Lions News

[wcfwtf]

How bout one with Campbell like this:
Customers can’t decide what to get. Then Campbell making some suggestions and them still undecided and Campbell finally saying “Cmon just go for it”
Could have been way better.

[El Axe]

Yeah, that commercial was disappointing. You can substitute any NFL coach in that commercial. They have arguably the most colorful and interesting coach in the NFL with all sorts of possibilities and they go for generic NFL coach.

[Mainevent]

Those are both pretty terrible commercials.

[Blue Lagoon58]

They were pros?

I don't know if I understand this, but, yeah? Meinke, Rogers, Birkett and Pouncey are all very good, so not sure what you're getting at. Rogers and Pouncey have now move to subscription based media recently, so I'd say deep down they hope the run continues for financial reasons and that it has to be way more fun writing about a winner.

[edindetroit]

https://sidelionreport.com/posts/grade-the-trade-idea-lions-jump-the-gun-on-possible-big-wide-receiver-addition

"Everyone wants to see Davante Adams on the Jets, and the idea of pairing Aaron Rodgers with a familiar face in Adams makes sense. But the Detroit Lions are America's team right now, so putting the 31-year-old on the league's most fun offense is a better fit. Detroit should be all-in, and its WR2 situation isn't up to snuff for a Super Bowl run."

[whatever_gong82]

Lions' rookie Mahogany finding ways to contribute after lengthy battle with mono

Justin Rogers
Sep 3


Christian Mahogany of the Detroit Lions.jpg

Allen Park — The speculation can cease. In his first public comments since rejoining the Detroit Lions, rookie offensive lineman Christian Mahogany confirmed he missed the first few weeks of training camp -- and remains on the non-football illness list -- due to a case of mononucleosis.

“That's all it was,” Mahogany told the Detroit Football Network. “It was unfortunate. I just didn't want to pass it on to anybody here, so I stayed away for a little bit.”

Once he was medically cleared by doctors back home in New Jersey, Mahogany quickly rejoined the team. He’s spent the past few weeks building back his strength and conditioning. He remains on NFI, which means he'll be sidelined for at least the first four games of the regular season.


It’s been a frustrating experience for the sixth-round draft pick, but one he realizes is out of his control. And after tearing his ACL in 2022, he’s learned how to be patient through a situation like this one.

“I've had football taken away before, so it's not a new feeling,” he said. “It's unfortunate, but things happen, illnesses happen. The timing was unfortunate, but I'm excited to get back. I'm hungry. ...I don't have a timeline. I'm just doing what they tell me. That's how I approach things: I listen before I speak. It's hard to not be frustrated because I want to play, but it is what it is.”


The counter to Mahogany’s frustration is gratitude. He knows the Lions could have easily moved on. Late-round picks aren’t promised anything, and this team has Super Bowl aspirations, so the franchise’s decision to stick with him is appreciated. It’s only adding to his desire to reward their faith.

“It just shows how much they care,” Mahogany said. “For me, it feels more like a family here. They're helping me out and I'm going to give them everything I can when I get back.”


While he builds back his strength, Mahogany is finding other ways to contribute to the team. Earlier this week, left tackle Taylor Decker noted the rookie was offering insight on Los Angeles Rams’ first-year defensive linemen Jared Verse and Braden Fiske, who Mahogany matched up against last season while they were playing for Florida State and he was at Boston College.

Those two rivals played Monday night, with Mahogany’s school pulling off the upset in front of a national audience. He’s understandably pumped about the result, and once the team is back home and settled, he plans to reach out to his former linemates for their notes on Verse to aid Decker.


“I just like giving that insight when I'm not active right now,” Mahogany said. “It's probably good for earning the trust of the older guys, but it also helps the team.”

Away from the practice facility, Mahogany is trying to do good on a different front. He’s been working diligently toward establishing a scholarship fund to honor former high school teammate and University of Georgia defensive lineman Devin Wilcox, who tragically passed away in a car accident in early 2023, shortly after the National Championship game.


Mahogany has raised more than $10,000 through GoFundMe, and is working on tapping into his network at Boston College and in Detroit for what he intends to be an annual scholarship program in Wilcox’s honor.

“Having the people of Detroit, even though I've never played a game here, stand behind me, it means a lot,” Mahogany said. “I'm glad where we're at right now. I definitely want to get it up and running before next spring, before the next school year.”


Email: jrogers@detroitfootball.net

X: Justin_Rogers

[whatever_gong82]

Scrums, no presser: Goff on offense's evolution, Gibbs hypes Jamo and Campbell flexes acting chops in new ad

(I already know about the ad that was already posted online; I'm just adding the football stuff as well. -- whatever_gong82)

Justin Rogers
Sep 3


Allen Park — The Detroit Lions made a trio of their star players available in the locker room Tuesday afternoon, but quarterback Jared Goff, defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and running back Jahmyr Gibbs weren’t exactly in the mood to offer up headline-generating material.

Of course, that’s not their job, and it’s up to me to ask better questions to generate better answers. Send the “L” this way.


Maybe the most interesting part of Goff's session was the topic not pursued — the upcoming matchup against his former team. Despite a new battle on the horizon, the war appears to be over, with both sides emerging as the victor. The Rams got a Super Bowl ring out of the swap that shipped Matthew Stafford west, while Goff got an opportunity to become a better player and man as part of a franchise that embraced and empowered him.

Asked what was new about this year's offense, Goff playfully responded he had no intention of giving away the team’s secrets, but praised coordinator Ben Johnson's ability to continuously push the envelope.


“Ben’s done a great job, every year now, in innovating, being creative, doing things maybe that haven’t necessarily been done before, or we haven’t seen on film, but trying it just for sake of trying it and for the sake of he thinks it’s a good idea,” Goff said. “Sometimes it works at practice. Sometimes it doesn’t, we shelf it and try it again later. But that creativity and that innovation is so important to stay on the cutting edge.”

“…There’re little wrinkles (to the scheme), of course,” Goff said. “There’s new things, there’s things that we were getting better at last year that I think we’ve gotten a lot better at through the offseason and through training camp. There’re things that we’re trying that are brand new. There’re all sorts of different things. So yeah, we’ll unleash some of them.


● Goff got a couple of new weapons last week in Tim Patrick and Allen Robinson. Both wide receivers currently reside on the practice squad, but one or both could see a main-roster elevation in the coming weeks.


The QB was asked how he accelerates the onboarding process with new receivers. He noted the learning curve is typically shorter with veterans.


“Yeah, in between periods, like special teams periods, I can get with them and talk with them,” Goff said. “I think it’s so valuable for me to hear how they like things, how I like things, how certain steps should be and how we do it differently than maybe places they’ve been. I think it’s super valuable. So yeah, I’ll get 10, 15, 20 minutes of reps in between periods with them and they love it.”

Both Patrick and Robinson were in the locker room today. Patrick politely asked to push an interview request to later in the week while he sorts through getting familiar with his new surroundings. Robinson, the Detroit native, was engaged in a conversation with another reporter when I looked to talk with him.


● Hutchinson was asked about his expectations for the Ford Field crowd this weekend. Echoing what others have said this week, he’s anticipating a rowdy environment Sunday night.

That’s largely viewed as a positive, but he acknowledged it can cause some issues defensively. Still, he views a loud crowd as a net gain for the home team.


"It's hard,” Hutchinson said. “You can simulate it in practice a little bit. You can simulate it with the crowd noise. But when the bullets are flying out there, you do lose a little communication. But, in the end, it is worth it. I think we're doing the best job we can to ensure that the comms stay up."


● Despite missing significant stretches of the offseason program with a nagging hamstring injury, Gibbs is feeling much more confident entering his second season.

But it’s not just him. He says he’s seen similar gains from teammates Sam LaPorta and Jameson Williams.


“I feel really good about (the offense), especially Jamo,” Gibbs said. “He’s been lights out throughout the whole offseason and coming into practice today, so I’m excited to see him.”

For what it's worth, Gibbs told reporters he feels close to 100%.



● For the brief portion of practice open to the media Tuesday afternoon, only safeties Ifeatu Melifonwu and Loren Strickland were absent. The team isn’t required to release its first injury report until Wednesday.


● Several Lions got new uniform numbers. Be sure to update your programs.

Robinson: 8

Brandon Joseph: 12

Patrick: 17

Strickland: 24

Erick Hallett: 25

Jake Bates: 39

Trevor Nowaske: 53

Pat O' Connor: 95


● Finally, in case you somehow missed it earlier today, Lions coach Dan Campbell stars in a new commercial for Applebee’s. While I’m not in the business of offering free advertising, it’s worth highlighting because I’m impressed with his acting ability.


It might be time for something more significant. Maybe a guest spot on local comedian Tim Robinson’s I Think You Should Leave?

Email: jrogers@detroitfootball.net

X: Justin_Rogers

[whatever_gong82]

Pride Of Detroit Direct
by Jeremy Reisman


This announcement is a long time coming.

Ty Schalter is a huge reason I’m where I am today. Back in the late aughts, I was a typical kid in my early 20s: wandering, anxious, with little plan for my future. I had always wanted to be involved in sports–ideally the Detroit Lions–but I found my confidence to be too low when it came to chasing my childhood dream of being an announcer, and I didn’t really have a Plan B in the sports world.


At the time, my career path was on autopilot. I was just chugging along the career track to be a child psychologist simply because when I was nearing the deadline of an undeclared student in his junior year, I chose the default option of psychology as a major. I was never much of a risk taker, and I figured I could learn to love it. That never really happened.

Flash forward four years after graduation. The Lions’ 2008 season–proof that beauty rises from ashes. As the Lions completed history for all the wrong reasons, Schalter launched his personal blog “The Lions in Winter,” which would quickly become a daily staple in my life.


Unlike most people who get into the sports writing business, I wasn’t the kind of person who would read the sports section of the newspaper front to back. With all due respect to the people who chase those beats, that kind of writing was never for me. A regurgitation of the box score and cookie-cutter quotes from players and coaches never properly captured the excitement of the action or the high I was feeling on game days. While columnists came a little closer to what I was seeking, I often found their analysis more emotional and exaggerated than analytical.

Finding Schalter was like finding a support group. He spoke the same language as me: a downtrodden Lions fan who desperately wanted to cling to optimism. His prose was (and is) much better than mine, which fueled a creative spark in me I didn’t know existed. His analysis was spot on, and his arguments were well-reasoned. He wrote with the passion of the biggest Lions fan, but never veered into “RAH RAH, WE’RE THE BEST” territory. When times were tough–and they mostly were–Schalter spoke bluntly, but he always kept–as he put it–the little blue flame afire. He was one of those rare writers in which you felt validated if they had the same opinion as you on a topic.


For me, this was all a revelation. At the time, I wasn’t thinking about creating a new career; I just wanted in. I wanted to write from a fan point of view, while also meticulously walking the line of objectivity. I wanted to try my hand at creative writing and attempt to convey this obsession with Lions football. I wanted to find a community of others afflicted with this disease. It felt like there was a blogging revolution happening, and I just desperately wanted to be a part of it.

My journey into sports blogging was just beginning, but Schalter was seeing his career (rightfully) explode. Bleacher Report saw his immediate potential and he became their lead NFL analyst in just over a year. SiriusXM was the next to see his brilliance, tabbing him to co-host a weekly show with long-time Dolphins beat writer–and current Hall of Fame voter–Jason Cole. Schalter got to spread his analytical wings when FiveThirtyEight called. And he ventured back to Lions writing when USA TODAY plucked him to launch Lions Wire. There was a stop at MLive along the way, too.


In the 16 years since my spiritual awakening, I strove to find ways to pick Schalter’s brain, or–if he would somehow agree–collaborate with him on a project. Back in 2011, when we were all just independent bloggers (RIP DetroitOnLion.blogspot.com), I sent out an email to Schalter and a couple other creators in the hopes to launch a video podcast over Google Hangouts (!!). Logistically, I was way over my head, and it never happened. A few years later, I sent a long-winded email to Schalter just asking for overall career advice. He responded with an extremely thoughtful response that began with “I like to say writing is like electron shells.” It’s like I got my own personal blogpost from him.

The stars never aligned. He was too busy, then I was too busy. It just never seemed to be the right place and the right time.


Until, of course, now.

Schalter will be joining us all for a weekly solo piece here on Pride of Detroit Direct throughout the entire 2024 season. I cannot be more thrilled to finally work alongside Ty. If you remember him from the Lions in Winter days, I’m sure you’re just as excited as I am. If you aren’t familiar with his work, I promise he will quickly become one of your favorite reads of the week.


To help introduce you to Ty Schalter, Ryan and I spoke with him in a new First Byte episode. In it, we break down who he is, what to expect in 2024, and share some Lions predictions in there, too.

Enjoy, and stay tuned for Ty’s first piece, which is coming very soon.


First Byte: Welcome, Ty Schalter

[whatever_gong82]

How the 2024 Rams are different than team Lions beat in last year's playoffs

(I forgot to add this yesterday, but with Sunday night's game coming up, it's still important. whatever_gong82)

Justin Rogers
Sep 2

Former Detroit Lion Jonah Jackson.jpg



Allen Park — In the most anticipated Detroit Lions game in Ford Field history, the home team fended off a stiff challenge from the visiting Los Angeles Rams last January, narrowly escaping to earn the franchise’s first playoff victory in more than three decades.


Beyond the historical significance, the contest centered around the quarterback matchup — two men who were traded for each other ahead of the 2021 season.

It marked Matthew Stafford’s first trip to Detroit after the former No. 1 pick asked to be traded, reluctant to participate in another rebuild. It also marked the city’s wrapping of its arms around his replacement, Jared Goff, highlighted by the fervorous crowd chanting his name throughout the night, starting when both QBs came out of the tunnel for warmups.


To open the 2024 season, the Rams return to Ford Field for one of the league’s featured matchups, a primetime tilt on Sunday night. But these Rams aren’t those Rams. NFL rosters and coaching staffs tend to change in a hurry and there’s plenty different about this incarnation of the opponent.

Let’s take a look at what’s new as the week of preparation begins for both squads.


Legend lost


The biggest changes for the Rams are on the defensive side and none are more jarring than the departure of Aaron Donald. Arguably the most dominant defender of this generation, he opted for retirement after 10 seasons, citing a dwindling passion for the game. A future, first-ballot Hall of Famer, the three-time defensive player of the year and eight-time All-Pro finished his career with a remarkable 111.0 sacks in 150 games.


No one will be happier with that departure than the interior of Detroit’s offensive line, who despite being an outstanding trio of veterans, have all had their troubles slowing down the the Rams’ human wrecking ball during their careers. But, on paper, the Rams appear to have a solid replacement plan along the interior of the team’s defensive line.

It starts with Kobie Turner, a third-round pick out of Wake Forest in 2023, who racked up 48 pressures, 16 QB hits and a team-leading 9.0 sacks as a rookie. Like all linemen who thrive operating next to Donald, Turner will have to prove he can maintain his production without a block-commanding vortex on his shoulder.


Turner will be complemented by a rookie, ultra-athletic Michigan native Braden Fiske, who the Rams selected in the early stages of the second round this past offseason. After five seasons at Western Michigan, Fiske concluded his college career at Florida State, tallying 6.0 sacks and 28 total QB pressures. He then went on to match, and in some cases exceed, Donald’s chart-busting testing numbers at the combine.

Of course, that’s not the only new piece up front for the Rams. Twenty picks earlier, they snagged Fiske’s college teammate, edge rusher Jared Verse. Possessing a similarly elite athletic profile for his position, Verse tallied 9.0 sacks in back-to-back seasons for the Seminoles, providing the Rams with some juice off the edge.


Like looking in the mirror


Detroit’s offseason changes were highlighted by an overhaul at cornerback. As it turns out, Los Angeles followed a similar path. The team is expected to have two new starters on the outside after signing Tre’Davious White and Darious Williams.

It’s a return to Los Angeles for Williams, who was a 13-game starter during the team’s Super Bowl run in 2021. He spent the past two seasons in Jacksonville, where he allowed quarterbacks to complete fewer than 60% of their passes when targeting him in coverage.


The 29-year-old White is a few years removed from back-to-back Pro Bowl campaigns, and will be returning from a second, significant leg injury in three years after tearing his Achilles last October.

In addition to the cornerbacks, the Rams also swapped out a safety. After logging nearly 3,000 snaps the past four seasons, but missing the playoff game vs. Detroit, Jordan Fuller signed with the Carolina Panthers in free agency. The team moved quickly to land a potential upgrade, coming to terms on a two-year pact with Washington’s Kam Curl, one of the more underrated players at his position in the league.


Even more defensive changes


In addition to losing Donald’s disruption, and 60% of the team’s interception production from 2023, the Rams also ushered out linebacker Ernest Jones, who racked up more than 250 tackles the past two seasons.

When it became clear the sides wouldn't come together on an extension this offseason, the Rams looked to quickly unload Jones. Last week, they found a taker, shipping the 2023 captain to the Titans.


It appears a good portion of Jones' inside-linebacking workload will be replaced by undrafted rookie Omar Speights, who shined during training camp and preseason.

Finally, beyond all the personnel changes, the Rams also have a new defensive coordinator. Well, new to the role, at least.


After seven seasons coaching the team’s linebackers and defensive backs, and previously serving as both pass-game and pass-rush specialist, Chris Shula will take the reins of the entire unit after Raheem Morris took the head coaching position in Atlanta.

The grandson of the legendary Don Shula, and college teammate of Rams coach Sean McVay, there’s an element of unknown with how Chris Shula will tweak the team’s scheme to fit his wealth of new personnel.


Modest changes to offensive arsenal


Stafford is back, of course, but with a couple of new toys.

The first is more of a replacement than an upgrade. With Tyler Higbee still on the shelf — recovering from torn ACL and MCL ligaments suffered in the playoff game against Detroit — the Rams brought in tight end Colby Parkinson from the Seahawks.


Parkinson is well-rounded, but with modest pass-game production during his first four years in Seattle. He averaged fewer than 20 receiving yards per game the past two seasons, but should benefit from Stafford’s high utilization of his tight ends.

The other notable change is in the backfield, where the Rams filled Royce Freeman’s spot on the depth chart with a familiar face, former Michigan standout Blake Corum. He should form a formidable tandem with Kyren Williams, who racked up 1,350 yards from scrimmage and 15 touchdowns during a breakout season in 2023.



Upgrades up front

Some of the Rams’ biggest investments this offseason went into keeping Stafford upright.


The commitments started with a three-year, $48 million extension for guard Kevin Dotson. Less than a week later, the team lured Jonah Jackson away from Detroit with a three-year, $51 million offer that included half guaranteed.

There’s been a recent and interesting development with Jackson, who missed some of camp with an injury. Not only is he expected to be good to go for the opener, but he’s reportedly set to be the team’s starting center.


Jackson exclusively played left guard for the Lions the past two seasons, but handled some center responsibilities in the 2021 season finale as an injury replacement. He also snapped in the earlier stages of his college career, while at Rutgers.

The Rams return their starting offensive tackles in 2024, but projected blindside blocker Alaric Jackson — another Detroit native — is suspended for the first two games of the season. He’s expected to be replaced by experienced backup Joe Notebloom, who has started 31 games the past six seasons.


Rookie kicker

Much like the Lions’ ongoing search to find a long-term replacement for Matt Prater, the Rams have been on the hunt for Matt Gay’s heir after the kicker departed in free agency ahead of the 2023 season.

Last year, the duties were split between Lucas Havrisik and Brett Maher. This offseason, rookie Joshua Karty takes over after beating out Tanner Brown in a camp competition.


Karty was named the top college kicker by PFF each of the past two seasons. He made 91% of his field goals for Stanford during that stretch, including a 61-yarder.

In his first preseason, Karty was 5-for-6 on field goals and 2-for-3 on extra points, nearly identical to Detroit’s new kicker, Jake Bates, who also missed one field goal and one extra point during the exhibition slate.


Email: jrogers@detroitfootball.net

X: Justin_Rogers

[El Axe]

PFF's Lions Season Preview

[DanO]

https://sidelionreport.com/posts/gra...eiver-addition

Do not trade Williams for Adams. Adas is great but I think Williams is on the cusp and younger.

[El Axe]

MCDC is genuinely a pretty good actor -- at least compared to your typical athletes and coaches. Applebees commercial #2.

[chemiclord]

It probably helps that Dan Campbell by nature is kinda over-the-top, highly expressive and emotive. That tends to translate very well to acting.

[whatever_gong82]

It probably helps that Dan Campbell by nature is kinda over-the-top, highly expressive and emotive. That tends to translate very well to acting.

That sounds like the careers overall of both William Shatner and Nicholas Cage.

[chemiclord]

To an extent, yes. One tip of acting is that "you kinda gotta feel like you're overdoing it at first," because you need to exaggerate your normal manner for it to convey properly. People who do that naturally find that hurdle to be fairly easy to clear.