Lions News

[whatever_gong82]

How can Rich Eisen say one day that the Lions are the best team in the NFL and the next day say that KC will defeat the Lions in the Superbowl? And he still has the the Lions at #2 in his power ranking.

I wouldn't worry about it, after all, he has a lot of great knowledge about Pro football by following his New York Jets /sarcasm

[whatever_gong82]

Lions' Montgomery and Gibbs want to be best backfield duo of all-time; here's how they stack up in the Super Bowl era

Justin Rogers
Nov 8



Allen Park — Earlier this season, in a postgame locker room conversation with Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery, he relayed a lofty goal for himself and teammate Jahmyr Gibbs: When everything is said and done, he wants them to be viewed as the greatest running back duo of all time.

I opined later that week that the pair were arguably already the best, present day, but questioned whether they’d be together long enough to enter the larger conversation. A day later, the Lions extended Montgomery, creating a runway for him and Gibbs to play together in Detroit another three seasons beyond this one.

Through their first 20 games as teammates, Montgomery and Gibbs became the first backfield mates to each produce 1,500 yards from scrimmage and 15 touchdowns in that timeframe. To be more specific with those numbers, they’ve churned out 3,104 rushing yards (5.1 yards per carry), 3,863 yards from scrimmage and a staggering 39 touchdowns.

If we go a step further, projecting out the remainder of the 2024 campaign at their current pace, that would be 4,391 rushing yards, 5,517 yards from scrimmage and 56 scores across two seasons.

Whoa.

That’s unlike anything the league has seen since the merger. But greatness isn't defined by two seasons. It comes with longevity. And that's something that's become more and more difficult to achieve at the running back position in recent years.

But Montgomery has put a goal into the universe, and suddenly, it feels realistic. With that in mind, I put in hours and hours of research in an attempt to rank the 10 best backfield tandems of the Super Bowl era. The aim is to give you a sense of where Detroit's duo fits into the current picture and how much more they need to accomplish to be the best.


10. Fred Jackson/C.J. Spiller

Peak Stretch: 2011-13, 4,999 rushing yards, 5.0 yards per carry, 6,958 yards from scrimmage, 36 touchdowns

Maybe a touch controversial, since Spiller flamed out hard after the 2013 season, primarily due to injuries. But during those three seasons, the duo was impressively productive and efficient, with Jackson providing the power and Spiller serving as the electric, big-play merchant.

Spiller received the only Pro Bowl nod, not just during the stretch, but of both backs’ careers, getting the recognition in 2012 when he averaged 6.0 yards per carry and rushed for 1,244.

Unfortunately, Buffalo didn’t have much else cooking during that time, with a bottom-half defense and lousy quarterback play, resulting in three consecutive six-win seasons and last-place finishes in the Patriots-dominated AFC East.


9. Sam Cunningham/Andy Johnson

Peak Stretch: 1975-76, 78, 4,469 rushing yards, 4.2 yards per carry, 6,339 yards from scrimmage, 33 touchdowns

New England’s rushing attack was more of a three-headed monster during this period, with the hulking 6-foot-3, 226-pound Cunningham as the constant. Those teams still hold two of the top 10 spots in rushing yards per game during the Super Bowl era.

Johnson missed the 1977 season, but in the three years he was paired with Cunningham, the duo led New England’s grind-you-down attack, which included plenty of contributions from the backs in the passing game.

Still figuring things out in 1975, the 3-11 Patriots turned things around the next year under coach Chuck Fairbanks, going 31-13 the next three seasons.


8. Mike Alstott/Warrick Dunn

Peak Stretch: 1997-2001, 7,805 rushing yards, 3.9 yards per carry, 11,072 yards from scrimmage, 70 touchdowns

Appropriately nicknamed “Thunder and Lightning,” the pair had one of the lengthiest runs of high-level production in the past three decades. The impressive production was matched by the tandem’s durability. Both missed just four games during the five-season stretch.

For their efforts, Alstott was named to the Pro Bowl each of the five seasons, including three first-team All-Pro selections for the now-defunct fullback slot. Dunn earned Pro Bowl honors twice.

After more than a decade of ineptitude, the Buccaneers’ franchise fortunes turned around during this era, with four playoff appearances and a division title in five seasons. Unfortunately for Dunn, Tampa would win the Super Bowl in 2002, the same year he signed with division rival Atlanta.


7. John Riggins/Joe Washington

Peak Stretch: 1981-83, 4,492 rushing yards, 3.9 yards per carry, 5,776 yards from scrimmage, 55 touchdowns

Washington didn’t draft either back, signing Riggins as a free agent in 1976 and sending a second-round pick to Baltimore for Washington ahead of the 1981 season. The pair had plenty of experience by the time they joined forces and would probably be ranked higher on this list if Washington didn’t miss half the ‘82 season with a knee injury that limited his output to 342 yards from scrimmage and two scores.

The franchise appeared in the Super Bowl twice during these three seasons, winning their first championship in 40 years in ‘82. Riggins would become a first-team All-Pro the following season, scoring a league-high 24 rushing touchdowns.


6. Mark Ingram/Alvin Kamara

Peak Stretch: 2017-18, 3,380 rushing yards, 5.0 yards per carry, 5,501 yards from scrimmage, 50 touchdowns

A popular comp for Detroit's duo, the Saints tandem burned brightly for two seasons before Ingram departed for a heftier contract in free agency following the 2018 season.

Kamara, a third-round draft pick out of Tennessee in 2017, hit the ground running with 1,554 yards from scrimmage and 13 touchdowns, earning Rookie of the Year.

Impressively, both backs earned Pro Bowl honors that season, and again in 2019, when Ingram was in Baltimore. The Saints won their division in 2017 and 2018, but fell short of reaching the Super Bowl both years.

Following Ingram’s departure, New Orleans backfilled his spot with Latavius Murray. The new pairing didn’t reach the same heights, but was still pretty great, combining for more than 4,700 yards and 38 touchdowns the next two years.


5. Roger Craig/Wendell Tyler

Peak Stretch: 1983-85, 5,409 rushing yards, 4.8 yards per carry, 8,196 yards from scrimmage, 60 touchdowns

Not the first dual-threat running back, Craig was the greatest of his era, becoming the first player in NFL history to record 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in the same season.

Interestingly, that didn’t happen during his time with Tyler, who had retired by the time Craig accomplished the feat in 1988. Still, the duo was so impactful because of his versatility, including his first 1,000-yard receiving season in 1985.

The 49ers won the franchise’s second Super Bowl in 1984, going 45-13 during this three-year period. The only major flaw with the backfield combo was Tyler’s 26 fumbles.


4. Fred Taylor/Maurice Jones-Drew

Peak Stretch: 2006-08, 5,437 rushing yards, 4.8 yards per carry, 7,243 from scrimmage, 50 touchdowns

Productive and durable, the combination was extremely talented individually and a force when paired.

By the time Jones-Drew entered the league as a second-round pick in 2006, Taylor had a lot of mileage, with nearly 2,000 carries and five 1,000-yard seasons under his belt. Jones-Drew immediately lightened the load, both as a ball carrier and pass catcher those first three seasons, averaging 1,300 yards from scrimmage.

That jumped to nearly 1,800 yards per season the three after Taylor left to finish his career in New England, with Jones-Drew earning Pro Bowl honors each year.

It wasn't enough to carry the Jaguars to more than one playoff appearance, where they ran into the undefeated Patriots in the Divisional Round.


3. Franco Harris/Rocky Bleier

Peak Stretch: 1975-79, 8,900 rushing yards, 4.1 yards per carry, 10,727 yards from scrimmage, 77 touchdowns

A different era, without question, Harris and Bleier were the gold standard through the mid-70’s until the end of the decade.

Harris was the star. A first-round pick out of Penn State, he would earn Pro Bowl honors his first nine seasons, including all five of the aforementioned stretch.

Bleier was a non-factor early in his career, missing a season for military service, and a second after being wounded in combat. He would log just 12 touches the first four years he saw the field, serving primarily as a blocker for Harris. But Bleier’s workload quickly grew to 95 touches in 1974 before averaging 171 for 812 scrimmage yards during the five years we’re highlighting.

The best season for the duo was 1976, when they combined for more than 2,400 yards and 19 touchdowns. Harris led the league with 14 on the ground.

Accentuating the resume for both are five division titles and three Super Bowl championships.


2. DeAngelo Williams/Jonathan Stewart

Peak Stretch: 2008-11, 7,329 rushing yards, 5.0 yards per carry, 8,600 yards from scrimmage, 64 touchdowns

Williams, a first-round pick in 2006, served as a complement during his first two seasons to DeShaun Foster. But after he averaged 3.5 yards per carry in 2007, the Panthers went out and spent a second first-round pick on a replacement, snagging Stewart No. 13 overall out of Oregon.

The pair would go on to play seven seasons together, but it was never as good as their first four. Williams exploded for 1,515 rushing yards and a league-best 18 touchdowns in 2008, while Stewart chipped in 836 and another 10 scores as a rookie.

The scales leveled the next season, with the two both topping 1,100 yards and averaging more than 5.0 per carry. Williams took home postseason honors both years, earning second-team All-Pro in 2008 before getting selected to the Pro Bowl in 2009.

The tandem topped 2,000 yards from scrimmage a third time in their fourth season, but rotating injuries prevented it from happening again after that.

Like the Jaguars with Taylor and Jones-Drew, team success was elusive in the early going. The Panthers won the division the first year the two shared the backfield, but wouldn’t return to the postseason again for five seasons.


1. Larry Csonka/Mercury Morris

Peak Stretch: 1971-73, 5,440 rushing yards, 5.3 yards per carry, 5,858 yards from scrimmage, 42 touchdowns

Both Csonka and Morris earned Pro Bowl honors each season during this stretch as the Dolphins advanced to the Super Bowl all three years, winning two rings.

Jim Kiick, a two-time Pro Bowler, gets an honorable mention in this conversation. He served as the team's No. 2 back ahead of Morris in 1971, registering 1,076 yards from scrimmage before getting jumped on the depth chart the following year.

The durability of Csonka — a three-time All-Pro — and Morris was impressive as the latter missed a single game, the only absence between them from 71-73.


Honorable mentions

Walter Payton/Roland Harper

Peak Stretch: 1976-78, 6,711 rushing yards, 4.5 yards per carry, 8,382 yards from scrimmage, 51 touchdowns


Melvin Gordon/Austin Ekeler

Peak Stretch: 2017-19, 3,973 rushing yards, 4.4 yards per carry, 6,911 yards from scrimmage, 57 touchdowns


Aaron Jones/AJ Dillon

Peak Stretch: 2021-23, 4,762 rushing yards, 4.4 yards per carry, 6,523 yards from scrimmage, 36 touchdowns.


Johnny Hector/Freeman McNeil

Peak Stretch: 1984-88, 7,435 rushing yards, 4.2 yards per carry, 10,250 yards from scrimmage, 61 touchdowns


Devonta Freeman/Tevin Coleman

Peak stretch: 2015-17, 4,540 rushing yards, 4.3 yards per carry, 6,631 yards from scrimmage, 35 total touchdowns


Marion Butts/Ronnie Harmon

Peak Stretch: 1990-92, 4,010 rushing yards, 4.5 yards per carry, 6,271 yards from scrimmage, 27 touchdowns


Ernest Byner/Kevin Mack

Peak Stretch: 1985, 2,106 rushing yards, 4.5 yards per carry, 2,863 scrimmage yards, 20 touchdowns. The pair also had 1,942 yards from scrimmage and 15 touchdowns in 1987.


Email: jrogers@detroitfootball.net

X: Justin_Rogers

[whatever_gong82]

Pride of Detroit Direct
by Jeremy Reisman


In 2024, the Detroit Lions have checked about every single box they possibly could. Win on the road? They’re 4-0. Win in the elements? They were polished in a Green Bay monsoon. Beat a strong defensive team? How’s about Hanging 52 on the Titans and 31 on the Vikings? Beat a strong offensive team? The Packers (25.6 points per game) were held to 14, and the Cardinals (23.0) were held to 13.

But the Houston Texans present a unique challenge for the team this year, and it could possibly be the most important one by the end of the season.


The Houston Texans are the Lions’ first potential Super Bowl matchup

The Texans are churning along at 6-3 after their first nine games. And while they’ve a little bit of a rut–losing two of their last three games–their overall legitimacy isn’t really in question. The AFC South is pretty much over, as the Colts (4-5), Titans (2-6), and Jaguars (2-7) are all more likely to top Tankathon’s standings vs. playoff standings. So the regular season is just a countdown until their first playoff game.


They’re bolstered by their defense, which ranks 14th in points allowed, but fourth in yards per play, second in DVOA, and seventh in EPA/play. They haven’t given up more than 315 total yards in a single game, and held all but one team (Vikings) under 30 points.

Offensively speaking, they’re going through some struggles right now. Injuries to Niko Collins and Stefon Diggs have depleted their receiver room, and the offensive line is plagued by a massive hole at left guard and questionable starters elsewhere in the interior.


Yet, despite that, the Texans have one of the most dangerous passers in football in C.J. Stroud. Despite facing the second most pressures and sacks in the NFL, he has the seventh-highest “Big-time Throw” percentage (PFF’s stat) and the ninth-lowest “turnover worthy plays” percentage. He is the definition of a quarterback making the short-handed roster around him better.

And, most notably to me, they come from the AFC. That is a conference that has clearly been the better of the two for the past few seasons, particularly when talking about the top teams. The Chiefs, Ravens, Bills, and Bengals have sat atop Super Bowls odds in each of the past four seasons, while only the 49ers have proven to be the one consistently good team in the NFC…aside from the Lions’ play over the last 2.5 seasons.


This year, the gap is certainly being shrunk, but who in the NFC has looked like a true threat to the Lions? They’ve taken care of the Vikings and the Packers on the road. They beat the Rams at their healthiest. Maybe Washington? Maybe Philly?

I’m not here to say that the Lions have the NFC already won. There’s still a half of a season to play, and certainly teams will rise and fall. What I am saying, though, is that the Lions still need to prove they can take down some of the titans of the AFC.


Their recent history against elite AFC teams is checkered. Their notable win over the Chiefs in the 2023 opener stands out as the lone positive. But six weeks later, the Ravens destroyed Detroit to the tune of 38-6–the second-worst loss of the Dan Campbell era by point differential.

There aren’t a lot of other datapoints to gather. In 2022, they narrowly lost their Thanksgiving bout against a Buffalo Bills team that would finish 13-3, and they blew out the eventual 9-8 Jaguars in 2022. That’s it against AFC teams who finished with a winning record over the past three seasons.


The Texans will be the Lions’ first of two AFC contender tests, as the Buffalo Bills (7-2) await Detroit at Ford Field in Week 15 in a rematch of that Thanksgiving matchup. The Texans have already beaten those Bills in an impressive 23-20 win that saw Buffalo’s defense hold Josh Allen 131 passing yards on just 9-of-30 passing. That win was at home, where the Texans are 4-0, but haven’t won a single one of those contests by more than a single score, and their strength of opponent outside of that Bills game (Bears, Jaguars, Colts) is certainly questionable.

So in a way, this game almost feels like a warmup to the Bills, especially with the status of two Texans stars–wide receiver Nico Collins and edge defender Will Anderson Jr.--sill very much in question. Regardless of whether those players play, a win over the Texans sends a message that Detroit has already relayed to the entire NFC: Watch out.

 

1-on-1 conversation with (Terrion Arnold)

I wanted to do a mid-rookie season check-in with the Lions’ first-round pick. So here’s my conversation with Terrion Arnold.

Note: Interview is lightly edited for clarity purposes. No important context was removed.


Jeremy: What’s the biggest takeaway from the first half of your rookie season.

Terrion: “Consistency. Just the transition even from college, being able to be aggressive at the top of the route to learning in the NFL you can’t really do that. Obviously, you can see my PIs (pass interferences), they done dropped. I haven’t had one in four, five games. But then on top of that, my coaches trust me. AG (Aaron Glenn) not being worried about stuff like that knowing we play man-to-man defense. Those are some of the obstacles and challenges that you’re going to face when you challenge receivers. This league is kinda getting away from it, but we’re one of those teams that we get up there, we play man. Teams know we play man.”


Jeremy: What does it say about the coaching staff’s faith in you that they’re calling more man-coverage, which is obviously more difficult for cornerbacks?

Terrion: “A lot of teams, they just back off, because you’ve got to think it’s an offensive league. These receivers are good. So it just shows that (Glenn) knows that we’re better than them. Obviously, the quarterback and the receiver, they both know where they’re going, so they’re going to catch some passes, but when you look at it through the course of a game, who’s winning most of them, and we’re getting into a position where we’re starting to play better football day in and day out.”


Jeremy: Nice to have those safeties behind you, too.

Terrion: “Oh yeah, most definitely.”



Jeremy: What has been the biggest adjustment to slowing the PIs?

Terrion: “My biggest adjustment has just been trusting myself looking for the ball. At first, a couple of them–actually, Dan (Campbell) came up to me after my Arizona penalty and was like, ‘The league has actually put in the rulebook that when you look back for a ball, receivers can’t jump into you.’ So a couple of them I had, those were arguably not pass interference. But I look at it like–even AG was telling me–look at it from a point of view where if you’re getting a pass interference, that means you’re there. [...]

“I would say also the game speed. Some of these routes and some of these concepts, I’ve never seen before. Now it’s the second half of the season, and the beauty of it is nothing is new under the sun (anymore). So, you can just expect and be breaking on balls faster, making more plays inside the scheme, because I’m getting more comfortable. I think AG and Dan, they do a great job of–I’m already hard on myself, but they just allow me and tell me, ‘Dude, you’re a rookie. You’re a rookie playing in a system unlike most rookies.’ Most rookies, they send back playing cover-3, cover-4. I’m playing man.”


Jeremy: I imagine in your career, you’re not used to struggling. Is it important to have that hand on your shoulder from the coaching staff saying, ‘This is life in the NFL’?

Terrion: Nah, I never lost confidence. I’m one of those ones that I know who I am and I’m sure of myself. I know what they brought me here for, and then on top of that, I knew I was only going to get better. So if you go look at my play in Week 2 compared to the game we just played in, it’s way better (now), and I’m only going to improve.

“Then on top of that, we’ve got great pieces around us. Being able to play with Brian Branch, Kerby (Joseph). Feeding off Amik’s (Robertson) energy, and the role that (Carlton Davis) CD has just as far as teaching me to be a pro, I’ve been put into a blessed situation.”



Jeremy: Has Davis been the player you’ve relied upon most for technique guidance?

Terrion: Most definitely. CD, he’s a quiet guy. But when we’re around each other, it’s like we’ve been around each other like our whole lives. It’s good to have someone like that in my corner.”


Jeremy: I heard the secondary watching “Thursday Night Football” at Kerby Joseph’s place. What is that environment like?

Terrion: “Just camaraderie. And on top of that, stuff that happens at “Thursday Night Football” at Kerby’s house is some of the stuff that happens in the game. Like I’ll even say, ‘If this route comes up or we see this, we’re going to do this in the game.’ And it’s outside of scheme, but allowing us to trust each other and have that type of chemistry that we have, that allows us to go out and play well.”


Jeremy: Who’s a receiver you haven’t gone up against yet, but you’re eager to face off against?

Terrion: “Probably Malik Nabers. We got to go at it in joint practices. And on top of that, when it comes to the rise of DBs and rise of receivers, and you look at rookies, it’s us. On the other side, before he gets out of the league, Davante Adams.”


Jeremy: Favorite activity you’ve done in Detroit?

Terrion: “I went to a high school football game. I don’t remember which one, but I’m probably going to go to one this Friday with Kerby. Just trying to be involved in the community. Never think that you’re bigger than anyone, because oftentimes, people look at you like, ‘Oh my goodness, it’s such-and-such,’ I’ll be like, ‘Hey, man. I’m a human just like you’re a human.’ You never know the type of impact you can have on people. So I just try to be a positive role model.”

Thanks to Terrion Arnold for the insight and detailed answers!


FIRST BYTE PODCAST: Lions vs. Texans preview with John Crumpler

Note: First Byte was streamed live this week–as it will be for all of “Movember" - so you can watch the episode HERE. So there’s a bunch of extra Lions (and non-Lions) talk at the end of the show. Also, shoutout to John, who was an excellent first-time guest this week. Enjoy

 

[whatever_gong82]

5 thoughts to end the week, led by sifting through Lions' secondary with some talent on the mend

Justin Rogers
Nov 8


Allen Park — Here are five thoughts to end the week as the Detroit Lions prepare to play the Houston Texans.


Secondary shuffle

With the three-week acclimation windows opening for cornerback Emmanuel Moseley and safety Ifeatu Melifonwu this week, I’ve spent a lot of time pondering what kind of defensive contributions either will be able to offer down the stretch.

At the very least, both are outstanding insurance options, giving the team talented and productive depth. That said, I’m curious how much either will see the field beyond special teams once they’re officially cleared to join the 53-man roster later this month.


Let’s start with Melifonwu, who was a critical cog down the stretch of the 2023 season. His insertion into the lineup was delayed by a broken hand, but he started the final five games, recording 26 tackles, seven pass defenses, two interceptions and 3.0 sacks. Despite no history of rusing the passer, he adapted to the ask, quickly emerging as one of the league’s most effective blitzers at his position, tallying 11 pressures on 20 rushes in those five games.

Surely there’s a place for that skill set somewhere on the defense, but where? It’s difficult to say it will be at safety, where Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are both playing at a Pro Bowl level. How can you possibly justify taking either playmaker off the field?


That leaves the possibility of a three-safety nickel package, which would eat into Amik Robertson's playing time. I don’t think this option can be dismissed. Robertson has been solid, not spectacular, the first half season. He’s performed well against the run, while the coverage has more been up-and-down. But the number that sticks out is zero pressures on 10 blitzes. That’s where Melifonwu can change the game, especially on third down.

Of course, Moseley’s return complicates the equation even more. Remember, when the team opened training camp, he was the one taking first-team nickel reps. That doesn’t mean it's where he’ll play once he’s cleared, but it was the vision in August, before he tore his pec.


With reasonable stability across the secondary, Moseley might end up being the top backup both outside and in the slot, assuming he reveals himself to be the better option, ahead of Kindle Vildor and second-round draft pick Ennis Rakestraw. Given the amount of rust Moseley will be shaking off after the pec injury and back-to-back, season-ending ACL tears before that, it's really impossible to predict.

Having too much talent and not enough spots on the field for it isn’t the worst problem for defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to have.


People first

Given how little pressure the Lions have been able to generate off the edges since Aidan Hutchinson suffered a season-ending broken leg, the addition of Za’Darius Smith at the trade deadline was understandably celebrated. But the Lions gave the newcomer most of the week off following the deal, putting his status for Sunday’s game in question.

On the surface, it might seem like a curious decision by the team and one causing consternation for many fans. But the move is reflective of the managerial style of coach Dan Campbell, which prioritizes his players as human beings in order to maximize their on-field abilities.


Even though I had a pretty good grasp on the reasoning, I posed the question to Campbell on Friday, allowing him to explain.

"I think each case is kind of unique, right, and his is unique in the fact, number one, he’s a veteran player,” Campbell said. “He’s got a lot of miles on the body, and he can still do it. But also, I think it’s important for him to be able to get a little bit of a breather. That’s one. Two is you just got traded. It’s a whirlwind. All of a sudden, ‘I was healed, we were getting ready for the team photo, was going into the bye, now all of a sudden I drive up here to Detroit, and, oh, by the way, there was a hurricane that hit down south where my house is.’


“There’re these things, and I think it creates some stress that you can alleviate,” Campbell said. “That’s more important than we have to force the issue right now. I would rather him be of sound body and mind for the rest of this long haul than I would try to force the issue right now.”

Part of Detroit’s culture if they put people first. There’s an emphasis behind the scenes on mental health, and the team won’t hesitate to hold an injured player out a week longer than most to ensure they’re in a better place, long-term. The handling of Smith is being proactive on both of those fronts.


Plus, the Lions likely feel pretty good about their ability to get the job done without him, if they opt to go that direction. They have gone 3-0 without Hutchinson so far, including huge road wins over Minnesota and Green Bay, after all. Additionally, they’re getting back Josh Paschal, who missed the past two games healing up after having a shoulder mass discovered and removed during an annual cancer screening.

The Lions want Smith at his best when it matters most, and they're clearly comfortable getting by without him for a week to get the most out of him the next three months.


Former Lions defensive tackle Damon “Snacks” Harrison can appreciate the current regime’s approach. Acquired via a midseason trade in 2018, the Lions immediately thrust Harrison into the starting lineup, causing the 350-pounder to miss his bye week that season.

“Detroit truly has changed,” Harrison tweeted this week. “Them folks threw me out there ASAP with swollen knees from the plane ride.”


Ring the dinner bell

The Texans have allowed more quarterback pressure and sacks than just about every team this season. That makes it feel a little more unfortunate to potentially be without Smith to capitalize on the weakness, but an under-the-hood look at the opposition's offensive line suggests something else.

While there’s been problems all across Houston’s front, it’s been particularly bad on the interior. Guards Shaq Mason and Kenyon Green, as well as center Juice Scruggs have combined to surrender 12 sacks and 60 overall pressures.

Meanwhile, Lions defensive tackle Alim McNeill has generated six or more pressures in three of the past five games, including seven against Green Bay last Sunday. This should be a week where he and Levi Onwuzurike eat.


All business

Something I had forgotten to mention until recording the podcast with Will Burchfield on Wednesday was the demeanor of Detroit’s locker room after last week’s win over the Packers.

In those moments after a big win, the locker room is typically a raucous celebration with loud music, lots of shouting and laughter. But in Green Bay, it was as quiet as I could remember it after a win.


Admittedly, the weather could have been a factor. After a long day in the cold and the rain, it’s easy to believe guys just wanted to get dressed and get on the bus to head to the airport.

But I also believe it pointed to the growing expectations of this roster that they’re going to go in and handle business weekly. There’s nothing wrong with celebrating a win. As players and coaches will regularly point out, winning games is not easy in this league — despite how often Detroit has made it seem that way this season. But there’s a swagger in not feeling the need to celebrate that adds to the aura of what this team is accomplishing.


Pursuing happiness

Friday marked the last day on the beat for MLive’s Kyle Meinke. Even though we’ve had dozens of conversations over the years about him leaving to chase something else, it never elevated beyond talk, so it's admittedly a little surreal, given we started in these positions a year apart more than a decade ago.

Despite some of the seemingly playful social media banter readers loved over the years, we didn’t always get along. The first couple seasons working together were rough, largely because MLive evaluated us on so many counting metrics, unnecessarily fostering competition instead of teamwork between two highly motivated individuals. Eventually, we found a balance, personally and professionally, leading to some great, collaborative work.


In 2016, it was me who nearly left this job. Frustrated by some limitations put on me by MLive, including a promised position that was given to someone else, I started meeting with some employers outside journalism. Those talks lasted a couple months, were productive, but never materialized in an offer. Had I received one that was financially competitive, my frustration level was high enough I would have jumped at it.

As it turned out, another colleague at MLive felt similarly and left before I could. That led to a series of moves that created an opening at the Detroit News. They called me to gauge my interest, and intrigued by the opportunity at a fresh start with different leadership, I continued covering this team. It’s difficult to imagine things working out much better.


The same is true for Kyle. I know him well enough to know he’s needed a change for a few years, but it’s difficult to walk away from stability. I’m thrilled he finally pulled the trigger and is chasing personal happiness above everything else.

Looking at my own experiences, leaving both MLive and the Detroit News, I can’t imagine he’ll regret it.



Email: jrogers@detroitfootball.net

X: Justin_Rogers

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https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2024/11/08/detroit-lions-qb-jared-goffs-elite-streak-shows-in-work-with-top-wr/76116488007/

[whatever_gong82]

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2024/11/08/amon-ra-st-brown-hoodie-green-bay-sucks-lions-nfl/76129281007/

[whatever_gong82]

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2024/11/08/zadarius-smith-lions-texans-game-taylor-decker-injury/76130341007/

[whatever_gong82]

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2024/11/08/detroit-lions-de-zadarius-smith-anxious-to-play-sunday-after-trade/76134084007/

[El Axe]

I liked this quote from Terrion:

Terrion: Most definitely. CD, he’s a quiet guy. But when we’re around each other, it’s like we’ve been around each other like our whole lives. It’s good to have someone like that in my corner.”

Decker being out is no bueno, but the Texans will be without Will Anderson Jr. They'll probably line Hunter up away from Sewell, wherever that is.

[El Axe]

Za'darius Smith's first time with Detroit Media. Seems like a great personality

[-Deborah-]

Jeremy: I heard the secondary watching “Thursday Night Football” at Kerby Joseph’s place. What is that environment like?

Terrion: “Just camaraderie. And on top of that, stuff that happens at “Thursday Night Football” at Kerby’s house is some of the stuff that happens in the game. Like I’ll even say, ‘If this route comes up or we see this, we’re going to do this in the game.’ And it’s outside of scheme, but allowing us to trust each other and have that type of chemistry that we have, that allows us to go out and play well.”

Love it!

[whatever_gong82]

'Happy to be here': Za'Darius Smith joins Lions after winding trade process

Paywall article from yesterday's News.

Richard Silva
The Detroit News


Allen Park — Za'Darius Smith apologizes for causing any angst.

Before news broke Tuesday morning about his trade from Cleveland to Detroit, Smith took to X, formerly known as Twitter, and fired off a post that worried fans: "SMH." It's an acronym that's short for the term "shaking my head" and is often uttered to express displeasure when something happens.

In the days and weeks leading up to the NFL trade deadline, there was plenty of smoke regarding a potential deal that would send Smith to the Lions. His public unhappiness on social media was met with concern. But within a few hours, the post was taken down, the trade was made official and Detroit added a much-needed pass rusher to a team with Super Bowl aspirations.



"It was just taking too long," Smith said with a smile Friday, explaining his post. "Sorry for the fans that was thinking otherwise. But yeah, happy to be here and happy to be with this football team."

The Lions first popped up on Smith's radar as a potential trade destination in the initial weeks following Aidan Hutchinson's broken leg against the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 13, he said. With fellow pass rusher Marcus Davenport also out for an extended period of time, it became rather obvious Detroit would be perusing the market for a presence on the edge.

Browns general manager Andrew Berry approached Smith and let him know the Lions were interested. Berry also was the one to let Smith know the teams had come to an agreement — a 2026 seventh-round pick accompanied Smith to Detroit in exchange for a fifth-rounder in 2025 and sixth-rounder in 2026, according to reports.


"I was happy, man," Smith said. "I got the phone call from the GM in Cleveland and he was just telling me, 'Z, we got it done for you.' I was like, 'We got it done? So, we're going to Detroit?' He was like, 'Yeah, you're going to Detroit.' (I) thank (the Browns) for just having me for a year-and-a-half and trading me here to basically get a chance to go do something great."

Smith, 32, has so far totaled five sacks in his 10th NFL season. Since Week 5, he's tied for the NFL's fifth-most pressures (23), and his pass-rush win rate of 22.4% is No. 7 amongst the 198 players who have seen at least 35 pass-rush snaps over this five-week stretch, per Pro Football Focus.

It's the type of production the Lions desperately need with Hutchinson sidelined, but Smith doesn't plan on letting those circumstances weigh on him.

"I'm not gonna say pressure. I'm gonna be Z," Smith said when asked if he feels the expectations. "Come in here and be myself, energy guy. Help the younger guys. … I just actually had a chance to go out to practice today. The things that we're doing in practice, I see why this football team is so dominant."


It's been a whirlwind few days for Smith, who was supposed to be on a bye week with the Browns but is now trying to get up to speed in Detroit. One of the smaller, but still important, items Smith had to address was his jersey number. The Lions gave him some options in the 60s, 70s and 80s, but he wasn't satisfied. Smith wanted No. 99, so he called defensive lineman Brodric Martin and negotiated a trade of his own, sending Martin an undisclosed amount of money for the number.

"I'd say it's three zeroes on the end of that. I'm not gonna tell you the exact price, but for sure he's going to have some good money," Smith said. "Put some gas in his car."

It's not clear whether Smith will be ready to go for Sunday night's matchup with the Houston Texans, but he's eager to play. Head coach Dan Campbell gave Smith a couple days off when he arrived, aiming to give him some time to refresh.

Smith took those couple days away from football to travel to his Florida home, which took some minor damage from a recent hurricane. He'll work to fix that, but not before he continues learning the playbook in hopes of seeing the field at NRG Stadium in Houston.

"I know the game well," Smith said. "Obviously, I've been in the game for 10 years now, so I know actual football. … It's just more of getting the plays in and knowing the blitzes. They basically want me to be on cue with the blitzes. Hopefully something can work out here in the next 24 hours."


rsilva@detroitnews.com

@rich_silva18

[whatever_gong82]

'Such a blessing': Texans showdown a Houston homecoming for many Lions

Another paywall article from yesterday's News.

Nolan Bianchi
The Detroit News


Allen Park — Tex-Mex, the rodeo, producing NFL football players.

Those are just some things that Houston does better than most places on earth.

So when the Lions arrive to play the Texans this Sunday, there will be plenty of friends and family to share in the excitement. The primetime matchup on "Sunday Night Football" will be a homecoming for several Lions players who all share a unique definition of the word.

For defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Houston is the place where he became an unexpected hometown hero. He grew up in Humble, Texas, about 25 minutes north of Houston via I-69. After beginning a 15-year NFL career with the New York Jets, he was an expansion pick by the Texans in 2002 and became one of the team’s first Pro Bowlers, along with defensive lineman Gary Walker.


“I was leaving the Jets that I had an eight-year run with and listen, that was tough to leave that place because I really enjoyed playing there,” Glenn said Thursday. “But I really looked forward to going home and playing in my hometown, to be able to play in front of my family and friends. And I took that as an opportunity to … put my stamp on this team knowing it was a new franchise.

“So I wanted to do everything I could to lead by example.”

Glenn played three years in Houston — and leave a mark he did. To this day, he’s tied for fifth in franchise history in single-season interceptions (five each in 2002 and 2004). In 2010, he signed a one-day contract with Houston to retire a Texan, the first player in team history to do so.

Glenn didn’t get the chance to grow up a Texans fan, but because of people and players like him, tight end Brock Wright did.

Wright, who grew up in Cypress (20 minutes northwest of Houston), was one of the gameday captains for the team’s win over the Dallas Cowboys last month — something Lions head coach Dan Campbell typically does for guys who are returning to play in front of friends and family — but he shudders to think that there are people out there who think he might have grown up cheering for the Cowboys.

Wright is all Houston, all the time. It’s the place he renovated a home this past summer and the place he hopes to return to when this football thing is all said and done. He grew up going to games at NRG Stadium, but Sunday will be his first time playing there. His parents bought a suite for the game.


“As a Houstonian, you grow up hating all Dallas sports, and I think it’s probably the same vice versa. There’s always a feud there,” Wright said. “Cowboys, Rangers — when people in college asked who my hockey team was, they assumed it was the Stars. I’m like, no, I’m going to cheer for someone else.”

Lions kicker Jake Bates, however, is a different story. Bates was raised in Tomball, a city just east of Cypress. He’ll have so many friends and family in attendance on Sunday that he doesn’t even know where to start counting. Most of them didn’t even ask him for tickets — they’re already season-ticket holders.

“It’s gonna be fun to play in the city I grew up in. I didn’t always cheer for the Texans, but all my friends did, so it’ll be cool for them,” Bates said. “I know that a bunch of my friends have season tickets and stuff, so they’ll be excited. But I’m trying not to let it get to me; just treat it like another game and let them have kind of more fun with it than I will.”

Didn’t always cheer for the Texans, you say?

“I grew up a Cowboys fan,” Bates admitted. “It wasn’t always the easiest in Houston.”

Being a Texans fan in Houston wasn’t always the easiest, either. The franchise had a remarkable run of futility in its early stages, finishing last in the AFC South in five of its first six seasons.


In the early 2010s, the Texans started to turn things around. They picked up playoff wins over the Cincinnati Bengals in consecutive years (2011, 2012), one of which Wright got to see in person.

“I was probably in middle school at the time. That was probably the most fun I had growing up,” Wright said. “Obviously, grew up in a huge football area, so that was everything for us.”

In the mid 2010s, the Texans saw a complete resurgence, partly because of guys like Lions defensive tackle DJ Reader, who began his career in Houston as a fifth-round pick in 2016. Over Reader’s four seasons in Houston, the Texans won their division three times.


Reader left for the Bengals in free agency in 2020. He still lives in Houston during the offseason, but in his four years in Cincinnati, he never got the chance to return to his old stomping grounds. Sunday will be his first time playing in NRG Stadium since 2019.

“It’s gonna be dope, man," Reader said. "My son’s birthday is the day before, so it’ll be dope being out there with family and friends and everybody in a place I once played. … Had a lot of special times there."


In addition to be a tax-free state, Reader said Texas is just a place he feels comfortable.

"That was the first place I went (when I got drafted). You get comfortable, you’re a young man making connections in life. It was the first place I really went and established connections with people," Reader said. "I was able to maneuver around, too. I was like, ‘Might as well set up here right now and enjoy training.’ It’s usually warm most of the year. It might get a little too hot, but it’s pretty warm.”


For punter Jack Fox, it’ll be his first time playing in a stadium that he lived in the shadow of for four years. Fox played collegiately at Rice, a school based in Houston. When he was in high school, Rice was the only school that was interested in bringing him in. By the time he left, he was a finalist for the Ray Guy Award, given out to the best punter in the nation.

And when he returns this Sunday, he’ll have a second-team All-Pro nod and many millions in career earnings under his belt.


“I think it’s cool because when I left Rice, I had aspirations of playing in the NFL but I just could have never imagined that it worked out how it did,” Fox said. “I’ve been with the same organization for five years. It’s just a blessing to be with the Lions, and the whole thing is just such a blessing.”

Houston will be enemy territory when the red-hot Lions roll into town on Sunday night. But for several players that make the Lions who they are, it'll always be home.


nbianchi@detroitnews.com

@nolanbianchi

[whatever_gong82]

Detroit Lions fan goes viral, chooses authenticity and humility. Imagine that

Paywall article from yesterday's Freep.

Shawn Windsor
Detroit Free Press


It's not often that you do the same thing for 10 years and then one day it makes you famous. But that’s what happened to David Bodine on Sunday in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

He wore a clever hat to a football game and suddenly his phone was blowing up. Friends, family, everyone called or texted or messaged through social media apps to tell him he’d just been caught on national television.

Well, not caught so much as highlighted, and if this were 10 years ago, certainly 15 years ago, the three seconds of fame would’ve ended right there in Lambeau Field. Another fan with witty attire or deftly trolling signage.

Bodine, if you haven’t heard by now — and you probably have, as he has spent the last few days happily talking to reporters and podcasters and radio broadcasters — wore a cheese-grater hat to the Detroit Lions game vs. the Packers.


David and Sarah Bodine at Lions vs. Packers 2024.jpg

His wife, Sarah Bodine, also at the game, wore a cheesehead hat; she’s a Packers fan, having grown up in Menominee, an hour north of Green Bay and just inside the Michigan state line.

The juxtaposition of the grater and the cheesehead made for the best kind of unspoken trash talk, though viewers had no idea the pair were a couple. Not long after Fox cameras spotted Bodine, he felt his phone vibrating. It was early in the third quarter, and Jahmyr Gibbs had just scored a touchdown to give the Lions a 24-3 lead.


He resisted taking it out of his pocket. He’s a relative luddite that way and figures his annual drive from his home in Houghton to Green Bay to see his beloved Lions is best watched through his natural eyes.


But the vibrations continued, and he eventually gave in and pulled his phone out. By then, Barstool Sports had posted a screen grab of the broadcast’s shot. So, too, had ESPN. This was the day’s prime afternoon slot, and the Lions are a happening, and people wanted to know who he was.

Being the affable fella he is, he took a selfie, beer in hand, grater hat included, obviously, and published it on Twitter.


“Apparently,” he wrote, “I’m making the rounds on this app, in case anyone is wondering who the lions fan in the cheese grater is…”

Turns out, lots were wondering, and 1.6 million views later ... well, Bodine had gone viral. At that point, he had a few choices, and it’s a credit to him in this age of self-promotion that he chose this one:


Humility.

With a dose of self-deprecation.


Hundreds of new “friends” began offering advice on what he should do with his life, and insisted he should find a way to make a buck.

“That’s the American way,” they told him.


Meanwhile, another army of digital life coaches barked that he was a fraud because he wasn’t the first to don a grater hat at a Packers game.

Bodine quickly wrote that the hat hadn’t been his idea after he posted the selfie. That a Chicago Bears fan had apparently come up with the idea years ago.


Yet one of the problems with social media is that posts get knocked down in a hurry, and visitors don’t always catch the context. To make sure no one thought he was taking credit for someone else’s creativity, he kept repeating that he was merely a caretaker.

“Just kind of who I am,” he said.


Imagine that? Making sure a million-plus sudden fans don’t get the wrong idea?

Bodine, naturally, gave props to his parents.


“That’s the way they raised me,” he said. “My parents always worked hard, tried to come by everything honestly.”

It also helped that he’d studied social media in college — he majored in marketing at Central Michigan. And that he learned an important lesson early:


“You have to be authentic. I’m not going to be different online than in person. It’s how I’ve always been.”

As for the money?


Yeah, sure, he’d loved to have made a bit, maybe lend his image to a company, or dip into the influencer business.

But?


“I don’t feel right trying to make money off of (someone else’s idea),” he said. “It would be great if I felt it was ethical.”

Bodine bought the hat a decade ago — he still has the receipt; it cost $40, plus $10 for shipping — from a company called Grater Head. The company has an Instagram page, but as far as he can tell, it’s no longer in business. (An online search came up empty.)


He guesses he’s worn it 10-15 times over the years, always to a Lions-Packers game. Mostly, he has seen his favorite team play at Lambeau, because it’s closer, but he loves wearing it to Ford Field, too.

This isn’t the first time he’s been noticed for his hat. He was at Ford Field on New Year’s Day in 2017. The Lions had held a lead in the NFC North before dropping their final three games, including a heartbreaker to Green Bay that afternoon.


A fan in front of him was holding a sign that read: “New Year, Same Old Lions.” The back of it read: “New Year, New Lions,” just in case.

Bodine could relate. He grew up in Canton and played football at Novi Detroit Catholic Central. By the time he graduated, he’d been fully indoctrinated in Lions fandom and all its glorious agony.


“I thought it was funny,” he said of the sign.

So did a photographer, who centered the despondent sign-wearer in his lens, but had caught Bodine in a corner of his frame. The Free Press published it. The grater hat went unnoticed.


That the hat was noticed this time is a reminder of how much this franchise has changed, and how far this team has come in just a few years. Bodine was in the right place at the right moment, and when cameras locked onto his grater hat, he became a proxy for hundreds of thousands of fans who’ve been waiting for lifetimes to talk smack.

And to smile.


As Bodine smiled in the selfie he posted, as he’s been smiling since the Lions won again at Lambeau. And though he doesn’t quite live and die with losses as he used to — he's 35 now, and figured it was gonna take years off his life —he's enjoyed being a de facto spokesman the last few days, to talk about how joyous it is to love this team.

That’s plenty reward for Bodine. Not the temporary spotlight so much, but the chance to talk about the rebirth in Allen Park.


“Even Packers fans were telling me they thought it was hilarious,” he said.

Both at Lambeau Field and on the four-hour drive back home to Houghton, where he works as a marketing manager for a software company that writes programs for the auto industry.


There, in the backseat of a car, he responded to as many mentions on Twitter as he could, reveling in the win, the moment, and the best feeling in sports fandom:

Ascencion.


Contact Shawn Windsor: swindsor@freepress.com. Follow him@shawnwindsor.

[-Deborah-]

Interesting!