They Shoot Horses, Don't They? Gameday Lions at Colts 11/24/24

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https://x.com/the_det_times/status/1860789162141438088?t=3SlKsefsY3hHek3Ggcg47g&s=19

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Rakestraw was put on IR this week.

Guess I missed that. Thanks Deb.

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Dan Campbell: "We asked a lot of our defense today and they did a good job."

They did a good job after they stopped Mr. 48% from running. Not great for long term success.

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https://www.youtube.com/live/tEnzWRvm_nw?si=yGRep1wdJdtKMPEO

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Locker room buzz: Update on injuries, offensive curveballs, defense's feel-it-out strategy and Mosely, Mahogany and Long on debuts

Justin Rogers
Nov 25


Indianapolis — Here’s what I learned bouncing around the Detroit Lions’ locker room following the team’s 26-6 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.


War of attrition rages on

Let’s open with the elephant in the room. The Lions suffered a few more body blows in this contest, seeing several key contributors suffer injuries.

Wide receiver and return man Kalif Raymond exited and wasn't able to return due to a foot injury. Running back David Montgomery sustained a shoulder injury. Carlton Davis III didn’t come back after an issue with his knee. And even though he returned to action, Taylor Decker got rolled up on and required treatment for both knee and ankle injuries.



In the immediate aftermath of the contest, Dan Campbell wasn’t able to guarantee any of the four would be available for the short-week matchup with the Chicago Bears on Thursday.

“I feel OK about three of those guys,” Campbell said. “Leaf (Raymond) could be a little bit more serious, but even with that, it doesn't mean any of those guys are going to be ready for Thursday.”

Raymond was spotted in a boot after the contest, while I was able to touch base with the other three about how they were feeling.



“I didn't even see the play, I just felt like I got murdered by somebody hitting me in the back of the legs,” Decker said. “A little MCL, a little ankle. It was the ankle I hurt last year. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. It's not major. I think I'll be all right. I'm just a little bit sore, more than anything.”

Decker spent several minutes in the medical tent as the training staff rigged his leg to return to action. The final product was a bulky wrap, making it look like he was wearing a leg warmer.

“I don't like having extra tape if I don't need it,” Decker said. “Normally I don't really tape my ankles, I just spat (them). I was having to have ankle tape, moleskin straps, hard tape. It was just a lot of stuff and then spat over top of it. I just don't like my movement restricted. It felt a little funky, but it was good.”



Montgomery also claimed to be good to go coming out of the contest. He did have his helmet on the sideline during the second half, suggesting he could have played in the fourth quarter if the team truly needed him.

Also, good luck getting Montgomery to sit out next Thursday’s game against his former team.

“I'm always excited when I get a chance to lace up and play ball, but this one always feels a little bit different,” Montgomery said, flashing a sly smile. “I'll be ready,”



Davis was the least certain about his status of the three.

“We'll know more tomorrow with imaging. I just don't know too much right now,” Davis said. “You know, it just kind of hurt to walk. On that (near) interception play, I tried to go for it. I think my knee got stuck in the turf. It's this turf, man. This is the second injury I've had because of turf. We just have to see tomorrow how it looks.”

Davis remained on the sideline after exiting, gingerly riding an exercise bike.

“Yeah, just trying to get it moving,” Davis said. “You don't want it to get too stagnant, get stiff in there. We want to try to keep it loose, I was just trying to keep it loose. That's all I can really do in that moment.”



With rookie Terrion Arnold already out this game with a groin injury, the Lions closed the contest with Kindle Vildor and Khalil Dorsey at cornerback.

Playing out of position

After Decker went down, left guard Graham Glasgow strangely played a snap at left tackle. I asked him the reason for the unique lineup shuffle.

“(Dan Skipper) Skip reported as eligible the play before, so you can't come in the next snap as an ineligible player unless you call a timeout,” Glasgow explained. “I don't even know what was happening. They were just yelling on the sidelines and they just said, Play left tackle for a play.'”



Quarterback Jared Goff acknowledged the chaos ahead of that snap, but praised offensive coordinator Ben Johnson for navigating the situation with a screen pass call that took some of the stress off Glasgow to execute.

I asked Glasgow the last time he took a snap at tackle.

“In a game? I think the last time I played left tackle, I'm pretty sure I played one snap of it in college when somebody's helmet got knocked off,” he said. “Before that, high school.”



Knowing Decker was getting evaluated while the momentary chaos ensued, I told him I’m come back for an assessment of Glasgow’s kick slide later in the week.

“I just heard him in here saying, 'Left tackle is easy,’” Decker quipped.

Slow starts setting up strong finishes
Detroit’s defense continues to have some struggles to start games, giving up points on the opening possession for the eighth time this season. And while the preference would be to keep teams off the scoreboard, there is an explanation.


According to multiple players, they’re leaning more heavily into a bend-don’t-break strategy to begin contests, believing opponents will often give away the crux of their game plan with their opening script.

“For sure,” Davis said. “Teams scheme up — they have their first 15 plays where they feel like they're going to be successful, and we just have to survive that. Obviously, we want to be better, but a field goal isn't bad on a first drive.”



Both Jacksonville and Indianapolis scored three points with their first drive the past two weeks, but finished with six points each.

“They hit on a couple things,” defensive tackle Alim McNeill said. “They're one of the top teams as far as explosive plays. And it's still the NFL, too. They did some good things, but we were just able to hone in on the details on what they were doing or what they were trying to do.”


Moving on up (the depth chart)

Rookie guard Christian Mahogany was active for the first time this season, getting the call to serve as a top backup ahead of veteran Kayode Awosika. Even though Mahogany didn’t see work on offense, the reward for his work on the practice field was meaningful.

“It was a surreal feeling when they told me I'd be active and one of the first people in (if there was an injury),” he said. “It was a surreal feeling for me to be active for my first game in the NFL after missing camp. This is kind of where it all started for me, at the (scouting) combine here.



“I hope I can continue to progress the way the coaches want me to and just try to get better every day,” Mahogany said. “That's the mindset.”

A sixth-round draft pick out of Boston College, Mahogany’s first offseason was derailed by a lengthy bout of mono. That caused him to miss training camp and the first several weeks of the regular season.



He did see some action on Sunday, blocking on the team’s one field goal and three extra-point tries.

“When you're dressed, you definitely want that taste,” Mahogany said. “Obviously, I got in, played a little field goal, so that was a cool experience. I just want to continue to grow and see where the future takes me.”

He expressed gratitude for the way the veterans in the room have supported him all year, calling it overwhelming.


Wicked curve

One of the more unique aspects of Detroit’s offense is the team’s willingness to call runs on third downs where they need between 4-10 yards.



Not only are they calling runs when most teams don't, they’re converting at an unusually high rate.

Goff said part of the philosophy is the offense is comfortable slicing the distance to set up a manageable fourth-down try. Don’t tell that to Montgomery, who is expecting to earn a fresh set of downs every time he gets those calls, like when he barreled through multiple defenders on third-and-6 in the red zone to move the chains against the Colts.

“We take pride in that,” Montgomery said. “Whenever we get a chance to run on third down, our mentality is we better get the first.”



Campbell agreed with the running back.

“It's another one of those things, it's a mentality,” Campbell said. “It's kind of one of the things we do here. And if we really believe we can do it and get it, we'll do it. It's not a throwaway (play) for us. We really believe if we're going to call (a run) on third-and-7, we're going to get the first.

“It's a curveball,” Campbell said. “It's a changeup. It's paying dividends for us.”


An emotional return

After more than a year away from the game, working his way back from a second ACL tear suffered in Week 5 last season, and a torn pec in training camp, cornerback Emmanuel Moseley was back in action.



“I'm just proud of him,” Davis said. “That shit (rehab) is not easy. That shit is a (long) road. He's been doing a good job. He's been staying up with his spirits. For him to come back out here today, we were proud of him and we're happy to have him on our side.”

Moseley didn’t have a huge role, seeing some snaps on special teams, but it was emotional nonetheless.

”I ain't going to lie, it was amazing,” Moseley said.

Moseley acknowledged he was in his head until the ball was snapped, but in that moment, he reverted to the instincts he's cultivated as a football player.



“Then it's, 'All right, here we go.' That's all you're thinking about is making a play and trying to do your job,” Moseley said.

At this point, it’s baby steps going forward for the veteran corner. Last week, Campbell said the team has been working him in at practice at multiple spots on defense, including outside corner, nickel and safety.



“They just wanted me to touch the field, get my feet underneath me, make sure my conditioning was right,” Moseley said about his role against the Colts. “…I would say I’m just taking it day by day. I finished this game, thank you, Lord. Now it's getting back to practice and getting to the next game.”

Rapid change of scenery
Making his debut with the Lions was veteran David Long, who got the temporary promotion off the practice squad and surprisingly was asked to log double-digit snaps on defense as the team patchworked the linebacker position a week after Alex Anzalone broke his arm.



I asked Long how he was able to carve out a role so quickly.

“It makes it a little easier when you have a coaching staff and teammates that gravitate toward you and help you,” Long said. “I was ready for whatever. I have a standard I hold myself to, so whenever I get in, I'm a smart football player. With their help, it was easy.”



Long said coaches Kelvin Sheppard and Shaun Dion Hamilton, along with new teammates Jack Campbell and Ezekiel Turner, were particularly helpful this week.

Turner acknowledged the past week had been an emotional rollercoaster, going from being cut by the Dolphins to joining the red-hot Lions, but he leaned on the adversity he’s overcome in life to understand this was a small bump in his road.



“I've been through a lot of things,” Long said. “I had to not get down on the moment. I had to remember what I've been through and what I've overcome. You just have to trust it. I know it's hard to trust things you can't see, but that's what faith is. I had to get back into my faith and my support system, and that's helped with the transition.”

If you haven’t had the chance, Ty Dunne pieced together a wonderful feature on Long’s turbulent background and how it’s molded him.



Email: jrogers@detroitfootball.net

X: Justin_Rogers

Bluesky: Justin-Rogers

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As Detroit Lions make more history vs. Colts, Dan Campbell 'locked in to the here and now'


Dave Birkett
Detroit Free Press

Paywall Freep article.



INDIANAPOLIS – Taylor Decker has been a part of enough losses in his NFL career to not take winning for granted, so the Detroit Lions’ left tackle was uniquely appreciative of another accomplishment the Lions made look easy Sunday.

Jahmyr Gibbs ran for two touchdowns and the Lions kept their second straight opponent out of the end zone to win their ninth straight game, 24-6, over the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.


The Lions (10-1) extended their longest winning streak since their inaugural season in Detroit in 1934 and locked up double-digit victories in consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history.


With six games to go, they need three more wins to break the franchise record for regular-season victories.

“It’s just special,” said Decker, a first-round pick in 2016 and the longest-tenured Lion. “And especially when me personally, I’ve been on, for lack of a better term, bad teams. So it just feels good to go out there and know you’re going to get every opponent’s best shot and to still be able to win.”



The Lions remain locked in a fierce battle in the NFC North, a game ahead of the Minnesota Vikings (9-2) and two games in front of the Green Bay Packers (8-3).


They have wins over both teams already, and play four of their final six games against division opponents starting with next week’s Thanksgiving game against the Chicago Bears.

“I think we're so locked in to the here and now,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “It’s a little bit like last year, man, you get through it and then maybe you can take a breath and turn around and look behind you and see what you did. But right now, we're just going, we're rolling.”


The Lions went 12-5 last season to tie the franchise record for regular-season victories, but lost in the NFC championship game to the San Francisco 49ers.

They haven’t lost a road game since, often playing in front of Lions-friendly crows, and enter the holiday homestretch in control of the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.


Campbell said he’s proud of his team’s road success – the Lions went 0-11-1 in their first 12 road games under Campbell and are 16-5 (including the playoffs) since – and reminded players like Decker, Jared Goff, Frank Ragnow and Penei Sewell of how far the organization has come after the game Sunday in the locker room.

“All of those guys are responsible for the up,” Campbell said. “Everybody that's in that locker room is responsible for it, and it says a lot. If you can win on the road, you're normally a pretty damn good team, and we can win on the road.”


The Lions followed a familiar recipe for road success Sunday, running the ball with authority and playing tenacious defense.


They held the Colts to two first-half field goals, allowed 50 yards rushing after Indianapolis had some success on the ground (46 yards, mostly on designed quarterback runs) on the opening drive, and got a big day from Gibbs (21 carries, 90 yards) after losing co-starting running back David Montgomery to a minor shoulder injury.




Gibbs opened the scoring for the Lions with a 1-yard run early in the second quarter, Montgomery added a 6-yard touchdown run on the Lions’ next possession and Gibbs scored his second TD on a 5-yard run in the third quarter.


“We’ve got two bell cows, and it’s rare,” Lions quarterback Jared Goff said. “We do. We have two guys that you can hand the ball to a ton. Like you said, one of them goes down there for a little bit, the other guy steps up. It'll happen both ways throughout the year. We're lucky to have both of them, and they do a hell of a job.”

Defensively, the Lions have not allowed a touchdown since the first half of a Nov. 10 win over the Houston Texans, a span of more than 10 quarters.


On Sunday, they played without five starters – Aidan Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport, Derrick Barnes and Alex Anzalone are all likely out for at least the rest of the regular season, and Terrion Arnold missed the game with a groin injury – and lost a sixth (Carlton Davis III) in-game to injury, but still held the Colts to 94 yards of offense in the second half and forced quarterback Anthony Richardson into an 11 of 28 passing day.

“We got a group of selfless humans,” Montgomery said. “I call this place the Land of the Misfit Toys. You go to a place where people say that you’re not good enough or this team’s not supposed to be exactly who we are and we’re not proving anybody wrong but we’re in the mix to try and prove ourselves right. So I think that’s big and us also understanding that and knowing what we’re capable of, I think that’s ultimately what drives that defense but us as a whole unit. As a team it drives us all.”


Dave Birkett will sign copies of his new book, "Detroit Lions: An Illustrated Timeline" from noon-2 p.m. Nov. 30 at the Troy Sports Card Show at the Balkan American Community Center. Order your copy here. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.