Lions News

[jaadam4]

POD had a cool article about CJGJ showing major progress from
his torn pec. I can’t f’ing wait for him to show up for the playoffs

[Mainevent]

Eventually they need to turn 3 decent guys into one really good guy on the edge. They have been doing a lot of experimenting with the backers and so far it hasn't been paying dividends. One of the problems is Jack Campbell is still learning on the job. He does a lot of good things out there so there are playing him a lot but some teams expose him in coverage. He's the lowest ranked everyday player in that D. Still a lot more.season to go and the hope is some of these younger guys progress.

ESPN had an article on next year’s FA class. I didn’t post it here because I’m having too much fun with this season to spend a lot of time thinking about the offseason. But it did strike me just how many top level defenders are out there. Some of them will surely get tagged, but I do wonder if Holmes is looking at that list too, and that’s part of the reason he was willing to hold off on sending out picks for any top guys at the deadline. Maybe they will open the checkbook for one of these guys in the offseason and Holmes wanted to keep all the picks in his holster.

[whatever_gong82]

Jake McQuaide's veteran poise proves critical stabilizing Lions' long-snapping situation



Justin Rogers
The Detroit News



Allen Park — Unless they're responsible for a colossal blunder, the long snapper might be the most unnoticed position on the football field. It's an easy one to take for granted, because we expect the ball to get from point A to point B without issue.

In Scott Daly, the Lions had a reliable long snapper playing at a high level this season. But that came to an end when he suffered a knee injury before the team's bye. That left the team to search for a replacement, which they quickly found in Jake McQuaide.

Detroit Lions long snapper Jake McQuaide.jpg

It was the easy and logical decision. The 13-year veteran and two-time Pro Bowler had spent a good chunk of the offseason in Detroit, competing for the job with Daly before losing out to the younger incumbant. But in that time, McQuaide showed the team he still had everything it takes to still get the job done, which proved critical when the Lions needed a good snap for a game-winning field goal against the Los Angeles Chargers last Sunday.



"It's very comforting to know we've got a veteran player who has been in big games, has played a lot of plays, and you're not teaching him how to protect, protection, all that stuff, and the snap," Lions special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said.

McQuaide initially came to Detroit, even knowing it would be tough to unseat Daly, because he wanted to be closer to his wife and four children in Cincinnati.



"A chance to compete for that was worth the risk," McQuaide said. "It didn't really work out. And to be honest, I was really upset it didn't work out, but that's just part of this job. You can't lose your confidence while you wait for the next opportunity."

In the three months since he lost the camp battle, he estimated he had seven or eight workouts that didn't lead to another job. But he stayed patient and ready, snapping into a net in his garage every morning before taking his kids to school, then returning home to work on his conditioning through weights and cardio.



"As bad as it sounds, you're just waiting for somebody to mess up or get hurt," McQuaid said. "You don't wish that on anybody, but that's the reality of the job with just one on every team. That's how you get in, or sometimes how you get out. That's part of being a long snapper, you have a short leash."

With such a long layoff, you'd think nerves could come into play, particularly getting dropped into the thick of a playoff race, but McQuaide's experience and cultivated routine had his mind at ease when making the snap for Riley Patterson's game-winning kick.



"Any time you're doing something important, it's less nerves and more you're alive," he said. "That's an important distinction to make. It's not that your nervous, but it's a reminder that it's really important and it means a lot to you. That's more empowering.

"I've always felt that way going in to every game, so I say a few things to myself, take a deep breath and it's like, hey, I consider myself the best in the world at this," McQuaide continued. "Still do. Have never changed that thought. I've felt that way for a long time, probably the last 10 years. That's the mindset I have, which gives me the relief from nerves."



And like a veteran, he ran down the field after the kick to retrieve the ball while the rest of the team celebrated, preserving the memento for Patterson.

"That's long-snapper etiquette," McQuaide said. "That's part of the job, especially for a road game. You've got to get the ball for your guy. It means a lot to those guys."

Riley Patterson and Jake McQuaide.jpg

Backup plans

The Lions might need another backup on special teams this week, pending Kalif Raymond's status heading into Sunday's game with Chicago. The All-Pro punt returner is dealing with a sprained ankle, which could affect his ability to handle those duties, whether he's active for the contest or not.



If Raymond can't handle punts, Fipp said the replacement plan likely will come down to one of three guys.

"Providing Donovan Peoples-Jones were active, he would definitely be an option," Fipp said. "That's new for us, but obviously he was doing that earlier this year with Cleveland. ... (Amon-Ra) St. Brown has always been a great option for us back there in multiple games. He's kind of been the emergency plan, a great ball-fielder for us. So those would be two of them. (Khalil) Dorsey has got some experience, (as well). We've got a number of guys who could go back there, but those would be the top of the list."



jdrogers@detroitnews.com

@Justin_Rogers

[jaadam4]

DPJ might be in for a big game if Raymond can’t play.

[jaadam4]

I’ll be curious to see what they do with Hooker for the rest of the year. If they IR him it severely limits anything he can do with the team practice wise. I know we don’t need him right now so it’s probably a non issue but I can’t wait to see what we have with him

[Cody_Russell]

Pretty sure Hendon Hooker will be activated off IR at some point. Maybe in a few weeks. It doesn’t mean he will play, but the idea is to get those practice reps in. I recall seeing a headline a few days ago that said Hooker is ~90% healthy.

Lions can activate what, 6 or 7, more players off IR this season? Something like that.

Hooker is 11 months off surgery. December 13th, 2022. Almost time!

[edindetroit]

Report: Lions coach Dan Campbell not interested in Texas A&M job

https://www.prideofdetroit.com/platf...-texas-a-m-job

[Mainevent]

Riley Patterson - pretty jacked for a kicker.

[ghandi]

Report: Lions coach Dan Campbell not interested in Texas A&M job

https://www.prideofdetroit.com/platf...-texas-a-m-job

It may not be something he wants to do now, but there may be a time in the future....IT wasn't too long ago that Jim Harbauch had the 49ers in the super bowl.

[froot loops]

I don't think that A&M job is all that great, the money is good but I don't recall them ever being a power at the end of the season. They throw a lot of money around down there and theoretically you should be really good. But when they throw that money around, they expect you to be great.

The one thing about college coaches pay is they are mostly public universities so we know how much they make, that's not really true with NFL coaches some of the more established make more. Allegedly , Bleichick makes 20 million a year.

[CGVT]

They caught lightning in a bottle with Johnny Football but other than that they haven't done anything in 50 years, but like all SEC fan bases, they think they are perennial contenders

Edit: Just checked. They haven't done shit in 70 years

[whatever_gong82]

They caught lightning in a bottle with Johnny Football but other than that they haven't done anything in 50 years, but like all SEC fan bases, they think they are perennial contenders

Edit: Just checked. They haven't done shit in 70 years

I feel the same way towards Michigan, even though I went to the school and graduated from Michigan.

Outside of the1997 co-National Championship with Nebraska, the Wolverines haven't won a National Title since 1948!

[CGVT]

I feel the same way towards Michigan, even though I went to the school and graduated from Michigan.

Outside of the1997 co-National Championship with Nebraska, the Wolverines haven't won a National Title since 1948!

I think there are two main types of sports fan. The hardcore fans who eats, breaths and sleeps his team and the casual fan who follows his team and doesn't get bent out of shape if things don't go right.

I consider myself a casual Michigan fan. I root for Michigan first in most college sports but don't lose sleep if M doesn't do well as I would like.

I think there are a lot of casual M fans.

There are no casual Texas A+M fans

[whatever_gong82]

I think there are two main types of sports fan. The hardcore fans who eats, breaths and sleeps his team and the casual fan who follows his team and doesn't get bent out of shape if things don't go right.

I consider myself a casual Michigan fan. I root for Michigan first in most college sports but don't lose sleep if M doesn't do well as I would like.

I think there are a lot of casual M fans.

There are no casual Texas A+M fans

That's me in a nutshell: I'm casual towards Michigan as I approach 6 decades on this Earth, while I'm a hardcore Detroit Pistons and Detroit Lions fan, but lately leaning towards casual for the Pistons due to how mediocre they've been since the late Flip Saunders was fired in 2008 after he choked away the homecourt advantage after tying up the 2008 NBA Eastern Conference Finals vs. Boston.

Tigers and Red Wings? Totally casual, especially the Tigers. The Tigers need to get back to the MLB Playoffs and make some serious noise for me to get back to being hardcore with them.

[dpatnod]

I really only follow the Lions these days and the rest... meh.

Sad thing is that I am still not back to the interest level I had pre-Fatty Patty. Which sucks, cuz they are so much better. As a result I am probably not enjoying this season as much as I really should. Fatty's final gift to me I guess. What a fuckin asshole.