CB Alex Carter:
Lions rookie report: Despite low marks, Tomlinson happy (CB Alex Carter (third round): On injured reserve-designated for return. Out at least the first eight games.) (9-14-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/14/detroit-lions-laken-tomlinson/72244748/
Detroit Lions unsure how much rookie CB Alex Carter will be able to contribute this year (9-10-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_alex_carter_1.html
'Really tough': Debut of promising rookie Carter on hold (9-8-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/08/really-tough-debut-of-promising-rookie-carter-on-hold/71879836/
KEY QUESTIONS: How did injuries affect roster decisions? (Why use the short-term IR designation on rookie cornerback Alex Carter? After being put on that list, Carter won't be able to practice with the team until after Week 6 and won't be available to play for the first time until Detroit's Week 10 game vs. Green Bay. "You know, my philosophy on that is it's best to just use it," Mayhew said. "You don't have it in your back pocket when the season is over and you don't know if an injury is going to come up that you can use that for. It may be an entire season, it may be a two week injury, so if there's an opportunity to use it, I will just use it." Mayhew added on Carter's ankle injury: "It was the first day, the first day of training camp he got injured and then tried to work him back in and he kind of aggravated it again, so just really tough for a young guy like that," he said. "He missed so much time because of, you know, being a Stanford kid, they're on the quarter system, so he missed a lot of offseason time. Then came in the first day of training camp and got hurt, but he's very conscientious, working his rehab very well. He's going to get better. He'll be playing for us, but it's just disappointing to see that start and I'm disappointed for him and he's very disappointed as well." How much can Carter contribute when he gets back? "That's a good question," Mayhew said. "I look forward to finding that out. I want to see him out there. He's only practiced really one day of training camp is what I had an opportunity to see. "He certainly has the physical ability, certainly smart enough. He certainly knows what we're doing defensively, so we'll see how it all plays out.") (9-7-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/KEY-QUESTIONS-How-did-injuries-affect-roster-decisions/ed7c38d0-57f9-485e-994f-27b41fcdc1de
A look at the Detroit Lions' 53-man roster (Alex Carter: The rookie will miss the first half of the season on injured reserve-designated to return and likely will not be a major contributor in 2015.) (9-7-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18706/linebacker-is-a-deep-group-on-the-detroit-lions-53-man-roster
Cudjo back on roster as Lions put Carter on injured reserve (The 20-year-old Carter cannot practice until after Week 6 or play until after Week 8, so the first opportunity the third-round pick will have to make his debut is Week 10 in Green Bay because the Lions are idle Week 9. Carter has been dealing with an ankle injury since the week before training camp. Coach Jim Caldwell declined to specify whether or not the sprain, which the team originally said to describe the injury, is actually a bone bruise, as has been reported.) (9-6-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/06/jermelle-cudjo-back-on-roster-as-lions-put-alex-carter-on-injured-reserve/71820972/
Lions place rookie CB Carter on IR, re-sign Cudjo (The Detroit Lions placed Alex Carter on injured reserve with a designation to return today, meaning the rookie cornerback will miss at least the first half of the season. Carter, the Lions' third-round pick out of Stanford, sprained his ankle during seven-on-seven drills days before the start of training camp and has practiced only sparingly in recent weeks. He said last week that he was dealing with a bone bruise in his ankle and didn't think a stint on IR would be necessary. "It's not easy," Carter said. "I haven't put on pads since January, in the bowl game. One day last (month), but that was about it. I haven't played football. But I just have to take it one day at a time." The Lions were initially hoping Carter could back up cornerbacks Darius Slay and Rashean Mathis this year and contribute on special teams, but with essentially three months of lost development, that appears to be a long shot. On IR-dfr, Carter won't be able to practice with the Lions for the first six weeks of the regular season and won't be eligible to play in games until after the Lions return from their Week 9 bye. Last year, the Lions started rookie second-round pick Kyle Van Noy on IR with a designation to return after he underwent August hernia surgery. Van Noy barely played in the second half of the season.) (9-6-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/06/alex-carter-ir/71819926/
Lions rookie Alex Carter headed for short-term IR, won't play until at least Week 10 (9-6-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/lions_rookie_alex_carter_heade.html
Detroit Lions top Buffalo in preseason finale (Cornerback Nevin Lawson, who was injured for the final 14 games last season, had a few good pass breakups. There’s also a tight race at cornerback for jobs between Lawson, Quandre Diggs, Crezdon Butler and rookie Alex Carter.) (9-3-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150903/detroit-lions-top-buffalo-in-preseason-finale
NOTEBOOK: TE Tim Wright joins Lions (Rookie cornerback Alex Carter, who’s missed nearly all of training camp and the preseason with an ankle injury, worked off to the side with trainers in the open portion of practice.) (9-1-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-TE-Tim-Wright-joins-Lions-/df1b55db-e66c-4ff9-8e82-4820390fecc6
Not easy for injured Lions' Carter to miss more time (What started out as a high ankle sprain has morphed into a bone bruise, but whatever it's name, it's starting to wear on Alex Carter. Carter, the Detroit Lions' third-round pick, has practiced just three times with the team this year after injuring his ankle in seven-on-seven drills before the start of training camp. He missed his fourth straight practice today, and is unlikely to play in Thursday's preseason finale against the Buffalo Bills. "It's not easy," Carter said. "I haven't put on pads since January, in the bowl game. One day last week, but that was about it. I haven't played football. But I just have to take it one day at a time." The Lions ticketed Carter for backup cornerback duty in their secondary this fall, but the rookie has missed enough practice time now that it's hard to envision him getting on the field early in the season. Along with being out most of August, Carter could not practice at the start of organized team activities this spring because of school commitments. "My focus is really just doing everything I can to get better," said Carter, who had a helmet at practice today but did not take part in individual drills during the portion open to the media. "My role this fall will be defined really once I get healthy and I step on the field, do whatever I can." Carter said his father, Tom, who played nine NFL seasons, missed eight weeks with a similar ankle injury early in his career, and has showered him with advice on dealing with injuries. "I was doing some stuff on it for a while, but I think the added pounding started making the bruise worse, so now it's kind of like alright, be smart about it," Carter said. "Push the envelope, but make sure that I get that recovery in there so that I don't get limited too much." Carter said the Lions have not talked about placing him on short-term injured reserve yet. Should the team decide to go that route to free up a roster spot, Carter would miss the first half of the season and wouldn't be able to practice with the Lions until Week 7. Asked about that possibility Tuesday, Lions coach Jim Caldwell wouldn't rule it out. "Anything can happen, but we'll see where he is," Caldwell said.) (9-1-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/01/detroit-lions-alex-carter/71534062/
Lions rookie Alex Carter 'encouraged' by progress from ankle injury but still not able to practice (9-1-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/lions_rookie_alex_carter_encou.html
Ansah, Van Noy back at practice; Levy still out (Linebacker DeAndre Levy, who also missed the Jaguars game, was one of four Lions who did not practice today. Alex Carter, Larry Warford and Caraun Reid also sat out, though Warford and Reid watched from the sidelines after ankle injuries kept them away from the team most of last week. It's still unclear whether Warford and Reid will be ready for the Lions' Sept. 13 season opener against the San Diego Chargers. Reid got out of his walking boot Saturday.) (8-31-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/31/detroit-lions-practice-injury-report/71477990/
Lions' Kyle Van Noy makes surprising return to practice; Ezekiel Ansah, Eric Ebron back too (Cornerback Alex Carter also missed practice with his ankle injury. He missed the first couple weeks of camp with the injury, but was been able to work out only intermittently since returning.) (8-31-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/lions_kyle_van_noy_makes_surpr.html
9 potential starters sidelined for Lions, including 6 linemen; Calvin Johnson out too (Linebacker DeAndre Levy (unknown), right guard Larry Warford (ankle), right tackle LaAdrian Waddle (ACL), linebacker Kyle Van Noy (unknown), tailback Joique Bell (Achilles/knee) and cornerbacks Alex Carter (ankle) and Chris Owens (unknown) also won't play.) (8-28-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/10_potential_starters_sideline.html
Some tight position battles with Detroit Lions could shake out on Friday (The corners deep on the roster: The Lions are pretty set at corner, but Alex Carter isn’t ready for game action yet (he’s getting closer, though) so the Lions might be forced to keep either Chris Owens, R.J. Stanford or Crezdon Butler for a little while. If one of them comes in somewhat early, that could offer a tip of who might even stick around until final cuts. Right now, the Lions’ depth chart at corner is Rashean Mathis, Darius Slay, Nevin Lawson (inside and outside), Josh Wilson, Quandre Diggs and Carter. If Carter shows he’s healthy then Butler, Owens and Stanford are likely in their final weeks with Detroit.) (8-28-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18548/some-tight-position-battles-with-detroit-lions-could-shake-out-friday
Levy, Ansah miss Lions practice again (Defensive end Ziggy Ansah, linebacker Kyle Van Noy and cornerbacks Alex Carter and Chris Owens also missed today's practice for injury reasons. Carter returned to practice earlier this week, after missing the first three weeks of training camp with a high ankle sprain. It's unclear whether he'll play Friday in Jacksonville.) (8-26-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/26/detroit-lions-injury-report/32401685/
Lions sign Joe Madsen to bolster offensive line depth; DeAndre Levy out again (Defensive end Ezekiel Ansah (ankle), cornerback Chris Owens (unknown), cornerback Alex Carter (ankle), defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (hamstring) and tailback Joique Bell (knee/Achilles) also did not practice on Wednesday.) (8-26-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/lions_sign_joe_madsen_to_bolst.html
Haloti Ngata gets in side work during Lions practice; DeAndre Levy out (It also seemed cornerback Alex Carter was limited during individual drills. He's missed huge chunks of time with an ankle injury, before making his return on Friday.) (8-25-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/haloti_ngata_gets_in_side_work.html
Teryl Austin, Joe Lombardi quotes from Monday (On CB Alex Carter: "We won’t know until he gets out there. Won’t know." On what he needs to see from Carter: "I have to see him practice first. I don’t know what else to tell you. He’s got to get out there and be able to go through a full practice full speed and compete before I can tell you anything about him. If he goes out there and he does well, we will evaluate that in another week, but right now it’s hard to tell.") (8-25-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/25/9208627/lions-quotes-from-teryl-austin-and-joe-lombardi
Eric Ebron among 6 starters sidelined for Detroit Lions practice (Safety Isa Abdul-Quddus was back at practice, after sitting Sunday afternoon. Cornerback Alex Carter, right tackle LaAdrian Waddle and defensive end Jason Jones were also participating.) (8-24-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/eric_ebron_among_6_starters_si.html
Notebook: Carter Playing Catch-up As He Returns To Practice (Mental reps and physical reps are two very different things in the NFL, especially when dealing with rookie players. For three weeks rookie cornerback Alex Carter has been paying attention in the meeting room and keeping his head in the game on the practice field, all while being unable to translate it to the field in real reps because he's been rehabbing an ankle injury suffered in late July. Carter, the team's third-round pick this past spring, returned to practice in limited fashion on Sunday. He did individual work, but no team drills. Heading into training camp the Lions expected Carter to be a key reserve on the outside at cornerback and a big part of their special teams and sub packages. He can still be all those things, but he’s only got two preseason games and exactly three weeks to catch up before the regular season begins. “Obviously, you have to be able to give him a chance to at least have some success, so it’s just a progression for him as well,” head coach Jim Caldwell said. “He’s missed so much, it’s going to take him a little bit to catch up. But he’s been in it mentally. Physically it’s a little bit different applying the different techniques he’s learned. So we’ll see how that goes.” Carter says he knows the reps will be important over the next three weeks and the clock is ticking. “I’m just trying to take it at a good pace so I’m healthy and at the same time getting those reps,” Carter said. “I’m doing as much as I can right now. We’re still working on a progression getting back, but this week will be a good week for me.” It’s unclear if Carter will be ready for Friday’s third preseason game in Jacksonville. That will depend on how much progress he makes this week.) (8-23-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Carter-playing-catch-up-as-he-returns-to-practice/b8fa75a3-1f41-47dc-81c2-16d74870e48a
Lions' CB Alex Carter easing back after ankle injury (8-23-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/24/detroit-lions-alex-carter-ankles/32251375/
Detroit Lions practice notes: Pass-catchers struggle with drops during final session open to media (Jason Jones, LaAdrian Waddle and Alex Carter were all back in action, but none participated in team drills. That's par for the course with the Lions, who like to slowly work returning players back into a practice routine.) (8-23-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_practice_notes_p.html
Jim Caldwell quotes from Sunday's practice (On what he needs to see from CB Alex Carter before Carter is thrown into a game: "Well, you know, you can’t do that. Obviously, you have to be able to give him a chance to at least have some success, so it’s just a progression for him as well. He’s missed so much, it’s going to take him a little bit to catch up. But he’s been in it mentally. Physically it’s a little bit different applying the different techniques he’s learned. So we’ll see how that goes.")(8-23-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/23/9194775/jim-caldwell-quotes-sunday-practice
Video - Carter on returning from injury (8-23-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Carter-on-returning-from-injury/bd165a36-e83e-4b66-be91-a9b53ded41cd
Notebook: Injury Updates And Roster Moves (On a positive note, Alex Carter participated in part of practice and Caldwell said it shouldn’t be long before he rejoins practice full time. Carter has been out since late July with an ankle injury.) (8-21-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Injury-updates-and-roster-moves/2748f17c-584c-4008-8b35-29bbd4538460
Caldwell provides little on Warford, Reid ankle sprains (A bit of good news for the Lions, though, was that rookie cornerback Alex Carter (ankle) participated briefly with the scout team during practice, though the plays weren't at full speed. The third-round pick has yet to practice after suffering the injury a few days before camp began. "He's pretty close," Caldwell said of Carter returning to full practices.) (8-21-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/2015/08/21/caldwell-provides-little-warford-reid-ankle-sprains/32150363/
Lions' Calvin Johnson, Lance Moore out against Washington; expect lots of Corey Fuller (The rest of Detroit's inactives, according to the team: tailback Joique Bell (knee/Achilles), right tackle LaAdrian Waddle (ACL), defensive end Jason Jones (knee), defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (hamstring) and cornerback Alex Carter (ankle).) (8-20-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/lions_wrs_calvin_johnson_lance.html
Lions rookie CB Carter falling behind with injury (With a little over three weeks until the regular season begins, it’s become increasingly clear that rookie cornerback Alex Carter won’t play a significant role for the Detroit Lions defense this year, at least not early in the season. Carter, a third-round pick out of Stanford, still has not practiced with the team after he sprained his ankle in seven-on-seven drills in late July. And while he appears to be moving better of late, as each day passes Carter falls further and further behind. “I can be as eager as I want to be (to get him on the field),” Lions coach Jim Caldwell said. “It just depends on how quickly he heals. We’d like to have him sooner rather than later, but it’s going to take him a little while. A guy like that, missing out on this work is very, very difficult.” Carter, who also missed part of organized team workouts in the spring because of school commitments, was expected to contribute on special teams and as a backup to Darius Slay and Rashean Mathis this fall. Veteran Josh Wilson likely will play in nickel packages, and Nevin Lawson and sixth-round pick Quandre Diggs also are vying for time. Caldwell said Carter’s situation is “totally different” from the five other Lions who’ve yet to practice with the team this summer.) (8-20-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/20/detroit-lions-alex-carter/32035699/
How much will Lions rookie Alex Carter actually be able to play this season? (8-19-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/how_much_will_lions_rookie_ale.html
NOTEBOOK: Swanson won't take starting role for granted (Waiting Game - It’s rare for rookies to come into the NFL and tear it up right away. Look at the cornerback position, specifically, and it rarely ever happens. That’s what faced Alex Carter even before he injured his ankle during the first week of camp. It’s now mid-August and Carter, the team’s third-round pick this year, has yet to return to action. He’s still working off to the side of practice with trainers and seems a ways off from returning. Carter also missed most of the OTAs in the spring as he finished up the semester at Stanford. All that missed time is inevitably going to catch up with the young Carter. “I can be as eager as I want to be. You know, it just depends on how quickly he heals.” Caldwell said of Carter. “We would like to have him sooner rather than later, but it’s going to take him a little while. A guy like that missing out on this work is very difficult.” The Lions were hoping Carter would be the next guy up on the outside behind Darius Slay and Rashean Mathis and also be part of some sub packages. The longer this ankle issues linger, the less likely that becomes. “We’re progressing and doing all the stuff that I need to do,” Carter said. “It’s important just for me to get healthy.”)(8-18-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Swanson-wont-take-starting-role-for-granted/fd95f7eb-5bea-4729-8de8-007ee434309d
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: Nevin Lawson finishes strong camp with pick, pass breakup (Cornerback Alex Carter was working on the side and seemed to be moving much better than he was last week. The rookie was sprinting and didn't have a noticeable limp after he decelerated.) (8-18-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_32.html
Detroit Lions notes: Golden Tate takes the high road over Harvin comments (Alex Carter Missing Out - Most of the Lions who have been sidelined with injuries during training camp, are veterans. They are expected to get back into the swing of things quickly once they’re cleared by the team doctors. It’s a little different for rookie cornerback Alex Carter who is out with a sprained ankle. He also missed OTAs because he was finishing classes at Stanford. “That’s totally different. He missed all of spring for the most part. I can be as eager as I want to be. You know, it just depends on how quickly he heals. You know what I mean? We would like to have him sooner rather than later, but it’s going to take him a little while,’’ coach Jim Caldwell said. “A guy like that missing out on this work is very difficult.” Carter, the Lions’ third-round pick, has been working with trainers on the sidelines but it’s obvious (even to a reporter) that he has a way to go.) (8-17-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150817/detroit-lions-notes-golden-tate-takes-the-high-road-over-harvin-comments
Jim Caldwell's quotes from Monday (On CB Alex Carter missing reps with his injury: "That's totally different. He missed all of spring for the most part. I can be as eager as I want to be. You know, it just depends on how quickly he heals. You know what I mean? We would like to have him sooner rather than later, but it's going to take him a little while. A guy like that missing out on this work is very difficult.") (8-17-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/17/9167531/lions-training-camp-quotes-jim-caldwell-monday
Detroit Lions — Five top candidates for cornerback (Alex Carter (third-round draft pick) has missed most of camp with a sprained ankle. If he gets healthy, he should be in the mix.) (8-17-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150817/detroit-lions-x2014-five-top-candidates-for-cornerback
Lions’ Carter expects to be ready for regular season (8-16-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/16/lions-carter-expects-ready-regular-season/31816481/
Notebook: Prater Feeling Fresh, Confident For Season (Rookie cornerback Alex Carter, who’s been out the first two weeks of training camp with an ankle injury, is ramping up his workouts with trainers off to the side of practice. That’s good news for a rookie who needs to get back ASAP to gets some quality reps in before the season starts.) (8-15-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Prater-feeling-fresh-confident-for-season/d5e4c148-9a3b-417a-b14f-efb2e20217ae
Detroit News Camp Notes - Calvin Johnson is Lions’ top star in practice, too (Injured cornerback Alex Carter (ankle) started doing some work backpedaling, which is a good sign. Defensive end Jason Jones (knee) started doing some pass rush drills with a train after his typical running.) (8-15-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/15/calvin-johnson-lions-top-star-practice/31799653/
ESPN Notes - Calvin Johnson continues a strong camp and Rashean Mathis has another good day (The injured guys are still working: Watched Alex Carter run a little bit, too. He still looks somewhat slow, but he was also running around hula hoops, so he was working some other movement as well.) (8-15-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18320/calvin-johnson-continues-a-strong-lions-camp-and-rashean-mathis-has-another-good-day
CB Alex Carter is working on his back pedaling. Good sign for him (8-15-15): https://twitter.com/jkatzenstein/status/632642856642084864
Four Downs: So Far So Good For Lions Run Game ((Third Down Rookie Report - Alex Carter, CB: Did not play.) (8-14-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/FOUR-DOWNS-So-far-so-good-for-Lions-run-game/e92257d1-1d66-4cd5-a374-2be6d5517bca
Alex Carter and Broyles are running on the sideline. The WR is moving noticeably better (8-11-15): https://twitter.com/Justin_Rogers/status/631166277038551040
Freep Lions camp observations: Michael Burton can block (Alex Carter did his first bit of light jogging (in front of reporters, at least) on a side field at the start of practice and Carter looks a ways away from returning from his sprained ankle. The rookie cornerback still had a noticeable limp. I have my doubts about how much he'll be able to contribute this fall, especially early in the season.) (8-10-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/10/detroit-lions-training-camp-notes/31418325/
MLive Training Camp Notes (Rookie cornerback Alex Carter (ankle) remains sidelined. Based on the way he was running on the sidelines (slowly), it would be surprising to see him back in action before Thursday's preseason contest.) (8-10-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_2015_training_ca_10.html
Alex Carter is running on the side, but doesn't look like he's moving all that well. Ankle injuries can be easily re-aggravated (8-10-15): https://twitter.com/Justin_Rogers/status/630719750734237696
Oakland Press Detroit Lions notes: Stafford, offense solid in mock game (Joique Bell, Jason Jones, LaAdrian Waddle and Alex Carter remained out of practice.)(8-8-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150808/detroit-lions-notes-stafford-offense-solid-in-mock-game
Joique Bell now cutting, appears to be nearing return; DeAndre Levy, Haloti Ngata still out (Haloti Ngata, Jason Jones and Alex Carter are sitting and not able to do much yet. They appear to be much further from a return.)(8-7-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/joique_bell_now_cutting_appear.html
It looks like Joseph Fauria and David Ausberry might be sitting out Lions practice along with DeAndre Levy and Alex Carter (8-17-15): https://twitter.com/mikerothstein/status/629739998741458944
Detroit Lions TE Joseph Fauria leaves camp after tweaking something; DeAndre Levy sits (Tailback Joique Bell (Achilles/knee), defensive end Jason Jones (knee), defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (hamstring) and cornerback Alex Carter (ankle) also did not practice.) (8-6-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_te_joseph_fauria_3.html
Alex Carter doing some very light jogging and back peddling off to the side today. He's been sidelined all week with a sprained ankle (8-5-15): https://twitter.com/ttwentyman/status/629358693012926464
Alex Carter not practicing today but walking around a lot better (8-6-15): https://twitter.com/mikerothstein/status/629354556116312065
Free Press Camp observations: Lions hold first practice in pads (Cornerback Alex Carter was back with the team after staying away from practice the last two days because of an ankle injury. Carter said he injured his ankle when he stepped on another player in seven-on-seven drills last week. He's off crutches now, and should return relatively soon.) (8-5-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/05/riley-reiff-detroit-lions/31197729/
Carter ditches crutches, hopes to practice again soon: http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/05/carter-ditches-crutches-hopes-practice-soon/31200177/
Lions rookie CB Alex Carter (ankle) just walked by without a limp. He's wearing a jersey, but isn't practicing (8-5-15): https://twitter.com/jkatzenstein/status/629067749675937792
Still no Bell, Waddle, Jason Jones, Alex Carter at Lions practice (8-5-15): https://twitter.com/kmeinke/status/629066485865037824
Freep Camp Notes - RB Abdullah impressive again, more (Carter is the only injured Lions player that's not out on the field watching practice with his teammates. The fact that he's not weight-bearing yet on the ankle injury he suffered last week is not a good sign.) (8-4-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/04/detroit-lions-training-camp-observations/31140041/
Freep Camp Notes (Alex Carter, the Lions' third-round pick, did not practice because of a sprained ankle he suffered last week. Lions coach Jim Caldwell said Carter is already weight-bearing on the ankle, which is good. The Stanford product can't afford to miss too much time and still expect to have a role early in the season, especially after he missed part of OTAs because of school. "Anytime that you miss reps, it doesn't help you," Caldwell said. "He's a smart guy, he works, he studies and he's one of those guys that can learn without doing. He's still going to have some ground to make up when he does come back.") (8-3-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/03/detroit-lions-training-camp-observations/31085707/
No CB Alex Carter at Lions practice today. We'll find out after practice if that's injury related or not (8-3-15): https://twitter.com/ttwentyman/status/628289083845025793
CB Quandre Diggs:
Lions’ snap counts: Stephen Tulloch sees reduced role (Reserve defensive backs: Cornerback Josh Wilson, 34 (of 65), cornerback Quandre Diggs, 12; Isa Abdul-Quddus, 10. Analysis: The Lions substituted their starting defensive backs more than usual as Darius Slay missed six plays, Rashean Mathis missed seven and James Ihedigbo missed two. Most of Abdul-Quddus’s plays came in the dime package, but he filled in for Ihedigbo a few times. A few of Diggs’ snaps came after Wilson suffered a cut on his chin.) (9-21-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/21/lions-snap-counts-stephen-tulloch-sees-reduced-role/72567436/
Ask Kyle: On Matthew Stafford, and who are the Lions' fastest players at each position (Q: Why don't the Lions use Kyle Van Noy strictly as a situational pass rusher like Seattle uses Bruce Irvin? Seems like that would get him some reps on the field. — Jam Hatter. A: At what position? He doesn't really play the weak side. Stephen Tulloch and Tahir Whitehead are both better in the middle. Whitehead and Travis Lewis are both better on the strong side. Van Noy would be well-served to get some live reps, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it happen at some point. But I don't see him getting the Quandre Diggs treatment just yet. The Lions got Diggs a series in both halves against San Diego, so he would have experience if he's needed later in the year. But Diggs also has proven to be competent on the field, while I'm not sure Van Noy has. He was abused in pass coverage during the early parts of training camp, and though he improved some, there were still breakdowns from him both in practice and the exhibitions. I'm not sure the Lions can trust him, yet, to go on the field and execute his assignments. And especially not as well as all the guys who are in front of him. With all the breakdowns the Lions already have at linebacker, and in pass-coverage, they can't afford to have Van Noy out there when they have better options.) (9-19-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/ask_kyle_on_matthew_staffords.html
Lions’ Diggs cherishes NFL debut (For Lions cornerback Quandre Diggs, having an NFL debut in the stadium where his older brother, Quentin Jammer, played for a long time was definitely cool. With Jammer spending his 13-year career as a cornerback with the San Diego Chargers, Diggs has known players like quarterback Philip Rivers, punter Mike Scifres and safety Eric Weddle for a long time. And despite being a sixth-round rookie at a position where the Lions have plenty of experience, Diggs actually played a significant role, appearing in 18 snaps on defense in addition to six plays on special teams. “It’s definitely a blessing because a lot of guys don’t get this opportunity, and I know I’m one of the few,” he said. While Diggs was impressive during the offseason, receiving snaps wasn’t just due to his talent. The Lions want him ready to play in case injuries arise, and they hope that proactive approach will help them prepare young players for larger roles in the future. “What we did is we tried to target Quandre to make sure he got a series a half, so he can have some live game snaps and learn and get some experience that way,” defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said. The Lions like their top three cornerbacks — Darius Slay and Rashean Mathis on the outside with Josh Wilson playing in the slot. But they liked their group last year, too, with Bill Bentley opening the season in the slot and 2014 fourth-round pick Nevin Lawson behind him. However, Bentley suffered a season-ending knee injury Week 1, Lawson went down with a season-ending foot injury in Week 2 and suddenly the Lions were left without an experienced inside cornerback. They signed Danny Gorrer, who’d worked with Austin in Baltimore, and safeties Don Carey and Isa Abdul-Quddus played more on defense. But Cassius Vaughn had to play inside at times despite his previous NFL experience being outside. “We have to get these guys, somehow, some game experience, so that if something would happen … we’re not putting a guy in that hasn’t seen any game snaps,” Austin said. The Lions used a similar thought process last season as they dealt with injuries at right tackle. Following injuries to LaAdrian Waddle and Corey Hilliard early in the season, veteran Garrett Reynolds started a handful of games, but undrafted rookie Cornelius Lucas would share time with him. By the end of the year when Waddle went down again, Lucas was ready to be the starter and started in Week 1 this season. Kyle Van Noy, a second-round pick last year, also played a bit on defense in the second half of the season despite Ashlee Palmer being the starting strong-side linebacker. “I think oftentimes what you find is that in the long run it does indeed help you because it certainly buoys your confidence in him,” coach Jim Caldwell said of giving young players early game experience. “If he gets in there and does well or poorly, it gives him sort of a standard that is expected of him, so he has a chance to get in there and actually test his craft.” The plan was for Diggs to play a couple of series, and while many of those 18 plays were in the red zone, Austin said that was happenstance. Diggs, whose two tackles came on back-to-back fourth-quarter plays in the red zone, said he didn’t mind the extra pressure, either. “I’m a chill guy,” he said. “I’m relaxed. I’m always myself, not too much really going through my mind (besides) just go out and play my technique, play my coverage and do what I’m supposed to do.” Diggs took that approach as soon as he arrived in Detroit, and Austin said he was more solid and consistent in training camp than Lawson, who was inactive in Week 1. Of course, if injuries pop up, Lawson surely will have his chance this year, too. And Diggs was glad to see the coaches trusted him in his first game, one that ended up being at Qualcomm Stadium where his brother played so long. “I just want to take advantage of the opportunities I have to, first of all, be able to go out to practice and take advantage of the practice reps for them to believe in me to get in the game,” he said. “I’m thankful for those guys trusting and believing in me.”) (9-18-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/19/lions-diggs-cherishes-nfl-debut/72453480/
In his brother's old stadium, Quandre Diggs had bigger role than expected (After his first NFL game ended, coincidentally on the same field his brother patrolled the defensive backfield for years, Detroit Lions rookie Quandre Diggs sought out Quentin Jammer. Jammer, the former San Diego Chargers cornerback, was in the stands watching his younger brother, Diggs, make his NFL debut for the Lions. And after it was all done, after Diggs got his first defensive snaps in his first-ever NFL game, Diggs did something special for the man he calls his inspiration. He gave Jammer his jersey. “He’s always been my inspiration, my role model,” Diggs said. “So that meant a lot for me to get that jersey and give it to him after the game.” Diggs figures if his career goes as planned, he’ll have a lot of other jerseys to keep for himself. The sixth-round pick out of Texas was not even sure to be active for the season opener against San Diego. He found out he would have a bigger role than maybe even he thought on Saturday, when the coaches told him they were going to try to work him in with the first unit. What was unexpected -- by both the coaches and Diggs -- is that the series he was on the field came in the red zone, a stern test for any rookie. Diggs ended up playing 18 snaps, making two tackles. It was a good start for Diggs, who could end up seeing an expanded role as the season goes on. That’s part of why the Lions wanted to make sure he got some work in the opener. Beyond starters Rashean Mathis and Darius Slay, who has an injured ankle, there is not much height or experience at cornerback. With Alex Carter on injured reserve-designated to return, the Lions have only Josh Wilson, Nevin Lawson and Diggs as reserves. All three are listed at 5-foot-9 and fit better as slot corners, but the Lions needed to make sure they had a reserve corner besides Wilson with some game experience. “It’s a chance for us to build some depth,” defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said. “Behind our first three guys, we have Nevin, who basically played one game last year, and Quandre, who has no experience. So we have to get these guys, somehow get them some game experience so if something would happen, as you know in this league a lot of times you get dinged up, we’re not putting in a guy who hasn’t seen any game snaps.” Austin said Diggs beat out Lawson because he was “more consistent” during training camp. The impression might have gone back to spring workouts too, when Diggs received a lot of first-team work with Lawson still returning from a foot injury and former Lions corner Bill Bentley recovering from an ACL injury. That left Diggs and Wilson on the inside, and Diggs showed immediately how physical he could be, even as he was still learning. “I was getting a lot of buzz,” Diggs said. “But it was more of just me going out and playing football. I was still thinking a lot. “Even when I got back [for training camp], still thinking. Now it’s go play, go play and do those things." He said that adjustment came during the middle of training camp, around the time he started to move up the depth chart during daily practices. He believes he already is getting more comfortable in the scheme and oddly said he had no nerves entering his NFL debut. Diggs said he’s already helping out making calls based off what he sees in the opposing offense based on formations teams line up in. What he did in Texas, what comes naturally to him and what his brother helped him with both by osmosis growing up and teaching, all started to show. And it should help in the future too. Of course, it might have helped he was playing in a stadium he knew because of his brother, who just smiled at him after the game. “Being in San Diego, it just felt that much sweeter,” Diggs said. “I felt more comfortable because I played there before and I grew up around there. So it was pretty cool.”) (9-13-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18895/in-his-brothers-old-stadium-quandre-diggs-had-more-of-a-role-than-expected-for-the-lions
10 takeaways from Austin a Lombardi (Rookie cornerback Quandre Diggs got some playing time in a couple series on defense in the opener. Austin said it’s important to get young players in there to get some game experience under their belts. You never know when they might be called upon to play a bigger role.) (9-17-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/10-takeaways-from-Austin--Lombardi/2ca31990-a224-4e62-a8fa-ca3c46aace10
Detroit Lions put emphasis on getting rookie CB Quandre Diggs work in season opener (9-17-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_quandre_diggs.html
Detroit Lions Twitter Talk: On a silver lining not named Ameer Abdullah and going for 4th down (Q. The secondary without Slay is scary. What's the plan for Sunday if he's out? A. It's a gut feeling, based on what I saw from Darius Slay in the locker room on Monday, but I expect him to play. If he can't you'll see Josh Wilson slide to the outside and a combination of Quandre Diggs and Isa Abdul-Quddus in the slot. Nevin Lawson would also be activated.) (9-16-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_twitter_talk_12.html
Lions rookie report: Despite low marks, Tomlinson happy (CB Quandre Diggs (sixth round): Diggs played 18 defensive snaps in nickel and dime packages. Most of his nickel work came as a substitute for Josh Wilson in the red zone.) (9-14-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/14/detroit-lions-laken-tomlinson/72244748/
Snap counts: Linebackers must produce to play (Substitute defensive backs: Cornerback Josh Wilson (53 of 79), cornerback Quandre Diggs (18), safety Isa Abdul-Quddus (five). Analysis: As expected, Wilson was the top nickel option, but Diggs played a surprising amount. He also played many of his snaps in the red zone. Abdul-Quddus entered in a dime package with six defensive backs.) (9-14-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/14/snap-counts-linebackers-must-produce-play/72258958/
Detroit Lions snap counts: DT Tyrunn Walker proves capable of playing heavy load (Detroit worked multiple defensive packages, including three variations of the nickel. Josh Wilson got most of the work, with 53 reps. Rookie Quandre Diggs got his first taste of NFL action with 18 snaps and safety Isa Abdul-Quddus was out there for five plays.) (9-14-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_snap_counts_tyru.html
A look at the Detroit Lions' 53-man roster (Quandre Diggs: He shined early in the spring but is most likely a development corner this year. The potential is there.) (9-7-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18706/linebacker-is-a-deep-group-on-the-detroit-lions-53-man-roster
RECAP: Lions vs. Bills (Rookie watch: Cornerback Quandre Diggs made a terrific tackle on a punt return in the first quarter. He also returned a kickoff 21 yards in the game.) (9-3-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/RECAP-Lions-vs-Bills-/d50028af-eaa0-40ef-9cfe-e012f00f393d
Detroit Lions top Buffalo in preseason finale (Cornerback Nevin Lawson, who was injured for the final 14 games last season, had a few good pass breakups. There’s also a tight race at cornerback for jobs between Lawson, Quandre Diggs, Crezdon Butler and rookie Alex Carter.) (9-3-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150903/detroit-lions-top-buffalo-in-preseason-finale
Lions-Jaguars PFF Grades: The Stafford-Tate Connection (PFF's Grades - Quandre Diggs: -1.3, If PFF grades are any indication of who the starting slot corner is going to be, then you might as well hand Josh Wilson the job right now. Diggs and Lawson are both struggling through three games with -4.1 and -3.0 overall grades, respectively, while Wilson is sitting pretty with a +2.6. Again, take these grades with a grain of salt, but it's something worth noting.) (8-30-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/30/9224573/lions-jaguars-pff-grades-matthew-stafford-golden-tate
Five key position battles for the Lions (Youth versus experience will play a role here, too. Veteran Josh Wilson seemed to secure the job shortly after joining the team in April, with 2014 fourth-round pick Nevin Lawson still recovering from his foot injury this offseason. Sixth-round pick Quandre Diggs also has flashed skills as the slot cover man this spring and summer. However, the 30-year Wilson has experience playing inside and outside in the NFL, and he can blitz and defend the run. The biggest question might be whether the Lions want to use a third safety or a young cornerback to spell Wilson.) (8-27-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/27/five-key-position-battles-lions/32477079/
O'HARA'S MONDAY COUNTDOWN: Roster watch (The value of nickel backs has never been higher in the NFL because of the pressure created by sets with four and five receivers. The nickel spot will shake out in the last two games, with Nevin Lawson, back after an injury in Game 2 ended his rookie season, rookie Quandre Diggs and the veteran Wilson all in the mix.) (8-24-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ohara/article-1/OHARAS-MONDAY-COUNTDOWN-Roster-watch/f00f0d89-7772-4948-881b-0fafd5e183d7
Four Downs: Orlovsky Feeling Comfortable And Confident (Fourth Down Rookie Report - Quandre Diggs, CB: He finished the game with two tackles, but was part of the backup defensive unit that struggled containing Washington’s second and third offensive units most of the night.) (8-21-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/FOUR-DOWNS-Orlovsky-feeling-comfortable-and-confident/c188163d-6b57-4c18-af78-9d3faae6f61f
Lions defense destroys RGIII before backups lose exhibition in Washington (Rookie Quandre Diggs got the nod at nickelback.) (8-20-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/lions_defense_destroys_rgiii_b.html
Freep Lions observations: 'No reason' Abdullah limited in practice (Kellen Moore wasn't as sharp in reps with the third-team offense. Tahir Whitehead and Quandre Diggs broke up Moore passes on back-to-back plays. Whitehead's PBU came when the Lions were in a 4-4-3 defensive set, with Abdul-Quddus at safety and Kyle Van Noy, Stephen Tulloch and Travis Lewis as the other linebackers. Diggs, who probably trails Josh Wilson and Nevin Lawson in the battle for the nickel cornerback spot, would have got beat by a quarterback with a stronger arm on his PBU, but he made a nice play to get his hand up and swat a pass away from TJ Jones. Moore's only completion of that period came off a play-action fake, when Brandon Copeland appeared to bit on the run play and let Jones get behind him in coverage down the right sideline.) (8-18-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/18/lions-training-camp-notes/31948017/
Detroit News Camp observations: Lions' Fauria gets action with first team (On Tuesday, the Lions used Fauria at all levels of the field, and after one catch, he lowered his shoulder into cornerback Quandre Diggs. TJ Jones made a nice end zone catch, too, beating Diggs on a ball thrown to the front corner of the area.) (8-18-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/18/camp-observations-lions-fauria-gets-action-with-first-team/31940203/
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: Nevin Lawson finishes strong camp with pick, pass breakup (In 11-on-11 work, the defense got their hands on multiple passes. Lawson, Quandre Diggs and Tahir Whitehead all knocked down throws.) (8-18-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_32.html
Detroit Lions — Five top candidates for cornerback (Quandre Diggs (sixth-round pick) looked to be the favorite as nickel until Wilson got going. Still Diggs has plenty of upside. He’s football smart and could find a good spot on special teams.) (8-17-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150817/detroit-lions-x2014-five-top-candidates-for-cornerback
ESPN Notes - Calvin Johnson continues a strong camp and Rashean Mathis has another good day (Lawson and veteran Josh Wilson have separated themselves from rookie Quandre Diggs at this point, and while all three figure to make the roster, Lawson is putting himself in position to win the job. He has worked with the first team often throughout camp and has shown versatility on the outside when necessary as well. He’s probably still a little small to be a dependable backup outside corner, but he’ll need to play inside and outside if he’s going to be on the field. After practice, Caldwell cited his toughness and tenacity when asked about him.) (8-15-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18320/calvin-johnson-continues-a-strong-lions-camp-and-rashean-mathis-has-another-good-day
Four Downs: So Far So Good For Lions Run Game (Quandre Diggs, CB: Diggs got plenty of reps in the nickel and finished with a pass defended and a quarterback hit. He plays tough and physical on the inside.) (8-14-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/FOUR-DOWNS-So-far-so-good-for-Lions-run-game/e92257d1-1d66-4cd5-a374-2be6d5517bca
Snap counts: Zenner gets long look with Lions (Among the 2015 draft picks, seventh-round offensive tackle Corey Robinson was the leader with 59 snaps. First-round guard Laken Tomlinson played 56 snaps, fifth-round fullback Michael Burton had 17, fourth-round defensive tackle Gabe Wright had 22 and sixth-round cornerback Quandre Diggs had 14.) (8-14-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/14/snap-counts-zenner-gets-long-look-lions/31721387/
A quick recap on who's winning, and who's losing, the Detroit Lions' job battles (Nickelback — The Lions have cycled between the veteran (Josh Wilson), the youngster (Nevin Lawson) and the rookie (Quandre Diggs) at this spot throughout the offseason, but always kind of seemed to prefer Wilson because of his eight years of experience at the position. And sure enough, he started there against New York. Lawson was in the lineup at outside cornerback for Rashean Mathis, who got the night off. That's kind of interesting, because Lawson isn't really built like an outside cornerback, at 5-foot-10, and doesn't practice there much. Chris Owens and Crezdon Butler always seemed like the more likely backups at outside cornerback, at least while third-round pick Alex Carter deals with his ankle injury. Butler did get some early run with the ones, and seems to be ahead of Owens at this point.) (8-14-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/a_quick_recap_on_where_the_det.html
Lions rookie check-in: Preseason Week 1 (Quandre Diggs: It was a very quiet night for almost everyone in the secondary. The Jets only tallied 66 passing yards all night. Diggs was on the field for only 14 snaps, and while he was credited with a pass defended, there's not a lot we can break down from his performance with such a small sample size and such lowly opponents.)(8-14-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/14/9153591/lions-rookie-check-in-preseason-week-1
Detroit News Camp observations: Narrower posts help kickers hone in (Abdullah, running back Zach Zenner, cornerback Quandre Diggs and wide receiver TJ Jones were among the players fielding kickoffs Tuesday. Jeremy Ross wasn't in the group as he worked with the coverage unit.) (8-11-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/11/camp-observations-narrower-posts-help-kickers-hone/31494087/
Why the nickel job is so important, and why Josh Wilson could be right for Lions (Ninth-year veteran Josh Wilson signed with the club over the offseason and has emerged as the favorite over Lawson and rookie Quandre Diggs at the nickel. Both the second-year Lawson and rookie Diggs have massive upside. But Wilson has done this for eight seasons, including allowing a passer rating of 83.1 in the nickel last year. That was seventh best in the league, according to ProFootballFocus.)
(8-11-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/why_the_nickel_job_is_so_impor.html
Detroit News Camp observations: Ngata makes progress with hamstring (Rookie cornerback Quandre Diggs also had a good pass defensed on a play in which Golden Tate had created space.)
(8-10-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/10/camp-observations-ngata-makes-progress-hamstring/31416513/
A couple nice PBUs by the first-team defense in 7-on-7, Quandre Diggs vs. Golden Tate and Rashean Mathis vs. Calvin Johnson (8-10-15): https://twitter.com/jkatzenstein/status/630739430924529664
Camp observations: Defense ahead of offense (Josh Wilson and Nate Ness had picks for the Lions' No. 3 defense. Wilson was relegated to third-team nickel duty today as the Lions continue to give Nevin Lawson time with the first-team. Lawson, Wilson and Quandre Diggs are in a close battle for that spot, and it wouldn't surprise if all three players made the team.)(8-7-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/07/lions-training-camp-thoughts/31322327/
Stephen Tulloch, Darryl Tapp help Lions' defense dominate offense and other Camp notes (Diggs played nickel on the second team.) (8-7-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18147/defense-led-by-stephen-tulloch-and-darryl-tapp-dominates-detroit-lions-offense-friday
Camp Spotlight: Cornerback Quandre Diggs (The Lions view Diggs as a slot cornerback, but they are cross-training him on the outside, too. He took second and third-team reps in practice Thursday in the slot behind veteran Josh Wilson and on the outside behind Darius Slay and Rashean Mathis. Diggs didn’t stand out either way in the team portions of practice. He didn’t give up any big plays and didn’t make any big plays either. He was beat in one-on-one drills by receiver Greg Salas on a comeback route, but Salas couldn't hang on to the ball. Diggs was a little slow turning his hips and coming back to the ball vs. Salas. TJ Jones caught a 15-yard out route in front of Diggs in another one-on-one rep. The Lions are in pads Friday and have an inter-squad scrimmage set up for Saturday. Diggs should get a lot of quality reps the next two days and coaches will be watching how he handles himself. Diggs has potential in the slot, but training camp in a learning process for young players.) (8-6-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/Camp-Spotlight-Cornerback-Quandre-Diggs/fa1cb601-3009-456c-9ad4-f75d31d8a171
Detroit News Camp observations: 'Tweaks' sideline Levy, Fauria at practice (Wide receiver Ryan Broyles might have showcased the most intensity at practice. He threw cornerback Quandre Diggs to the ground at one point, too.) (8-6-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/06/camp-observations-tweaks-sideline-levy-fauria-at-practice/31242329/
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: Ryan Broyles gets physical, defense focuses on turnovers (Veteran Josh Wilson got the first crack at working nickel with the first team, ahead of rookie Quandre Diggs and Nevin Lawson.) (8-6-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_27.html
Jim Caldwell's quotes from Day 4 of training camp (On CB Quandre Diggs' development: "You know, he's learning the system, getting a feel for it. He's a quick guy who's tenacious and loves to compete. We are excited about where he is right now. He's certainly doing well." On the next step for Diggs: "Well, the big thing is, what we see him do out here, obviously we had pads on yesterday, so here in the next couple days, we'll get a real good feel for him. We will have to see how he develops from a one on one standpoint, the kind of physicality he's going to bring and obviously, we will certainly evaluate that through the preseason games.")(8-6-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/7/9113713/lions-training-camp-quotes-jim-caldwell-day-4
Teryl Austin's quotes from Day 4 of training camp (On CB Quandre Diggs' development: "I think he's a little ways away from being ready, but the games are going to be tremendous for him so that he can see the speed of the game, all the different things that happen that he has to be able to do. Every day it's a learning experience for the young guys, but I think he's more than capable of taking the step to be a quality player for us. When that'll be, I'm not quite sure, but he's moving in the right direction." On the next step for Diggs: "Game. You got to see it in the game.") (8-6-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/6/9113735/lions-training-camp-quotes-teryl-austin-day-4
Video - Quandre Diggs highlights (8-6-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Quandre-Diggs-highlights/d825d55a-dbbc-4c12-bc6a-d56557cf29ef
Detroit News Camp observations: Backup QB battle ensues (Cornerback Quandre Diggs struggled on a couple plays covering Johnson, but the coaches giving him that assignment is a show of good faith in the rookie.) (8-4-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/04/camp-observations-backup-qb-battle-ensues/31140639/
NOTEBOOK: Tomlinson adjusts to left guard (Quandre Diggs continues to take first-team reps as the slot cornerback.) (8-3-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Tomlinson-adjusts-to-left-guard/db84cd65-3d75-483a-86f7-1c61ba1ce1be
Freep Camp Notes (Two more depth chart notes: Josh Wilson took first-team reps with the nickel defense, ahead of rookie Quandre Diggs. Diggs had a rough go of it in one-on-one passing drills. Matched up against Ryan Broyles on the third play of the period, Diggs was slow to react to a slant route and gave Broyles way too much room at the top of his route.) (8-3-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/03/detroit-lions-training-camp-observations/31085707/
CB Nevin Lawson:
Detroit Lions Twitter Talk: On a silver lining not named Ameer Abdullah and going for 4th down (Q. The secondary without Slay is scary. What's the plan for Sunday if he's out? A. It's a gut feeling, based on what I saw from Darius Slay in the locker room on Monday, but I expect him to play. If he can't you'll see Josh Wilson slide to the outside and a combination of Quandre Diggs and Isa Abdul-Quddus in the slot. Nevin Lawson would also be activated.) (9-16-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_twitter_talk_12.html
Lions inactives include Waddle, Jones, Levy (Along with Waddle and Warford, who was ruled out Friday, linebacker DeAndre Levy (hip), defensive tackle Caraun Reid, tight end Tim Wright, cornerback Nevin Lawson and receiver TJ Jones are inactive for the Lions.) (9-13-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/detroit-lions-chargers-nfl-inactives/72211640/
Samuelsen: 5 Lions Poised For Breakout Season (Nevin Lawson: I’m using the Darius Slay corollary here. Lawson missed almost his entire rookie year after injuring his toes in week two. But he was the Lions’ fourth round draft pick in 2014 and entered training camp as a highly thought of cover corner. NFL teams go through defensive backs like the Pistons go through head coaches, so depth is always an issue. The Lions were relatively healthy last year with their defensive backfield of Glover Quin, James Ihedigbo, Slay and Rashean Mathis. Don’t expect the same such luck this fall paving the way for Lawson to make an impact.) (9-11-15): http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2015/09/11/samuelsen-5-lions-poised-for-breakout-seasons/
A look at the Detroit Lions' 53-man roster (Nevin Lawson: Potentially the nickel corner of the future, he is aggressive and with more experience should be better making plays on the ball.) (9-7-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18706/linebacker-is-a-deep-group-on-the-detroit-lions-53-man-roster
Lions 17, Bills 10: Who helped, hurt themselves in win? (Hurt - CB Nevin Lawson: He's probably still ticketed for a roster spot as a developmental cornerback, but Lawson had a rough game Thursday. He got called for two pass-interference penalties in the first half and missed a tackle on a quick hitch to Marcus Thigpen in the third quarter. For now, it appears that Lawson is best suited for backup nickel duties.) (9-4-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/04/lions-53-man-roster/71683320/
O'HARA'S BURNING QUESTIONS: Who made good impressions? (Q. Defense – highs and lows: What were they? A. One high point was keeping the Bills out of the end zone. They scored their touchdown on a fumble return. Two linemen competing for roster spots – tackle Jermelle Cudjo and edge-rusher Phillip Hunt – got sacks. Also, linebacker Josh Bynes had a sack and forced fumble late in the third quarter on a weird play that resulted in Bills’ fourth-string quarterback Matt Simms throwing the ball backward. It ended up as a 38-yard loss on the sack and fumble, and a recovery by the Lions that led to the drive to the go-ahead score. On the negative side, second-year cornerback Nevin Lawson had a tough night with penalties for pass interference and some coverage problems. He also had a penalty in the last game for a late hit on the quarterback.) (9-3-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ohara-burning-questions/article-1/OHARAS-BURNING-QUESTIONS-Who-made-good-impressions/0d9528db-b157-4ad4-8637-789aa4e1ee50
Detroit Lions stock report: TJ Jones makes late push for a roster spot (Stock down -- Cornerback Nevin Lawson: Lawson had an up-and-come preseason, but finished on a down note. The physical cornerback was flagged twice for pass interference and also missed a tackle in the third quarter.) (9-3-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_stock_report_1.html
Detroit Lions top Buffalo in preseason finale (Cornerback Nevin Lawson, who was injured for the final 14 games last season, had a few good pass breakups. There’s also a tight race at cornerback for jobs between Lawson, Quandre Diggs, Crezdon Butler and rookie Alex Carter.) (9-3-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150903/detroit-lions-top-buffalo-in-preseason-finale
Winners and losers from the Lions' final preseason game (Losers - Nevin Lawson: Lawson had a very up-and-down game. He did break up two passes and managed four tackles. However, his night was more defined by the two pass interference penalties called on him. It wasn't a horrible night, but penalties are a good way to see your way to the bench.) (9-3-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/9/3/9259473/winners-losers-lions-bills-preseason-game
Lions-Jaguars PFF Grades: The Stafford-Tate Connection (PFF's Grades - Nevin Lawson: -1.5, If PFF grades are any indication of who the starting slot corner is going to be, then you might as well hand Josh Wilson the job right now. Diggs and Lawson are both struggling through three games with -4.1 and -3.0 overall grades, respectively, while Wilson is sitting pretty with a +2.6. Again, take these grades with a grain of salt, but it's something worth noting.) (8-30-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/30/9224573/lions-jaguars-pff-grades-matthew-stafford-golden-tate
Loss of Suh leaves Lions defense in tough spot (The one positive in the secondary is that GM Martin Mayhew did find a potential replacement for Cassius Vaughn, a slot defender upon whom opposing quarterbacks feasted. The leading contender for this spot is Josh Wilson, though there’s also 2014 fourth-rounder Nevin Lawson. In case Lawson, working his way back from a foot injury, isn’t ready Mayhew signed veteran Chris Owens and spent a third-round pick on Alex Carter (perhaps long-term security).) (8-28-15): http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2015/08/28/detroit-lions-defense-ndamukong-suh-departure-haloti-ngata-nfl-matthew-stafford
Five key position battles for the Lions (Youth versus experience will play a role here, too. Veteran Josh Wilson seemed to secure the job shortly after joining the team in April, with 2014 fourth-round pick Nevin Lawson still recovering from his foot injury this offseason. Sixth-round pick Quandre Diggs also has flashed skills as the slot cover man this spring and summer. However, the 30-year Wilson has experience playing inside and outside in the NFL, and he can blitz and defend the run. The biggest question might be whether the Lions want to use a third safety or a young cornerback to spell Wilson.) (8-27-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/27/five-key-position-battles-lions/32477079/
O'HARA'S MONDAY COUNTDOWN: Roster watch (The value of nickel backs has never been higher in the NFL because of the pressure created by sets with four and five receivers. The nickel spot will shake out in the last two games, with Nevin Lawson, back after an injury in Game 2 ended his rookie season, rookie Quandre Diggs and the veteran Wilson all in the mix.)(8-24-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ohara/article-1/OHARAS-MONDAY-COUNTDOWN-Roster-watch/f00f0d89-7772-4948-881b-0fafd5e183d7
Lions mailbag: Who will be offensive, defensive difference-makers? (Q. For backup RB & KR/PR, who's best at the less sexy ST roles (blocker, gunner, etc)? A. It's interesting you ask this because these are areas fans should watch if they are trying to figure out who might win those last roster spots. Nevin Lawson, if I recall right, has also seen some work at gunner with mixed results.) (8-22-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18418/mailbag-who-will-be-offensive-defensive-difference-makers-for-detroit-lions
10 Detroit Lions to watch: Receivers still jockeying for position in wide open roster battle (Cornerback Nevin Lawson: No one knew how Lawson would respond to coming back from a devastating foot injury, but so far, so good. He got the start against the Jets, in place of Rashean Mathis, and didn't give up much in coverage. He did get tagged for two penalties on special teams and will need to balance his physical play and staying within the rules.) (8-20-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/10_detroit_lions_players_to_wa.html
Detroit Lions' Nevin Lawson refuses to be pigeonholed as a nickelback (8-19-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_nevin_lawson_1.html
Detroit News Camp observations: Lions' Fauria gets action with first team (Cornerback Nevin Lawson had an excellent practice. In one-on-one drills, he had an interception while covering Corey Fuller, creating good inside position, then taking the ball right out of Fuller's hands. On his next turn, Lawson got physical with Eric Ebron and covered him tight for the duration of the deep incompletion. In team drills, Lawson had a great pass breakup on a well-thrown deep ball to Ryan Broyles.) (8-18-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/18/camp-observations-lions-fauria-gets-action-with-first-team/31940203/
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: Nevin Lawson finishes strong camp with pick, pass breakup (Nevin Lawson also came up with an interception during the individual work, out-muscling Corey Fuller on a dig route. The second-year cornerback continues to have a strong camp, showing no ill effects from the foot injury that derailed his rookie campaign. In 11-on-11 work, the defense got their hands on multiple passes. Lawson, Quandre Diggs and Tahir Whitehead all knocked down throws.) (8-18-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_32.html
ESPN Camp Notes - Stephen Tulloch looks ready; Nevin Lawson has standout practice for Lions (Nevin Lawson is putting things together: He's been mentioned intermittently throughout these observations, but he had another nice play Tuesday during camp, stepping in front of a Dan Orlovsky pass and intercepting it during one-on-one drills. He also had a really good pass breakup on an Orlovsky pass intended for Ryan Broyles in team drills. He's been working with the first group at nickel a lot during camp -- he's in a competition with Josh Wilson there -- but he's also been practicing a bunch outside. He'll have a role on the Lions this season less than a year after a nasty foot injury and he could end up being the team's starting nickel and top reserve cornerback by the time Week 1 against San Diego rolls around.) (8-18-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18344/stephen-tulloch-looks-ready-for-detroit-lions-and-nevin-lawson-has-standout-practice
Nevin Lawson ballin' in one-on-ones. Took ball away from Fuller on one route, covered Ebron like a glove (and physically) on another (8-18-15): https://twitter.com/jkatzenstein/status/633714773570531330
Detroit Lions — Five top candidates for cornerback (Nevin Lawson, who was injured in the second game in 2014 and missed the rest of his rookie season, appears to have fully recovered from his serious foot injury. “He’s not (different than last year’s camp) because he was scrappy last year, he was tough, he would get after you,’’ Caldwell said. “The tenacity is still there and all of those things and he’s still got them and he’s still playing with the confidence that he needs to play that spot, so he’s coming along.” He’s working on the outside and in the slot. In 2014 when Bill Bentley (who started at nickel) went down in the opener, it was Lawson who stepped in.) (8-17-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150817/detroit-lions-x2014-five-top-candidates-for-cornerback
Detroit Lions notes: Golden Tate takes the high road over Harvin comments (During one-on-ones Corey Fuller made a nice finger-tip grab against cornerback Nevin Lawson.) (8-17-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150817/detroit-lions-notes-golden-tate-takes-the-high-road-over-harvin-comments
ESPN Notes - Lions offense looks sharp in goal-line situations during night practice (Theo Riddick got some receiver work: I’m not sure if this has been going on for the majority of camp because I’ve often been focused on line and running back play, but Riddick ran receiver-versus-cornerback drills with the wideouts Monday night. He didn’t receive too many reps there, but he did beat Nevin Lawson on a nice route.) (8-17-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18334/detroit-lions-offense-looks-sharp-in-goal-line-offense-during-night-practice
Jim Caldwell's quotes from Saturday (On how CB Nevin Lawson is different from last year: "He's not because he was scrappy last year, he was tough, he would get after you. The tenacity is still there and all of those things and he's still got them and he's still playing with the confidence that he needs to play that spot, so he's coming along.") (8-16-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/16/9160265/lions-training-camp-quotes-jim-caldwell-saturday
Overcoming foot injury no small feat for Lions' Lawson (8-15-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/16/overcoming-foot-injury-small-feat-lions-lawson/31828723/
Notebook: Prater Feeling Fresh, Confident For Season (Play of the Day - The Lions worked on a lot of 3rd and long situations in both 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills during practice. Golden Tate made the play of the day on the second rep of 7-on-7 work. He got some separation from cornerback Nevin Lawson on a crossing route on a 3rd and long scenario. Matthew Stafford’s pass was thrown a little bit in front of Tate, but he laid out and made the catch. It was right after Calvin Johnson made a similar diving catch on the first rep.) (8-15-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Prater-feeling-fresh-confident-for-season/d5e4c148-9a3b-417a-b14f-efb2e20217ae
Detroit News Camp Notes - Calvin Johnson is Lions’ top star in practice, too (Nevin Lawson earned the first-team reps at nickel cornerback. Though plenty can happen between now and Sept. 13, Lawson is likely the top challenger to Josh Wilson for that job.) (8-15-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/15/calvin-johnson-lions-top-star-practice/31799653/
ESPN Notes - Calvin Johnson continues a strong camp and Rashean Mathis has another good day (Nevin Lawson is pushing for a starting gig: Less than a year after a nasty foot injury ended his rookie season after a little under two games, Lawson is really making an impression this camp. He and veteran Josh Wilson have separated themselves from rookie Quandre Diggs at this point, and while all three figure to make the roster, Lawson is putting himself in position to win the job. He has worked with the first team often throughout camp and has shown versatility on the outside when necessary as well. He’s probably still a little small to be a dependable backup outside corner, but he’ll need to play inside and outside if he’s going to be on the field. After practice, Caldwell cited his toughness and tenacity when asked about him.) (8-15-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18320/calvin-johnson-continues-a-strong-lions-camp-and-rashean-mathis-has-another-good-day
Abdullah wasn't only Lions RB to impress vs. Jets (Josh Wilson got the start at cornerback with Rashean Mathis out, but Nevin Lawson played more snaps (29) than any defensive player. Lawson dislocated his foot in Week 2 last year and missed the rest of his rookie season. He's competing with Wilson and Quandre Diggs to be the Lions' top nickel cornerback.) (8-14-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/14/detroit-lions-ameer-abdullah/31706151/
Lions ground Jets in exhibition opener (In the second half, wide receiver TJ Jones had a 24-yard punt return and a 20-yarder that was negated by a Nevin Lawson holding penalty.) (8-14-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/13/jets-lions-exhibition-season/31660483/
A quick recap on who's winning, and who's losing, the Detroit Lions' job battles (Nickelback — The Lions have cycled between the veteran (Josh Wilson), the youngster (Nevin Lawson) and the rookie (Quandre Diggs) at this spot throughout the offseason, but always kind of seemed to prefer Wilson because of his eight years of experience at the position. And sure enough, he started there against New York. Lawson was in the lineup at outside cornerback for Rashean Mathis, who got the night off. That's kind of interesting, because Lawson isn't really built like an outside cornerback, at 5-foot-10, and doesn't practice there much. Chris Owens and Crezdon Butler always seemed like the more likely backups at outside cornerback, at least while third-round pick Alex Carter deals with his ankle injury. Butler did get some early run with the ones, and seems to be ahead of Owens at this point.) (8-14-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/a_quick_recap_on_where_the_det.html
Detroit Lions snap count report: Young offensive linemen get plenty of work (Starting for Rashean Mathis (rest), cornerback Nevin Lawson led the way for the defense with 29 snaps.) (8-14-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_snap_count_repor_36.html
Ten Lions to watch in exhibition opener (Nevin Lawson, CB: Josh Wilson seems to have a good grasp on nickel duties, but with so many injuries last year, the Lions need solid backup options. Lawson has started to look like he’s recovered from his foot injury. Testing his speed against receivers on other teams is a big step.) (8-12-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/12/ten-lions-watch-thursday-jets/31561587/
Why the nickel job is so important, and why Josh Wilson could be right for Lions (Ninth-year veteran Josh Wilson signed with the club over the offseason and has emerged as the favorite over Lawson and rookie Quandre Diggs at the nickel. Both the second-year Lawson and rookie Diggs have massive upside. But Wilson has done this for eight seasons, including allowing a passer rating of 83.1 in the nickel last year. That was seventh best in the league, according to ProFootballFocus.)
(8-11-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/why_the_nickel_job_is_so_impor.html
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: Devin Taylor, Corey Robinson continue going opposite directions (Nickel contender Nevin Lawson broke up two passes in one-on-ones, recovering after slipping to the ground to jar one away from Andrew Peacock, then slicing in front of Greg Salas for the easy tip away.) (8-11-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_30.html
Detroit News Camp observations: Ngata makes progress with hamstring (Cornerback Nevin Lawson, another player who missed most of 2014 due to injury, had a hard hit on fullback Emil Igwenagu, drawing praise from his teammates.)
(8-10-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/10/camp-observations-ngata-makes-progress-hamstring/31416513/
NOTEBOOK: Bell making progress as he nears return (Calvin Johnson made highlight catch after highlight catch in team drills today. He made diving and high point catches along the left sideline on Rashean Mathis. He also caught a bomb down the right sideline over Darius Slay.) (8-7-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Bell-making-progress-as-he-nears-return/4ba6930b-b3e8-4a15-98ba-fbe30e8bac40
Camp observations: Defense ahead of offense (Josh Wilson and Nate Ness had picks for the Lions' No. 3 defense. Wilson was relegated to third-team nickel duty today as the Lions continue to give Nevin Lawson time with the first-team. Lawson, Wilson and Quandre Diggs are in a close battle for that spot, and it wouldn't surprise if all three players made the team.)(8-7-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/07/lions-training-camp-thoughts/31322327/
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: Defense dominates 2-minute drill work (Nevin Lawson did much of the first-team nickel work on Friday.) (8-7-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_28.html
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: Ryan Broyles gets physical, defense focuses on turnovers (Veteran Josh Wilson got the first crack at working nickel with the first team, ahead of rookie Quandre Diggs and Nevin Lawson.) (8-6-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_27.html
Jim Caldwell's quotes from Day 3 of training camp (On CB Nevin Lawson's movement on the field: "He's doing well. Thus far, without pads and those kinds of things he's moving well, so we'll continue to assess him as we go, but he looks good.") (8-5-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/6/9107325/lions-training-camp-quotes-jim-caldwell-day-3
Freep Camp Notes - RB Abdullah impressive again, more (The Lions did a lot of rotating personnel today, including using Nevin Lawson with the first-team nickel defense as a slot cornerback. Lawson has been the forgotten man in the Lions' secondary since they drafted two rookies and because of his foot injury, but there's a good chance he makes the team, especially considering how far behind Alex Carter will be whenever he returns from an ankle injury.) (8-4-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/04/detroit-lions-training-camp-observations/31140041/
Detroit News Camp observations: Backup QB battle ensues (Matthew Stafford wasn't quite as accurate in team drills Tuesday compared to Monday. Besides throwing an interception to Stephen Tulloch in a slow-motion drill, Stafford had one ill-advised pass to Golden Tate, who was in a crowd. Nevin Lawson batted the pass to the ground.) (8-4-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/04/camp-observations-backup-qb-battle-ensues/31140639/
MLive Camp Notes (Cornerback Nevin Lawson flashed today, playing aggressive coverage on Tate in back-to-back red zone plays. On the first snap, Stafford was forced to essentially throw the ball away, and on the second, the quarterback forced it into heavy traffic and the second-year nickel batted the pass down.) (8-4-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_25.html
ESPN Notes - Calvin Johnson shines for Detroit Lions in second day of training camp and other observations (Nevin Lawson looks healthy: The 2014 fourth-round pick has been an afterthought in the nickel competition with Quandre Diggs and Josh Wilson, mostly because he has been rehabbing from a gruesome foot injury suffered in Week 2 last year. But Lawson, who did everything in practice Monday and Tuesday, received some first team repetitions in 7-on-7 on Tuesday. Lawson said he is finally feeling healthy and actually stopped for a second midway through Monday's practice to acknowledge where he has come from to now. But with practice underway and a job on the line, he's focused solely on trying to beat out Diggs and Wilson. Lawson did make a nice defensive play on Golden Tate during that 7-on-7 period.) (8-4-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18092/calvin-johnson-shines-for-detroit-lions-in-second-day-of-training-camp
CB Rashen Mathis:
Lions’ snap counts: Stephen Tulloch sees reduced role (Reserve defensive backs: Cornerback Josh Wilson, 34 (of 65), cornerback Quandre Diggs, 12; Isa Abdul-Quddus, 10. Analysis: The Lions substituted their starting defensive backs more than usual as Darius Slay missed six plays, Rashean Mathis missed seven and James Ihedigbo missed two. Most of Abdul-Quddus’s plays came in the dime package, but he filled in for Ihedigbo a few times. A few of Diggs’ snaps came after Wilson suffered a cut on his chin.) (9-21-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/21/lions-snap-counts-stephen-tulloch-sees-reduced-role/72567436/
Two games in, the Lions' biggest problem is a porous defense (The Lions didn’t seem too concerned, either, about having four defensive starters (Haloti Ngata, Rashean Mathis, James Ihedigbo and Stephen Tulloch) all age 30 or older. Mathis and Ngata have been fine, but Ihedigbo and Tulloch have both struggled at various points against the Chargers and Vikings. And the run defense, which was a hallmark of Detroit’s team last season, has been fairly weak -- allowing 199 yards to Minnesota, including a 134-yard day from Adrian Peterson.) (9-20-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18943/two-games-in-and-the-detroit-lions-biggest-problem-is-a-porous-defense
Video - Mathis on the defense's performance in Week 2 (9-20-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Mathis-on-the-defenses-performance-in-Week-2/d1decd98-3ac3-41b7-8890-f274821dac34
Detroit Lions' Teryl Austin explains why team's CBs play one side and benefits of off-man coverage (The Detroit Lions' defensive scheme has strongside and weakside linebackers, free and strong safeties, but more often than not, the team's starting cornerbacks play one side of the field. If Darius Slay and Rashean Mathis are both in the game, you can expect to see Slay on the left side of the formation and Mathis on the right. Normally, nobody notices the alignment, but last Sunday, when San Diego Chargers receiver Keenan Allen popped off for six receptions against Mathis in the second half, there were many Lions fans screaming at their television for the team to switch Slay on to Allen. It wasn't ever going to happen. While Slay is capable of playing both sides of the field, he spends far more time practicing the footwork and technique required to play route concepts from the quarterback's right side. "We just get so comfortable with what we're doing on our side of the ball," Slay said. Playing cornerbacks on specific sides isn't unique. It's done by many teams, including the Seattle Seahawks with three-time All-Pro Richard Sherman. Other teams will have their best cornerback follow the opponent's No. 1 receiver around the field. Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin says the Lions don't travel Slay because he's not at a point in his development where he's clearly better than Mathis. "I think maybe if you have a corner that you think is head and shoulders above the other, then maybe you would consider matching people," Austin said. "We feel that we have good, solid corner play with both guys and so it doesn't make sense to travel a guy around." The Lions had to resort to that strategy during the playoffs last season, when Mathis had to leave the game against Dallas in the opening quarter with a thigh contusion. "If Rashean isn't in the game, I'm traveling," Slay said. "I've got to go get the (top) guy." Another common criticism from last Sunday's loss, especially after Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers completed 21 of 23 passes in the second half, including his final 19 throws, is how much cushion Detroit's cornerbacks often give when playing man coverage. Part of that is the Lions' emphasis on not giving up big plays, but there's an added strategic element to playing off the receiver, according to Austin. "If you're pressing, all you care about is what happens there," Austin said. "When you're off, sometimes you're able to see different things develop. You're able to react. Sometimes you get some help when you don't think you're going to have it. There are some advantages." Slay admits he'd love to play more press, but he trusts Austin's coverage choices. "That's what I think, but that's why we've got a d-coordinator, he does all the thinking for us," Slay said. On a similar note, Slay's preference this Sunday would be to cover Mike Wallace, the Minnesota Vikings' speedy outside receiver acquired in a trade with the Miami Dolphins this offseason. When and if Wallace lines up to quarterback Teddy Bridgewater's right side, Slay will get his wish.) (9-19-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_teryl_austin_exp_1.html
Video - Mathis on the defense heading into Minnesota (9-18-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Mathis-on-the-defense-heading-into-Minnesota/a7460a4d-c4cf-4f19-8ee6-5571602125b1
10 QUESTIONS WITH TWENTYMAN: What's up with the offense? (Q. Do you think it was a play calling or execution fallout in the 2nd half? A. A little of both, Ryan. Take the 3rd and 19 play the Chargers converted in the fourth quarter that really sealed the win for them, in my opinion. The Lions came with the blitz to speed Rivers’ clock. San Diego had a good play call that had receiver Keenan Allen run a short cross from the high side of the formation. Mathis, who lined up across from Allen, appeared to be playing a zone concept, which gave Allen a free run across the formation. Despite a well-designed play by the Chargers, James Ihedigbo and Glover Quin both had an opportunity to make a tackle before Allen got 20 yards and a first down. There's the execution part. They both failed to do so. Maybe a little bit of an aggressive call by the Lions, but poor execution as well. We saw a little bit of that on both sides of the ball in the second half.) (9-17-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/10-QUESTIONS-WITH-TWENTYMAN-Whats-up-with-the-offense/47018f17-2d37-4cd4-90c8-ac5bd503c294
STATS PACK: Key stats from opening loss (A look at some key numbers from Sunday's defeat at San Diego: 3 - Last year's NFL interception leader Glover Quin picked up right where he left off in 2014. His interception for a touchdown was the first of his career and extended his season-opener interception streak to three in a row - all of his openers with the Lions. 8 - Josh Bynes tied for the team lead in tackles starting in place of DeAndre Levy. Rashean Mathis and Glover Quin also notched eight tackles in the game.) (9-15-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/article-1/STATS-PACK-Key-stats-from-opening-loss/01e61bd2-fc9b-4ca9-9a6e-07492de039b7
Lions' once-dominant defense shows faults in season opener (Two players who appeared to struggle more than most were middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch and cornerback Rashean Mathis. Tulloch missed most of last season with a knee injury, but Caldwell downplayed any notion of rustiness and said a poor result should not necessarily be placed on one player. "You try to narrow it down to one individual and talk about his particular play, oftentimes it's difficult for you all because you don't know what his assignment is," Caldwell said. "You don't know what he's been called to do. Maybe in that particular case he took care of the gap he was supposed to take care of and someone else is supposed to be in the other gap. "So, there's a lot of different things that go on in that ballgame. But he's a guy that gets his job done, knows what he's doing, and he'll be good for us." Mathis was matched up often against receiver Keenan Allen, who caught 15 of 17 balls for 166 yards. Again, Caldwell tried to diffuse the blame. "You know, one of the things you have to understand, too, is that it's not singularly just one individual matched on one," he said. "There are coverages that we play that there are a lot of responsibilities involved in those coverages: inside coverages, guys coming from the opposite side. There's pass rush, you know. "It never boils down to one guy in that regard. Rashean knows the game, plays the game well and is a good communicator for us back there. He has been great for us and continues to be.") (9-15-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/15/detroit-lions-defense-shows-faults/72293542/
Lions extra points: Overheard, talking points and more (Lions cornerback Rashean Mathis, on defending Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen: "He was running inside routes, and we have to make plays when our number is called. I had a few of them. They are basic routes that we see every day. It wasn't anything special. We have to make plays when our number is called.") (9-14-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/14/detroit-lions-overheard-talking-points/72239012/
San Diego 33, Detroit 28: Why the Lions lost Sunday (Defense doesn't rest:Tough, hot day for the D, which hardly got a breather because of the ineffective offense. Stephen Tulloch and Rashean Mathis struggled noticeably, James Ihedigbo missed a key tackle and was flagged for a personal foul and Haloti Ngata didn't seem to beat many double teams. Without DeAndre Levy, the defense was vulnerable everywhere, allowing 483 yards of offense.) (9-14-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/14/detroit-lions-lost/72238712/
Josh Katzenstein's Four Downs: Calvin Johnson cast adrift (Second down - On the other sideline, the Chargers had no problem forcing the ball to receiver Keenan Allen, who finished with 15 catches for 166 yards. “You keep throwing it to him when you know he’s rolling and he’s separating and he continues to win,” San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers said. “We say … we spread it to everyone, but we know we like to push it to him at times. He was just on.” Allen’s 15 catches are the most by a player on kickoff weekend since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger, and many of them came against Lions corner Rashean Mathis, who said Allen succeeded on inside routes. “We’ve just got to make plays when our number’s called,” he said. “I had a few of them and just basic routes that we see every day. It wasn’t anything special.” On the final scoring drive for the Chargers, which put them up 33-21, Allen had five catches for 45 yards, including a 20-yarder that converted a third-and-19. “Just miscues,” Caldwell said.) (9-14-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/2015/09/13/josh-katzensteins-four-downs-johnson-cast-adrift/72237068/
Niyo: Chargers show Lions defense it indeed is a new season (Rashean Mathis, who was beaten repeatedly, called them “basic routes that we see every day.” Yet on Sunday the Lions seemed powerless to stop them, wilting in the heat as the Chargers heated up, piling up 483 yards, their highest total in a season opener since 1986. “They did a good job of countering us,” Caldwell said. “We didn’t do a good job of reacting.” Or tackling, frankly. Monday’s film review won’t be pleasant for many, including veterans like Mathis and Stephen Tulloch and James Ihedigbo.) (9-14-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/columnists/john-niyo/2015/09/13/chargers-show-lions-defense-indeed-new-season/72236824/
Detroit Lions' inability to cover Keenan Allen a group failure; Rashean Mathis struggles in 2nd half (9-14-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_inability_to_cov.html
Detroit Lions notes: Ameer Abdullah impressive; Glover Quin keeps string alive (Rashean Mathis, Quin and Josh Bynes each had eight tackles to lead the Lions’ defense.) (9-13-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150913/detroit-lions-notes-ameer-abdullah-impressive-glover-quin-keeps-string-alive
Free Press Lions' report card: Poor marks for linebackers, receivers (Defensive backs - C: Glover Quin was the Lions' best defensive player Sunday. He returned a tipped pass for a second-quarter touchdown and made a big third-down stop on Keenan Allen to force a field goal on San Diego's opening drive of the third quarter. Darius Slay picked off a poorly thrown Rivers ball in the end zone just before halftime, while Rashean Mathis had a tough day against Keenan Allen, who caught 15 of the 17 passes thrown his way. James Ihedigbo missed an open-field tackle on Ladarius Green and appeared to be late reacting to San Diego's second touchdown.) (9-13-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/detroit-lions-report-card/72236260/
Detroit News Lions grades: Coaches failed to recalibrate (9-13-15) (Secondary: Chargers receiver Keenan Allen looked like an unstoppable force with 15 catches for 166 yards, and Lions cornerback Rashean Mathis never looked like he had a chance to cover him. Cornerback Darius Slay was OK and had an interception, and free safety Glover Quin was great and had a pick-6. Like Mathis, though, strong safety James Ihedigbo struggled, and the rotating nickel cornerbacks didn't do much to slow Stevie Johnson, who had 82 receiving yards. Grade: D.): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/lions-grades-coaches-failed-recalibrate/72233574/
MLive Detroit Lions Grades: Defense flops, RB Ameer Abdullah shines as team withers in San Diego (DBs: D. The interceptions by Darius Slay and Glover Quin were nice. The free safety, as he did so often last season, found himself in the right place at the right time. He snagged a tipped ball and returned it 31 yards for a touchdown. Slay's pick, on a poorly thrown back-shoulder fade, came in the end zone right before the half. Otherwise, the back end struggled. Rashean Mathis had an awful day. The veteran had no answer for Chargers No. 1 wide out Keenan Allen. He finished with 15 grabs for 166 yards, most of which came against Mathis.) (9-13-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/grading_the_detroit_lions_san_1.html
Chargers, with 30 straight points, shred Lions defense (Philip Rivers and the Chargers offense gashed the Lions for 483 yards and scored 30 straight points after the Lions jumped out to a 21-3 lead in the first half. The Lions allowed just 300.9 yards last season as they ranked second in the NFL in total defense, but many of their supposed top veterans — Stephen Tulloch, Rashean Mathis and James Ihedigbo among them — struggled mightily for much of the game. The Chargers exposed Mathis especially as he was the primary man in coverage as receiver Keenan Allen torched the Lions for 15 catches for 166 yards. Rivers went 35 of 42 for 404 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.) (9-13-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/chargers-straight-points-shred-lions-defense/72227852/
Keenan Allen leads Chargers to comeback win over Lions (Lions cornerback Rashean Mathis was burned repeatedly by Allen, but it would be unfair to put all the blame on him. Detroit’s entire defense fell apart down the stretch, failing to put pressure on Rivers and allowing the Chargers to march down the field at will. If this is what the Lions’ defense looks like without Ndamukong Suh, it’s going to be a long year in Detroit.) (9-13-15): http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/09/13/keenan-allen-leads-chargers-to-comeback-win-over-lions/
Video - Mathis on the defense (9-13-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Mathis-on-the-defense/c949421a-0d87-4e58-af1b-3cbf38d53f9f
7 teams that can win the Super Bowl (6. Detroit Lions - The Lions may have lost superstar DT Ndamukong Suh to the Miami Dolphins, but the remaining defensive components will be enough to bring Lions fans the glory. DE Ezekiel Ansah generated the second-best pass rushing productivity among 4-3 DEs last season, and the combination of CBs Rashean Mathis and Darius Slay provide Detroit with one of the better secondaries in the NFL. On offense, QB Matthew Stafford is coming off a down 2014 season in our grades, but ranked No. 7 among QBs in 2013 and should be able to bounce back with a full season of the WR duo of Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate, who both produced yards per route totals within the NFL’s top 15 (2.29 and 2.13, respectively). The difference-maker on offense will be the addition of RB Ameer Abdullah, who will give the Lions the breakaway threat they have sorely lacked in previous seasons.) (9-12-15): https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/09/12/7-teams-that-can-win-the-super-bowl/
Lions' Quin, Carey want to spoil Chargers home opener (Caldwell refused to discuss any of the latest allegations about headset malfunctions in New England. He knows the Lions were 4-4 on the road last year and his team’s record away from home must be better. “So every place you go they’re going to have some little edge here or there,” he said. “But, your job is to be able to travel with poise, confidence, passion and pride. You’ve got to carry it with you because there won’t be any there for you. “So your guys have to band together, they’ve got to focus and function and get out there and play the game in the way they know how. That’s to me, that’s a lot of fun. It makes it interesting.” Cornerback Rashean Mathis couldn’t agree more. “They’re going to bring a lot of energy early, so we have to bring our energy with us,” he said. “We can’t expect too much crowd support. We’re a long ways from home, even though we know Detroit fans travel well. “But we just have to try to take the crowd out of it. And that’s our energy. A silent crowd is the energy that we seek. We have to treat it as such. We know we have to be very good on the road and this is just the start of it.”) (9-11-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/11/detroit-lions-san-diego-chargers/72106058/
Video - Mathis on the secondary (9-10-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Mathis-on-the-secondary/af9559f0-f6b9-44bb-afb1-02679aac902d
Five things we learned about the Lions this preseason (A strong secondary will lead the defense - Detroit had one of the league's best defenses last season, but the unit will be much different this year. Without Suh, the Lions' biggest defensive stars now reside in the secondary. Cornerback Rashean Mathis and safety James Ihedigbo are both seasoned veterans; Pro Bowl safety Glover Quin is in his prime and third-year cornerback Darius Slay may be on the verge of a breakout season.) (9-8-15): http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/five-things-we-learned-about-the-lions-this-preseason-090815
A look at the Detroit Lions' 53-man roster (Rashean Mathis: The 35-year-old continues to get better with age and will be expected to be one of Detroit’s top defenders this season.) (9-7-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18706/linebacker-is-a-deep-group-on-the-detroit-lions-53-man-roster
Ranking the 25 players most important to the Detroit Lions' 2015 success (No. 11 -- Rashean Mathis: This old man can still ball. At 35, age is bound to catch up with Mathis sooner than later, but he was rock solid last season. His value was magnified when a nasty contusion knocked him out for a stretch in the team's playoff loss to Dallas.) (9-6-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/25_most_important_players_to_d.html
Mailbag: How many deep shots will Matthew Stafford take? (Q. Who is the player that the lions are hanging onto one year too long? Mathis? A. I'm not sure at this juncture if there is an obvious answer to this. Rashean Mathis was extremely good last season and is in insane shape, so I wouldn't say there. I'm most interested to see how James Ihedigbo and Stephen Tulloch perform early this season. Tulloch has looked good coming off the ACL injury, but I want to see him get through a full game. Ihedigbo struggled at points during the second half of last season -- particularly during the Green Bay game where he was benched -- so I want to see how he performs as well. Otherwise, it is a pretty young roster for the most part. But Tulloch and Ihedigbo should still be good starters this season, so I'm not sure if there is a definitive answer here.) (9-5-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18685/mailbag-how-many-deep-shots-will-matthew-stafford-take
Tapp grateful for NFL career: 'Kid's game for king's ransom' (Elder statesman Rashean Mathis took a question about how technology has changed the sport during his 13-year career. He said the use of tablets to watch extra film has given players more freedom to study at home instead of staying at the facility late, and teammates can stay in touch more with group text messages to discuss their individual film study.) (9-2-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/02/lions-darryl-tapp-grateful-for-nfl-career-kids-game-for-kings-ransom/71600994/
Detroit Lions snap counts: Starting defense gets a workout against Jacksonville (In the third preseason game, the members of the starting defense not out due to injury got a workout. Despite playing just the first half, linebacker Stephen Tulloch and all four members of the starting secondary worked more than 50 snaps each. Tulloch - 55, Glover Quin - 54, James Ihedigbo - 53, Darius Slay - 51 and Rashean Mathis - 50) (8-29-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_snap_counts_jack.html
Lions Zach Zenner drags defenders into end zone for game-winning TD against Jags (Lowlights - The defensive struggles weren't contained to just the backups. Cornerback Rashean Mathis has had a really good camp, but struggled in his return to Jacksonville, including giving up the touchdown on Jacksonville's first drive, then getting whistled for pass interference in the end zone on the second drive.) (8-28-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/lions_zach_zenner_drags_defend.html
Offense shines, defense struggles as Lions win (A lapse in coverage by cornerback Rashean Mathis created an opening for Bortles to hit Allen Hurns for a 13-yard touchdown pass as Jacksonville took a 7-0 lead with 3:18 left in the first quarter.) (8-28-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/28/offense-shines-defense-struggles-lions-win/71358214/
Loss of Suh leaves Lions defense in tough spot (Across from Slay is where the Lions scratched a winning lottery ticket; Rashean Mathis, now 35, had previously spent his entire career in zone-based schemes. Mathis held up surprisingly well in man-to-man, but by starting him again the Lions are essentially buying more lottery tickets with last year’s small winnings.) (8-28-15): http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2015/08/28/detroit-lions-defense-ndamukong-suh-departure-haloti-ngata-nfl-matthew-stafford
Stafford, Bortles shine as Lions beat Jaguars 22-17 (Lions CB Rashean Mathis, a Jacksonville native who spent his first 10 seasons with the Jaguars, had an up-and-down homecoming. Mathis called the coin toss correctly for Detroit, but then got beaten by Allen Hurns for a touchdown on Jacksonville's opening possession. He later got flagged for pass interference in the end zone, giving the Jaguars first-and-goal at the 1. Yeldon scored two plays later.) (8-28-15): http://sports.yahoo.com/news/stafford-bortles-shine-lions-beat-jaguars-22-17-031230382--nfl.html
Video - Mathis on playing the Jaguars (8-28-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Mathis-on-playing-the-Jaguars/59f29962-9323-40c4-80b8-1d3e308f3b83
Lions’ Mathis relishes Jacksonville homecoming (8-27-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/27/lions-mathis-relishes-jacksonville-homecoming/32485389/
Rashean Mathis coming home as Lions make trip to face Jaguars (8-26-15): http://jacksonville.com/sports/football/jaguars/2015-08-26/story/rashean-mathis-coming-home-lions-make-trip-face-jaguars
Spotlight: Wide Receiver Calvin Johnson (Johnson and Stafford just missed connecting on a deep ball down the left sideline in another team period. Stafford overthrew Johnson by a couple feet with Rashean Mathis in tight coverage.) (8-23-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/SPOTLIGHT-Wide-receiver-Calvin-Johnson/2df48b4f-bad1-4820-8cc2-09e30b870c66
Oakland Press Detroit Lions notes: Ryan Broyles ‘in the thick of things’ (In one-on-one drills with the receivers against the defensive backs, Calvin Johnson easily beat Darius Slay and Golden Tate topped Mathis.) (8-18-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150818/detroit-lions-notes-ryan-broyles-in-the-thick-of-things
Video - Mathis on his relationship with Slay (8-18-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Mathis-on-his-relationship-with-Slay/f953ce6d-2840-47ec-a9fe-48f0289cd7e8
Camp observations: Lions unveil 2-point attack (Johnson seemed to be getting every call during the session. During one-on-one drills, Johnson gave Mathis a hearty shove during his route, but the ref didn’t call offensive pass interference. Mathis and his fellow cornerbacks gave Johnson a hard time after the play, though.) (8-17-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/18/camp-observations-lions-unveil-2-point-attack/31894665/
Detroit Lions notes: Golden Tate takes the high road over Harvin comments (During one-on-ones Calvin Johnson made it look easy when he took in a Matthew Stafford pass over Rashean Mathis.) (8-17-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150817/detroit-lions-notes-golden-tate-takes-the-high-road-over-harvin-comments
Jim Caldwell's quotes from Saturday (On CB Josh Wilson: "He's been around and played a lot of football. He's seen a lot of different things throughout his career, but he also has a great way about himself because he relates to guys very, very well. You can see the camaraderie, but they also kind of look to him for some direction and advice. Now, that mixes in with some guys. He's in there with some great leaders, not good leaders, not average leaders, some great leaders in (Glover) Quin, and Dig (James Ihedigbo) and obviously, (Rashean) Mathis. I mean, those guys have been around the block a little bit and are excellent at what they do, but he's just kind of part of that whole group.") (8-16-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/16/9160265/lions-training-camp-quotes-jim-caldwell-saturday
Lions notes: Mathis says sitting out 'a sign of respect' (Rashean Mathis joined Calvin Johnson as the only healthy starters who did not play in Thursday's exhibition opener against the New York Jets. As much as Mathis despises missing games, even exhibitions, the veteran cornerback said he appreciates why Detroit Lions coach Jim Caldwell kept him on the bench. "It's Year 13, so it's just due," Mathis said. "It's just due, so I appreciate Coach for giving me the nod. You want to be out there, but at the end of the day, it's a sign of respect and it's a sign that you've done your job and we like what we've seen in camp. So I take it as a compliment, not as something negative." Mathis, who turns 35 later this month, has had a strong camp as one of four returning starters in the Lions' secondary. He broke up one pass to Johnson at the start of 11-on-11 drills, and has been the team's most consistent cornerback so far this summer. "I feel it's been OK," Mathis said. "I know there's still little things, technique-wise, that I still have to do. I don't put on the cleats until we get here in OTAs and when I go back (after spring workouts) I don't put them on until we get to camp, so the little technique little issues, missing a half step here, half step there, those are little things that I'm working on. I just thank God that I'm still able to be blessed with the talent to actually play and run." Johnson has shined during the first two weeks of camp, too, and made a handful of nice catches Saturday. He made a diving catch on one pass in seven-on-seven drills, and had a twisting grab over Darius Slay along the sideline in an 11-on-11 period. Mathis said playing against Johnson on a daily basis has helped sharpen his game. "It prepares us because he's as good as it gets so anything that we see otherwise we know we can handle," Mathis said. "Even with GT, Golden (Tate). He's a different animal than Calvin, his intangibles are quite different, but they prepare us as well for people that we're going to face. We have some of the best guys that we'll ever face across from us in practice every day. That's why we try to go up against them every day in practice so when game time comes it's like, 'OK, I've seen it already so let's just play ball.' " Stafford went 3-for-5 in a team period late in practice. Rashean Mathis made a nice breakup on an out to Johnson to start the period.) (8-15-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/15/lions-training-camp-standouts/31797691/
Detroit News Camp Notes - Calvin Johnson is Lions’ top star in practice, too (Mathis actually had a pass break-up while defending Johnson in an 11-on-11 drill, but for the most part, if Matthew Stafford puts the ball where Johnson can make a play, he’s made the catch so far in camp.) (8-15-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/15/calvin-johnson-lions-top-star-practice/31799653/
ESPN Notes - Calvin Johnson continues a strong camp and Rashean Mathis has another good day (Rashean Mathis is just fine: He sat out the preseason opener but was back at practice Saturday and had one of the defensive highlights, timing a pass breakup perfectly on an attempted Stafford-to-Johnson connection. Both he and Darius Slay have had their moments during this training camp, which is a positive sign when facing one of the most seasoned quarterback-to-receiver combinations in the NFL.) (8-15-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18320/calvin-johnson-continues-a-strong-lions-camp-and-rashean-mathis-has-another-good-day
Video - Mathis on the secondary (8-15-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Mathis-on-the-secondary/cb6df02f-8b21-464a-8d74-0bfffcd657cf
Rashean Mathis among 6 starters out for Lions' preseason opener; Calvin Johnson active (The Detroit Lions have scratched veteran cornerback Rashean Mathis for their preseason opener Thursday night against the New York Jets.) (8-14-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/rashean_mathis_among_6_players.html
A quick recap on who's winning, and who's losing, the Detroit Lions' job battles (Nickelback — The Lions have cycled between the veteran (Josh Wilson), the youngster (Nevin Lawson) and the rookie (Quandre Diggs) at this spot throughout the offseason, but always kind of seemed to prefer Wilson because of his eight years of experience at the position. And sure enough, he started there against New York. Lawson was in the lineup at outside cornerback for Rashean Mathis, who got the night off. That's kind of interesting, because Lawson isn't really built like an outside cornerback, at 5-foot-10, and doesn't practice there much. Chris Owens and Crezdon Butler always seemed like the more likely backups at outside cornerback, at least while third-round pick Alex Carter deals with his ankle injury. Butler did get some early run with the ones, and seems to be ahead of Owens at this point.) (8-14-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/a_quick_recap_on_where_the_det.html
NOTEBOOK: Lombardi's evaluation of the offense (Play of the Day - The worst place a cornerback can find himself is one-on-one with Calvin Johnson in the corner of the end zone in a 50/50 ball situation. Johnson wins that matchup most of the time. It’s the situation Rashean Mathis found himself in at the end of practice Tuesday, but was able to get his hand up and jar the ball loose from Johnson, who juggled it and regained possession, but not before he was out of bounds. It was a nice play on one of the best receivers in the game from a savvy veteran cornerback.) (8-11-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Lombardis-evaluation-of-the-offense/36fa4a49-e873-46c2-99ad-04becc5dd7e0
Freep Camp Notes - Lions offense sloppy with preseason opener on deck (Mathis, by the way, continues to defy age. A few weeks shy of his 35th birthday, he broke up a third-and-goal fade route to Calvin Johnson in red-zone drills. He's been the Lions' best cornerback in camp.) (8-11-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/11/detroit-lions-training-camp-observations/31494755/
Detroit News Camp observations: Ngata makes progress with hamstring (Rashean Mathis’s string of good practices continued, highlighted by a pass defensed while covering Calvin Johnson.)
(8-10-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/10/camp-observations-ngata-makes-progress-hamstring/31416513/
A couple nice PBUs by the first-team defense in 7-on-7, Quandre Diggs vs. Golden Tate and Rashean Mathis vs. Calvin Johnson (8-10-15): https://twitter.com/jkatzenstein/status/630739430924529664
Freep Lions camp observations: Stafford sharp, backups not (Stafford nearly threw an interception to Rashean Mathis in the red zone.) (8-8-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/08/detroit-lions-training-camp-matthew-stafford/31338835/
Lions flash signs of readiness in sim game (Two plays earlier, Rashean Mathis had one of his two excellent defensive plays while guarding Johnson, who would have scored a touchdown.)(8-8-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/08/lions-flash-signs-readiness-sim-game/31351223/
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: First-team offense looks good in scrimmage (One drive stalled on the defense's side of the field when Rashean Mathis made a last-minute recovery to break up a deep sideline throw to Calvin Johnson. Mathis had two breakups against Johnson. The second came in the end zone on a fade route.)(8-8-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_29.html
Matthew Stafford, Rashean Mathis shine in Lions mock game (Rashean Mathis had a really good day: The veteran cornerback matched up mostly on Calvin Johnson during the scrimmage and he was extremely sharp. On an early drive, Mathis jumped in after Johnson tried to tip the ball to himself on a deep ball from Stafford and punched the ball out. He also had another pass breakup on Johnson later in the scrimmage. It was a strong performance from the 34-year-old Mathis, who continues to be one of general manager Martin Mayhew’s best free agent signings. Once Mathis left the scrimmage, Stafford and Johnson immediately connected on a touchdown over Crezdon Butler.)(8-8-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18168/matthew-stafford-rashean-mathis-shine-in-detroit-lions-mock-game-saturday
Megatron tried a one-handed stab, almost had it but Mathis got a hand in to pry it away (8-8-15): https://twitter.com/JeffRisdon/status/630032434675994625
NOTEBOOK: Bell making progress as he nears return (Calvin Johnson made highlight catch after highlight catch in team drills today. He made diving and high point catches along the left sideline on Rashean Mathis. He also caught a bomb down the right sideline over Darius Slay.) (8-7-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Bell-making-progress-as-he-nears-return/4ba6930b-b3e8-4a15-98ba-fbe30e8bac40
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: Defense dominates 2-minute drill work (Calvin Johnson had three spectacular catches during the session, hauling in an over-the-shoulder grab on Slay deep down the right sideline, securing a diving catch against Mathis on the opposite side of the field, then reaching around Mathis while still managing to tap his toes in bounds during two-minute work.) (8-7-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_28.html
Calvin with another great play. Full extension dive vs. Mathis (8-7-15): https://twitter.com/ttwentyman/status/629758413002670080
NOTEBOOK: Team player Brandon Pettigrew embracing all roles (Rashean Mathis got beat deep twice in one-on-one drills by Johnson and Golden Tate. Both players picked on Mathis with double moves. Stafford dropped the ball right in Johnson and Tate’s hands after they got separation.) (8-4-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Team-player-Brandon-Pettigrew-embracing-all-roles/275880f7-af33-437b-9d4b-58c6727765b6
MLive Camp Notes (Rashean Mathis got schooled by a pair of talented receivers, both on double moves. In one-on-one drills, Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate both faked a comeback route before turning up field. Each receiver got significant separation and Matthew Stafford accurately dropped in long passes for scoring strikes.) (8-4-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_25.html
ESPN Notes - Calvin Johnson shines for Detroit Lions in second day of training camp and other observations (Calvin Johnson was the player of the day: The star wide receiver shined early on Tuesday. He kept himself off the ground -- a Jim Caldwell mandate -- and blew by both Darius Slay and Rashean Mathis during one-on-one receiver-cornerback drills for easy tosses from Matthew Stafford.) (8-4-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18092/calvin-johnson-shines-for-detroit-lions-in-second-day-of-training-camp
Video - Mathis on the season's expectations (8-3-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Mathis-on-the-seasons-expectations/2c2f1eba-f47e-48ae-903c-70c64e6b3b10
CB Chris Owens:
Roster moves: Ngata, Bell activated, nine cut (The Lions also placed cornerback Chris Owens on injured reserve) (8-31-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/31/haloti-ngata-detroit-lions/71474316/
9 potential starters sidelined for Lions, including 6 linemen; Calvin Johnson out too (Linebacker DeAndre Levy (unknown), right guard Larry Warford (ankle), right tackle LaAdrian Waddle (ACL), linebacker Kyle Van Noy (unknown), tailback Joique Bell (Achilles/knee) and cornerbacks Alex Carter (ankle) and Chris Owens (unknown) also won't play.) (8-28-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/10_potential_starters_sideline.html
Some tight position battles with Detroit Lions could shake out on Friday (The corners deep on the roster: The Lions are pretty set at corner, but Alex Carter isn’t ready for game action yet (he’s getting closer, though) so the Lions might be forced to keep either Chris Owens, R.J. Stanford or Crezdon Butler for a little while. If one of them comes in somewhat early, that could offer a tip of who might even stick around until final cuts. Right now, the Lions’ depth chart at corner is Rashean Mathis, Darius Slay, Nevin Lawson (inside and outside), Josh Wilson, Quandre Diggs and Carter. If Carter shows he’s healthy then Butler, Owens and Stanford are likely in their final weeks with Detroit.) (8-28-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18548/some-tight-position-battles-with-detroit-lions-could-shake-out-friday
Loss of Suh leaves Lions defense in tough spot (The one positive in the secondary is that GM Martin Mayhew did find a potential replacement for Cassius Vaughn, a slot defender upon whom opposing quarterbacks feasted. The leading contender for this spot is Josh Wilson, though there’s also 2014 fourth-rounder Nevin Lawson. In case Lawson, working his way back from a foot injury, isn’t ready Mayhew signed veteran Chris Owens and spent a third-round pick on Alex Carter (perhaps long-term security).) (8-28-15): http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2015/08/28/detroit-lions-defense-ndamukong-suh-departure-haloti-ngata-nfl-matthew-stafford
Lions sign Joe Madsen to bolster offensive line depth; DeAndre Levy out again (Defensive end Ezekiel Ansah (ankle), cornerback Chris Owens (unknown), cornerback Alex Carter (ankle), defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (hamstring) and tailback Joique Bell (knee/Achilles) also did not practice on Wednesday.) (8-26-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/lions_sign_joe_madsen_to_bolst.html
Haloti Ngata gets in side work during Lions practice; DeAndre Levy out (Joining Van Noy and Levy as practice absentees were: Offensive tackle Michael Williams (unknown), defensive end Ezekiel Ansah (ankle), tailback Joique Bell (knee/Achilles), defensive tackle Caraun Reid, right guard Larry Warford, cornerback Chris Owens and Ngata.) (8-25-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/haloti_ngata_gets_in_side_work.html
Lions' Eric Ebron, Ezekiel Ansah still out with injuries (One addition to the practice report is cornerback Chris Owens, who was fully dressed but didn't participate in any drills during the 20 minutes of practice open to the media.) (8-24-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/24/lions-eric-ebron-ezekiel-ansah-still-out--injuries/32282231/
Detroit News Camp observations: Lions' Fauria gets action with first team (Wide receiver Greg Salas ran a superb deep route against Chris Owens, getting open easily then tracking the deep ball for a score in one-on-ones.) (8-18-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/18/camp-observations-lions-fauria-gets-action-with-first-team/31940203/
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: Nevin Lawson finishes strong camp with pick, pass breakup (Cornerback Chris Owens struggled during the drill, getting beat deep by Greg Salas twice.) (8-18-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_32.html
Camp notes: Could Igwenagu make Lions as TE? (In one-on-one receiving drills, Ebron hauled in a pass that Chris Owens tried to rip out of his hands, though I think Owens jostled the ball enough that had the play gone for review in a game the catch call on the field might have been overturned. Owens, judging by his complaints to the official, would agree.) (8-17-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/17/emil-igwenagu-/31892773/
Camp observations: Lions unveil 2-point attack (Another highlight of practice was Ryan Broyles winning a 50-50 ball against cornerback Chris Owens. The two players went to the ground with their hands on the ball, and Broyles came away with it.) (8-17-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/18/camp-observations-lions-unveil-2-point-attack/31894665/
Detroit Lions training camp notes: Gabe Wright impresses, Greg Salas gets first-team work (Eric Ebron also came up with a long scoring grab during the drill, hauling in a back-shoulder fade while covered by reserve defensive back Chris Owens. The second-year tight end was able to hold on while going to the ground as the corner tried to strip the ball away.) (8-17-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_31.html
Detroit Lions — Five top candidates for cornerback (Chris Owens is another NFL veteran who will be tough to beat, although he’ll have competition from R.J. Stanford, who is entering his fourth NFL season. He has also shown flashes with a few key interceptions in camp. Crezdon Butler, entering his fifth NFL season, should be in the discussion too.) (8-17-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150817/detroit-lions-x2014-five-top-candidates-for-cornerback
Freep Observations from Lions camp: Don't sleep on DT Cudjo (Stafford went 3-for-5 in a team period late in practice. Stafford and Fuller did hook up later in the period for a touchdown against an all-out blitz. Stafford hit Fuller in stride on a quick slant against Chris Owens and Fuller pulled away from the cornerback as he raced down the middle for the field.) (8-15-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/15/lions-training-camp-standouts/31797691/
ESPN Notes - Lions offense looks sharp in goal-line situations during night practice (Eric Ebron made a tough catch: Again in one-on-one drills, Ebron went over cornerback Chris Owens to snag a touchdown catch. It was good adjustment for the tight end over the much smaller cornerback, but he made the grab in the air and came down with the ball with the defensive back all over him.) (8-17-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18334/detroit-lions-offense-looks-sharp-in-goal-line-offense-during-night-practice
A quick recap on who's winning, and who's losing, the Detroit Lions' job battles (Nickelback — The Lions have cycled between the veteran (Josh Wilson), the youngster (Nevin Lawson) and the rookie (Quandre Diggs) at this spot throughout the offseason, but always kind of seemed to prefer Wilson because of his eight years of experience at the position. And sure enough, he started there against New York. Lawson was in the lineup at outside cornerback for Rashean Mathis, who got the night off. That's kind of interesting, because Lawson isn't really built like an outside cornerback, at 5-foot-10, and doesn't practice there much. Chris Owens and Crezdon Butler always seemed like the more likely backups at outside cornerback, at least while third-round pick Alex Carter deals with his ankle injury. Butler did get some early run with the ones, and seems to be ahead of Owens at this point.) (8-14-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/a_quick_recap_on_where_the_det.html
Oakland Press Detroit Lions notes: Stafford, offense solid in mock game (Two other veteran cornerbacks — Josh Wilson and Chris Owens — have also looked solid early in camp. “Owens came out with me, he’s been here seven years. There’s a reason why these guys stay around for so long. If you can’t do something you won’t be in the league past three or four years,’’ Quin said. Stanford and Owens play mostly on the outside while Josh Wilson seems to be the leader in the battle for the starting nickel position.)(8-8-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150808/detroit-lions-notes-stafford-offense-solid-in-mock-game
Chris Owens just broke up a pass to Jeremy Ross. Darius Slay: "Ross, take a loss." (8-6-15): https://twitter.com/jkatzenstein/status/629365271325765632
Owens just made a nice play cutting in front of Megatron for a deflection (8-5-15): https://twitter.com/alex_reno/status/629087082741399552
Detroit News Camp Notes (In a 7-on-7 period, Stafford went 6-for-7, and again, Fuller was on the other end of the incompletion as Chris Owens broke it up.) (8-3-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/2015/08/03/camp-observations-rookie-alex-carter-sidelined-ankle-issue/31082849/
CB Darius Slay:
Lions’ snap counts: Stephen Tulloch sees reduced role (Reserve defensive backs: Cornerback Josh Wilson, 34 (of 65), cornerback Quandre Diggs, 12; Isa Abdul-Quddus, 10. Analysis: The Lions substituted their starting defensive backs more than usual as Darius Slay missed six plays, Rashean Mathis missed seven and James Ihedigbo missed two. Most of Abdul-Quddus’s plays came in the dime package, but he filled in for Ihedigbo a few times. A few of Diggs’ snaps came after Wilson suffered a cut on his chin.) (9-21-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/21/lions-snap-counts-stephen-tulloch-sees-reduced-role/72567436/
Free Press Lions' report card: Offensive line failed QB, RBs (Defensive backs - C: Peterson was so effective the Vikings attempted only 18 passes. Glover Quin and Darius Slay appeared to have a miscommunication in the end zone on Kyle Rudolph's first-quarter touchdown, and Josh Wilson recovered a fumble but also missed a sack on Bridgewater on the third-quarter touchdown drive. James Ihedigbo led the Lions with nine tackles and forced a Peterson fumble in the second half.) (9-20-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/20/detroit-lions-report-card-minnesota-vikings/72542456/
Detroit Lions' Teryl Austin explains why team's CBs play one side and benefits of off-man coverage (The Detroit Lions' defensive scheme has strongside and weakside linebackers, free and strong safeties, but more often than not, the team's starting cornerbacks play one side of the field. If Darius Slay and Rashean Mathis are both in the game, you can expect to see Slay on the left side of the formation and Mathis on the right. Normally, nobody notices the alignment, but last Sunday, when San Diego Chargers receiver Keenan Allen popped off for six receptions against Mathis in the second half, there were many Lions fans screaming at their television for the team to switch Slay on to Allen. It wasn't ever going to happen. While Slay is capable of playing both sides of the field, he spends far more time practicing the footwork and technique required to play route concepts from the quarterback's right side. "We just get so comfortable with what we're doing on our side of the ball," Slay said. Playing cornerbacks on specific sides isn't unique. It's done by many teams, including the Seattle Seahawks with three-time All-Pro Richard Sherman. Other teams will have their best cornerback follow the opponent's No. 1 receiver around the field. Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin says the Lions don't travel Slay because he's not at a point in his development where he's clearly better than Mathis. "I think maybe if you have a corner that you think is head and shoulders above the other, then maybe you would consider matching people," Austin said. "We feel that we have good, solid corner play with both guys and so it doesn't make sense to travel a guy around." The Lions had to resort to that strategy during the playoffs last season, when Mathis had to leave the game against Dallas in the opening quarter with a thigh contusion. "If Rashean isn't in the game, I'm traveling," Slay said. "I've got to go get the (top) guy." Another common criticism from last Sunday's loss, especially after Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers completed 21 of 23 passes in the second half, including his final 19 throws, is how much cushion Detroit's cornerbacks often give when playing man coverage. Part of that is the Lions' emphasis on not giving up big plays, but there's an added strategic element to playing off the receiver, according to Austin. "If you're pressing, all you care about is what happens there," Austin said. "When you're off, sometimes you're able to see different things develop. You're able to react. Sometimes you get some help when you don't think you're going to have it. There are some advantages." Slay admits he'd love to play more press, but he trusts Austin's coverage choices. "That's what I think, but that's why we've got a d-coordinator, he does all the thinking for us," Slay said. On a similar note, Slay's preference this Sunday would be to cover Mike Wallace, the Minnesota Vikings' speedy outside receiver acquired in a trade with the Miami Dolphins this offseason. When and if Wallace lines up to quarterback Teddy Bridgewater's right side, Slay will get his wish.) (9-19-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_teryl_austin_exp_1.html
Right side of Detroit Lions offensive line probable, Haloti Ngata questionable for Vikings game (On the defensive side of the ball, cornerback Darius Slay (ankle) is probable, but defensive tackles Caraun Reid (ankle) and Haloti Ngata (shoulder) are questionable.) (9-18-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/right_side_of_detroit_lions_of.html
Detroit Lions Q and A: Darius Slay says Darius Slay things (9-18-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_qa_darius_slay_s.html
PRACTICE REPORT: Ngata and Tate return (The Lions also had guard Larry Warford (ankle), defensive tackle Caraun Reid (ankle) and cornerback Darius Slay (ankle) at practice for a second straight day. All three were limited.) (9-17-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider-short/article-1/PRACTICE-REPORT-Ngata-and-Tate-return/f398e6d2-a1c4-48b1-bad6-71e9ebcd4d72
Levy, Pettigrew miss Lions practice; Ngata, Tate return (Defensive tackle Caraun Reid, guard Larry Warford and cornerback Darius Slay -- all battling ankle injuries -- took part in position drills for the second straight day.) (9-17-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/17/detroit-lions-injury-report/32567169/
Tate, Ngata return to Lions practice; Levy still out (Cornerback Darius Slay (ankle) was limited for the second day in a row, but appears likely to play Sunday.) (9-17-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/17/tate-ngata-return-lions-practice-levy-still/32568263/
Detroit Lions — Five things to know about the defense (Cornerback Darius Slay says bring it on — he wants to match up against Vikings wide receiver Mike Wallace. “You have to have (confidence). As you guys know, you’ve talked to Slay plenty of times, there’s no telling what’s coming out of Slay’s mouth. It’s all in good fun and he’s a great, great guy, but he is, he’s got confidence in his abilities to cover guys and there’s nothing wrong with that,” Austin said. Slay sustained an ankle injury on Sunday but practiced on a limited basis on Wednesday and Thursday.) (9-17-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150917/detroit-lions-x2014-five-things-to-know-about-the-defense
PRACTICE REPORT: Stafford listed as full participant (Cornerback Darius Slay had a helmet during the open portion of practice, but wasn’t spotted participating in drills in the open session. He later walked inside with a trainer. He was listed as a limited participant on the injury report.)
(9-16-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider-short/article-1/PRACTICE-REPORT-Stafford-listed-as-full-participant/8a2f3dda-ffc8-4e57-a052-c140d8cd1e3c
Slay returns to field; four Lions starters sit out (Slay (ankle) was on the field, but limited during the 20-minute portion open to the media. Toward the end of the open period, he walked off the practice field with a trainer, but it was unclear whether it was related to his injury or an equipment issue.) (9-16-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/16/slay-returns-field-tate-levy-ngata-sit/32510707/
Detroit Lions Twitter Talk: On a silver lining not named Ameer Abdullah and going for 4th down (Q. The secondary without Slay is scary. What's the plan for Sunday if he's out? A. It's a gut feeling, based on what I saw from Darius Slay in the locker room on Monday, but I expect him to play. If he can't you'll see Josh Wilson slide to the outside and a combination of Quandre Diggs and Isa Abdul-Quddus in the slot. Nevin Lawson would also be activated. Q. Should we be concerned with the lack of adjustments on Defense during the game? Why not put Slay on Allen or double him? A. Let me focus on the second part. Slay plays one half of the field. It's admittedly not the greatest comparison, but it's like asking you to write with your opposite hand. He's trained exclusively in the footwork and route concepts on one side. That's probably been a key factor in his rapid development. This isn't unique. Many teams do it, including the Seahawks with Richard Sherman. The obvious downside is teams can move their best receiver to the opposite side.) (9-16-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_twitter_talk_12.html
Darius Slay leaves Lions practice with trainer, Golden Tate out; Larry Warford, Caraun Reid back (Injured Detroit Lions cornerback Darius Slay tried to give practice a go Wednesday afternoon, but left the field early with a trainer and did not return during the 20 minutes that were available to the media. Slay is trying to shake an ankle injury he suffered in Sunday's loss against the San Diego Chargers. It's unclear who would replace Slay if he were limited or unable to go Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings. Nickelbacks Josh Wilson and Nevin Lawson are likely the top options.) (9-16-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/darius_slay_leaves_lions_pract.html
Detroit Lions CB Darius Slay compares Adrian Peterson to Kobe Bryant (9-16-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18855/detroit-lions-cb-darius-slay-compares-adrian-peterson-to-kobe-bryant
Video - Slay on Peterson's talent (9-16-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Slay-on-Petersons-talent/7ef4a67f-ae0e-4c76-b58d-ffa105868c88
Lions notes: Differing pass strategies work in S.D.'s favor (Cornerback Darius Slay limped off the field on San Diego's final touchdown drive with a right ankle injury, and tight end Brandon Pettigrew left clutching his hamstring after the Lions' final extra point. Caldwell said he did not know the extent of either player's injury immediately after the game, and Pettigrew declined to talk about his hamstring and instead referenced next week's game against the Minnesota Vikings.
"Don't ask me questions you know that I can't answer," Pettigrew said. "I can answer it, but I'm not, how about that?") (9-14-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/14/detroit-lions-calvin-johnson/72239436/
Lions' Larry Warford plays ping-pong; is football next? (Darius Slay walked through the locker room with a noticeable limp, favoring the right ankle that he injured late in Sunday's loss. The third-year cornerback declined to provide details of his injury, and said it will be "Coach's decision" whether he plays this week against the Minnesota Vikings.) (9-14-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/14/detroit-lions-larry-warford/72282942/
Seidel: 2nd-half flameout reminiscent of same old Lions (There was Darius Slay, making a critical play in the end zone late in the second quarter, intercepting a pass.) (9-14-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/columnists/jeff-seidel/2015/09/14/detroit-lions-san-diego-chargers-jeff-seidel/72240082/
Lions vague on Matthew Stafford arm injury, but he says he'll be ready (Meanwhile, Slay showed up in the Lions' locker room Monday with a limp after injuring his right ankle late in Sunday's loss. He said he hurt the ankle when he "ran up on" a San Diego player. Slay said initially he wanted to try to stay in the game, but considering he limped off the field, that was not going to happen. He declined to say whether he would be able to play Sunday and what level of pain he was in, instead saying to ask Caldwell.) (9-14-15): http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13658261/matthew-stafford-detroit-lions-says-ready-sunday-hurting-arm
Video - Slay on his injury status (9-14-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Slay-on-his-injury-status/9b4ab36d-ebd8-4c06-ba2b-2d4923b28d0a
NOTEBOOK: A pair of starters leave game with injuries (A pair of Lions starters left Sunday’s opener in San Diego with injuries. Cornerback
Quarterback
Lions postgame: Ameer Abdullah, Glover Quin bright spots in loss to Chargers (Three Stars -Darius Slay -- The Lions corner had the other interception off Rivers, this one when the Chargers were at Detroit's 9-yard line late in the second quarter. He had two interceptions all of last season and finished Sunday's game with five tackles.) (9-13-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/lions_postgame.html
Free Press Lions' report card: Poor marks for linebackers, receivers (Defensive backs - C: Glover Quin was the Lions' best defensive player Sunday. He returned a tipped pass for a second-quarter touchdown and made a big third-down stop on Keenan Allen to force a field goal on San Diego's opening drive of the third quarter. Darius Slay picked off a poorly thrown Rivers ball in the end zone just before halftime, while Rashean Mathis had a tough day against Keenan Allen, who caught 15 of the 17 passes thrown his way. James Ihedigbo missed an open-field tackle on Ladarius Green and appeared to be late reacting to San Diego's second touchdown.) (9-13-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/detroit-lions-report-card/72236260/
Detroit News Lions grades: Coaches failed to recalibrate (9-13-15) (Secondary: Chargers receiver Keenan Allen looked like an unstoppable force with 15 catches for 166 yards, and Lions cornerback Rashean Mathis never looked like he had a chance to cover him. Cornerback Darius Slay was OK and had an interception, and free safety Glover Quin was great and had a pick-6. Like Mathis, though, strong safety James Ihedigbo struggled, and the rotating nickel cornerbacks didn't do much to slow Stevie Johnson, who had 82 receiving yards. Grade: D.): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/lions-grades-coaches-failed-recalibrate/72233574/
MLive Detroit Lions Grades: Defense flops, RB Ameer Abdullah shines as team withers in San Diego (DBs: D. The interceptions by Darius Slay and Glover Quin were nice. The free safety, as he did so often last season, found himself in the right place at the right time. He snagged a tipped ball and returned it 31 yards for a touchdown. Slay's pick, on a poorly thrown back-shoulder fade, came in the end zone right before the half. Otherwise, the back end struggled. Rashean Mathis had an awful day. The veteran had no answer for Chargers No. 1 wide out Keenan Allen. He finished with 15 grabs for 166 yards, most of which came against Mathis.) (9-13-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/grading_the_detroit_lions_san_1.html
Chargers, with 30 straight points, shred Lions defense (San Diego threatened on its next drive, too, and reached the Detroit 9 with 12 seconds left in the half. However, on first-and-goal, Rivers underthrew Malcom Floyd on a fade in the right corner of the end zone, and Darius Slay easily made the interception, securing the Lions’ 21-10 halftime lead. Salting the wound, the Lions also lost Slay, their top cornerback, to a right leg injury and tight end Brandon Pettigrew to a left leg injury in the fourth quarter.) (9-13-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/chargers-straight-points-shred-lions-defense/72227852/
Lions’ Slay, Pettigrew go down with injuries (The Lions lost in devastating fashion in the season opener Sunday, and when they return, they’ll see if there’s more bad news on the way. In the fourth quarter of a 33-28 loss to the Chargers in which the home team scored 30 straight points, the Lions lost two starters to injury, tight end Brandon Pettigrew and cornerback Darius Slay. Slay, the Lions’ top cover man, limped off with about 3 minutes left with what the team called an ankle injury and did not return to the game.) (9-13-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/lions-slay-pettigrew-go-injuries/72231010/
Halftime analysis: Detroit Lions' offense looks impressive against Chargers (The Lions' defense has been more of a mixed bag than the offense. It has done a nice job of getting after Phillip Rivers, with two sacks, while Glover Quin added a pick-six and Darius Slay thwarted a potential scoring drive with 7 seconds left before halftime with an interception of his own.) (9-13-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/halftime_analysis_detroit_lion.html
Rivers rallies Chargers to 33-28 victory over Lions (The Chargers trailed 21-3 after Matthew Stafford threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Eric Ebron midway through the second quarter. Rivers was picked off by Darius Slay in the end zone just before halftime to keep the score at 21-10.) (9-13-15): http://sports.yahoo.com/news/rivers-rallies-chargers-33-28-victory-over-lions-231618580--nfl.html
Video - Slay interception (9-13-15): http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000000529415/Lions-Darius-Slay-intercepts-pass
Ask Kyle: On how much Ameer Abdullah, Zach Zenner will play for Lions (Q: Who do you think stands out in this first game? — @MGoJohnStamos. A: Let's not overthink this one. Calvin Johnson has been a monster throughout the past month, but everyone sort of forgets about him because he didn't play in the exhibitions. But he's looked really good — really, really good — and I think he has favorable matchups against shorter corners like Brandon Flowers (5-foot-9) and Jason Verrett (5-10). I mean, those guys are good. But they're also giving up more than a half-foot each. As for those who are not football gods, I expect standout games from Eric Ebron and Darius Slay.) (9-12-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/ask_kyle_on_how_much_ameer_abd.html
7 teams that can win the Super Bowl (6. Detroit Lions - The Lions may have lost superstar DT Ndamukong Suh to the Miami Dolphins, but the remaining defensive components will be enough to bring Lions fans the glory. DE Ezekiel Ansah generated the second-best pass rushing productivity among 4-3 DEs last season, and the combination of CBs Rashean Mathis and Darius Slay provide Detroit with one of the better secondaries in the NFL. On offense, QB Matthew Stafford is coming off a down 2014 season in our grades, but ranked No. 7 among QBs in 2013 and should be able to bounce back with a full season of the WR duo of Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate, who both produced yards per route totals within the NFL’s top 15 (2.29 and 2.13, respectively). The difference-maker on offense will be the addition of RB Ameer Abdullah, who will give the Lions the breakaway threat they have sorely lacked in previous seasons.) (9-12-15): https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/09/12/7-teams-that-can-win-the-super-bowl/
Lions CB Darius Slay delivers memorable interview with ... Darius Slay (9-11-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/lions_cb_darius_slay_delivers.html
Trash talk, self interviews: Lions CB Slay in rare form (9-10-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/10/detroit-lions-darius-slay/72045094/
Top 25 NFL breakout players for 2015 (13. Darius Slay, CB, Lions (78.6): Things started to go right for the former Mississippi State cornerback in his second season, and while there were still some ups and downs, he looked much more like the player the Lions were expecting him to become. Allowing a catch rate of just 56.2 percent, he had nine pass breakups over the course of the season.) (9-10-15): https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/09/10/top-25-nfl-breakout-players-for-2015/
Slay on fastest and best dressed teammates (9-10-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Slay-on-fastest-and-best-dressed-teammates/549c22a3-6e22-473a-accb-b1270e76540e
Five things we learned about the Lions this preseason (A strong secondary will lead the defense - Detroit had one of the league's best defenses last season, but the unit will be much different this year. Without Suh, the Lions' biggest defensive stars now reside in the secondary. Cornerback Rashean Mathis and safety James Ihedigbo are both seasoned veterans; Pro Bowl safety Glover Quin is in his prime and third-year cornerback Darius Slay may be on the verge of a breakout season.) (9-8-15): http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/five-things-we-learned-about-the-lions-this-preseason-090815
A look at the Detroit Lions' 53-man roster (Darius Slay: He became one of the top young corners in the league by the end of last season, and if he continues his ascent in 2015, he could become one of the top 10 corners in the league.) (9-7-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18706/linebacker-is-a-deep-group-on-the-detroit-lions-53-man-roster
Ranking the 25 players most important to the Detroit Lions' 2015 success (No. 3 -- Darius Slay: Slay is a rising star and arguably the most irreplaceable player on the defense. Detroit's cornerback depth is a weakness and if Slay were to go down, opposing quarterbacks would likely feast.) (9-6-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/25_most_important_players_to_d.html
Lions' Darius Slay, Larry Warford omitted from 25 Under 25 list (9-2-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18651/darius-slay-larry-warford-omitted-from-25-under-25-list
Detroit Lions snap counts: Starting defense gets a workout against Jacksonville (In the third preseason game, the members of the starting defense not out due to injury got a workout. Despite playing just the first half, linebacker Stephen Tulloch and all four members of the starting secondary worked more than 50 snaps each. Tulloch - 55, Glover Quin - 54, James Ihedigbo - 53, Darius Slay - 51 and Rashean Mathis - 50) (8-29-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_snap_counts_jack.html
Loss of Suh leaves Lions defense in tough spot (Darius Slay, a second-round pick in 2013, found his NFL footing, putting together a very solid year in perimeter isolation coverage, but he wasn’t impermeable and isn’t necessarily feared.) (8-28-15): http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2015/08/28/detroit-lions-defense-ndamukong-suh-departure-haloti-ngata-nfl-matthew-stafford
O'hara's Final Thoughts: Slay wants Washington's receivers to test him (Final thoughts – Slay wanting big plays, snap counts on offense, role reversals from Game 1 for runners, chasing Washington QB RGIII and other issues for the Lions in Game 2 of the preseason vs. Washington Darius Slay wants action. He wants Washington’s receivers to test him. The more they throw at him, the better. Slay was on the field for all nine defensive snaps of the Jets’ first possession in Game 1, and he was a busy man at left cornerback. He had four tackles – three solos and an assist – and one pass breakup. The breakup came on a third and one at the Lions’ 16 and forced the Jets to kick a field goal. “I like to be thrown at,” Slay said. “I like to compete. I just want to make plays.” Preseason or regular season, his mindset is the same: don’t get beat. “It’s no different to me,” Slay said. “I give it my hardest every time I go out there. I just know I’m going to go out there to dominant the man in front of me.” In his third season and second as a full-time starter, Slay’s confidence and performance—a good combination -- have grown steadily.) (8-20-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ohara/article-1/OHARAS-FINAL-THOUGHTS-Slay-wants-Washingtons-receivers-to-test-him/50672a42-f51f-415a-873e-84024b16315a
Wojo: Is Lions' fearless 'Big Play Slay' set for stardom? (8-20-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/columnists/bob-wojnowski/2015/08/19/wojo-bringing-slay-greatness/32034099/
Notes: Lions' Mathis sees top ability in Slay (Darius Slay’s breakout second season was just the beginning, and veteran cornerback Rashean Mathis said his partner in crime in the Detroit Lions’ secondary was headed for big things soon. Mathis said after practice Tuesday that Darius Slay “definitely will” be considered one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL in short order. “I’m not God, so I can’t predict the future,” Mathis said. “But if he keeps this pace up and he keeps learning and stays healthy, he has all the tools to be. He’s better — I feel he’s more talented than some guys that’s already getting the nod, they probably was just higher draft picks coming out of college. But he still has work to do, and he knows that.” Slay started every game at left cornerback last year and finished with 61 tackles and two interceptions. According to Pro Football Focus, Slay ranked as the 19th best cornerback in the NFL last year, and allowed just 57.3% of the passes thrown his way to be completed. “You can see Darius had a lot of talent and ability, and he’s just been maturing and functioning better all the time,” coach Jim Caldwell said. “I think a lot of it is obviously confidence. He always had the physical skill, but now he’s putting the head knowledge together with it. Along with Rashean Mathis and the safeties sort of helping along with that process, he’s really coming along. You can see him making plays, he’s got the quickness and ability, so we’ve been pleased with his progress.” Slay and Mathis have had strong training camps, and give the Lions their most settled secondary in years. Free safety Glover Quin is coming off a Pro Bowl season, strong safety James Ihedigbo was a Pro Bowl alternate last year. “This is only his third year, you can’t peak this early,” Mathis said. “He’s not even in his prime yet. I think it’s four, five, six, seven, those are the years of your prime. Of course, I’m trying to make it 13, 14 — that’s a joke. But he’s not in his prime yet. He’s still learning. The game will slow down even more for him as he gets older, and that’s when you’re going to see even more great things out of him.”) (8-19-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/19/detroit-lions-darius-slay-rashean-mathis/31977883/
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: Nevin Lawson finishes strong camp with pick, pass breakup (Receiver Ryan Broyles, coincidentally reacting to our criticism he's struggled to get consistent separation during camp, bested Darius Slay on a hitch route and then blew past Crezdon Butler for a deep touchdown along the left sideline in one-on-one work. Slay recovered in a later snap. Covering Jeremy Ross, the cornerback blanketed the receiver, stepping in front of an intermediate out route and easily picking off Matthew Stafford's pass.) (8-18-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_32.html
Oakland Press Detroit Lions notes: Ryan Broyles ‘in the thick of things’ (In one-on-one drills with the receivers against the defensive backs, Calvin Johnson easily beat Darius Slay and Golden Tate topped Mathis.) (8-18-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150818/detroit-lions-notes-ryan-broyles-in-the-thick-of-things
Jim Caldwell's quotes from Tuesday (On CB Darius Slay's maturation: "Haven't had an opportunity to kind of watch him a bit from afar as well before getting here and you can see Darius had a lot of talent and ability and he's just been maturing and functioning better all the time. I think a lot of it is obviously confidence. He always had the physical skill, but now he's putting the head knowledge together with it. Along with Rashean Mathis and the safeties helping along with that process, he's really coming along. You can see him making plays, he's got the quickness and ability, so we're pleased with his progress." On Slay's exuberance on the field: "Well, at the position he plays, you better have some confidence. You have to be a riverboat gambler with a short memory. So I think he's got that kind of attitude.") (8-18-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/18/9172895/lions-training-camp-quotes-jim-caldwell-tuesday
Video - Mathis on his relationship with Slay (8-18-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Mathis-on-his-relationship-with-Slay/f953ce6d-2840-47ec-a9fe-48f0289cd7e8
Lions CB Darius Slay: My goal is to make everyone mad at me (8-18-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/lions_cb_darius_slay_my_goal_i.html
Darius Slay, Larry Warford on Mark Dominik's ultimate roster (8-18-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18338/darius-slay-larry-warford-on-mark-dominiks-ultimate-roster
NOTEBOOK: Slay enjoying competition at practice (Darius Slay isn’t one to back down from a challenge. From the Dikembe Mutombo finger wag, which he calls the Slay finger wag, when he makes a play on the ball, or the constant chatter on the field with receivers, Slay oozes confidence. He has his hands full each practice with receivers Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate, but the game within the game with quarterback Matthew Stafford is one Slay enjoys every day on the field too. “I know my quarterback,” Slay said. “I know he can make tough throws and I’m pretty sure he has the strongest arm in the NFL.” Stafford has been sharp all through camp, but so has Slay, which has made one-on-one reps and team drills competitive when Stafford, Slay, Johnson and Tate are all involved. “My goal is to make a play on every quarterback and make everyone mad at me,” Slay said. Competition breeds excellence and the offensive weapons the Lions throw at Slay every day in practice are only making him better, just like he’s making Stafford, Johnson and Tate better with his immense talent.) (8-17-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Slay-enjoying-competition-at-practice/4e111365-8f86-436e-b4ac-9b5e1bab56e9
Video - Lions' Darius Slay (8-17-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/videos/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/17/31891899/
Lions notes: Mathis says sitting out 'a sign of respect' (Johnson has shined during the first two weeks of camp, too, and made a handful of nice catches Saturday. He made a diving catch on one pass in seven-on-seven drills, and had a twisting grab over Darius Slay along the sideline in an 11-on-11 period.) (8-15-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/16/detroit-lions-rashean-mathis/31807767/
Detroit News Camp Notes - Calvin Johnson is Lions’ top star in practice, too (Lions cornerback Darius Slay had just about perfect coverage on Calvin Johnson during an 11-on-11 play in Saturday’s practice. It didn’t matter. Johnson somehow made the back-shoulder catch with Slay right in his face.) (8-15-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/15/calvin-johnson-lions-top-star-practice/31799653/
ESPN Notes - Calvin Johnson continues a strong camp and Rashean Mathis has another good day (Mathis and Darius Slay have had their moments during this training camp, which is a positive sign when facing one of the most seasoned quarterback-to-receiver combinations in the NFL.) (8-15-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18320/calvin-johnson-continues-a-strong-lions-camp-and-rashean-mathis-has-another-good-day
Detroit 23, N.Y. Jets 3: Plenty to like from Lions' exhibition debut (Most of the Lions' first-team defense played just one series against a Jets team that was without its top quarterback Geno Smith, who suffered a broken jaw in a locker room fight earlier this week. The Jets, behind Ryan Fitzpatrick, drove 41 yards in 10 plays on their opening drive after a long kick return and converted a fourth-and-1 run on the possession. Darius Slay had four tackles on the drive, and Devin Taylor and Caraun Reid shared a sack in the first half for the Lions.) (8-14-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/13/detroit-lions-new-york-jets-exhibition/31682513/
Detroit Lions cornerback Darius Slay out to make name for himself in 2015 (8-11-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/174020/detroit-lions-cornerback-darius-slay-out-to-make-name-for-himself-in-2015
Camp Spotlight: Cornerback Darius Slay (Slay continued his solid play in camp on Monday. The corners and receivers didn’t do one-on-one passing drills today because the Lions worked a lot on third down and red zone scenarios. When it came to 7-on-7 and team drills, the first-team offense stayed away from Slay most of the day. Matthew Stafford did throw his way in a 7-on-7 drill that went incomplete to TJ Jones with Slay in sticky coverage. Slay also had terrific recognition in zone coverage later in the 7-on-7 drill to come up and make a play on Theo Riddick after just a 2-yard gain. The defense was better than the offense Monday and that was particularly the case in the red zone. Slay and the first-team defense kept the first-team offense out of the end zone. The only time Slay has really been beat through the first week of camp has been by Calvin Johnson, and that eventually happens to every cornerback in this league when it comes to Megatron.)
(8-10-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/Camp-Spotlight-Cornerback-Darius-Slay/f47f63ee-f170-4126-8833-7f333b19106a
Video - Darius Slay highlights (8-10-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Darius-Slay-highlights/9d7e98b7-6df9-4b29-a6ff-69d2a18aea4a
5 who shined during first week of Lions training camp, and 5 who didn't (Thumbs up: CB Darius Slay - Remember when Slay body-checked Dez Bryant into the ground during the playoff game against Dallas last year? Remember when he didn’t allow Bryant -- a first-team All-Pro -- to catch a single pass when matched up against him? That’s what this guy is capable of any given week. And now we’re seeing it more consistently. Slay has all the tools to be a Pro Bowler, and it could happen as soon as this season. Going up against Calvin Johnson every day in practice certainly doesn’t hurt.)(8-10-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/5_who_shined_during_first_week.html#7
NOTEBOOK: Bell making progress as he nears return (Calvin Johnson made highlight catch after highlight catch in team drills today. He made diving and high point catches along the left sideline on Rashean Mathis. He also caught a bomb down the right sideline over Darius Slay.) (8-7-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Bell-making-progress-as-he-nears-return/4ba6930b-b3e8-4a15-98ba-fbe30e8bac40
Freep Camp observations: Defense ahead of offense (Calvin Johnson made two more highlight reel catches, diving for one ball on the sideline and toe-tapping just in bounds after catching a Stafford pass over his right shoulder with Darius Slay draped in coverage.)(8-7-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/07/lions-training-camp-thoughts/31322327/
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: Defense dominates 2-minute drill work (Calvin Johnson had three spectacular catches during the session, hauling in an over-the-shoulder grab on Slay deep down the right sideline, securing a diving catch against Mathis on the opposite side of the field, then reaching around Mathis while still managing to tap his toes in bounds during two-minute work.) (8-7-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_28.html
Not even 'Earth' (Slay) can contain Detroit Lions' Calvin Johnson (8-7-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/earth_cant_contain_detroit_lio.html
Guess Calvin Johnson is out if this world, because he just abused Darius "The Earth" Slay for a deep ball (8-7-15): https://twitter.com/kmeinke/status/629753503532101632
SLAY FINGERWAG SIGHTING. Just broke up Moore's pass to Vernon Johnson (8-5-15): https://twitter.com/alex_reno/status/629091212302098432
NOTEBOOK: Team player Brandon Pettigrew embracing all roles (Third-year cornerback Darius Slay continues to have an impressive start to camp. Slay has gotten his hands on a number of passes during the first two days of practice. On Tuesday, he knocked away a pass intended for Golden Tate in a one-on-one drill. He would have made a play on a pass intended for Calvin Johnson over the middle but eased up on the play in order to avoid contact. The Tate play was particularly impressive given how difficult he is to cover one-on-one because of his quickness.) (8-4-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Team-player-Brandon-Pettigrew-embracing-all-roles/275880f7-af33-437b-9d4b-58c6727765b6
MLive Camp Notes (Tate is so tough to cover one on one because of his quickness and ability to sell a defensive back with head movements. But on one snap, Darius Slay wasn't buying what Tate was selling, sticking in the receiver's back pocket on a hitch route and reaching around Tate to bat the pass away.) (8-4-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_25.html
ESPN Notes - Calvin Johnson shines for Detroit Lions in second day of training camp and other observations (Calvin Johnson was the player of the day: The star wide receiver shined early on Tuesday. He kept himself off the ground -- a Jim Caldwell mandate -- and blew by both Darius Slay and Rashean Mathis during one-on-one receiver-cornerback drills for easy tosses from Matthew Stafford.) (8-4-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18092/calvin-johnson-shines-for-detroit-lions-in-second-day-of-training-camp
Darius Slay continue to impress. Was step for step with Megatron and then knocked a pass away from Tate. He's having a great start to camp (8-4-15): https://twitter.com/ttwentyman/status/628665338431959040
NOTEBOOK: Tomlinson adjusts to left guard (Darius Slay made a nice play on a pass intended for Corey Fuller. That was one of the few incompletions of the day for Stafford.) (8-3-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Tomlinson-adjusts-to-left-guard/db84cd65-3d75-483a-86f7-1c61ba1ce1be
Calvin Johnson with a full extension diving catch in front of Darius Slay in a one-on-one drill. (8-3-15): https://twitter.com/ttwentyman/status/628302887182041089
Slay had a PD (8-3-15): https://twitter.com/jkatzenstein/status/628305734967668737
CB Josh Wilson:
Lions’ snap counts: Stephen Tulloch sees reduced role (Reserve defensive backs: Cornerback Josh Wilson, 34 (of 65), cornerback Quandre Diggs, 12; Isa Abdul-Quddus, 10. Analysis: The Lions substituted their starting defensive backs more than usual as Darius Slay missed six plays, Rashean Mathis missed seven and James Ihedigbo missed two. Most of Abdul-Quddus’s plays came in the dime package, but he filled in for Ihedigbo a few times. A few of Diggs’ snaps came after Wilson suffered a cut on his chin.) (9-21-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/21/lions-snap-counts-stephen-tulloch-sees-reduced-role/72567436/
Minnesota 26, Detroit 16: Lions beat up, drop to 0-2 (Lance Moore lost a fumble when he was stripped on a quick slant on the opening drive of the third quarter, but the Lions got the ball back one play later when Josh Wilson recovered a Peterson fumble.) (9-20-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/20/detroit-lions-minnesota-vikings/72513932/
Free Press Lions' report card: Offensive line failed QB, RBs (Defensive backs - C: Peterson was so effective the Vikings attempted only 18 passes. Glover Quin and Darius Slay appeared to have a miscommunication in the end zone on Kyle Rudolph's first-quarter touchdown, and Josh Wilson recovered a fumble but also missed a sack on Bridgewater on the third-quarter touchdown drive. James Ihedigbo led the Lions with nine tackles and forced a Peterson fumble in the second half.) (9-20-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/20/detroit-lions-report-card-minnesota-vikings/72542456/
Video - Vikings Adrian Peterson fumbles, Lions Josh Wilson recovers (9-20-15): http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000000534338/Vikings-Adrian-Peterson-fumbles-Lions-Josh-Wilson-recovers
Detroit Lions Twitter Talk: On a silver lining not named Ameer Abdullah and going for 4th down (Q. The secondary without Slay is scary. What's the plan for Sunday if he's out? A. It's a gut feeling, based on what I saw from Darius Slay in the locker room on Monday, but I expect him to play. If he can't you'll see Josh Wilson slide to the outside and a combination of Quandre Diggs and Isa Abdul-Quddus in the slot. Nevin Lawson would also be activated.) (9-16-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_twitter_talk_12.html
Snap counts: Linebackers must produce to play (Substitute defensive backs: Cornerback Josh Wilson (53 of 79), cornerback Quandre Diggs (18), safety Isa Abdul-Quddus (five). Analysis: As expected, Wilson was the top nickel option, but Diggs played a surprising amount. He also played many of his snaps in the red zone. Abdul-Quddus entered in a dime package with six defensive backs.) (9-14-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/14/snap-counts-linebackers-must-produce-play/72258958/
Detroit Lions snap counts: DT Tyrunn Walker proves capable of playing heavy load (Detroit worked multiple defensive packages, including three variations of the nickel. Josh Wilson got most of the work, with 53 reps. Rookie Quandre Diggs got his first taste of NFL action with 18 snaps and safety Isa Abdul-Quddus was out there for five plays.) (9-14-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_snap_counts_tyru.html
A look at the Detroit Lions' 53-man roster (Josh Wilson: The likely starting nickel corner has experience and can play on the outside if necessary.) (9-7-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18706/linebacker-is-a-deep-group-on-the-detroit-lions-53-man-roster
Where Lions stand at each position after final cuts (Wilson will likely be the nickel, but can play outside, too.) (9-6-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/06/where-lions-stand-at-each-position-after-final-cuts/71813142/
Ranking the 25 players most important to the Detroit Lions' 2015 success (No. 24 -- Josh Wilson: The Lions went through approximately four dozen nickelbacks last season. Wilson has been around the block a few times, playing nine seasons. Most importantly, he hasn't missed a game in four years. He should add much-needed stability to the spot.) (9-6-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/25_most_important_players_to_d.html
Concern over Larry Warford's health among things gleaned from Lions cuts (The returner will be new: With the Lions cutting Jeremy Ross, it means the team will have a new kick and punt returner in 2015. It isn’t entirely clear who that will be yet, but Ameer Abdullah will be the likely option. The Lions might consider Josh Wilson or TJ Jones at returner as well, especially if Abdullah ends up being the main running back against San Diego. Jones showed some spark as a punt returner and he has been on special teams as well so he could end up being the No. 4 receiver ahead of Lance Moore based on special teams work. The Lions spent a good part of their pre-draft visits looking at potential return specialists and let the return job be a wide-open competition during camp, so Ross was always in trouble.) (9-6-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18702/concern-over-larry-warfords-health-among-things-gleaned-from-lions-cuts
Detroit Lions — Five thoughts on the 53-man roster (With Jeremy Ross gone, it looks like Ameer Abdullah could be the new return guy. If not him, possibly Josh Wilson or TJ Jones. One of the reasons Abdullah was drafted in the second round was his return ability.) (9-5-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150905/detroit-lions-xadx2014-five-thoughts-on-the-53-man-roster
5 things to watch: Lions vs. Bills (Return Man - The coaching staff still hasn’t settled on a return man for the regular-season opener in San Diego. “We’ve still got to make sure we’re looking at the returners,” Caldwell said Tuesday. He’ll get a good look at that part of the game tonight and will probably make a determination on who his kickoff and punt returner will be soon after because that decision could affect roster cuts. Jeremy Ross is trying to hang on to both jobs, but will have to fend of Ameer Abdullah (punt and kickoff), TJ Jones (punt), Josh Wilson (kickoff) and Zach Zenner (kickoff). How each of those players performs tonight in the return game could go a long way to determining who wins the job to start the season.) (9-3-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/5-things-to-watch-Lions-vs-Bills/63a935d4-0751-48e0-bb20-eab779ca580c
Lions-Jaguars PFF Grades: The Stafford-Tate Connection (If PFF grades are any indication of who the starting slot corner is going to be, then you might as well hand Josh Wilson the job right now. Diggs and Lawson are both struggling through three games with -4.1 and -3.0 overall grades, respectively, while Wilson is sitting pretty with a +2.6. Again, take these grades with a grain of salt, but it's something worth noting.) (8-30-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/30/9224573/lions-jaguars-pff-grades-matthew-stafford-golden-tate
Lions doing early homework on opener vs. Chargers (Early Returns: Ameer Abdullah handled the opening kickoff (a touchback) tonight against the Jaguars, a departure from the first two weeks when the Lions used incumbent Jeremy Ross as their top return man. With a week until they set their 53-man roster, the return job is one of a handful spots still up for grabs. Ross, Abdullah and Golden Tate (on punts) are the most likely candidates to handle returns this fall, though Josh Wilson, TJ Jones and Zach Zenner also should see time at the position next week. “You probably won’t see a change in that,” Caldwell said. “You’ll see multiple guys back there and where it is right now, it’s ongoing, which is a good thing for us.”) (8-28-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/28/detroit-lions-regular-season/71345264/
Detroit Lions — Five things learned in win over Jaguars (Josh Wilson was the starting nickel.) (8-28-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150828/detroit-lions-x2014-five-things-learned-in-win-over-jaguars
Loss of Suh leaves Lions defense in tough spot (The one positive in the secondary is that GM Martin Mayhew did find a potential replacement for Cassius Vaughn, a slot defender upon whom opposing quarterbacks feasted. The leading contender for this spot is Josh Wilson, though there’s also 2014 fourth-rounder Nevin Lawson. In case Lawson, working his way back from a foot injury, isn’t ready Mayhew signed veteran Chris Owens and spent a third-round pick on Alex Carter (perhaps long-term security).) (8-28-15): http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2015/08/28/detroit-lions-defense-ndamukong-suh-departure-haloti-ngata-nfl-matthew-stafford
Five key position battles for the Lions (Youth versus experience will play a role here, too. Veteran Josh Wilson seemed to secure the job shortly after joining the team in April, with 2014 fourth-round pick Nevin Lawson still recovering from his foot injury this offseason. Sixth-round pick Quandre Diggs also has flashed skills as the slot cover man this spring and summer. However, the 30-year Wilson has experience playing inside and outside in the NFL, and he can blitz and defend the run. The biggest question might be whether the Lions want to use a third safety or a young cornerback to spell Wilson.) (8-27-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/27/five-key-position-battles-lions/32477079/
O'HARA'S MONDAY COUNTDOWN: Roster watch (There’s veteran depth behind the starters, with Isa Abdul-Quddus making his presence felt at safety, the value of Don Carey’s versatility and newcomer Josh Wilson bringing 85 career starts to compete for the nickel spot. The value of nickel backs has never been higher in the NFL because of the pressure created by sets with four and five receivers. The nickel spot will shake out in the last two games, with Nevin Lawson, back after an injury in Game 2 ended his rookie season, rookie Quandre Diggs and the veteran Wilson all in the mix.)(8-24-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ohara/article-1/OHARAS-MONDAY-COUNTDOWN-Roster-watch/f00f0d89-7772-4948-881b-0fafd5e183d7
Detroit Lions notes — Orlovsky, Moore continue battle to be No. 2 QB (Cornerback Josh Wilson returned a kickoff for 27 yards while TJ Jones returned a punt for eight yards.) (8-20-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150820/detroit-lions-notes-x2014-orlovsky-moore-continue-battle-to-be-no-2-qb
Ten Lions players to watch vs. Washington (CB Josh Wilson: His roster spot is mostly secure because of his experience playing inside, but with Nevin Lawson playing well recently, some strong play Thursday would help Wilson remain the top nickel option.) (8-19-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/19/ten-players-watch-vs-washington/31992373/
Camp observations: Lions unveil 2-point attack (Theo Riddick ran routes with the wide receivers during one-on-one drills against cornerbacks. On his first play, cornerback Josh Wilson bumped him hard at the line in press coverage, but Riddick slipped free to make a nice catch.) (8-17-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/18/camp-observations-lions-unveil-2-point-attack/31894665/
Detroit Lions — Five top candidates for cornerback (Josh Wilson has proven himself and should be a lock for a spot on the 53-man roster. He’s versatile and he has experience in the slot which is a tough position to learn. “He’s been around and played a lot of football. He’s seen a lot of different things throughout his career, but he also has a great way about himself because he relates to guys very, very well,’’ coach Jim Caldwell said. “You can see the camaraderie, but they also kind of look to him for some direction and advice. Now, that mixes in with some guys, he’s in there with some great leaders, not good leaders, not average leaders, some great leaders in (Glover) Quinn, and Dig (James Ihedigbo) and obviously, (Rashean) Mathis. I mean, those guys have been around the block a little bit and are excellent at what they do, but he’s just kind of part of that whole group.”) (8-17-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150817/detroit-lions-x2014-five-top-candidates-for-cornerback
Jim Caldwell's quotes from Saturday (On CB Josh Wilson: "He's been around and played a lot of football. He's seen a lot of different things throughout his career, but he also has a great way about himself because he relates to guys very, very well. You can see the camaraderie, but they also kind of look to him for some direction and advice. Now, that mixes in with some guys. He's in there with some great leaders, not good leaders, not average leaders, some great leaders in (Glover) Quin, and Dig (James Ihedigbo) and obviously, (Rashean) Mathis. I mean, those guys have been around the block a little bit and are excellent at what they do, but he's just kind of part of that whole group.") (8-16-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/16/9160265/lions-training-camp-quotes-jim-caldwell-saturday
Notebook: Prater Feeling Fresh, Confident For Season (The defense had some nice pass break-ups recorded by Taylor Mays and Josh Wilson.) (8-15-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Prater-feeling-fresh-confident-for-season/d5e4c148-9a3b-417a-b14f-efb2e20217ae
Freep Observations from Lions camp: Don't sleep on DT Cudjo (The Lions worked on their red zone nickel package some today, mixing and matching personnel in 11-on-11 action. Teryl Austin's tendency is to blitz inside the 20, and expect the Lions to try and manufacture pressure with their defensive backs plenty this year. Josh Wilson is a solid blitzer from the nickel spot and Austin isn't afraid to use his safeties to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks.) (8-15-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/15/lions-training-camp-standouts/31797691/
Detroit News Camp Notes - Calvin Johnson is Lions’ top star in practice, too (Nevin Lawson earned the first-team reps at nickel cornerback. Though plenty can happen between now and Sept. 13, Lawson is likely the top challenger to Josh Wilson for that job.) (8-15-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/15/calvin-johnson-lions-top-star-practice/31799653/
ESPN Notes - Calvin Johnson continues a strong camp and Rashean Mathis has another good day (Lawson and veteran Josh Wilson have separated themselves from rookie Quandre Diggs at this point, and while all three figure to make the roster, Lawson is putting himself in position to win the job. He has worked with the first team often throughout camp and has shown versatility on the outside when necessary as well. He’s probably still a little small to be a dependable backup outside corner, but he’ll need to play inside and outside if he’s going to be on the field. After practice, Caldwell cited his toughness and tenacity when asked about him.) (8-15-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18320/calvin-johnson-continues-a-strong-lions-camp-and-rashean-mathis-has-another-good-day
Abdullah wasn't only Lions RB to impress vs. Jets (Josh Wilson got the start at cornerback with Rashean Mathis out, but Nevin Lawson played more snaps (29) than any defensive player. Lawson dislocated his foot in Week 2 last year and missed the rest of his rookie season. He's competing with Wilson and Quandre Diggs to be the Lions' top nickel cornerback.) (8-14-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/14/detroit-lions-ameer-abdullah/31706151/
Ameer Abdullah makes dazzling debut in Detroit Lions win against Jets (Josh Wilson was in the nickel.) (8-14-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/ameer_abdullah_makes_dazzling.html
A quick recap on who's winning, and who's losing, the Detroit Lions' job battles (Nickelback — The Lions have cycled between the veteran (Josh Wilson), the youngster (Nevin Lawson) and the rookie (Quandre Diggs) at this spot throughout the offseason, but always kind of seemed to prefer Wilson because of his eight years of experience at the position. And sure enough, he started there against New York. Lawson was in the lineup at outside cornerback for Rashean Mathis, who got the night off. That's kind of interesting, because Lawson isn't really built like an outside cornerback, at 5-foot-10, and doesn't practice there much. Chris Owens and Crezdon Butler always seemed like the more likely backups at outside cornerback, at least while third-round pick Alex Carter deals with his ankle injury. Butler did get some early run with the ones, and seems to be ahead of Owens at this point. Kick/punt returner — This one's interesting. Ross worked as the top kick and punt returner, but Abdullah was next up on both units, not Wilson (kicks) and Tate (punts), as was listed on the depth chart. But TJ Jones might have looked better than both players, at least on punt return. He gained 31 yards on three attempts, with a long of 24. For comparison, Ross had only two returns that long all last season.Broyles also returned one punt.) (8-14-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/a_quick_recap_on_where_the_det.html
Why the nickel job is so important, and why Josh Wilson could be right for Lions (Ninth-year veteran Josh Wilson signed with the club over the offseason and has emerged as the favorite over Lawson and rookie Quandre Diggs at the nickel. Both the second-year Lawson and rookie Diggs have massive upside. But Wilson has done this for eight seasons, including allowing a passer rating of 83.1 in the nickel last year. That was seventh best in the league, according to ProFootballFocus. The key? "I've played nickel my whole NFL career, and in college," Wilson said. "Just understanding the game. I understand what everyone has to do. "I learned at a young age, while a rookie in Seattle, Matt Hasselbeck and Bobby Ingram and Deion Branch and Nate Burleson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, they taught me the game on the inside is not about how fast or how strong or how this or how that you are. It's about how smart you are, what they're going to try to do to you and attack you. And play off of that." That's something the Lions lacked last year, with a hodgepodge of characters being thrown there, often without any experience. But Wilson already seems to be earning the trust of Austin for his steady performance in Week 1 of training camp, including picking off a pass on Friday. "He's been in the league nine years," Quin said. "He's figured it out.")
(8-11-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/why_the_nickel_job_is_so_impor.html
Freep Lions camp observations: Stafford sharp, backups not (Ross got first crack at the kick-return job in the early portion of practice. Josh Wilson and T.J. Jones also fielded kicks, and Ameer Abdullah and Ryan Broyles saw time on punts. Ross joined Johnson, Golden Tate, Brandon Pettigrew and Theo Riddick on the field for the first offensive play in skeleton period. Josh Wilson spent the day working as the Lions' No. 1 nickel cornerback, and Larry Webster played as the down lineman in the Lions' top sub package.) (8-8-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/08/detroit-lions-training-camp-matthew-stafford/31338835/
Lions CB Josh Wilson possesses strong nickel (8-8-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/08/lions-cb-josh-wilson-possesses-strong-sense-nickel-duties/31356285/
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: First-team offense looks good in scrimmage (Josh Wilson got the first-team reps at nickel.)(8-8-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_29.html
Oakland Press Detroit Lions notes: Stafford, offense solid in mock game (Two other veteran cornerbacks — Josh Wilson and Chris Owens — have also looked solid early in camp. Stanford and Owens play mostly on the outside while Josh Wilson seems to be the leader in the battle for the starting nickel position. Wilson is entering his ninth NFL season. “It’’s hard (playing nickel), I’m not going to lie. When you get a guy that’s been doing it for nine years obviously he’s figured it out,’’ Quin said.)(8-8-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150808/detroit-lions-notes-stafford-offense-solid-in-mock-game
GREAT blitz pickup by Riddick, squared up Josh Wilson & stoned him hard (8-8-15): https://twitter.com/JeffRisdon/status/630034422423777280
Lions mock game: Jeremy Ross first up as returner, Josh Wilson at nickel, Lucas at RT, Bynes at OLB with Levy out (8-8-15): https://twitter.com/davebirkett/status/630028293186670592
Camp observations: Defense ahead of offense (Josh Wilson and Nate Ness had picks for the Lions' No. 3 defense.)(8-7-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/07/lions-training-camp-thoughts/31322327/
Stephen Tulloch, Darryl Tapp help Lions' defense dominate offense and other Camp notes (Wilson played nickel on the second team.) (8-7-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18147/defense-led-by-stephen-tulloch-and-darryl-tapp-dominates-detroit-lions-offense-friday
Josh Wilson with the defense's first pick of team drills this week, intercepting Kellen Moore during hurry-up (8-7-15): https://twitter.com/jkatzenstein/status/629761180597387264
With Quandre Diggs and Josh Wilson turning in good offseasons, Lions feeling good at nickel (8-7-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/with_quandre_diggs_and_josh_wi.html
Detroit News Camp observations: 'Tweaks' sideline Levy, Fauria at practice (Wide receiver Ryan Broyles might have showcased the most intensity at practice. After safety Isaiah Johnson hit him to the ground, Broyles blocked cornerback Josh Wilson to the ground.) (8-6-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/06/camp-observations-tweaks-sideline-levy-fauria-at-practice/31242329/
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: Ryan Broyles gets physical, defense focuses on turnovers (Veteran Josh Wilson got the first crack at working nickel with the first team, ahead of rookie Quandre Diggs and Nevin Lawson.) (8-6-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_27.html
CB Josh Wilson among the players fielding kickoffs today (8-6-15): https://twitter.com/jkatzenstein/status/629351969728167937
NOTEBOOK: Levy happy with new extension (During an 11-on-11 padded team drill, Johnson found himself matched up with slot cornerback Josh Wilson. Johnson was on a go route and was able to get behind Wilson on the play. Quarterback Matthew Stafford saw that Johnson had a step and fired a deep ball down the left sideline right into Johnson’s arms. Safety Isa Abdul-Quddus couldn’t get over in time to prevent Johnson from scoring easily.) (8-5-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Levy-happy-with-new-extension/205e8e1c-d1c9-4d22-91d3-f1c20d1f0014
Free Press Camp observations: Lions hold first practice in pads (Calvin Johnson has his way with most cornerbacks, and Josh Wilson found that out the hard way tonight. Wilson got beat deep on back-to-back plays by Johnson in one 11-on-11 period. Johnson caught a touchdown pass over Wilson and Isa Abdul-Quddus on the first play (when Theo Riddick showed good awareness on a blitz pickup), and Matthew Stafford overthrew Johnson on the second play.) (8-5-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/05/riley-reiff-detroit-lions/31197729/
Detroit News Camp observations: For Lions, pads ratchet up intensity (Wide receiver Corey Fuller had his best practice so far. He showed strong hands on one reception when Wilson tried to knock the ball free, and he had good instincts on a catch over the middle in which he quickly went upfield.) (8-5-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/06/camp-observations-lions-pads-ratchet-intensity/31201307/
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: Matt Prater does his best Kickalicious impression (The Lions were really working on the deep ball down the sideline to Calvin Johnson, especially early in the session. Quarterback Matthew Stafford twice overthrew his All-Pro target, with the middle pass perfectly dropping into the waiting arms of the receiver for an over-the-shoulder score against cornerback Josh Wilson.) (8-5-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_26.html
Freep Camp Notes (Two more depth chart notes: Josh Wilson took first-team reps with the nickel defense, ahead of rookie Quandre Diggs.) (8-3-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/03/detroit-lions-training-camp-observations/31085707/
Safeties:
S Isa Abdul-Quddus:
Lions’ snap counts: Stephen Tulloch sees reduced role (Reserve defensive backs: Cornerback Josh Wilson, 34 (of 65), cornerback Quandre Diggs, 12; Isa Abdul-Quddus, 10. Analysis: The Lions substituted their starting defensive backs more than usual as Darius Slay missed six plays, Rashean Mathis missed seven and James Ihedigbo missed two. Most of Abdul-Quddus’s plays came in the dime package, but he filled in for Ihedigbo a few times. A few of Diggs’ snaps came after Wilson suffered a cut on his chin.) (9-21-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/21/lions-snap-counts-stephen-tulloch-sees-reduced-role/72567436/
Detroit Lions Twitter Talk: On a silver lining not named Ameer Abdullah and going for 4th down (Q. The secondary without Slay is scary. What's the plan for Sunday if he's out? A. It's a gut feeling, based on what I saw from Darius Slay in the locker room on Monday, but I expect him to play. If he can't you'll see Josh Wilson slide to the outside and a combination of Quandre Diggs and Isa Abdul-Quddus in the slot. Nevin Lawson would also be activated.) (9-16-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_twitter_talk_12.html
Snap counts: Linebackers must produce to play (Substitute defensive backs: Cornerback Josh Wilson (53 of 79), cornerback Quandre Diggs (18), safety Isa Abdul-Quddus (five). Analysis: As expected, Wilson was the top nickel option, but Diggs played a surprising amount. He also played many of his snaps in the red zone. Abdul-Quddus entered in a dime package with six defensive backs.) (9-14-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/14/snap-counts-linebackers-must-produce-play/72258958/
Detroit Lions snap counts: DT Tyrunn Walker proves capable of playing heavy load (Detroit worked multiple defensive packages, including three variations of the nickel. Josh Wilson got most of the work, with 53 reps. Rookie Quandre Diggs got his first taste of NFL action with 18 snaps and safety Isa Abdul-Quddus was out there for five plays.) (9-14-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_snap_counts_tyru.html
A look at the Detroit Lions' 53-man roster (Isa Abdul-Quddus: A core special-teams player, he showed he can fill in without a ton of drop-off if there is an injury.) (9-7-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18706/linebacker-is-a-deep-group-on-the-detroit-lions-53-man-roster
Detroit Lions stock report: TJ Jones makes late push for a roster spot (Stock up --Safety Isa Abdul-Quddus: The No. 3 safety on the depth chart had a nice day from a tackling perspective, tallying five stops including two behind the line of scrimmage.) (9-3-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_stock_report_1.html
Top players by position of preseason Week 3 (Safeties: Barry Church, Cowboys (+3.7) and Isa Abdul-Quddus, Lions (+2.8) - Abdul-Quddus made this list for his skills in coverage, while Church stood out for his work against the run.) (9-2-15): https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/09/02/top-players-by-position-of-preseason-week-3/
Ngata says he’ll play with chip on shoulder (Ready to work: Safety Isa Abdul-Quddus finished ninth with 32 tackles on the team last year. But his ticket to the field was being one of the most valuable players on special teams, where he has followed a simple but demanding formula for distinguishing himself. “Tenacity,” Caldwell said. “He can run. He’s got a real desire to be good. He’s a work man. He’s more of a plow horse than a show horse. He’s a guy that likes to get down in the middle of it and doesn’t mind the dirty work. “Not only that, but he’s extremely versatile. He has an extremely high football IQ, so all of those things help him.”) (9-1-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/01/detroit-lions-haloti-ngata/71549462/
Abdul-Quddus' stats belie value to Lions' special teams (The Lions claiming safety Isa Abdul-Quddus was a transaction that went under the radar last year, partly because of the timing — a day after the Super Bowl — and because he didn’t have eye-popping numbers during three years with the New Orleans Saints. And in his first year with the Lions, Abdul-Quddus didn’t have incredible statistics either as he finished the season with 32 tackles and two passes defenses. However, the backup safety proved to be invaluable in 2014 and should be a key contributor, particularly on special teams, again in 2015. “He’s more plow horse than show horse,” coach Jim Caldwell said of why the 26-year-old excels on special teams. “He’s a guy that likes to get down in the middle of it and doesn’t mind the dirty work, and then not only that, he’s extremely versatile. He has an extremely high football IQ, so all of those things I think help him." Abdul-Quddus started three games for the Lions last year while James Ihedigbo dealt with an injury at the start of the season and played well with 18 tackles and two pass break-ups in those games. He also earned playing time on defense in the Lions’ three-safety package in which Abdul-Quddus typically played free safety while Glover Quin slid into the slot cornerback role. But Abdul-Quddus’ most consistent contributions came on special teams as someone who played in all four of the main units — return and coverage for both kickoffs and punts. Last year, his three special teams tackles tied him for fourth on the team with Theo Riddick and behind Tahir Whitehead (eight), Jed Collins (five) and Don Carey (four). He also blocked a 52-yard field goal in the regular-season finale against the Packers. “I think my aggressiveness,” Abdul-Quddus said when asked why he thrives on special teams. “I’m always coming down, I’m not afraid to hit anybody and I’m going to fly around.” Asked how he’s performed thus far in the preseason, Abdul-Quddus said he “threw my body around pretty well.” He’s tied for third on the team in tackles through three exhibitions, and that tenacity, as Caldwell called it, has helped endear him to the coaching staff. Meanwhile, his ability to play both safety spots has likely ensured that he’ll be around this season. “I try to understand the entire defense,” he said. “I want to know what both side safeties are doing. As long as I detail it, I think they’ll think I can play both sides.” And he’s not worried about flying under the radar. “I don’t really think about it,” he said. “I just try to every day do my role the best that I can.”) (9-1-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/01/abdul-quddus-stats-belie-value-lions-special-teams/71544416/
Lions-Jaguars PFF Grades: The Stafford-Tate Connection (PFF's Grades - Isa Abdul-Quddus: +2.8, There were a ton of players in the green and red for Friday's game and that's a pretty good representation of how up and down the defense was versus the Jaguars. Backup safeties Abdul-Quddus, Johnson and Suite all had solid performances, while Quin did not. Although Quin didn't look spectacular, I think it's hard to place much blame on him when the linebackers in front of him were blowing plenty of coverages left and right.) (8-30-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/30/9224573/lions-jaguars-pff-grades-matthew-stafford-golden-tate
O'HARA'S MONDAY COUNTDOWN: Roster watch (There’s veteran depth behind the starters, with Isa Abdul-Quddus making his presence felt at safety, the value of Don Carey’s versatility and newcomer Josh Wilson bringing 85 career starts to compete for the nickel spot.) (8-24-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ohara/article-1/OHARAS-MONDAY-COUNTDOWN-Roster-watch/f00f0d89-7772-4948-881b-0fafd5e183d7
Eric Ebron among 6 starters sidelined for Detroit Lions practice (Safety Isa Abdul-Quddus was back at practice, after sitting Sunday afternoon. Cornerback Alex Carter, right tackle LaAdrian Waddle and defensive end Jason Jones were also participating.) (8-24-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/eric_ebron_among_6_starters_si.html
Notebook: Carter Playing Catch-up As He Returns To Practice (Caldwell said Ansah, Ebron and Abdul-Quddus are dealing with minor things.) (8-23-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Carter-playing-catch-up-as-he-returns-to-practice/b8fa75a3-1f41-47dc-81c2-16d74870e48a
Detroit practiced without a laundry list of players today (DE Ezekiel Ansah (ankle), TE Eric Ebron (undisclosed), DT Caraun Reid (ankle), RG Larry Warford (ankle), RB Joique Bell (knee/Achilles), DT Haloti Ngata (hamstring), LB Kyle Van Noy (unknown), WR Lance Moore (excused for birth of child), LB Kevin Snyder (hand), CB Crezdon Butler (unknown) and safety Isa Abdul-Quddus (unknown) all did not practice on Sunday. Coach Jim Caldwell said after practice that most of the injuries are minor, although he seemed to express some concern about Van Noy.) (8-23-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_lb_kyle_van_noy_4.html
Jim Caldwell quotes from Sunday's practice (On the recent injuries to TE Eric Ebron and S Isa Abdul-Quddus: "Things that will just take a short period of time for the most part, so nothing too serious.") (8-23-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/23/9194775/jim-caldwell-quotes-sunday-practice
NOTEBOOK: Swanson won't take starting role for granted (Safety Isa Abdul-Quddus got some reps with the first-team defense and was also part of some sub-package work for the defense. James Ihedigbo is still the clear starter at strong safety, but coaches wanted a look at Abdul-Quddus today.)(8-18-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Swanson-wont-take-starting-role-for-granted/fd95f7eb-5bea-4729-8de8-007ee434309d
Freep Lions observations: 'No reason' Abdullah limited in practice (Abdullah wasn't the only regular to get more rest than usual today as the Lions continue to give backups like Zach Zenner, Joseph Fauria and Isa Abdul-Quddus long looks in practice. Abdul-Quddus spelled James Ihedigbo with the first-team at safety today. Abdul-Quddus has had a nice training camp so far, and the Lions are using him in different situations (including in their dime package). He loves to hit, too, dotting at least one player seemingly every practice. "I feel like I'm working on something to get better every day, so I think (camp's) gone pretty well," Abdul-Quddus said.) (8-18-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/18/lions-training-camp-notes/31948017/
ESPN Notes - Lions offense looks sharp in goal-line situations during night practice (Offense dominated the goal-line session: The Lions ran a period of goal-line offense with the three top quarterbacks Monday and the offense was dominant throughout. One of the only stops for the defense during the drill was a Desmond Martin carry that was blown dead before he reached the end zone. To add more insult there, Martin kept running and was hit pretty squarely by Isa Abdul-Quddus. The safety has been one of the fiercest hitters in camp, although keep in mind the goal during practice is not to take players to the ground.) (8-17-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18334/detroit-lions-offense-looks-sharp-in-goal-line-offense-during-night-practice
Freep Observations from Lions camp: Don't sleep on DT Cudjo (Inside that red zone period, the Lions actually ran one snap of dime defense, with Isa Abdul-Quddus lined up as an extra linebacker, playing a role not too different from what Deone Bucannon did for the Arizona Cardinals last year. Abdul-Quddus jumped high to disrupt a passing lane and force an incompletion on his lone snap in the set.) (8-15-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/15/lions-training-camp-standouts/31797691/
Freep Camp Notes - Lions offense sloppy with preseason opener on deck (Matthew Stafford was 6-for-6 (to six different receivers, none named Calvin Johnson) in seven-on-seven drills. He threw mostly underneath the coverage, but he did connect with Corey Fuller for a would-be touchdown against the second-team secondary. Fuller simply ran by safety Isa Abdul-Quddus and cornerback R.J. Stanford on the play. Fuller had a drop early in practice, but has shown some flashes of playmaking ability over the last week.) (8-11-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/11/detroit-lions-training-camp-observations/31494755/
Freep Lions camp observations: Stafford sharp, backups not (Isa Abdul-Quddus likes to hit. The backup safety laid two big pops on offensive players today, including one on Winn near the sideline a few plays after he was spotted getting his right pinkie finger wrapped by trainers.) (8-8-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/08/detroit-lions-training-camp-matthew-stafford/31338835/
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: First-team offense looks good in scrimmage (The hit of the day belonged to safety Isa Abdul-Quddus who laid a pad-popping blow to Winn as he rumbled around the right edge.)(8-8-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_29.html
Eric Ebron with a couple more nice catches today, including one over right coverage from Abdul-Quddus (8-6-15): https://twitter.com/kmeinke/status/629373572960620544
NOTEBOOK: Levy happy with new extension (During an 11-on-11 padded team drill, Johnson found himself matched up with slot cornerback Josh Wilson. Johnson was on a go route and was able to get behind Wilson on the play. Quarterback Matthew Stafford saw that Johnson had a step and fired a deep ball down the left sideline right into Johnson’s arms. Safety Isa Abdul-Quddus couldn’t get over in time to prevent Johnson from scoring easily.) (8-5-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Levy-happy-with-new-extension/205e8e1c-d1c9-4d22-91d3-f1c20d1f0014
Free Press Camp observations: Lions hold first practice in pads (Johnson caught a touchdown pass over Wilson and Isa Abdul-Quddus on the first play (when Theo Riddick showed good awareness on a blitz pickup), and Matthew Stafford overthrew Johnson on the second play.) (8-5-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/05/riley-reiff-detroit-lions/31197729/
Detroit News Camp observations: Backup QB battle ensues (After Josh Wilson earned the majority of first-team nickel reps Monday, the Lions threw safety Isa Abdul-Quddus into the package Tuesday. The Lions liked their three-safety look last season, and Abdul-Quddus's versatility gives them options.) (8-4-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/04/camp-observations-backup-qb-battle-ensues/31140639/
S Don Carey:
RECAP: Lions at Vikings (Injury update: Lions safety Don Carey left the game with a foot injury.) (9-20-14): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/RECAP-Lions-at-Vikings/cbc3876d-601a-4747-a395-585865e21744
NOTEBOOK: Tulloch looking to bounce back (The three captains for the Lions this week are: Calvin Johnson (offense), Glover Quin (defense) and Don Carey (special teams).) (9-18-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/notebook/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Tulloch-looking-to-bounce-back/8728a5f7-4bab-4f83-9a44-840e993182fb
Lions' Carey column: Culture outside NFL locker rooms (9-13-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/detroit-lions-don-carey-column/72196792/
Lions' Quin, Carey want to spoil Chargers home opener (9-11-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/11/detroit-lions-san-diego-chargers/72106058/
Audio - Lions podcast returns: Catching up with safety Don Carey (9-11-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/11/detroit-lions-podcast-dave-birkett/72051490/
A look at the Detroit Lions' 53-man roster (Don Carey: The veteran is a core special-teams player, and that is his primary value.) (9-7-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18706/linebacker-is-a-deep-group-on-the-detroit-lions-53-man-roster
Detroit Lions snap counts: Starting defense gets a workout against Jacksonville (Detroit continues to take a long look at undrafted safety Isaiah Johnson, who played 35 snaps in Jacksonville. I still don't believe he's a legitimate threat to Don Carey's roster spot based on the veteran's overwhelming special teams workload edge.) (8-29-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_snap_counts_jack.html
O'HARA'S MONDAY COUNTDOWN: Roster watch (There’s veteran depth behind the starters, with Isa Abdul-Quddus making his presence felt at safety, the value of Don Carey’s versatility and newcomer Josh Wilson bringing 85 career starts to compete for the nickel spot.) (8-24-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ohara/article-1/OHARAS-MONDAY-COUNTDOWN-Roster-watch/f00f0d89-7772-4948-881b-0fafd5e183d7
Lions mailbag: Who will be offensive, defensive difference-makers? (Q. For backup RB & KR/PR, who's best at the less sexy ST roles (blocker, gunner, etc)? A. It's interesting you ask this because these are areas fans should watch if they are trying to figure out who might win those last roster spots. At gunner, Don Carey has also been effective there in the past and you'll likely see a number of different players roll in and out of that role throughout the preseason.) (8-22-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18418/mailbag-who-will-be-offensive-defensive-difference-makers-for-detroit-lions
Jeremy Ross, Jermelle Cudjo put together good nights for Detroit Lions (Lows - S Don Carey: Not a great night for the backup safety and key special teamer. A holding penalty knocked out an Ameer Abdullah punt return and he missed a couple tackles from my vantage point.) (8-20-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18392/jeremy-ross-jermelle-cudjo-put-together-good-nights-for-detroit-lions
NOTEBOOK: Swanson won't take starting role for granted (Brandon Pettigrew also had a nice catch in the 7-on-7 red zone drill vs. Don Carey.)(8-18-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Swanson-wont-take-starting-role-for-granted/fd95f7eb-5bea-4729-8de8-007ee434309d
Fuller had a shot to catch a bomb inside 10 with 2nd unit but couldn't hang on with Don Carey on his back (8-7-15): https://twitter.com/ttwentyman/status/629759833445675008
S James Ihedigbo:
Lions’ snap counts: Stephen Tulloch sees reduced role (Reserve defensive backs: Cornerback Josh Wilson, 34 (of 65), cornerback Quandre Diggs, 12; Isa Abdul-Quddus, 10. Analysis: The Lions substituted their starting defensive backs more than usual as Darius Slay missed six plays, Rashean Mathis missed seven and James Ihedigbo missed two. Most of Abdul-Quddus’s plays came in the dime package, but he filled in for Ihedigbo a few times. A few of Diggs’ snaps came after Wilson suffered a cut on his chin.) (9-21-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/21/lions-snap-counts-stephen-tulloch-sees-reduced-role/72567436/
Best players at every position for Week 2 (Safeties: Kurt Coleman, Panthers (+4.4) and James Ihedigbo, Lions (+4.4) - Coleman is trying to write a story of redemption, and more plays like the one that saw him deflect a potential game-tying pass can’t hurt. Ihedigbo is about as good a safety in the NFL gets when you put him in the box and the opposition runs at him. Fullback: Michael Burton, Lions (+2.4) - Burton was actually our highest-graded fullback in college football last year, so it’s not a huge surprise to see him looking so good right now.) (9-21-15): https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/09/21/the-best-players-at-every-position-for-week-2/
PFF's DET-MIN Grades: poised Bridgewater, pass rush lead the Vikings (Lions Top Performers - James Ihedigbo +4.4) (9-20-15): https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/09/21/det-min-gradespoised-bridgewater-pass-rush-lead-the-vikings/
Free Press Lions' report card: Offensive line failed QB, RBs (Defensive backs - C: Peterson was so effective the Vikings attempted only 18 passes. Glover Quin and Darius Slay appeared to have a miscommunication in the end zone on Kyle Rudolph's first-quarter touchdown, and Josh Wilson recovered a fumble but also missed a sack on Bridgewater on the third-quarter touchdown drive. James Ihedigbo led the Lions with nine tackles and forced a Peterson fumble in the second half.) (9-20-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/20/detroit-lions-report-card-minnesota-vikings/72542456/
Detroit News Lions grades: Offensive line failed to protect Stafford (Secondary - S James Ihedigbo led the Lions with nine tackles and had a forced fumble. The Lions limited the deep opportunities for the Vikings and held Mike Wallace to 38 yards on three catches. But, untimely lapses as well as some tackling issues extended to the backend, too. Grade: B-) (9-20-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/2015/09/20/lions-grades-offensive-line-neglected-protect-stafford/72538176/
MLive Detroit Lions report card: Minnesota Vikings dominate trench battles to get division win (DBs: B-, The Vikings wideouts didn't do much damage in the passing game, with the biggest play from the group coming a reverse where the defensive line failed to keep contain. James Ihedigbo played a physical game and forced an important fumble in the red zone that was recovered by the Lions.) (9-20-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_report_card_minn.html
Detroit Lions notes: Calvin Johnson gets involved; Ebron too (James Ihedigbo led with nine tackles and a forced fumble.) (9-20-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150920/detroit-lions-notes-calvin-johnson-gets-involved-ebron-too
Two games in, the Lions' biggest problem is a porous defense (The Lions didn’t seem too concerned, either, about having four defensive starters (Haloti Ngata, Rashean Mathis, James Ihedigbo and Stephen Tulloch) all age 30 or older. Mathis and Ngata have been fine, but Ihedigbo and Tulloch have both struggled at various points against the Chargers and Vikings. And the run defense, which was a hallmark of Detroit’s team last season, has been fairly weak -- allowing 199 yards to Minnesota, including a 134-yard day from Adrian Peterson.) (9-20-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18943/two-games-in-and-the-detroit-lions-biggest-problem-is-a-porous-defense
Vikings, Peterson bounce back with home win over Lions (One play after Captain Munnerlyn ripped the ball from Lions wide receiver Lance Moore and Andrew Sendejo returned it to the 6, Peterson gave it back on a tackle by James Ihedigbo.) (9-20-15): http://www.foxsports.com/north/story/minnesota-vikings-detroit-lions-adrian-peterson-bounces-back-with-home-win-092015
10 QUESTIONS WITH TWENTYMAN: What's up with the offense? (Q. Do you think it was a play calling or execution fallout in the 2nd half? A. A little of both, Ryan. Take the 3rd and 19 play the Chargers converted in the fourth quarter that really sealed the win for them, in my opinion. The Lions came with the blitz to speed Rivers’ clock. San Diego had a good play call that had receiver Keenan Allen run a short cross from the high side of the formation. Mathis, who lined up across from Allen, appeared to be playing a zone concept, which gave Allen a free run across the formation. Despite a well-designed play by the Chargers, James Ihedigbo and Glover Quin both had an opportunity to make a tackle before Allen got 20 yards and a first down. There's the execution part. They both failed to do so. Maybe a little bit of an aggressive call by the Lions, but poor execution as well. We saw a little bit of that on both sides of the ball in the second half.) (9-17-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/10-QUESTIONS-WITH-TWENTYMAN-Whats-up-with-the-offense/47018f17-2d37-4cd4-90c8-ac5bd503c294
Detroit Lions say tackling key to stifling opponents' quick-passing attack (The most devastating missed tackle came on a third-and-19 play in the fourth quarter. With a little more than four minutes remaining and the Chargers holding a five-point edge, Rivers dumped it off to top target Keenan Allen on a crossing route. The receiver turned up field, juked safety James Ihedigbo to the ground just seven yards from the line of scrimmage, than ran through the tackle attempt of Quin just short of the sticks to pick up the first down.) (9-17-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_say_tackling_key.html
Lions’ Ihedigbo avoids NFL fine for hit on Allen (Lions safety James Ihedigbo was on the lookout for a special package in his locker on Wednesday. Generally, that’s not a good thing, as a package arriving on a Wednesday usually mean there’s a fine from the NFL. In Sunday’s loss at San Diego, Ihedigbo was flagged for a personal foul in the second quarter after hitting Chargers receiver Keenan Allen after a 19-yard catch. Ihedigbo got a 15-yard penalty and was worried that he might get an additional fine. But as of early Wednesday afternoon, there was nothing from the NFL. “I don’t have a FedEx in my locker; I shouldn’t hear from the league,” Ihedigbo said. “I was (concerned) because they fine you for everything. I didn’t get one, though.” Ihedigbo argued that he decelerated and didn’t lead with his head on the hit and believed he had a good enough case for an appeal, if he were fined. In determining whether a player should be fined, Ihedigbo argues, the entirety of the play should be considered. In his case, he was trying to protect himself, as Allen was coming at him and he was trying to avoid injury. “It’s all about the intent and that’s what should be the big thing when they’re handing out fines — what your intent was during the play,” he said. “Clearly, my intent wasn’t to cause excessive injury or hurt.”) (9-16-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/16/lions-ihedigbo-avoids-nfl-fine-hit-allen/32508867/
Lions’ Ihedigbo awaits word from NFL on Allen hit (Lions safety James Ihedigbo tried to argue his case to the referees, but he couldn’t change their mind as they charged him with a personal foul in the second quarter of Sunday’s loss to the San Diego Chargers. After a 19-yard completion from Philip Rivers to quarterback Keenan Allen, Ihedigbo dove to make a tackle and received a 15-yard personal foul. “I don’t know,” Ihedigbo said about why the referees made the call. “I let up and I didn’t even lead with the head, but that’s just the nature of this league.” Now, Ihedigbo will have to wait to see if he hears from the NFL about the hit because unnecessary roughness penalties typically result in league-imposed fines. If he receives a bill, though, he “of course” will appeal. The official call was unnecessary roughness and a late hit, but there was nothing late about the hit as Ihedigbo collided with Allen just as the receiver’s knee hit the ground. The likely foul, though, was that Ihedigbo made helmet-to-helmet contact with Allen, and even though he led with his right shoulder, the refs threw the flag. From Ihedigbo’s perspective, he had to make the hit, but in the current safety-first climate of the NFL, many hits involving head-to-head collisions will receive penalties, even if defenders try to use proper technique. “I was just trying to protect myself,” Ihedigbo said. “I can’t just let go and let him spear me in the ribs, so I tried to turn my shoulder and he was going down. I barely even hit him.” The penalty moved the Chargers to the Detroit 45, and they scored five plays and one penalty later, cutting the Lions’ lead to 21-10 at the time.) (9-15-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/15/lions-ihedigbo-awaits-word-nfl-allen-hit/72308850/
San Diego 33, Detroit 28: Why the Lions lost Sunday (Defense doesn't rest:Tough, hot day for the D, which hardly got a breather because of the ineffective offense. Stephen Tulloch and Rashean Mathis struggled noticeably, James Ihedigbo missed a key tackle and was flagged for a personal foul and Haloti Ngata didn't seem to beat many double teams. Without DeAndre Levy, the defense was vulnerable everywhere, allowing 483 yards of offense.) (9-14-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/14/detroit-lions-lost/72238712/
Lions' James Ihedigbo upset with personal foul call, will appeal any fines (9-14-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/lions_james_ihedigbo_upset_wit.html
Video - Ihedigbo on the defense against San Diego (9-14-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Ihedigbo-on-the-defense-against-San-Diego/32e7ffb3-7751-48ab-8620-f70e62cf71e0
O'hara's Burning Questions: What caused Lions' downfall? (Q. Dig’s 15: Safety James Ihedigbo got a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness on a pass reception by Kennan Allen in the second quarter. Good call by the official? A. Right call because he made it. The issue I had was, I didn’t see anybody touch the receiver after he made the catch and went down. That looked like a legitimate tackle, but a rough one. If it had been a hit to the head or something, I’d understand it. But the way officials make those calls, when they’re borderline, you have to live with the call.) (9-13-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/ohara-burning-questions/article-1/OHARAS-BURNING-QUESTIONS-What-caused-Lions-downfall/725dd961-ab3e-4ecc-aa0e-d2ca7c432186
3 Lions Q's with Drew Sharp: Blame front office for loss (Where does Sunday's embarrassment rank among the more memorable Lions implosions? This is one of the worst, especially when factoring the unusually high expectations entering this season. There will be a temptation to stamp this loss with a "Same Old Lions," but this was even more abominable because it wasn't the result of a single boneheaded play that defied logic. But this was a systematic breakdown on both sides of the ball. In the second half, the offensive line couldn't protect Matthew Stafford. Golden Tate had his worst game as a Lion. There was some apparent communication issues between Tate and Stafford. And the Lions could have replaced safety James Ihedigbo with a stationary orange traffic cone and nobody would have known the difference.) (9-13-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/detroit-lions-three-questions-drew-sharp/72234738/
Free Press Lions' report card: Poor marks for linebackers, receivers (Defensive backs - C: Glover Quin was the Lions' best defensive player Sunday. He returned a tipped pass for a second-quarter touchdown and made a big third-down stop on Keenan Allen to force a field goal on San Diego's opening drive of the third quarter. Darius Slay picked off a poorly thrown Rivers ball in the end zone just before halftime, while Rashean Mathis had a tough day against Keenan Allen, who caught 15 of the 17 passes thrown his way. James Ihedigbo missed an open-field tackle on Ladarius Green and appeared to be late reacting to San Diego's second touchdown.) (9-13-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/detroit-lions-report-card/72236260/
Detroit News Lions grades: Coaches failed to recalibrate (9-13-15) (Secondary: Chargers receiver Keenan Allen looked like an unstoppable force with 15 catches for 166 yards, and Lions cornerback Rashean Mathis never looked like he had a chance to cover him. Cornerback Darius Slay was OK and had an interception, and free safety Glover Quin was great and had a pick-6. Like Mathis, though, strong safety James Ihedigbo struggled, and the rotating nickel cornerbacks didn't do much to slow Stevie Johnson, who had 82 receiving yards. Grade: D.): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/lions-grades-coaches-failed-recalibrate/72233574/
Chargers, with 30 straight points, shred Lions defense (Philip Rivers and the Chargers offense gashed the Lions for 483 yards and scored 30 straight points after the Lions jumped out to a 21-3 lead in the first half. The Lions allowed just 300.9 yards last season as they ranked second in the NFL in total defense, but many of their supposed top veterans — Stephen Tulloch, Rashean Mathis and James Ihedigbo among them — struggled mightily for much of the game. The Chargers, though, drove methodically on the ensuing drive. An unnecessary roughness penalty on Ihedigbo helped, too, as he hit Allen in the head on a tackle, turning a 19-yard catch into a net gain of 34 yards.) (9-13-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/chargers-straight-points-shred-lions-defense/72227852/
Key Matchups: Chargers vs. Lions (Ball Security a Must – The Lions boast an incredibly opportunistic defense, as Detroit tied for third last season with 20 interceptions. They were led by ball hawks in the secondary, particularly safety Glover Quin who led the league with seven interceptions, followed closely by fellow safety James Ihedigbo with four picks.) (9-10-15): http://www.chargers.com/news/2015/09/10/key-matchups-chargers-vs-lions
Video - Ihedigbo on the defense (9-9-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Ihedigbo-on-the-defense/b7f7444e-8799-4fd9-9063-a0c60f40aa45
Five things we learned about the Lions this preseason (A strong secondary will lead the defense - Detroit had one of the league's best defenses last season, but the unit will be much different this year. Without Suh, the Lions' biggest defensive stars now reside in the secondary. Cornerback Rashean Mathis and safety James Ihedigbo are both seasoned veterans; Pro Bowl safety Glover Quin is in his prime and third-year cornerback Darius Slay may be on the verge of a breakout season.) (9-8-15): http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/five-things-we-learned-about-the-lions-this-preseason-090815
A look at the Detroit Lions' 53-man roster (James Ihedigbo: His play dipped a little toward the end of last season, but he was a Pro Bowl alternate last season and is a very good in-the-box safety.) (9-7-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18706/linebacker-is-a-deep-group-on-the-detroit-lions-53-man-roster
Ranking the 25 players most important to the Detroit Lions' 2015 success (No. 17 --James Ihedigbo
Ihedigbo not only brought confidence and leadership to Detroit's defense last year, but also a big-hitter, capable of playing in the box. He's not without his flaws on the field, but the positives outweight the negatives.) (9-6-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/25_most_important_players_to_d.html
Mailbag: How many deep shots will Matthew Stafford take? (Q. Who is the player that the lions are hanging onto one year too long? Mathis? A. I'm not sure at this juncture if there is an obvious answer to this. Rashean Mathis was extremely good last season and is in insane shape, so I wouldn't say there. I'm most interested to see how James Ihedigbo and Stephen Tulloch perform early this season. Tulloch has looked good coming off the ACL injury, but I want to see him get through a full game. Ihedigbo struggled at points during the second half of last season -- particularly during the Green Bay game where he was benched -- so I want to see how he performs as well. Otherwise, it is a pretty young roster for the most part. But Tulloch and Ihedigbo should still be good starters this season, so I'm not sure if there is a definitive answer here.) (9-5-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18685/mailbag-how-many-deep-shots-will-matthew-stafford-take
Detroit Lions snap counts: Starting defense gets a workout against Jacksonville (In the third preseason game, the members of the starting defense not out due to injury got a workout. Despite playing just the first half, linebacker Stephen Tulloch and all four members of the starting secondary worked more than 50 snaps each. Tulloch - 55, Glover Quin - 54, James Ihedigbo - 53, Darius Slay - 51 and Rashean Mathis - 50)(8-29-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_snap_counts_jack.html
RECAP: Lions at Jaguars (The Lions’ defense finally rose up and made a play when defensive end Phillip Hunt, who was good rushing the passer all night, pressured Bortles into a quick throw to Allen Robinson that was broken up by linebacker Stephen Tulloch.) (8-28-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/RECAP-Lions-at-Jaguars/aedb2f47-d659-418e-a6ff-a41cf8e3c3c9
Offense shines, defense struggles as Lions win (While the Lions were down some of their top defensive players, some of their legitimate starters were the ones making the costly mistakes. Safety James Ihedigbo gave Jacksonville 15 free yards when he hit Bortles after the quarterback slid during the second drive. On the same drive, Mathis had a pass interference penalty in the end zone that helped set up Yeldon’s touchdown.) (8-28-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/28/offense-shines-defense-struggles-lions-win/71358214/
10 Detroit Lions to watch: Starters, rookies and roster battles, oh my (Safety James Ihedigbo: The Lions are going to bring more pressure with blitz packages this season and Ihedigbo figures prominently in that plan. If Detroit is going to continue to test out a handful of their blitz looks in the preseason, you can expect Ihedigbo will be bringing the pressure on at least one of those rushes.) (8-28-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_to_watch_jackson.html
Stock Report (Lows - Penalties: This isn’t a person, but an overall concern for the Lions. They had 13 penalties which were spread out all over the place. The worst one probably belonged to James Ihedigbo, who was called for a personal foul for making contact with Bortles after he started a slide in the first half. But it was sloppy play for Detroit -- again with the obvious caveat that it is the preseason and that’s kind of what happens.) (8-28-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18558/matthew-stafford-zach-zenner-stand-out-for-detroit-lions
Stafford, Bortles shine as Lions beat Jaguars 22-17 (Blown Call - On one of Bortles' four runs, defender James Ihedigbo was penalized for hitting the quarterback in the head after he slid. It was clearly a penalty, but the officials missed Bortles flip the ball into Ihedigbo's stomach, which could have been called unsportsmanlike conduct.) (8-28-15): http://sports.yahoo.com/news/stafford-bortles-shine-lions-beat-jaguars-22-17-031230382--nfl.html
Loss of Suh leaves Lions defense in tough spot (Strong safety James Ihedigbo is one of the league’s best at filling down into the box after the snap, but he wasn’t the driving force behind the run D’s stinginess.) (8-28-15): http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2015/08/28/detroit-lions-defense-ndamukong-suh-departure-haloti-ngata-nfl-matthew-stafford
Lions licking wounds after loss at Washington (On the second drive, safety James Ihedigbo and linebacker DeAndre Levy had hits on Griffin during a three-and-out.) (8-20-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/20/lions-licking-wounds-loss-washington/32094485/
Detroit Lions update: James Ihedigo in great shape (James Ihedigbo held out of OTAs in the spring because he wanted a contract extension. He was back for minicamp and has had a good training camp. The contract is not a priority for him, instead it’s playing at his best. Ihedigbo and the other starters could get a few more snaps on Thursday night in the preseason game at the Washington Redskins. The strong safety, who is entering his second season with Detroit, has been a leader from the moment he first walked in the door. “You know, one of the things that you have to look at is their entire body of work. (Ihedigbo) is a very, very important part of what we do back there. He’s smart, tough, a very, very fine team leader, and I just see every single week within our scheme he gets better and better and better and he functions better,’’ coach Jim Caldwell said. “To anticipate that he may play every game perfectly, that’s not going to happen. But is he going to be a very, very powerful impact on our team, I think so.” Ihedigbo is 31 but plays much younger. “Physically, I told him today he looks as good as I’ve seen him look since I’ve been around him,’’ Caldwell said. “So he’s really taking care of his body. He’s got himself in great shape, great condition. He’s always in great condition, but some of these guys have kind of taken it to another level and he’s one of them.”) (8-19-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150819/detroit-lions-update-james-ihedigo-in-great-shape
NOTEBOOK: Swanson won't take starting role for granted (Safety Isa Abdul-Quddus got some reps with the first-team defense and was also part of some sub-package work for the defense. James Ihedigbo is still the clear starter at strong safety, but coaches wanted a look at Abdul-Quddus today.)(8-18-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Swanson-wont-take-starting-role-for-granted/fd95f7eb-5bea-4729-8de8-007ee434309d
Lions’ James Ihedigbo: ‘I’m in my prime’ (8-18-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/18/detroit-lions-jamed-ihedigbo/31963341/
Jim Caldwell's quotes from Tuesday (On S James Ihedigbo's impact: "You know, one of the things that you have to look at is their entire body of work. (Ihedigbo) is a very, very important part of what we do back there. He's smart, tough, a very, very fine team leader, and I just see every single week within our scheme he gets better and better and better and he functions better. To anticipate that he may play every game perfectly, that's not going to happen. But is he going to be a very, very powerful impact on our team? I think so." On Ihedigbo's physical health: "Physically, I told him today he looks as good as I've seen him look since I've been around him. So he's really taking care of his body. He's got himself in great shape, great condition. He's always in great condition, but some of these guys have kind of taken it to another level and he's one of them.") (8-18-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/18/9172895/lions-training-camp-quotes-jim-caldwell-tuesday
NOTEBOOK: Slay enjoying competition at practice (The most competitive portion of practice Monday night took place in a situational team drill. The first scenario had the offense at their 33-yard line with 1:30 left in the game with only one timeout and needing a touchdown to win. The first- and second-team defense won both of their periods. The first-team defense beat the first-team offense when Stafford overthrew Eric Ebron down the middle and James Ihedigbo intercepted the ball. The second-team offense went three-and-out.) (8-17-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Slay-enjoying-competition-at-practice/4e111365-8f86-436e-b4ac-9b5e1bab56e9
Camp Spotlight: Tackle Riley Reiff (The Lions worked on their two-point-conversion offense and defense during a team period and the first-team offense scored on four of their five attempts by my count. Reiff was able to put Ansah to the ground on the first rep. He stood up Caraun Reid on another rep. Reiff struggled a couple of times blocking at the second level in another team period. He missed a block on James Ihedigbo on a play run away from Reiff around the right tackle. Overall it was a nice practice for Reiff.) (8-17-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/Camp-Spotlight-Tackle-Riley-Reiff/c1e8af0b-80ba-473a-aed2-caf52946608a
Camp observations: Lions unveil 2-point attack (In the hurry-up offense, Matthew Stafford threw an interception to James Ihedigbo after sailing a pass intended for Eric Ebron.) (8-17-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/18/camp-observations-lions-unveil-2-point-attack/31894665/
Detroit Lions training camp notes: Gabe Wright impresses, Greg Salas gets first-team work (In the two-minute drill, Stafford threw his first interception in full-team work, overshooting Ebron running down the seam into the waiting arms of safety James Ihedigbo.) (8-17-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_31.html
ESPN Notes - Lions offense looks sharp in goal-line situations during night practice (Matthew Stafford throws a pick: The quarterback threw a rare interception during team drills Monday, seemingly overthrowing his intended target by at least five yards and having the ball land right in the chest of safety James Ihedigbo. It was a rare miscue from Stafford, who has had a pretty sharp summer so far. It isn’t clear if that was a bad throw by Stafford or a poor route run by the receiver, but it was an overall awful play for the Lions offense.) (8-17-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18334/detroit-lions-offense-looks-sharp-in-goal-line-offense-during-night-practice
Jim Caldwell's quotes from Saturday (On CB Josh Wilson: "He's been around and played a lot of football. He's seen a lot of different things throughout his career, but he also has a great way about himself because he relates to guys very, very well. You can see the camaraderie, but they also kind of look to him for some direction and advice. Now, that mixes in with some guys. He's in there with some great leaders, not good leaders, not average leaders, some great leaders in (Glover) Quin, and Dig (James Ihedigbo) and obviously, (Rashean) Mathis. I mean, those guys have been around the block a little bit and are excellent at what they do, but he's just kind of part of that whole group.") (8-16-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/16/9160265/lions-training-camp-quotes-jim-caldwell-saturday
Notebook: Prater Feeling Fresh, Confident For Season (Ebron had a nice day overall. Besides the two touchdowns in the red zone drill, he had a deep catch down the sideline with James Ihedigbo on coverage in another team period.) (8-15-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Prater-feeling-fresh-confident-for-season/d5e4c148-9a3b-417a-b14f-efb2e20217ae
Audio - James Ihedigbo on Sirius NFL Radio (8-15-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/audio/James-Ihedigbo-on-Sirius-NFL-Radio-081515/d388f419-5835-40bb-a27e-7c0a2954e26d
Freep Lions camp observations: Stafford sharp, backups not (Stafford threaded a pass to Lance Moore just out of James Ihedigbo's reach.) (8-8-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/08/detroit-lions-training-camp-matthew-stafford/31338835/
Video - Ihedigbo on his relationship with Quin (8-8-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Ihedigbo-on-his-relationship-with-Quin/49dc0718-a8ee-4726-bbb3-a566929c17cc
Detroit News Camp observations: Williams pleased with progress at RT (The Lions defense had an excellent showing, especially at the end of practice. The first- through third-team offenses each had two hurry-up drives, and the defense didn’t allow a single score on the six possessions. On the first first-team drive, James Ihedigbo and Glover Quin each nearly had an interception off Matthew Stafford.) (8-7-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/07/camp-observations-williams-pleased-progress-rt/31326693
Ebron with a drop over the middle and then comes back with a good sideline grab in front of Ihedigbo (8-7-15): https://twitter.com/ttwentyman/status/629758745363501056
Video - Ihedigbo on the defense (8-6-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Ihedigbo-on-the-defense/3226bc7a-806b-4bb0-9bfe-beb54d83a2ce
MLive Detroit Lions training camp notes: Matt Prater does his best Kickalicious impression (The pads were on Wednesday night and there was some pretty stiff hits going on in the second level. Rookie running back Zach Zenner took multiple shots that put him on his backside, while backfield mate George Winn had a thunderous collision with safety James Ihedigbo.) (8-5-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_training_camp_no_26.html
Lions camp observations: Pads come on at Novi HS (Riddick received a lot of reps and looked surprisingly good as a runner and also had a nasty juke that completely fooled James Ihedigbo on a screen pass.) (8-5-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/6/9106515/lions-training-camp-observations-novi-high-school
Things getting pretty heated during red zone drills. Just saw a head to head collision between Tate and Ihedigbo. (Everyone's ok) (8-4-15): https://twitter.com/kmeinke/status/628670680746315776
S Glover Quin:
Lions extra points: Overheard, talking points, on deck (Glover Quin: Quin had five tackles as the Vikings handed their offense to Adrian Peterson. So, their passing game was limited to an efficient 153 yards.) (9-20-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/21/detroit-lions-extra-points/72548164/
Free Press Lions' report card: Offensive line failed QB, RBs (Defensive backs - C: Peterson was so effective the Vikings attempted only 18 passes. Glover Quin and Darius Slay appeared to have a miscommunication in the end zone on Kyle Rudolph's first-quarter touchdown, and Josh Wilson recovered a fumble but also missed a sack on Bridgewater on the third-quarter touchdown drive. James Ihedigbo led the Lions with nine tackles and forced a Peterson fumble in the second half.) (9-20-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/20/detroit-lions-report-card-minnesota-vikings/72542456/
MLive Detroit Lions report card: Minnesota Vikings dominate trench battles to get division win (LBs: C-, The linebackers share come culpability in Peterson's big day, but when he has that kind of momentum reaching the second level, it's going to be a problem. The coverage across the middle of the field wasn't as bad as it was in the first game. Tight end Kyle Rudolph finished with just 30 yards receiving and his touchdown appeared to be the result of slow rotation by safety Glover Quin.) (9-20-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_report_card_minn.html
Lions' Glover Quin one of NFL's best at pick and run (9-19-15): http://www.freep.com/longform/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/19/detroit-lions-glover-quin-interception/72504220/
NOTEBOOK: Tulloch looking to bounce back (The three captains for the Lions this week are: Calvin Johnson (offense), Glover Quin (defense) and Don Carey (special teams).) (9-18-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/notebook/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Tulloch-looking-to-bounce-back/8728a5f7-4bab-4f83-9a44-840e993182fb
Glover Quin blog: Communication key against Vikings (9-18-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/glover-quin/article-1/Glover-Quin-blog-Communication-key-against-Vikings/2f0355f5-1a74-477a-8331-b6463d36b093
How Lions' Glover Quin turned himself into the NFL's king of interceptions (9-18-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/glover_quin_detroit_lions.html
10 QUESTIONS WITH TWENTYMAN: What's up with the offense? (Q. Do you think it was a play calling or execution fallout in the 2nd half? A. A little of both, Ryan. Take the 3rd and 19 play the Chargers converted in the fourth quarter that really sealed the win for them, in my opinion. The Lions came with the blitz to speed Rivers’ clock. San Diego had a good play call that had receiver Keenan Allen run a short cross from the high side of the formation. Mathis, who lined up across from Allen, appeared to be playing a zone concept, which gave Allen a free run across the formation. Despite a well-designed play by the Chargers, James Ihedigbo and Glover Quin both had an opportunity to make a tackle before Allen got 20 yards and a first down. There's the execution part. They both failed to do so. Maybe a little bit of an aggressive call by the Lions, but poor execution as well. We saw a little bit of that on both sides of the ball in the second half.) (9-17-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/10-QUESTIONS-WITH-TWENTYMAN-Whats-up-with-the-offense/47018f17-2d37-4cd4-90c8-ac5bd503c294
Detroit Lions say tackling key to stifling opponents' quick-passing attack (So what's the logical counter to slowing down a quick-passing attack? The Lions say it's simple. "The big thing is, if the ball gets out quickly, you have to be in position to come up and make the tackle, keep it to a minimal gain," coach Jim Caldwell said. "That's the key because their passes are behind the line of scrimmage, some down the field a little bit, just in terms of quick passes, so you get a variety. But the big thing is to be able to corral it and get it on the ground." Swarming to the ball and getting the receiver to the ground proved troubling for the Lions against the Chargers. San Diego's receivers averaged 8.1 yards after the catch, fourth in the NFL. It certainly didn't help that the Lions missed nine tackles in coverage. "We just have to do a great job of rallying, taking great ankles, putting a chest on them and wrapping them up," safety Glover Quin said. The most devastating missed tackle came on a third-and-19 play in the fourth quarter. With a little more than four minutes remaining and the Chargers holding a five-point edge, Rivers dumped it off to top target Keenan Allen on a crossing route. The receiver turned up field, juked safety James Ihedigbo to the ground just seven yards from the line of scrimmage, than ran through the tackle attempt of Quin just short of the sticks to pick up the first down. Four plays later San Diego was in the end zone, essentially sealing the victory. Rivers was remarkable down the stretch, completing his final 19 passes. While no defense wants to give up 19 straight completions, Quin said it wouldn't have been an issue if the Lions were limiting the damage after the catch. "He could have had those same 19 completions, but if we were driving, tackling and stopping the runs after the catches, he wouldn't have had 19 because we would have been getting off the field, and it wouldn't have been that big of a deal because we would have won the game," Quin explained.) (9-17-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/detroit_lions_say_tackling_key.html
Detroit Lions notes: DeAndre Levy still out; Stafford back at it (Quin's good start - Safety Glover Quin led the NFL with seven interceptions last season. He only needs six to tie that record after picking off Philip Rivers on Sunday. It was his first career interception in a loss. “It’s crazy, huh,’’ Quin said. Quin said he does ball-tipping drills but is keeping his methods a secret. “All this stuff is just being around the ball. A tipped ball can go either way. I do know one thing you can’t recover a fumble, you can’t catch a tipped pick if you’re not around the ball. One thing I pride myself is try to get to the ball run or pass,’’ Quin said. “He is instinctive. He hustles non-stop. A couple of the interceptions he had last year were absolutely incredible, he went to the middle of the field on a tipped ball, on a far sideline and made an interception which takes determination,’’ Jim Caldwell said. “But, he also has a very, very good feel for concepts in terms of route running, things of that nature that he is seeing from the opposition. He’s the ultimate professional. He works at his craft. He’s in there early in the morning taking care of his body before the sun comes up, but he’s a guy that understands the game, very, very good leader and does a tremendous job. When you work that hard and you prepare that well good things are going to get happen.” How early? “It’s early. Trust me,’’ the coach said. It was the third straight time that Quin has pulled down an interception in the regular season opener. You might have missed.) (9-16-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150916/detroit-lions-notes-deandre-levy-still-out-stafford-back-at-it
Video - AskALion: Glover Quin (9-16-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/AskALion-Glover-Quin/51d1c180-6781-4570-98fb-3bdbb5a6dae3
Video - Quin on the Vikings' offense (9-16-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Quin-on-the-Vikings-offense/99d72e17-2342-490f-99f1-b5ef97c9766d
STATS PACK: Key stats from opening loss (A look at some key numbers from Sunday's defeat at San Diego: 3 - Last year's NFL interception leader Glover Quin picked up right where he left off in 2014. His interception for a touchdown was the first of his career and extended his season-opener interception streak to three in a row - all of his openers with the Lions. 8 - Josh Bynes tied for the team lead in tackles starting in place of DeAndre Levy. Rashean Mathis and Glover Quin also notched eight tackles in the game.) (9-15-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/article-1/STATS-PACK-Key-stats-from-opening-loss/01e61bd2-fc9b-4ca9-9a6e-07492de039b7
Seidel: 2nd-half flameout reminiscent of same old Lions (There was Glover Quin, Mr. Right Place Right Time, plucking the ball out of the air and returning it for a 31-yard touchdown.) (9-14-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/columnists/jeff-seidel/2015/09/14/detroit-lions-san-diego-chargers-jeff-seidel/72240082/
Lions extra points: Overheard, talking points and more (Glover Quin: He contributed to the Lions' big start with the first pick-six of his career, a 32-yarder off Philip Rivers. He also made eight tackles.) (9-14-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/14/detroit-lions-overheard-talking-points/72239012/
Lions postgame: Ameer Abdullah, Glover Quin bright spots in loss to Chargers (Three Stars - Glover Quin -- After racking up six interceptions last season, Quin picked up his first of the year in the best way possible, returning a Philip Rivers pass 31 yards for a touchdown with 12:28 remaining in the second quarter. It was Quin's first pick-6 of his NFL career. He also tied a team high in tackles, with eight. Rashean Mathis, Quin and Josh Bynes each had eight tackles to lead the Lions’ defense.) (9-13-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/lions_postgame.html
Detroit Lions notes: Ameer Abdullah impressive; Glover Quin keeps string alive (Quin loves openers. Safety Glover Quin loves season openers, at least that’s what he said on Wednesday. No wonder. With his interception of Philip Rivers in the second quarter he kept quite a string alive. Quin had interceptions in each of the past three openers for the Lions. On Sunday, added a twist. He not only intercepted Rivers, he took the ball back 31 yards for his first NFL touchdown.) (9-13-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150913/detroit-lions-notes-ameer-abdullah-impressive-glover-quin-keeps-string-alive
Free Press Lions' report card: Poor marks for linebackers, receivers (Defensive backs - C: Glover Quin was the Lions' best defensive player Sunday. He returned a tipped pass for a second-quarter touchdown and made a big third-down stop on Keenan Allen to force a field goal on San Diego's opening drive of the third quarter. Darius Slay picked off a poorly thrown Rivers ball in the end zone just before halftime, while Rashean Mathis had a tough day against Keenan Allen, who caught 15 of the 17 passes thrown his way. James Ihedigbo missed an open-field tackle on Ladarius Green and appeared to be late reacting to San Diego's second touchdown.) (9-13-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/detroit-lions-report-card/72236260/
Detroit News Lions grades: Coaches failed to recalibrate (9-13-15) (Secondary: Chargers receiver Keenan Allen looked like an unstoppable force with 15 catches for 166 yards, and Lions cornerback Rashean Mathis never looked like he had a chance to cover him. Cornerback Darius Slay was OK and had an interception, and free safety Glover Quin was great and had a pick-6. Like Mathis, though, strong safety James Ihedigbo struggled, and the rotating nickel cornerbacks didn't do much to slow Stevie Johnson, who had 82 receiving yards. Grade: D.): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/lions-grades-coaches-failed-recalibrate/72233574/
MLive Detroit Lions Grades: Defense flops, RB Ameer Abdullah shines as team withers in San Diego (DBs: D. The interceptions by Darius Slay and Glover Quin were nice. The free safety, as he did so often last season, found himself in the right place at the right time. He snagged a tipped ball and returned it 31 yards for a touchdown. Slay's pick, on a poorly thrown back-shoulder fade, came in the end zone right before the half. Otherwise, the back end struggled. Rashean Mathis had an awful day. The veteran had no answer for Chargers No. 1 wide out Keenan Allen. He finished with 15 grabs for 166 yards, most of which came against Mathis.) (9-13-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/grading_the_detroit_lions_san_1.html
S.D. 33, Detroit 28: Lions melt in season-opening loss (Aside from Abdullah's touchdown run, the Lions counted on their defense and special teams to build their early lead. Glover Quin returned a Rivers interception off a tipped pass 31 yards to give the Lions a 14-3 lead, and Stafford hit Eric Ebron with an 18-yard touchdown pass four plays after a long return to give the Lions a 21-3 lead. But Danny Woodhead's 9-yard touchdown run cut the Lions' lead to 21-10 just before halftime and the Chargers dominated play in the second half. Ebron led the Lions with four catches for 53 yards.) (9-13-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/detroit-lions-san-diego-chargers/72226862/
Chargers, with 30 straight points, shred Lions defense (The Lions led 21-10 at the break, but the Chargers were actually the superior team statistically, outgaining Detroit 206 yards to 133. But the Lions were incredibly opportunistic as they forced two interceptions, including one Glover Quin returned for a 31-yard touchdown early in the second quarter. Quin led the NFL with seven interceptions last season, but this was his first pick-6. It was the Lions’ first interception return for a touchdown in Week 1 since Dre Bly had one in 2003, and it gave them a 14-3 lead.) (9-13-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/chargers-straight-points-shred-lions-defense/72227852/
Halftime analysis: Detroit Lions' offense looks impressive against Chargers (The Lions' defense has been more of a mixed bag than the offense. It has done a nice job of getting after Phillip Rivers, with two sacks, while Glover Quin added a pick-six and Darius Slay thwarted a potential scoring drive with 7 seconds left before halftime with an interception of his own.) (9-13-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/halftime_analysis_detroit_lion.html
Pat Caputo - 3 thoughts during the first half Lions vs Chargers (Forever, the Lions have not had good play at safety, one of the most underrated positions in the NFL. Not anymore. Glover Quin is a terrific player, a true difference maker who made a difference today with a pick 6. Depth is good there, too.) (9-13-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150913/pat-caputo-3-thoughts-during-the-first-half-lions-vs-chargers
Rivers rallies Chargers to 33-28 victory over Lions (Rivers overcame two interceptions, including a 31-yard return for a touchdown by Glover Quin, to complete 35 of 42 passes for 404 yards and two scores. Rookie Ameer Abdullah scored easily on his second run, a 24-yarder. Quin's interception return on a poor decision by Rivers and Ebron's touchdown catch made it look as if it was going to be a blowout.) (9-13-15): http://sports.yahoo.com/news/rivers-rallies-chargers-33-28-victory-over-lions-231618580--nfl.html
Video - Quin intercepts pass for a 31 yd TD (9-13-15): http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000000529320/Lions-Glover-Quin-intercepts-pass-for-a-31-yard-TD
Glover Quin Blog: I'm expecting big things on Sunday (9-11-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/glover-quin/article-1/Glover-Quin-Blog-Im-expecting-big-things-on-Sunday/0b6eb0e2-4b7c-4983-ad02-fee15eac4c34
Lions' Quin, Carey want to spoil Chargers home opener (9-11-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/11/detroit-lions-san-diego-chargers/72106058/
Key Matchups: Chargers vs. Lions (Ball Security a Must – The Lions boast an incredibly opportunistic defense, as Detroit tied for third last season with 20 interceptions. They were led by ball hawks in the secondary, particularly safety Glover Quin who led the league with seven interceptions, followed closely by fellow safety James Ihedigbo with four picks.) (9-10-15): http://www.chargers.com/news/2015/09/10/key-matchups-chargers-vs-lions
Video - Quin on the Chargers' offense (9-9-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Quin-on-the-Chargers-offense/b67230b3-b710-48f3-b775-cb6bb6ff6935
Five things we learned about the Lions this preseason (A strong secondary will lead the defense - Detroit had one of the league's best defenses last season, but the unit will be much different this year. Without Suh, the Lions' biggest defensive stars now reside in the secondary. Cornerback Rashean Mathis and safety James Ihedigbo are both seasoned veterans; Pro Bowl safety Glover Quin is in his prime and third-year cornerback Darius Slay may be on the verge of a breakout season.) (9-8-15): http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/five-things-we-learned-about-the-lions-this-preseason-090815
A look at the Detroit Lions' 53-man roster (Glover Quin: The Pro Bowl safety is entering his prime and has become the spokesperson for the Detroit defense.) (9-7-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18706/linebacker-is-a-deep-group-on-the-detroit-lions-53-man-roster
Ranking the 25 players most important to the Detroit Lions' 2015 success (No. 8 -- Glover Quin:
Fully healthy, you got a clear understanding why the Lions ponied up to land Quin in free agency a couple years back. A cerebral talent with outstanding instincts, it wasn't an accident he led the NFL in interceptions last year.) (9-6-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/25_most_important_players_to_d.html
Lions' Carey goes deep in Bible studies (9-3-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/03/lions-carey-goes-deep-bible-studies/71671962/
Lions' run defense not great ... but it's preseason ("I think we've done pretty good (overall)," safety Glover Quin said. "We've did a good job stopping the run. Obviously, that's our first and foremost goal is to make sure teams can't just run the ball on us. We've done a good job of keeping teams out the end zone, for the most part, and we just had certain things that we wanted to work on each and every game. And I think we've done a pretty good job of doing that, except for last game." "The quarterback broke out a few times," Quin said. "We understand that we've got to get him down, but, at least I would think, you just don't want the running back just lining up, running downhill at you and overpowering you and breaking off big runs.") (9-2-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/02/detroit-lions-run-defense/71587872/
Detroit Lions update: Glover Quin there to help young safeties (Glover Quin is not sure how much playing time he’ll see in the Lions’ final preseason game on Thursday night. The starting safety is unlikely to see too much time on the field because the Lions need to see guys who may be on the bubble. “Obviously when I was a rookie it’s weird but I got drafted fourth round and I was starting nickel but for some reason I was super nervous going into (the final preseason game). I was like I don’t know what’s going to happen,’’ Quin said. It’s something he has not forgotten. So on Thursday night he’ll be there on the sideline if younger guys need advice. “At this point you want to do as much as you can to help the young guys — keep them calm. Let them go out and play. I don’t know how much I’m going to play – I’ll be locked in for however long I’m out there. When I’m not I’ll definitely be trying to tell the young guys what I see from what the offense is doing, what the quarterback is doing.’’) (9-2-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150902/detroit-lions-update-glover-quin-there-to-help-young-safeties
Calvin Johnson tied with Dez Bryant for top receiver in 2015 NFL Rank (Of the Lions who didn’t make the list – Golden Tate, Glover Quin and Larry Warford were the most surprising omissions.
Quin was a Pro Bowler last year and led the NFL in interceptions, but he also plays a position that can sometimes be overlooked.) (9-1-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18617/calvin-johnson-tied-with-dez-bryant-for-top-receiver-in-2015-nfl-rank
Video - Quin on playing the Bills (9-1-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Quin-on-playing-the-Bills/2375f791-cce4-48e5-bc18-fe5f7cc31d79
Lions-Jaguars PFF Grades: The Stafford-Tate Connection (PFF's Grades - Glover Quin: -1.2, There were a ton of players in the green and red for Friday's game and that's a pretty good representation of how up and down the defense was versus the Jaguars. Backup safeties Abdul-Quddus, Johnson and Suite all had solid performances, while Quin did not. Although Quin didn't look spectacular, I think it's hard to place much blame on him when the linebackers in front of him were blowing plenty of coverages left and right.) (8-30-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/30/9224573/lions-jaguars-pff-grades-matthew-stafford-golden-tate
Detroit Lions snap counts: Starting defense gets a workout against Jacksonville (In the third preseason game, the members of the starting defense not out due to injury got a workout. Despite playing just the first half, linebacker Stephen Tulloch and all four members of the starting secondary worked more than 50 snaps each. Tulloch - 55, Glover Quin - 54, James Ihedigbo - 53, Darius Slay - 51 and Rashean Mathis - 50) (8-29-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/detroit_lions_snap_counts_jack.html
Loss of Suh leaves Lions defense in tough spot (At least solidity at safety can help stabilize the cornerback situation. Mayhew’s underappreciated free-agent signing from two years ago, Glover Quin, continues to pay dividends, spurring much of the versatility that Austin has constructed his scheme around.) (8-28-15): http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2015/08/28/detroit-lions-defense-ndamukong-suh-departure-haloti-ngata-nfl-matthew-stafford
Quin Blog: Jacksonville Good Gauge For Season Opener (8-27-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/glover-quin/article-1/Quin-Blog-Jacksonville-good-gauge-for-season-opener/75a683c9-1814-4eaf-bfe1-e6b3f0aa7d68
Foster: Lions’ Quin caught in trap of religion, sports (8-26-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/columnists/terry-foster/2015/08/26/foster-lions-quin-caught-trap-religion-sports/32409007/
Lions' Tate offers Quin support on 'God' comment (8-25-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/25/glover-quin-jordy-nelson-god/32341683/
Lions' Quin inflames some with talk about God, Nelson (8-25-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/25/detroit-lions-glover-quin-jordy-nelson/32312701/
Lions' Quin disappointed God comments taken (8-25-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/25/lions-quin-disappointed-god-comments-taken-out-of-context/32336077/
A day later, Lions' Glover Quin doesn't back off his thoughts on God and Jordy Nelson (8-25-15): http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/08/lions_glover_quin_offers_no_ap.html
Video - Quin on his comments about Jordy Nelson's injury (8-25-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Quin-on-his-comments-about-Jordy-Nelsons-injury/51c9a0b5-f705-4d8a-9219-2f6a835d7cdd
Glover Quin Faces Social Media Backlash After Saying God Meant For Jordy Nelson To Get Hurt (8-24-15): http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2015/08/24/glover-quin-faces-social-media-backlash-after-saying-god-meant-for-jordy-nelson-to-get-hurt/
Detroit Lions have differing viewpoints on preseason games (There is a tough matchup there, though, because for veterans the preseason isn’t necessarily as important as the regular season. But for young players, it’s crucial. That’s the reason Glover Quin would probably keep it how it is now even though it doesn’t necessarily benefit him as much. “Obviously I would say reduce the preseason games because I personally don’t like a lot of preseason games but I mean, I was once a younger guy and having four preseason games benefitted me,” Quin said. “Now that I’m seven years in, I’ve played a lot of games, four preseason games don’t mean as much. “But it’s not just about the older guys. We’ve got young guys that are fighting for their lives and trying to earn jobs and so giving them more than one opportunity in a game. If you reduce it to two preseason games, one of the preseason games, the starters gotta play probably a lot so a lot of the young guys maybe only have one game to show they can play in this league. “So from that standpoint, I don’t mind the four preseason games.”) (8-24-15): http://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/18474/detroit-lions-have-differing-viewpoints-on-preseason-games
Glover Quin: Don’t blame the preseason, God meant for Jordy Nelson to get hurt (8-24-15): http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/08/24/glover-quin-dont-blame-the-preseason-god-meant-for-jordy-nelson-to-get-hurt/
Video - Quin on the Jordy Nelson injury (8-24-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Quin-on-the-Jordy-Nelson-injury/11b2c0d2-7aee-4b7f-808c-815b3cf31fa2
Lions' Quin hopes offenses don't avoid him (8-16-15): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/16/detroit-lions-glover-quin/31819695/
Jim Caldwell's quotes from Saturday (On CB Josh Wilson: "He's been around and played a lot of football. He's seen a lot of different things throughout his career, but he also has a great way about himself because he relates to guys very, very well. You can see the camaraderie, but they also kind of look to him for some direction and advice. Now, that mixes in with some guys. He's in there with some great leaders, not good leaders, not average leaders, some great leaders in (Glover) Quin, and Dig (James Ihedigbo) and obviously, (Rashean) Mathis. I mean, those guys have been around the block a little bit and are excellent at what they do, but he's just kind of part of that whole group.") (8-16-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/16/9160265/lions-training-camp-quotes-jim-caldwell-saturday
Blog: Glover Quin reflects back on first preseason game (8-11-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/news/glover-quin/article-1/Blog-Glover-Quin-reflects-back-on-first-preseason-game/b1c32e40-c10f-4d63-adda-b130fb65d444
Video - Quin on the first preseason game (8-11-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Quin-on-the-first-preseason-game/99bc1f1d-a83f-47a2-b4bf-f01026bef323
Detroit News Camp observations: Ngata makes progress with hamstring (The quarterbacks did some work on running, and Matthew Stafford had a nice run during a red-zone play, beating defensive end Darryl Tapp to the edge. However, Stafford’s run from the 12 would’ve been short of the end zone as safety Glover Quin forced him out of bounds.)
(8-10-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/10/camp-observations-ngata-makes-progress-hamstring/31416513/
Jim Caldwell's quotes from Day 6 of training camp (On how much he expects teams to adjust to S Glover Quin: "It's pretty difficult unless we're in a scheme where he's on one half of the field to throw away from him and maybe that's one way. But, you can't tell when we're going to be there for the most part. We change it up enough quite a bit and hopefully where he plays he's got enough freedom to roam a little bit. He had a great year last year. We anticipate that he's going to have an equally great year this year because he is one of those guys. In every single thing that we do he's absolutely trying to get better. From our meetings you can see that he wants to be out in front. Does a great job of leadership, but then also even in our walk-throughs he's as intense in our walk-throughs as anybody that we have. So, when you have that kind of intensity along with that kind of talent, along with the approach that he has to the game, the sky's the limit for him.")(8-8-15): http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/8/8/9120797/lions-training-camp-quotes-jim-caldwell-day-6
Detroit Lions — Glover Quin’s intensity is non-stop (8-8-15): http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20150808/detroit-lions-x2014-glover-quins-intensity-is-non-stop
Video - Ihedigbo on his relationship with Quin (8-8-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Ihedigbo-on-his-relationship-with-Quin/49dc0718-a8ee-4726-bbb3-a566929c17cc
Detroit News Camp observations: Williams pleased with progress at RT (The Lions defense had an excellent showing, especially at the end of practice. The first- through third-team offenses each had two hurry-up drives, and the defense didn’t allow a single score on the six possessions. On the first first-team drive, James Ihedigbo and Glover Quin each nearly had an interception off Matthew Stafford.) (8-7-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/07/camp-observations-williams-pleased-progress-rt/31326693
Video - Quin on the defense (8-7-15): http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Quin-on-the-defense/a6ab970d-c608-420f-b4d1-9d06e23d02a3
Detroit News Camp observations: For Lions, pads ratchet up intensity (The running backs took several hard hits, and undrafted rookie Zach Zenner seemed to be on the receiving end the most. On one play, linebacker Stephen Tulloch hit Zenner to a knee, and after he kept running, safety Glover Quin popped him hard, too. Defensive tackle Roy Philon and linebacker Tahir Whitehead hit Zenner hard, too. “He ain’t do nothing but put the pads on,” Whitehead said of Zenner being on the receiving end of the hits.)(8-5-15): http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/08/06/camp-observations-lions-pads-ratchet-intensity/31201307/
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