty good about as he goes out there, he's going to get his legs back under him pretty quick," Campbell said. "Certainly, we'll see where that goes. The good news is if it's not quite there yet then we still have Jerry and we'll battle it out. We're fortunate to have both those guys."

Jacobs, a two-year starter, has struggled to begin this season. Through three games, he's been targeted 21 times in coverage and given up 15 receptions for 135 yards and two touchdowns. He's also committed three defensive pass interference penalties.


Jacobs, in an interview with The Detroit News last week, said he's more focused on getting himself on the right track than the looming threat of Moseley eating into his playing time.

"Whatever they do is whatever they do," Jacobs said. "That's how this business goes and I'm not worried about anybody else. I'm not trying to say that disrespectfully, but if there's ever somebody behind me trying to get to where I'm at, I can only worry about me. I worry about me, so I can stay where I'm at. You feel me?


"Whatever the coaches do, whatever (Moseley) does, that's what they do. I'm worried about me to keep this spot. It's on me to keep this job. I'm not going to give it up."


jdrogers@detroitnews.com

Twitter/X: @Justin_Rogers

[whatever_gong82]

Detroit Lions' Taylor Decker thought he broke ankle vs. Chiefs, expects to return Thursday



Dave Birkett
Detroit Free Press



Taylor Decker is closing in on a return from the high ankle sprain and bone bruise that cost him the past two games, and it couldn't come at a better time for the Detroit Lions' reeling offensive line.

Decker, who injured his right ankle in the second quarter of the Lions' Week 1 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, said he plans to play Thursday against the Green Bay Packers "unless somebody who’s above me in the pecking order says differently."


“If it’s up to me I’m going to play," Decker said. "It’s not always up to me, but if it’s up to me I’m going to play."

Decker was hurt on the 19th offensive snap of the Lions' season-opener, when Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal dove into the side of his leg while trying to make a tackle on David Montgomery.


Decker finished the game, but left the stadium in a walking boot and said he initially thought his ankle was broken.

"I guess I played it off well. I guess nobody really even noticed it until after the game," Decker said. "I just didn’t want to have to come out of the game, especially cause, first game, it’s one of those things where you want to try and be one of the ironmen and not miss any snaps, which I’ve done a couple times in my career so it’s kind of a bummer that it got broke Week 2. But I knew I could be out there even if I’m not 100% I could still help the team win, so just keep going, take a bunch of Advil and more tape and Toradol."


The Lions have shuffled personnel on their offensive line the past two weeks, moving right tackle Penei Sewell to left tackle and starting Matt Nelson at right tackle, but Nelson broke his ankle in last week's win over the Atlanta Falcons and his backup, Dan Skipper, left with a hamstring injury.


Rookie fifth-round pick Colby Sorsdal, a college right tackle who was converting to guard in the NFL, played the entire second half against the Falcons at right tackle, and Graham Glasgow started the game at right guard in place of the injured Halapoulivaati Vaitai. Vaitai will miss his second straight game with a knee injury Thursday.

Decker said it was tough watching the Lions lose their Week 2 game to the Seattle Seahawks from his suburban Detroit home, where doctors had ordered him to stay off his feet.


"You’re like, 'Ah shit, if I could have been there I could have helped,'" he said.

Overall, though, he said he's been impressed by how the line has dealt with its rash of injuries.


"The biggest thing, and it’s just a testament to our group is, no matter who’s out there they’re just going to continue to play hard and play physical," he said. "Even (Sunday), you could just feel the physicality even if everything wasn’t pretty, where maybe a block was missed here or there, those teams were going to feel them, they were going to know that they played against those guys. So it just makes me want to just play even more cause I’m like, they’re out there and they’re fighting, scratching, clawing, I was sitting on the couch. So I’m excited to be back once I finally do."

Listed as a limited participant on the Lions' estimated practice report Monday, Decker said he still is dealing with pain in his ankle.


He won't take any live reps in practice this week, but after failing to talk his way onto the field the past two weeks, he said he plans to play Thursday "as long as I can be functional."


"If it was up to me, I would have played Week 2 and I would have just kept playing," Decker said. "In hindsight, that would have probably been a stupid decision. That’s why I don’t necessarily get to make that call. But the best thing I could do at that point was just try to get as healthy as possible, as quick as possible so I can get back out there and hopefully down the stretch be feeling pretty much 100%."



Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

[edindetroit]

But those are largely the only things Williams can officially do prior to Week 7 of the NFL season. He remains barred from participating or even watching practice, attending home or away games, talking to the media, or joining group workouts.

Is it just me or does that feel like even more punishment? It's going to take him a few games to get in shape.

[whatever_gong82]

Dan Campbell feels 'pretty good' Detroit Lions LT Decker, RB Montgomery will play vs. Pack


Dave Birkett
Detroit Free Press



Taylor Decker isn't the only injured Detroit Lion who could return for Thursday's first-place showdown with the Green Bay Packers. The Lions could have their leading rusher back on the field, too.

Lions coach Dan Campbell said Tuesday he is "starting to feel pretty good about" Decker and David Montgomery's chances of playing this week.


Decker sat out the Lions' past two games with a high ankle sprain, while Montgomery missed Sunday's win over the Atlanta Falcons with a thigh bruise.

Both players said Tuesday they hope to play, though the final decision will be up to trainers.


"I’m a competitor, I want to play," Montgomery said. "Whether it’s Green Bay or it’s high school, I just want to play ball. I want to go out and play for my guys, knowing what they sacrificed and knowing the things I’ve sacrificed as well so definitely want to go out there and play ball."


Montgomery leads the Lions with 141 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 37 carries. He handled the bulk of the backfield work, ahead of first-round pick Jahmyr Gibbs, before his injury.

While the Lions offense should benefit from having Decker and Montgomery back on the field, the Lions secondary still could be without safety Kerby Joseph and cornerback Emmanuel Moseley.



Campbell said Joseph, who was listed as a limited participant on Monday's estimated practice report with a hip injury, still is in "wait-and-see" mode. Moseley, who has not played this season, is "doing well" in his rehab from knee and hamstring injuries, but has had limited practice time after missing all of training camp and the first three games of the season.

The Lions have only walkthroughs scheduled this week, so Moseley cannot test his injury live before the game.


"Brad (Holmes) and I have talked about the, is it time or do we wait until next week to see where he’s at since we can’t really practice this week, other than full-speed walkthrough," Campbell said.

Once Moseley is cleared to return, Campbell said he will have a rotational role at cornerback in the Lions secondary until he's ready to compete with Jerry Jacobs for the starting job opposite Cam Sutton.


"We’ve said it before here and certainly he’s got to prove that he’s still worth those reps, but I think that everybody feels pretty good about, as he goes out there he’s going to get his legs back under him pretty quick," Campbell said. "But certainly we’ll see where that goes. And the good news is, if it’s not quite there yet then we still have Jerry and we battle it out, so we’re fortunate to have both those guys."


Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

[whatever_gong82]

Sam LaPorta, Brian Branch stand out for Lions, who never expected anything less


By Colton Pouncy
Sep 26, 2023


DETROIT — The Detroit Lions are currently reaping the rewards of having a scouting staff that knew what it wanted and made moves to make it happen.

First-round picks Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell got a lot of the attention in April, as one would imagine. But it’s Detroit’s second-round selections, tight end Sam LaPorta and defensive back Brian Branch, that revealed what the Lions were really trying to accomplish with their draft.


They wanted game-ready talent.

“At the end of the day, we acquire these players for a lot of different reasons,” GM Brad Holmes said. “But ultimately, what are we trying to accomplish? We’re trying to win games. That’s why we acquire these players.”


Branch and LaPorta were two of the most game-ready talents in the draft, but fell for various reasons. The Lions benefited. They made moves that helped them land both players where they did, and didn’t hesitate to do what was needed to acquire them.

We’ll start with LaPorta. After Sunday’s game, Lions quarterback Jared Goff was asked when he knew LaPorta was special, after a day in which the tight end rewrote the record books in a 20-6 win over the Atlanta Falcons.


“The first day when he was at OTAs, probably,” Goff said.

From the day he arrived, LaPorta has been as advertised. When the Lions traded down from pick No. 6 to 12, they did so knowing they’d likely be passing on arguably the best talent in the draft: Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter. They also passed on another elite talent in Texas RB Bijan Robinson. In the process, Holmes landed a player he coveted in Gibbs, in addition to the 34th pick — a borderline first-rounder. In a tight end class viewed as one of the best and deepest in years, the Lions used that pick to select LaPorta. It said a lot about how they viewed both him and the position.


Detroit’s targeting a tight end that early always made sense. While the Lions traded T.J. Hockenson to the Vikings and received solid production from its committee approach with Brock Wright, James Mitchell and Shane Zylstra last year, it wasn’t a reflection of how they viewed tight ends. Head coach Dan Campbell played tight end in the NFL, as did Steve Heiden, Detroit’s TE coach. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand both used to coach tight ends. They all know how valuable the position can be with the right player.

Holmes determined he’d rather not reset the tight end market, which is ultimately what Hockenson did with the Vikings. Instead, he added value in the trade down and drafted a player in LaPorta who has matched Hockenson’s current production at a fraction of the price — on a rookie deal for this season and three more to follow.


So, then, how are they doing it?

On the play below, the Lions have LaPorta split out wide. It’s a look they showed routinely in training camp and one that’s clearly made its way to the regular season. LaPorta leads all tight ends in plays lined up out wide with 33, per Pro Football Focus. He has 18 targets from out wide, second among tight ends, per TruMedia. Here’s an example.


The Lions have routinely put LaPorta in a position to succeed. They get him out wide at the top of the picture. They’re going to clear out the middle of the field specifically for him.



LaPorta runs a crisp route and Goff hits him coming out of his break. It gets him the ball with some room to operate, as the linebacker locks onto him. LaPorta doesn’t go down on first contact and keeps churning to pick up the first down, with some help from his teammates.


The route running, willingness to absorb contact and gain a few yards after the catch. That’s what the Lions love about him.

Of course, LaPorta’s most notable play Sunday was his first career touchdown. It was a 45-yard bomb from Goff, as LaPorta found himself wide open and able to walk into the end zone.



LaPorta begins this play as an inline tight end. Look how fast he gets off the line of scrimmage from his stance. He just explodes upfield. The Lions ran this a few times in practice last week, liked the look they got and decided to call it Sunday versus the Falcons.

Some miscommunication from Atlanta’s secondary certainly helped, but LaPorta was gliding on this route. It’s not often you draw up a play for a tight end to be a vertical threat, but the Lions feel LaPorta has enough speed to be a factor downfield.


LaPorta leads all tight ends in receiving yards (186), ranks second in receptions (18) and third in yards after the catch (76). He’s been reliable, as eight of his 18 catches have gone for a first down. Of his 186 receiving yards, 129 have come in zone coverage, where he’s been able to find the soft spots and work in space (56 of his 76 YAC have come versus zone coverage). He’s the first tight end in NFL history to record at least five receptions in each of his first three games. His 18 receptions are the most for a tight end through his first three games, and his 186 yards are the second-most.

The fact that he’s a rookie playing one of the hardest positions in football makes what he’s doing all the more impressive. He’s been everything the Lions have wanted and more.


“He’s a very trustworthy player because of the way that he practices and the fact that he doesn’t make the same mistake twice,” Campbell said. “The kid’s playing pretty good right now. I told the staff yesterday he’s just quietly getting better and better and better and I don’t know how quiet it is anymore. … He’s beginning to take off.”

“He’s a stud,” Goff said. “Has a great feel for the game, has great hands, obviously has good speed, blocks well when we ask him to block. But I know for me personally, he does a great job in the rep progression. I think the most exciting part about him, and I’m sure he’d say this, is he’s not even playing as well as he really could. There’s still some rookie things that happen here or there that the sky’s the limit for him and it’s going to be fun to play with him for hopefully a long time.”


Another player the Lions hope to have for a long time is Branch, who was considered one of the better value picks. He was widely considered a first-round talent, and was even invited to the draft in Kansas City. How he managed to make it all the way to 45 is still puzzling, but the Lions had seen enough and made an inter-division trade with the Packers to put an end to his draft-day slide.

Speed is one factor mentioned in discussions of Branch’s fall. It’s important in the NFL, make no mistake about that. Plenty of good college players have flamed out in the NFL because they lacked the necessary speed to compete at this level. But there are two types of speed — physical speed and play speed. Branch has the latter, and just enough of the former. It’s why there never should’ve been concerns about his 4.58 40 time.


Branch reads this toss play about as quickly as you can. He makes it look easy. It’s not. That’s Bijan Robinson, arguably the shiftiest back in the NFL today. Branch blows it up before it even has a chance to develop, and wraps his lower legs right as he makes his cut so he can’t go anywhere.

Branch did this a couple of times on Sunday. Against Robinson. Against RB Tyler Allgeier. On a screen pass to Kyle Pitts that he quickly dissected. He finished with 11 tackles (all solo), three tackles for a loss and two passes deflected. He became the first NFL DB with at least 10 tackles, three TFLs and two PDs in a game since 1994. In coverage, Branch is tied for 15th in the league among corners with three pass breakups and leads the position in PFF stops — defined as a tackle that constitutes a “failure” for the offense — with six.


One of those pass deflections came in the second quarter. The Falcons tried to use misdirection to catch the Lions off-guard, much like the Seahawks did a week ago. Only this time, the Lions were ready for it.

Atlanta goes with a play-action call with the offensive line blocking left, as Desmond Ridder fakes a hand-off to Robinson. Atlanta’s run game sets up play-action well, thanks to the threat of Robinson. Here’s the pre-snap look. Ridder will eventually roll to the right, with Pitts at the bottom of the photo. He’s the target.


Here’s Branch reading the backfield.


Before the fake exchange, Branch takes off on a dead sprint, quickly recognizing the play and closing on Pitts.


And here’s Branch going full extension for the one-handed pass breakup, with Ridder looking for Pitts.


If you watch the full clip, he’s actually mad at himself for not getting the interception. That’s how he’s wired.


One of Branch’s best traits, and something that wouldn’t show up at the combine, is his instincts. They’re off the charts. He sees the field so well. He knows his assignments. It allows him to play much faster than his 40 time might suggest. When you combine his instincts with his ability to tackle in space and cover, you have the makings of an excellent NFL nickel.

“He really stepped up,” Campbell said. “You could feel his energy and I’ve said this — he gets better every practice. Every day, he gets a little bit better. … The more he plays, the better he gets, and the more he understands what we’re trying to do with him and he’s a playmaker.”


The Lions will be relying on a handful of rookies this year, and others are expected to find their footing in due time. Six of Detroit’s eight draft picks appeared in Sunday’s game. But the stars of the group so far have been LaPorta and Branch.

When it’s time for the inevitable 2023 re-drafts, don’t be surprised if they end up as first-rounders this time.


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

[jaadam4]

Is it just me or does that feel like even more punishment? It's going to take him a few games to get in shape.

Yeah it seems pretty stupid. Suspend them from the games for sure but all activities? Seems really over the top.