Morning Lions Links for Thursday 9-26-19

Articles:

NOTEBOOK: Lions preparing for the Chiefs' speedy offense:  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/notebook-lions-preparing-for-the-chiefs-speedy-offense-diggs-slay

Mike Daniels, Danny Amendola miss Lions practice; Darius Slay limited:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2019/09/mike-daniels-danny-amendola-miss-lions-practice-darius-slay-limited.html

Oddsmakers have Detroit Lions as 7-point underdogs for Week 4 home game vs. Chiefs:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2019/09/oddsmakers-have-detroit-lions-as-7-point-underdogs-for-week-4-home-game-vs-chiefs.html

Fun fact: Andy Reid’s wife is distant cousins with Lions offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2019/09/fun-fact-andy-reids-wife-is-distant-cousins-with-lions-offensive-coordinator-darrell-bevell.html

Lions won't admit it, but game against Chiefs will say plenty:  https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/09/25/detroit-lions-football-kansas-city-chiefs-statement/2444950001/

Mahomes' throws bring back memories of young Stafford:  https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/09/25/detroit-lions-matthew-stafford-patrick-mahomes/2444694001/

'Huge target' Kelce to test Lions' defense, which has been stout vs. TEs:  https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/09/25/huge-target-travis-kelce-test-detroit-lions-defense/2438627001/

Lions to get first look at 'magical' Patrick Mahomes when Chiefs visit:  https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/09/25/detroit-lions-get-first-look-magical-patrick-mahomes-sunday-kansas-city-chiefs/2439185001/

Detroit Lions analysis: Hockenson reminded he's a rookie:  https://www.clickondetroit.com/sports/detroit-lions-analysis-hockenson-reminded-hes-a-rookie

Trench trends: Inside Barrett's breakout, no-sack Denver and a porous Carolina line (Trey Flowers' pass-rush lacking in Detroit:  PRWR was not a fan of Flowers last season in New England, and it isn't buying him in Detroit this season. His PRWR is a very unimpressive 10%, tied for eighth-worst among qualifying edge rushers.  However, it might be more complicated than that. Flowers is being double-teamed 26% of the time, 11th-most among edge rushers, and is on the team that has blitzed the least in the NFL. His low PRWR might be partially a function of both those factors, rather than just a subpar performance on his part.):  https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/27690951/trench-trends-barrett-breakout-no-sack-denver-porous-carolina-line

Biggest surprises and disappointments in the NFL through Week 3 (Disappointments - Edge Trey Flowers, Detroit Lions
The Lions paid big money for Flowers, but so far they aren’t getting the Trey Flowers we saw in New England. He had just one season with the Patriots where he missed more than three tackles, but he recorded three just on Sunday alone. His work against the run has regressed, with his PFF run-defense grade dropping from 88.5 in 2018 to 70.9 so far this season. And as a pass-rusher, he is on pace for five sacks, 10 hits and 42 hurries, all numbers that would be lower than what he produced a year ago.):  https://www.pff.com/news/pro-biggest-surprises-and-disappointments-in-the-nfl-through-week-3

NFL Week 4 PFF Preview: Players to watch, fantasy football advice and betting projections (Kansas City Chiefs @ Detroit Lions:  NFL Players to Watch - Marvin Jones Jr. earned a game-high 90.0 overall grade across 50 offensive snaps against Philly in Week 3, catching six passes from nine targets for 101 yards, four first downs and a touchdown in the process. The 29-year old veteran now ranks 10th in receiving grade (79.8) with five contested catches from six contested-catch opportunities and seven receptions of 15-plus yards.  Contributing to Jones’ success this season has been the play of veteran signal-caller Matthew Stafford. Now in his 11th NFL season, Stafford has improved his passing grade each week to start the season and logged a 77.1 passing grade against the Eagles’ defense on Sunday. Among the 36 quarterbacks with at least 30 clean-pocket dropbacks this season, Stafford ranks fifth in passing grade (84.2) and tied for fifth in yards per attempt (9.1).  With another strong outing against the Ravens on Sunday, Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes ranks fourth in the NFL in passing grade (83.2), with an NFL-high 11 big-time throws and just three turnover-worthy plays. Mahomes ranks first in yards per attempt (10.5) and tied for seventh in adjusted completion percentage (78.7%). He also leads the NFL with 526 passing yards and seven touchdowns on passes of 20-plus air yards; no other quarterback has more than 343 passing yards or five touchdowns on such throws.  Fantasy Football Preview - T.J. Hockenson put himself on the map in Week 1 with an explosive, 131-yard performance. Apparently that map location was the Bermuda Triangle, though, given that he’s totaled eight yards in two games since. There are brighter days ahead for the Lions’ first-rounder, but it’s possible his big Week 1 was more about his opponent (Arizona) than his own immediate dominance. Greenline Preview - The total continues to hold between 53.5 and 54 with market consensus falling in line with the opening price. The spread has fluctuated between 7 with added juice and 6.5 with the Chiefs slotting in as touchdown favorites on the road. Greenline likes a certain side of this spread, making it one of our favorite plays of the week.):  https://www.pff.com/news/pro-nfl-week-4-pff-preview-players-to-watch-fantasy-football-advice-and-betting-projections

Gil Brandt: Which undefeated teams are shakiest? (Too good to be true - 8. Lions:  I really like what general manager Bob Quinn and head coach Dan Patricia have assembled in their second season together. This year's roster is more in line with Patricia's wavelength, and the talent is better suited for the defensive system he wants to run, than in his first year on the job in 2018. Credit should be given to the Lions for beating the Chargers and Eagles, two playoff participants last season. Matthew Stafford, meanwhile, is playing great thus far, improving in yards per attempt (7.8, up from 6.8 in 2018) and passer rating (97.5, up from 89.9). And yet, their point differential (plus-6) is easily the lowest among the undefeated teams. The NFC North is incredibly competitive, and it will be tough to make the playoffs while scrapping with Green Bay, Chicago and Minnesota on a regular basis. Also, the Lions have a real history of crashing and burning that they must contend with. Personally, I believe this roster is capable of bucking that historical trend, but we won't know for sure until we see them do it. We should get a better idea of this team over the next three games, against the Chiefs, Packers and Vikings.):  http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001058869/article/confidence-rankings-for-undefeated-patriots-solid-49ers-shaky

Ranking all the NFL's backup quarterbacks (27. Detroit Lions: Maybe it's David Blough. Maybe it's Jeff Driskel. Shrug.):  https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2019/09/25/nfl-backup-qb-rankings-teams-jets-cowboys-giants/2360551001/

NFL playoff chances for all 32 teams entering Week 4 (13. Lions - Playoff percentage: 38.3%.  Change: UP 7.4%.  Next game: vs. Chiefs.  Super Bowl chances: 1.2%):  https://ftw.usatoday.com/gallery/nfl-playoff-picture-chances-entering-week-4

2020 Draft:

PFF Rankings: Highest-graded quarterbacks in college football through Week 4:  https://www.pff.com/news/college-pff-rankings-highest-graded-quarterbacks-in-college-football-through-week-4

College Football Week 4: Highest-graded secondaries:  https://www.pff.com/news/college-fotball-week-4-highest-graded-secondaries

NFL DRAFT PROSPECT SHOWDOWN: WEEK 5:   https://www.rotoworld.com/article/prospect-vs-prospect/nfl-draft-prospect-showdown-week-5

NFL Draft Mailbag: Tony Pauline on Jerry Jeudy, Sam Ehlinger, and more:  https://www.profootballnetwork.com/tony-pauline-nfl-draft-mailbag-september-25/

Meet Kyle Dugger, Lenoir-Rhyne's stud NFL prospect:  https://draftwire.usatoday.com/2019/09/25/2020-nfl-draft-prospect-kyler-dugger-interview/

Film breakdown: Herbert vs. Stanford:  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/justin-herbert-nfl-draft-scouting-report-analyzing-the-stanford-tape-to-see-what-went-well-and-what-needs-work/

Video:

Patricia on facing Chiefs:  https://www.detroitlions.com/video/patricia-on-facing-chiefs

Stafford on Kansas City game plan:  https://www.detroitlions.com/video/stafford-on-kansas-city-game-plan

Diggs on facing Mahomes:  https://www.detroitlions.com/video/diggs-on-facing-mahomes

Debate: We'll see who the real Lions team is vs. Chiefs:  https://www.freep.com/videos/sports/nfl/lions/2019/09/25/detroit-lions-game-chiefs/2442672001/

Hanzus: One team Lions must beat to show they're for real:  http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000001058880/Hanzus-One-team-Lions-must-beat-to-show-they-re-for-real

Mike Garafolo: Detriot Lions players starting to understand the 'madness to (Matt Patricia's) methods:  http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-now/0ap3000001058393/Garafolo-Lions-players-starting-to-understand-the-madness-to-Patricia-s-methods

'NFL Total Access' crew reveals top Week 4 upset picks (The Chiefs ate picked as one):  http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000001059013/NFL-Total-Access-crew-reveals-top-Week-4-upset-picks

Miller goes one-on-one with Nick Bawden:  https://www.fox2detroit.com/video/608848