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Around the facility: Unexpected option in mix to help replace Montgomery; coaches didn't know St. Brown was hurting
Justin Rogers
Dec 19
Allen Park — Here’s the greatest hits from Wednesday’s media access at the Detroit Lions practice facility.
Unexpected role reversal
Monday night, after finishing his work at the office, Detroit Lions running backs coach Scottie Montgomery thought it more important to visit David Montgomery than go home.
After it was announced that the veteran running back had likely suffered a season-ending knee injury earlier that day, the coach wanted to be there for his pupil, in what he anticipated to be a trying time.
But David Montgomery quickly flipped the script on his coach.
“I went over there (thinking) I'm going to bring some juice, I'm going to get him pumped and he's going to be ready to go,” Scottie Montgomery said. “There's no question about it. When I walked out, I felt so much better about it because he pumped me up. He gave me the juice.
“As soon as I opened the door and walked in, he was smiling,” Scottie Montgomery continued. “His son was there, some of his family members were there. It wasn't doom and gloom. It was bright in there, the Christmas decorations were everywhere. He had his lights — he was very proud of his lights, by the way. His lights outside the home were beautiful. He was very proud of it.
“Talking immediately, he didn't talk about the injury, he just was talking about the game and some of the things that went on, some of the protection he was still able to get done in some of the situations he had going on during the game," Scottie Montgomery said. "It just continued to add a little more juice, a little bit more energy, a little bit more joy. By the time I left, I felt really good about where he was. I really thought he'd be down in the dumps, a guy that's done it as hard as he's done it from February to now."
David Montgomery's positivity surprised his coach and helped put things in perspective.
"Sometimes you can look at it as woe is me and he had none of that," Scottie Montgomery said. "If he doesn't have any of that, then none of the rest can have any of it.”
Check the report
As noted in our statically linked and regularly updated injury report, David Montgomery is getting a third medical opinion on his injured knee, holding out hope he can play again this season.
“If anybody can come back through it, you guys know, you guys have seen who he is, this is the guy that can definitely come back from it,” Scottie Montgomery said.
Additionally, coach Dan Campbell noted he doesn’t expect defensive end John Cominsky to return from his training camp knee injury this year.
Latest episode of the pod
The Ticket’s Will Burchfield and I dip back to the Buffalo loss, look ahead to Sunday’s game against Chicago, and catch up with one of the leaders of Detroit’s “Northern Savages,” defensive lineman Patrick O’Connor.
Believe it or not, Lions are confident they will overcome serious injuries
Threshold not a concern
It wasn’t too long ago that once you went on injured reserve, your season was over. Now the NFL allows a limited number of players to return from the list after they’ve sat out four games.
The league permits teams to return eight from injured reserve and amended the rule this offseason to allow an additional two for playoff qualifiers.
On Wednesday, the Lions used their fourth designation, starting defensive back Ifeatu Melifonwu's practice clock. I asked Campbell if there was any concern about butting up against the limit, potentially forcing the team to face some difficult roster decisions in the postseason.
“I think it’s going to work out OK here because, unfortunately, a number of our guys are done done,” Campbell said. “So it makes it pretty clear cut from that standpoint. I don’t think that we’re going to run into an issue here with who’s able to come back.”
Among the injured players the Lions still expect to get back are linebacker Alex Anzalone, wide receiver Kalif Raymond and rookie cornerback Ennis Rakestraw. Others in the mix, but less certain are linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin and defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, who has vowed to teammates he’ll come back if the Lions make the Super Bowl
Suffering in silence
On his podcast this week, Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown acknowledged he was battling the lingering effects of food poisoning the hours ahead of the Bills game. Despite not feeling his best, the All-Pro receiver set new single-game highs for catches and receiving yards.
Oh, and he didn’t tell anyone on the coaching staff he was having problems.
“I had no idea, nobody even told me, which is just like Saint,” Campbell said. “He’s not going to say anything until it’s done. The kid is — that’s just what he is, that’s the way he’s wired. It says a lot and you turn on the tape and you don’t notice anything different, because he’s one of those that can feel like crap and it’s not going to affect the way that he approaches the game and the amount of effort that he gives.”
It might not have shown up on tape, but position coach Antwaan Randle El suspected something was up.
“I kept trying to figure out why is this dude so tired?” Randle El said. “He'd run a couple routes and he would just look like he was sucking wind. I'm like, 'Are you all right?' 'Yeah, I'm good coach.' So, it just speaks to who he is and how he goes about preparation and getting ready for the game and not really putting what he has going on (in front) of anybody else.”
St. Brown finished with 14 catches, 193 yards and a touchdown in the loss. For the season, he’s hauled in 95 throws for 1,056 yards and 10 scores. It marks the third consecutive season he’s topped 1,000 yards and the second straight with double-digit touchdowns.
Two wrongs don’t make a right
Yes, Randle El has seen the photos of him chewing out Jameson Williams on the sideline during the Thanksgiving game after the third-year receiver was flagged for throwing a ball in the face of Chicago Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson.
“Of course I saw it,” Randle El said. “Everybody sent it to me. (But) the message is you just can't do that. That was the message, and don't ever do it again. That's really what came out of that conversation, everything everybody saw.”
Williams was vindicated later in the week when it was shown Stevenson tripped him on the sideline. The NFL even fined him $20,000 for the action.
Randle El doesn’t care.
“Yeah, it doesn't change (the message),” he said. “You have guys in the league that do that (antagonize), and it gets under your skin if you let it get under your skin. They normally get the guy who reacts the second time. That's what happened.”
Master motivator
A day after his analogy about filets and moldy bread to explain fan reaction to Buffalo snapping Detroit’s 11-game winning streak went viral, Campbell had a fresh round of inspirational quotes at his Wednesday press conference.
“We just had the first really significant meeting since the Buffalo game,” Campbell said. “Like I said, I just hit it head-on and tell them what the facts are. This is where we’re at, this is how we’re viewed right now, and look, nobody writes our story. We’re the only ones who write our own story, so we have the pen and there’s a lot of football left and I think we’re looking forward to this, to be honest with you.”
Obviously, there’s a lot of outside concern about the injury-ravaged defense, which allowed 48 points against the Bills. Predictably, Campbell doesn’t share your concern.
“You just can’t convince me,” he said. “I don’t believe it. We’ve got plenty here and I’ll tell you what, when we come out of a game and everything that we said that we have to do, including our identity, we do that for 60 minutes and we lose the game, then I’ll stand up here and tell you, ‘You know what, we just don’t have enough.’ But until that happens, you’re not going to hear me say anything about what we have or don’t have.
“We have plenty here in the whole roster,” Campbell said. “We have plenty on defense. I believe in Kerby (Joseph), I believe in (Brian) Branch, I believe in (DJ) Reader, I believe in Za’Darius (Smith), I believe in Levi (Onwuzurike), I believe in Amik (Robertson), (Terrion) Arnold, guys like (Pat) O’Connor, Ben Niemann, Jack Campbell. So we’re good and we’ll figure out how we need to play. We’ve already begun to do that and really, everything that we do from this point on is, how do we get to where we’re playing the very best football with where we’re at now, with what we have, by the time we hit the playoffs. That’s really where the focus has got to be.”
Three-year drought to end?
When replacing David Montgomery, whether short- or long-term, I asked Scottie Montgomery what the team expects to get out of Craig Reynolds and rookie Sione Vaki. And while the coach came back to those players in his answer, it was noteworthy that the first guy he mentioned was former seventh-round pick Jermar Jefferson.
“Jermar, tremendous short-area quickness, good vision in the run game,” Scottie Montgomery said. “Did a tremendous job in camp of creating a lot of explosive (plays). He actually might have had the most explosive in camp in real running settings. He did a really good job for us.”
Jefferson, a seventh-round pick in 2021, hasn’t appeared in a regular season game in three years. I asked Scottie Montgomery what it takes for a player to stay mentally and physically engaged with that type of drought between opportunities.
“Imagine being in the championship rounds of a boxing match for three years,” Montgomery said. “That's what he had to do to stay here, to stay present and work his butt off. You've got to have a different type of grit, a different type of mental toughness to have to leave the building, get called back, to come in, and still be available and never miss a beat.
“One of the most impressive things about him is he doesn't need a lot of reps to be able to be game-ready,” Montgomery continued. “We see that in practice when we throw him in when something happens. There's not a lot of alignment issues or pad issues or reads or even protection issues whatsoever with him.”
Montgomery said Jefferson will have to earn his role through the week of practice and the young back was ready for the challenge.
“I’m going to seize the moment with any opportunity I get out there,” Jefferson said. "... I've been ready for this opportunity for a while."
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What Detroit's injured reserve list looks like against other Super Bowl contenders
Justin Rogers
Dec 19
One of the biggest injury loses for a contender this season was Vikings offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw. (Getty Images)
Allen Park — OK, you know about the Detroit Lions’ injury situation, but every team in football battles injuries to some degree, right?
Part of any great season is overcoming adversity. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the injured list for the other top-six Super Bowl contenders. Warning, the contrast between those teams and the Lions’ issues is more jarring than imagined.
Buffalo Bills (+400)
Players on injured reserve: QB Shane Buechele, OT Travis Clayton, OT Tommy Doyle
Players who have returned off IR: LB Matt Milano (Week 13), DT DeWayne Carter (Week 14), DE Dawuane Smoot (Week 15), LB Baylon Spector (Week 15)
Analysis: The Bills are in remarkably good shape. They’re only down a third-string QB who has never played a snap in the NFL, a late-round rookie in Clayton, plus Doyle, a backup o-lineman who hasn’t seen regular-season action since 2022.
Surviving two years of injuries with Milano, a first-team All-Pro in 2022, has been more taxing. He was limited to five games by a broken leg last season and has only appeared in the past three this year after tearing his bicep.
Detroit Lions (+480)
Players on injured reserve: LB Alex Anzalone, DL David Bada, K Michael Badgley, LB Derrick Barnes, DL John Cominsky, CB Carlton Davis III, DE Marcus Davenport, CB Khalil Dorsey, OT Connor Galvin, WR Antoine Green, DE Aidan Hutchinson, DE Nate Lynn, DT Alim McNeill, DB Ifeatu Melifonwu, G Natane Muti, DT Kyle Peko, CB Ennis Rakestraw, WR Kalif Raymond, LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin, LB Malcolm Rodriguez, DL Mekhi Wingo
Players designated to return: Melifonwu
Players who have returned off IR: CB Emmanuel Moseley, DT Brodric Martin
Analysis: We’ve gone over Detroit’s woes plenty in recent weeks, but here’s a quick recap: The team has lost both starting defensive ends, a starting defensive tackle, two starting linebackers, a starting cornerback, two of their top special teamers, an All-Pro punt returner, and multiple rotational defenders, including some who would or did replace an injured starter.
The offense has largely been spared, but running back David Montgomery is getting a third opinion on a knee injury that could have him joining the list in the coming days.
In terms of getting players back, Melifonwu returned to practice on Dec. 18 and could earn a quick activation to help address depth concerns. Anzalone, Raymond and Rakestraw are also expected back, either at the end of the regular season or early in the postseason. A few others, namely Reeves-Maybin and Hutchinson, have a chance but aren’t as likely.
Philadelphia Eagles (+480)
Players on injured reserve: CB James Bradberry IV, OT Le’Raven Clark, TE Dallas Goedert, DE Brandon Graham, DE Bryce Huff, LB Ben VanSumeren, DT, Byron Young
Players designated to return:
Players who have returned off IR: WR Ainias Smith (Week 8), LT Jordan Mailata (Week 11), WR Britain Covey (Week 12)
Analysis: While it doesn’t compare to Detroit’s woes, Philadelphia has absorbed some shots this season. Bradberry, a starter for the team the past two seasons, has been out since August with a leg injury. There hasn’t been an update since an initial recovery timeline of 6-8 weeks was reported.
Goedert, the productive tight end, went on injured reserve this month with a knee injury after he missed three games with a strained hamstring earlier this season. And the defensive front has had issues with Graham (tricep) and Huff, a key free-agent addition (wrist) on the shelf.
Getting back Mailata, the dominant left tackle, has been huge. Running back Saquon Barkley has rushed for 697 yards in the five games since, while QB Jalen Hurts has thrown eight touchdowns and zero interceptions during that same stretch.
Kansas City Chiefs (+600)
Players on injured reserve: WR Hollywood Brown, TE Jody Fortson, WR Mecole Hardman, G McKade Mettauer, WR Skyy Moore, WR Rashee Rice, K Spencer Shrader, DE BJ Thompson (non-football illness), CB Jaylen Watson, TE Jared Wiley
Players designated to return: Brown
Players who have returned off IR: RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire (Week 7), RB Isiah Pacheco (Week 13), K Harrison Butker (Week 15)
Analysis: Most of Kansas City’s injury problems have come on offense, where they’ve dealt with multiple receivers and running backs going down.
That’s required them to make a few late additions to the roster, most notably bringing back wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and running back Kareem Hunt.
The lack of continuity around two-time MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes is a notable factor in why he’s tracking toward a second straight pedestrian season, at least by his standards, and the historically high-octane Chiefs rank middle of the pack in scoring, once again.
Baltimore Ravens (+800)
Players on injured reserve: OLB Malik Hamm, WR Deonte Harty, TE Charlie Kolar, CB Christian Matthew, CB Arthur Maulet, CB Trayvon Mullen, CB T.J. Tampa, RB Owen Wright
Players designated to return: Tampa
Players who have returned off IR: RB Rasheen Ali (Week 7), CB Jalyn Armour-Davis (Week 8), CB Arthur Maulet (Week 8), DT Michael Pierce (Week 15)
Analysis: Outside of Maulet (calf/knee), who saw more than 400 snaps as the team’s nickel corner last season, the Ravens aren’t down many contributors. Kolar (forearm) is a good run-blocking tight end and a key special teams performer, but he’s third on the team's positional depth chart behind Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely.
The Ravens have had some rough injury seasons in recent years, none worse than 2021, when both sides of the ball were ravaged, but they’re not far from full strength heading into the stretch run.
Green Bay Packers (+1,300)
Players on injured reserve: TE Tyler Davis, RB AJ Dillon, RB MarShawn Lloyd (non-football illness), OL Jordan Morgan, TE Luke Musgrave
Players designated to return: Musgrave
Players who have returned off IR: DT Jonathan Ford (Week 8), Lloyd (Week 12)
Analysis: The Packers have battled some issues with their backfield depth this season, losing Dillon during training camp and the rookie Lloyd missing most of this season with hamstring and ankle issues, in addition to his recent appendicitis.
Musgrave, the second-year tight end, has been out since Week 4, when he suffered a torn ligament in his ankle. But he’s nearing a return, returning to practice last week.
Fortunately for the Packers, those injuries haven’t hurt them much. Tucker Kraft, drafted a round after Musgrave in 2023, has made a big second-year jump in production. And the team hasn’t needed much from their complementary backfield pieces behind starter Josh Jacobs, who ranks fourth in yards from scrimmage in his first season with Green Bay.
Minnesota Vikings (+1,400)
Players on injured reserve: CB Mekhi Blackmon, OT Christian Darrisaw, OL Jeremy Flax, QB J.J. McCarthy, LB Ivan Pace Jr., DL Taki Taimani, CB NaJee Thompson
Players designated to return: None
Players who have returned off IR: G Dalton Risner (Week 9), TE Nick Muse (Week 12), K Will Reichard (Week 14), LS Andrew DePaola (Week 14)
Analysis: The Vikings have lost some key pieces, including Darrisaw, the team’s star blindside blocker, and McCarthy, the team’s first-round pick. They moved quickly to replace the void along the offensive line, trading for Jacksonville’s Cam Robinson. And they’ve been fine without the rookie QB with free-agent addition Sam Darnold experiencing a breakout campaign in his seventh season.
On defense, Blackmon, a rotational corner last season, is done for the year with a torn ACL. But Pace, the all-around, second-year linebacker should make it back from his hamstring injury before the end of the season.
Email: jrogers@detroitfootball.net
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"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
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CEH has never not sucked. He's a poor man's Ameer Abdullah.Originally posted by The Ken View PostComment
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Coordinator recap: Johnson still has burning desire to be a head coach, Glenn finds 'sky is falling' narrative dumb
Justin Rogers
Dec 19
Allen Park — Here are the most interesting things to come out of Thursday's media sessions with the Detroit Lions three coordinators.
Burning desire lingers
Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson surprised many people, including those in the building, when he withdrew his name from head coaching opportunities last offseason to return to Detroit. It led some to question whether he desired a top job or was content staying in an offensive coordinator role.
There’s been no urgency to address his future during this season, at least not at this stage, but with the Chicago Bears on deck, and one of their local reporters in town for the day, the topic finally came up. And despite Johnson's history of dismissing those questions in the past, he was fairly direct when asked about whether he still wanted to be a head coach someday.
“Yeah, I'd say this, I think there's a burning desire in every man to find what he's made out of and push the limits and see if he's got what it takes,” he said. “Yeah, there's a fire there. When that time is, I don't know when that would be, but there's certainly a fire there.”
Johnson has been a hot candidate each of the past two years. In 2022, he arguably wasn’t ready for the opportunity. Reasonably, how could he have been? He went from tight ends coach to passing game coordinator to offensive coordinator in a matter of months, before turning the Lions into a top-five unit his first season running the show. There’s no way he could have anticipated his rapid rise after toiling in the background as a lower-level NFL assistant for the better part of a decade.
After leading the Lions offense to another stellar season in 2023, it seemed logical for him to take the next step. Many assumed he was as good as gone. But the timing still wasn’t right. Johnson was happy with his current situation, with aspirations of achieving something greater in Detroit.
"This is as encouraged as I've been in my four years, with the direction of the Lions and where we're headed,” Johnson said last February. "You know what, there are so many things going on here, so many good people, coaches, players. I love the offensive staff, everyone we have on board there. I love the players. I love coming into work every day. Coach (Dan) Campbell is incredible. So, end of the day, talking with my family, it just made sense. It made sense, don't ruin a good thing."
On Thursday, asked what he learned from his experience interviewing for several openings the past two years, Johnson was again more expansive than he’s been in the past, especially during the season.
“Yeah, I'd say I'm much more prepared than I was the last two years,” Johnson said. “The local media has been very gracious on me this year by not bringing it up. So, no, the last couple of years, getting thrown into the coordinator role, things get on you fast and you don't really have time to think about the future a whole lot. Now that I've been through the wringer a couple times, had some interviews, I certainly do feel more prepared, just from a big-picture standpoint.
“But right now, we've got three games left in the regular season, going into the postseason, and, honestly, this is why I wanted to be here,” Johnson said. “I have an obligation to the people in the building to be right where my feet are. When I walk in and see the coaches staying long nights and working as hard as they're doing, and I come in and see the guys, the players in the meeting room and on the practice field attacking each day like they are, it's hard for my mind to wander much beyond what we're doing in the here and now.”
Propping up the sky
My colleagues have loved their “sky is falling” questions this week. And given some of the quotes they’ve generated in response, it’s easy to understand why.
Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn joined the mix of fiery, quotable responses on Thursday.
“We’re 12-2,” Glenn said. “We’re 12-2 and the sky is falling? We’re going to the playoffs, we’re in the tournament. Why in the hell is the sky falling for us? Why do we have to sit back and be sad? We leave that up to you guys. We let you guys do that.
“Our job is to go play football and that’s what we’re going to continue to do,” Glenn said. “We lost one game — well two games. We lost two games. We have a chance to win out and accomplish everything that we want to accomplish. So why should we sit back and wallow and think that the sky is falling? It’s dumb.”
It’s not the loss to Buffalo that’s got the collective outside world wringing its hands as much as the injury list. The team is up to 21 players on injured reserve after losing Alim McNeill, Carlton Davis III and Khalil Dorsey on Sunday. That could climb to 22 pending the result of running back David Montgomery's third medical opinion on his injured knee.
“Listen, we’ve said this from the beginning, the next guy’s got to come up and play,” Glenn said. “That’s the reason why they’re here. And I’ve said this also, I’m not going to disrespect any of the players that we have here because they work their asses off just like everybody else, and I hope that you guys don’t do that also because they deserve a chance to go out there and play whenever their time is to go play. Our personnel department does a really good job of finding guys that fit who we are and we’re going to put them on the field and we’re going to play.
“I believe that we can be a damn good defense because even though we lost those guys,” Glenn said. “We’ve still improved and still did some good things. So that’s how I look at it.”
Execution OK on critical kicks
Special teams coordinator Dave Fipp predictably fielded several questions about the team’s onside kick strategy after attempting two in the fourth quarter against Buffalo.
Fipp was pleased with the execution by kicker Jake Bates on both efforts, even though the Lions failed to recover either.
“I obviously hated the result, and at the end of the day, what we’re trying to get done is we’re trying to get the ball back,” Fipp said. “We came up short on it, but in terms of the kick, I did think that we gave ourselves a chance.
“There’re a number of things to that,” Fipp said. “Number one is being onside. If you’re offside, you’re, in essence, just handing the ball to the other team in that situation. So you can’t be that. But you’ve also got to play on the edge. If you don’t, you’re not going to get (the ball). And so, I thought both balls gave us a chance, I mean, all you can really hope for is to get one-on-one with the guy catching the ball right around the time he’s catching it, and if you get that, you’ve done a pretty good job with the kick.”
Fipp said they came into the game planning to use the wide, high bouncer they tried on the first try, but switched to the shot up the middle on the second onside kick based on how the Bills lined up. Still, that’s not an easy decision because you put your kicker in the line of fire with the recovery attempt.
“Yeah, you get nervous about some of those kicks down the middle of the field with the kicker being out there first,” Fipp said. “I felt much better about it because there’s only one guy, and then that guy is going to try to field the ball, or if he’s not going to field the ball, then hopefully we get the ball. He’s probably going to field the ball, so he’s not really in a position to hit us.
“Then, I think you see there was another guy coming in from the left and (Sione) Vaki knocked that guy off, so I felt pretty good about us not getting a lot of contact on him on that kick,” Fipp said. “Had they been loaded up with more guys in there, I would’ve been much more nervous about it.”
Allen in the rearview, for now
Asked how much time he’s already spent thinking about how he’d defend Bills quarterback Josh Allen differently if they matched up again in the Super Bowl, Glenn dismissed the idea entering his mind.
“No, I go onto the next game,” Glenn said. “Right now, we’re about to get ready to play the Bears, another good team who have skilled players that we have to be good with. They have a quarterback that’s emerging right now and, obviously, like I said about the skill players, we know who those guys are. We have to do a good job against those guys.”
Glenn raved about Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams a little later in his session and was critical of how the media has portrayed Williams, comparing it to harsh feedback former Jets and current Vikings QB Sam Darnold faced early in his career.
“He’s very resilient,” Glenn said. “There’s no quit in that player. It’s funny that the narrative that so many people want to put on someone when they really don’t know who they are. That it’s funny to me and that happens to a lot of these young quarterbacks that’s in this league. They get beat down so much that people really don’t see the things that they go through to be a top player, especially a No. 1 pick. You can go through the years of some of these guys — think of the quarterback that Minnesota has right now. He was beaten down so much with the Jets and now he’s having success. And now these so-called guys that think they know what they’re talking about have no idea.
“When I see the same thing with this player (Williams), I’m not saying that his career’s going to end up the same way, but I think that he’s a damn good player,” Glenn said. “He has a lot of talent. He has talent around him. He’s going to have to continue to learn and grow to understand that. …We have to make sure that we corral him, we have to make sure — our (coverage) disguises have to be on point with this player because if he sees it, he's going to get the ball out and he’s going to find out where he needs to go.”
Top unit hasn’t met expectations
Detroit’s offensive line, viewed by many observers as the league’s best coming into the season, has struggled to be consistently dominant. Johnson acknowledged as much when asked to evaluate the unit’s performance.
“It’s up and down,” the offensive coordinator said. “It hasn’t been consistent throughout the year. We’ve had glimpses of being a dominant unit and then there are other times, like last week, that we just weren’t ourselves. I will say, in regards to last game, the protection, for throwing it 59 times, was pretty good. I know Jared (Goff) had some pressure and he got hit a little bit, but when you drop back and you don’t move the pocket as much as we did in that game, we felt like our guys really answered the bell in that regard.
“It’s not necessarily always rushing statistics, it’s not always sacks, it’s looking at everybody individually and we’ve had some pretty consistent performances across the board,” Johnson continued. “It's just collectively, it hasn’t come together for an entire 60 minutes in a while.”
On Wednesday, the Lions held four of their five starters out of practice, including three for rest days.
“Yeah, we had an early bye week, and then certainly after the Green Bay game, we were able to get our legs back under us a little bit,” Johnson said. “But it’s a long season, and fortunately up front there, we’ve been fairly healthy. So they’ve logged a lot of snaps. They’ve logged a lot of games and we have a number of guys over 30 years old. So I think coach (Campbell) is being smart with it and just making sure that we’re staying fresh here for the next three in the regular season going into the postseason as well.”
Email: jrogers@detroitfootball.net
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"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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Paywall article from today's Detroit News.
Ben Johnson still wants to be a head coach, but focus is on the 'here and now' with Lions
Richard Silva
The Detroit News
Allen Park — After interviewing for several head-coaching opportunties over the past couple of years — and turning some down to remain with the Detroit Lions — has anything changed regarding offensive coordinator Ben Johnson's desire to one day lead an NFL team?
In short, no.
"I'd say this: I think there's a burning desire in every man to find what he's made out of and push the limits and see if he's got what it takes," Johnson said Thursday when asked if he still want to be a head coach. "Yeah, there's a fire there. Now, when that time is? I don't know when that'll be, but there's certainly a fire there."
Six teams requested to interview Johnson last cycle, including the Los Angeles Chargers, Washington Commanders, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans. He interviewed with the Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans and Carolina Panthers the year prior, but he withdrew his name from consideration before any of those organizations made a hire.
Johnson explained in May why he returned to Detroit, citing how he wanted to "reap the rewards" with the Lions for a bit longer before breaking away from Dan Campbell.
"I'd say I'm much more prepared than I was the last two years. ... Last couple years, getting thrown in the coordinator role and things get on you fast, you don't really have time to think about the future a whole lot," Johnson added Thursday. "Now that I've been through the wringer a couple times, had some interviews, I certainly do feel more prepared, just from a big-picture standpoint."
Three teams — the Chicago Bears, New York Jets and New Orleans Saints — already have fired their head coaches.
Johnson has guided the Lions to having one of the league's best offenses since he was promoted to coordinator in February 2022. He started in Detroit as an offensive quality control coach under former coach Matt Patricia in 2019 and was promoted to tight ends coach in 2020 before Campbell retained him. Johnson then received an in-season promotion to pass-game coordinator in 2021.
The Lions offense finished as a top-five unit in both total yards and points scored in 2022 and 2023, and they're currently on pace to do it again in 2024. Detroit is averaging 403.9 yards per game through 15 weeks, which is good for No. 2 in the NFL behind the Baltimore Ravens (424.1), and paces all 32 teams at 32.8 points per game.
With the injuries piling up defensively — six starters on that side are on injured reserve — the Lions are going to need their offense to remain elite, and perhaps hit an even higher gear, if they want to achieve their goal of reaching and winning Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Feb. 9.
"I mean, we've got three games left of the regular season going into the postseason. Honestly, this is why I'm here. This is why I wanted to be here," Johnson said. "I have an obligation to the people in the building to be right where my feet are.
"When I walk in and I see the coaches staying long nights and working as hard as they're doing, and I come in and I see the guys, the players, in the meeting room and on the practice field attacking each day as they are, it's hard for my mind to wonder much beyond what we're doing in the here and now."
rsilva@detroitnews.com
@rich_silva18
Last edited by whatever_gong82; Yesterday, 04:54 PM."I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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Pride of Detroit Direct
by Jeremy Reisman
It’s been a whirlwind of a week. Monday was a pretty rough day, living in the aftermath of a loss, then being blindsided by the David Montgomery injury. However, the healing has quite literally begun. Dan Campbell took to the airwaves and delivered one of the best inspirational speeches I’ve ever heard on the radio. Then, the Lions returned Jalen Reeves-Maybin to practice, and followed it up with good injury news on Montgomery.
As we get further away from the loss, the sting of it naturally hurts less. But there’s something else about this time of year that feels familiar… and comforting.
The feeling inside Allen Park is quite familiar
Let’s start with a quote from Lions coach Dan Campbell from earlier this week.
“We start acting like the house is burning down, I mean it’s going to get worse. We know what we’ve got to do. I know exactly what we have to do, and I know this, it all starts tomorrow. We’ve got to go back to work. And I know today, we’ve got to put together a great gameplan.”
Okay, I lied. That wasn’t a quote from Dan Campbell this week. That was a quote from Dan Campbell almost exactly a year ago (December 10, 2023). You may remember at that point, the Lions were in a pretty serious slump. They had survived a serious scare against the Bears (sound familiar?), got worked by the Packers, narrowly avoided a meltdown against the Saints, and then were humbled by the Bears on the road. It seemed for certain that the Lions were trending in the wrong direction heading into the final stretch, and any hopes of a postseason run were ultimately a fantasy. They weren’t ready yet.
But the feeling in the building was that they were going through a rough patch that was not compatible with their current identity. Here’s another quote from that same 2023 press conference.
“Here is the most encouraging thing about what happened yesterday. Some of our best players on the team did not play well and that’s encouraging going into this one because those are prideful guys, and those are our dudes. And believe me, those guys are going to come back – no different than us as coaches. We’re going to be at our best. And I just know what kind of locker room we’ve got, what kind of players and we will respond. We will respond.”
Does that sound familiar? It should, because Campbell said something nearly identical after the team’s loss to the Bills this week.
“We couldn’t get out of our own way either. Just had a number of errors that had been uncharacteristic, and that tape speaks for itself and we’re going to learn from it, then we’re going to burn it and then we’re moving on because that’s what we do. So, we’ll bounce back from this, sometimes you’ve got to get punched in the face before you know how to respond, and so I think this is good for us and we’re going to use this to our advantage”
I’m not a fool. We can’t just assume because the Lions rebounded in 2023 that they’ll do the same in 2024. The situations are completely different. While the Lions were just struggling with some inconsistency last year, there’s a very easy and convenient excuse to their struggles now: injuries.
I’m not going to sit here and tell you everything is going to be alright with the Lions injury situation. I can’t possibly know that. Nobody can. The Lions are going to need herculean efforts from a lot of their reserve players, be it Terrion Arnold, Ifeatu Melifonwu, Levi Onwuzurike, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Josh Paschal, and/or Jack Campbell.
But I guess my overall point is to just… wait. Wait and see. No one could’ve seen last year’s late breakout from Melifonwu. Maybe he provides the same spark this year, or maybe it’s Moseley or Reeves-Maybin or Ezekiel Turner.
It’s an overreaction league and the narratives swing wildly week-to-week. So let me remind you of one very important thing from last week: the Buffalo Bills are really fricken good. They’ve scored 30 points in eight straight games, they’ve got incredible balance between the pass and run game, and their entire scheme is based on attacking the edges and linebackers–where the Lions are easily the weakest right now.
But the Lions defense has been just fine outside of that one game. In the previous three games (Colts, Bears, Packers)--all without Alex Anzalone and a few without some key defensive linemen–the Lions ranked 10th in defensive EPA, including eighth against the pass and 17th against the run. Success rates are even better: third against the pass, 12th against the run.
Don’t let one datapoint ruin your dreams. This team thrives on adversity, particularly on defense. Or, as defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said this week:
“We’re 12-and-2 two the sky is falling? We’re going to the playoffs, we in the tournament. Why in the hell is the sky falling for us? What do we have to sit back and be sad? We leave that up to you guys, we let you guys do that. Our job is to go play football and that’s what we’re going to continue to do. We lost one game, well two games. We lost two games, we have a chance to win out and accomplish everything that we want to accomplish. So why should we sit back and wallow and think that the sky is falling? It’s dumb.”
1-on-1 conversation with Jack Fox
If you missed it, I cashed in one of your Movember rewards by attempting to catch a handful of kicks from Lions punter Jack Fox. You can watch videos of that here and here. Afterwards–and while very out of breath–I chatted with Fox about his celebritydom in Detroit, his kinship with the other specialists, and Dave Fipp.
Jeremy: You definitely are a fan favorite these days. People love the whole “field optimization” thing, what’s it like to have that fandom behind you?
Fox: “It’s been really cool. Everybody in Detroit, all the fans have been great to me. Everybody’s very positive. Yeah, I’m just very grateful for the support I’ve received thus far.”
Jeremy: I want you to talk about Dave Fipp. He’s such a beloved guy across the league. He even gives annual gifts to the media. What’s it been like working with him for as long as you have?
Fox: “It’s been really cool. I think something that most people would have no idea about is how hard he works. He grinds. He’s a grinder. He watches a ton of film, so detailed, and he’s a competitor, too. I’m a really competitive person. I think you have to be competitive to be in the NFL, and he matches that competitiveness. So I really appreciate that part of his coaching.”
Jeremy: Given how diverse his job is–dealing with return teams, coverage teams, etc–how is he as a punter coach?
Fox: “I think that he really knows what he’s talking about when it comes to punting, but he’s not overbearing, like on top of me about his thoughts on my punting. He lets me figure stuff out, but when he sees something, he tells me, and he’s usually right about it. He’ll see something I’m not necessarily thinking about. So I think he’s just really good about–he’s seen punting for so many years that he’s always watching and his advice, when he does give it, is always spot on.”
Jeremy: We all know the special teams room is close. Do you guys spend a lot of time together outside of the facility?
Fox: “Yeah, we spend some time outside. I will say this (though), we spend so much time together inside the building–and I’m lucky because those two guys are so great and they’re easy to be around. They’re just nice people and we all get along really well. That’s just not assured. You make the best out of every situation, but you’re not really assured to be best friends with your guys, and we’re lucky enough that we’re all really close friends. We spend so much time together in the building, that it usually stays in the building. But yeah, we’ll get dinner, go bowling.
Jeremy: Tell me more about Hogan Hatten, because we’re just getting to know him, and he seems like the most happy-go-lucky guy. Is that who he is?
Fox: “Oh yeah. Hogan is all of those things, and he’s also one of the more consistent people I’ve ever been around. He’s consistently in a good mood. I really can’t name a time where I’ve seen him be upset or negative, which is awesome. Those are the people you want to be around: positive people, competitive people, consistent people.”
Jeremy: Give me your top three dinner recommendations
Fox: “I’ll give you a couple. Mount Chalet on Woodward, kind of Birmingham, Royal Oak area. It’s a favorite. I like Luxe in Birmingham. I think they have the best burger. Them and Red Coat are probably tied for the best burger in my head. And then Casa Pernoi is like my favorite Italian place. In Detroit, I like Oak and Reel a lot.”
VIDEO: First Byte Lions vs. Bears preview
"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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After a professional excursion, the road has led LB and special teams standout Anthony Pittman home once again
Justin Rogers
Dec 20
Allen Park — Christmas came a little early for Anthony Pittman.
On Tuesday, a standard off day for an NFL player, the veteran linebacker was at his temporary home in Jacksonville, Fla. when his agent called.
“He said, 'Hey, the offer is there. Do you want to come home?’” Pittman shared.
Michigan has always been home for Pittman. He was born in Detroit, starred at Birmingham Groves and later Wayne State, before signing with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2019.
He survived a coaching change — no small feat for a developmental project who appeared in just one game his first two seasons — and rapidly blossomed into one of the Lions' top special teamers for the incoming regime. From 2021-23, Pittman logged nearly 1,100 snaps with those units.
But as a free agent this offseason, Pittman had a decision to make. He could stick with the status quo or chase a better opportunity elsewhere. The Washington Commanders offered him a shot to play defense, on top of a special teams role, appealing to the defender who had earned first-team all-conference honors twice in college.
Realistically, that same opportunity wasn’t going to come in Detroit, where the Lions were returning six linebackers from their 2023 roster. Plus, there was a connection in Washington, someone who could vouch for Pittman's potential. Assistant general manager Lance Newmark, who joined the Commanders a month prior after spending 26 years with the Lions, had witnessed the linebacker's development on the practice field firsthand the past five.
“They had a new staff coming in with DQ (coach Dan Quinn), and obviously they love special teams, as well,” Pittman said. “The opportunity to rotate (defensively) over there, I just wanted to take a shot at it. Obviously, it didn't work out.”
Pittman didn’t survive the team's final cuts after training camp, then spent more than a month waiting for his next opportunity. Eventually, Jacksonville called and offered him a spot on their practice squad in early Oct. And that’s where he’s been the past two months, appearing in a single game as a temporary elevation last month.
But as you’re likely well aware, the Lions’ linebacker room has been ravaged by injury. The team lost Derrick Barnes early in the season, Alex Anzalone is on the shelf with a broken forearm, Malcolm Rodriguez is done for the year with a torn ACL, and Jalen Reeves-Maybin has been out more than a month with a neck issue.
The team has patched the holes with several veterans — guys like Ezekiel Turner, David Long and Kwon Alexander — but additional depth was needed, particularly on special teams after losing ace Khalil Dorsey last week.
That's when the call went out for known reinforcements.
“It’s great knowing that you have a good player who's obviously played in your system and can go in there and play right away,” special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said. “That’s obviously very comforting. But, for me, personally, honestly, more than anything, it’s just seeing the guy’s face in the building and the smile and his energy. I mean, it gives me energy. He’s a great player, he’s a total pro, he's totally committed to this game.
“He’s come a long way,” Fipp said. “We got to see him grow up and develop. …And I told you guys, he took a chance and he bet on himself. He wanted to go out there and see if he could end up being a positional player. Washington gave him that opportunity and he went for it, which I totally credit the kid. I love him more for it. He took a chance on himself, it didn’t end up working out, and then it ended up working out that we got him back here and he gets to play again for us. I’m excited for that.”
Pittman’s recent chapter, signing somewhere else and it not working out, isn’t particularly unique in the NFL. Veterans on low-cost, prove-it deals are at a natural disadvantage in new situations. If a rookie at their position shows even a hint of potential, they'll get the edge when the final roster is crafted because they’re under team control for four years instead of one. In Washington, sixth-round pick Dominique Hamtpon moving from safety to linebacker was a key factor in Pittman’s release.
There are guys in Detroit's locker room who can relate, starting with Turner. In fact, the stories are nearly identical. A six-year standout on special teams for the Arizona Cardinals after making the roster as an undrafted rookie in 2018, Turner similarly bet on himself this offseason in search of an expanded defensive role.
Pittman signed with Washington, Turner inked with San Francisco. Neither made it out of training camp with their new teams. Months later, they’re teammates in Detroit.
“You love to see that, man,” Pittman said. “I was just talking to him about it, actually. It's cool to see. It's a competitive business and everyone has their own goals, so to see guys making a way, scratching and clawing, it's inspiring.”
Maybe it’s because they’re neighbors in the overflow area in the corner of Detroit’s locker room — a constant reminder of how many players the Lions have needed to add mid-season — but the two have quickly bonded.
“Yeah, he told me his story,” Turner said. “Very similar. It's crazy. It makes you realize we're all kind of on the same journey.”
Even though Pittman opted to leave this offseason, he’s kept tabs on the Lions. Probably not all that surprising given it’s his hometown team and the only NFL home he’d known.
Now he’s back and hoping to add something to the mix as the team chases its second straight NFC North crown and the conference's No. 1 seed.
“I've been watching,” Pittman said. “I've been following these guys. It's exciting what's going on here, especially where we came from in '21. Super grateful to be part of this and to be back. I'm ready to work, to do whatever they need me to do.
“It's crazy, man. Still taking it in (that I’m back), but I'm super happy and grateful.”
Email: jrogers@detroitfootball.net
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"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
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