Morning Lions Links for Sunday 9-13-15

Happy First Lions Game Day!!!:

Lions Articles:

National Media:

Five matchups that will define NFL Week 1 (Detroit Lions WRs Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate vs. San Diego Chargers CBs Brandon Flowers and Jason Verrett: Johnson's size coupled with Tate's ability to run after the catch make the Lions' receiving tandem one of the league's most formidable. But the Chargers might be one of the few teams equipped to take them on. San Diego's fourth-ranked passing defense returns Flowers and safety Eric Weddle, both among the best at their respective positions. The key to Sunday, however, could be having Verrett, last year's first-round draft pick, fully healthy. The 5-9 cornerback looked like an early standout as a rookie before he tore his labrum in Week 6 and was lost for the season. A strong training camp heightened expectations for Verrett, and the Lions receiving corps could be a good early test. But for Verrett, who drew rave reviews from scouts in college for his performance against former LSU and current New York Giants standout Odell Beckham Jr., confidence shouldn't be a problem. "Now you know that if he can go toe-to-toe with Beckham in college, he can go toe-to-toe with anybody," Jeremiah said.):   http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2015/09/12/week-1-matchups-steve-smith-aqib-talib/72068938/

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.):   https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/09/12/7-teams-that-can-win-the-super-bowl/

Local Media:

Suspended, dealt, doubted, Lions' Ngata fired up again:   http://www.freep.com/longform/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/12/detroit-lions-haloti-ngata/72186136/

Lions' opponent: Chargers' Rivers has live arm, active jaw:   http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/detroit-lions-san-diego-chargers-philip-rivers/72188586/

Lions vs. Chargers: Scouting report, prediction:   http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/12/detroit-lions-san-diego-chargers-preview/72181444/

The other side: Chargers deal with Gates, Gordon, moving:   http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/13/detroit-lions-san-diego-chargers/72195956/

Chargers quarterback Rivers an intense competitor:   http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/12/chargers-quarterback-rivers-intense-competitor/72190948/

Lions plot to put brakes on Chargers return-man Jones:   http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/2015/09/12/lions-plot-put-brakes-chargers-return-man-jones/72164206/

Ask Kyle: On how much Ameer Abdullah, Zach Zenner will play for Lions:   http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2015/09/ask_kyle_on_how_much_ameer_abd.html

Articles from Opposing Team's Media:

Chargers focused on making Matthew Stafford uncomfortable:   http://espn.go.com/blog/san-diego-chargers/post/_/id/12604/chargers-focused-on-making-mathew-stafford-uncomfortable

Chargers healthier than Detroit entering Week 1 matchup:   http://espn.go.com/blog/san-diego-chargers/post/_/id/12599/chargers-healthier-than-the-lions-heading-into-sundays-matchup

Caldwell has steadied Lions, Stafford:   http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/sep/12/ansah-megatron-jim-caldwell-lions/

This Chargers defense may be Pagano's best:   http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/sep/12/chargers-john-pagano-defense-lions/

'Second to none': The football mind of Philip Rivers:   http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/sep/12/chargers-philip-rivers-football-mind/

Who To Watch For: Lions vs. Chargers:   http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/sports/Who-To-Watch-For-Lions-vs-Chargers-327154481.html

Previews and Predictions:

Week 1 Previews and Predictions:   http://captainbluelionslinks.blogspot.com/2015/09/week-1-previews-and-predictions.html

Video:

National Media:

Quarterback with the most touchdowns in Week 1? (One guy picks Stafford):   http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000000528548/Quarterback-with-the-most-touchdowns-in-Week-1

Local Media:

Rod Beard and Josh Katzenstein preview Lions-Chargers game:   http://www.detroitnews.com/videos/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/12/72186958/

What's going to be the Lions record this year?:   http://www.detroitnews.com/videos/sports/nfl/lions/2015/09/12/72189948/