Morning Lions Links for Thursday 10-17-19

Articles:

NOTEBOOK: Hockenson working to improve in rookie season:  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/notebook-hockenson-working-to-improve-in-rookie-season

Lions vs. Vikings practice report: Oct. 16:  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-vs-vikings-practice-report-oct-16

Week 7 opponent: What the Vikings are saying:  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/week-7-opponent-what-the-vikings-are-saying

Lions’ Justin Coleman is playing like one of the best corners in the NFL:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2019/10/new-lions-cb-justin-coleman-is-playing-really-bleeping-well.html

11 weeks later, Da’Shawn Hand still day to day on Lions’ beat up defensive line:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2019/10/11-weeks-later-lions-dashawn-hand-still-day-to-day-with-elbow-injury.html

Lions OT Rick Wagner battling knee injury heading into game against that mighty Vikings defense:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2019/10/mike-daniels-out-again-for-lions-rick-wagner-quandre-diggs-limited.html

Lions TE T.J. Hockenson not ready to rule out hurdles, moving on from red-zone drops:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2019/10/lions-te-tj-hockenson-not-ready-to-rule-out-hurdles-moving-on-from-red-zone-drops.html

Lions’ Trey Flowers takes exception with David Bakhtiari’s explanation of throat punching:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2019/10/trey-flowers-is-cool-as-ever-but-disputes-packers-explanation.html

Detroit Lions considered 1-point underdogs for home tilt with Minnesota Vikings:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2019/10/detroit-lions-considered-1-point-underdogs-for-home-tilt-with-minnesota-vikings.html

Lions focus after tough loss: 'On to Minnesota':  https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/10/16/detroit-lions-refocused-minnesota-vikings/4000520002/

Wojo: Yes, Lions got shafted, now do something about it:  https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/10/15/yes-detroit-lions-got-shafted-now-do-something/3984235002/

Short practice week could affect returns of Lions' Hand, Bryant:  https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/10/16/short-practice-week-could-affect-returns-lions-dashawn-hand-austin-bryant/4000191002/

For Lions' Don Muhlbach, climb up all-time games list has been a snap:  https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/10/16/detroit-lions-don-muhlbach-climb-up-all-time-games-list-has-been-snap/4003632002/

Austin Bryant eligible to return to practice but won't begin at this time:  https://lionswire.usatoday.com/2019/10/16/austin-bryant-eligible-to-return-to-practice-but-wont-begin-this-week/

Patricia says Lions 'turning the page':  https://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/patricia-says-lions-turning-the-page-101519

NFL Week 7 PFF Preview: Players to watch, fantasy football advice and betting projections (Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions:  Players to Watch - Kirk Cousins had himself a day in Week 6. He earned a spot on PFF’s Week 6 Team of the Week with his 93.0 passing grade and six big-time throws against the Eagles’ defense on Sunday. He finally pushed the ball downfield with success, His 14.1 ADOT in the Week 6 is the highest single-game average for him so far this year.  Despite entering Week 7 at just 2-2-1, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has had a strong start to the season. He has earned 70.0-plus overall grades in each of the team’s past five games and finished Week 6 as the NFL’s 11th-ranked quarterback in passing grade (74.7).  Fantasy Football Preview - Both the Vikings’ losses so far have come against teams with a PFF coverage grade over 75.0, and Kirk Cousins has a 73.4 passer rating in those games. Their four wins have all been against teams with a sub-61.0 coverage grade, and Cousins’ passer rating is 135.8 in those bouts. The Lions’ coverage grade? 76.9. It’s just one data point, but it’s an anti-Cousins one.  Greenline Preview - After opening as a pick ’em spread, this line has been on the move after the Lions’ controversial defeat on Monday night. The Vikings appear to have righted the ship and have an equal run/pass split in 2019. With Detroit continuing to settle for field goals, Greenline offers a certain lean but has to be monitored to see if a price becomes available to beat the vig in this divisional matchup.):   https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-week-7-pff-players-to-watch-predictions-betting-projections

NFL offense rankings through Week 6 (12. DETROIT LIONS: We have seen the Lions’ offense take a complete 180 from 2018 in regards to their entire passing attack. Last year, Matt Stafford ranked last in average depth of target at 7.1. In 2019, Stafford currently has the highest average depth of target at 11.9 (second is at 11.2). Consequently, Detroit went from 20th in EPA per pass play in 2018 to eighth so far in 2019. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, the deep ball pays dividends – especially when you have two of the top 20 wide receivers in PFF grade (Marvin Jones Jr. at 20th and Kenny Golladay at 8th).):   https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-offense-rankings-week-6-2019

Darnold shakes up QB rankings (4. Stafford:  The Lions lost to the Packers, but Stafford continues to impress under Darrell Bevell. What's notable is how often Stafford is throwing the ball deep downfield as opposed to years past, when Jim Bob Cooter turned Stafford into quick-release, short-pass quarterback, which negated his strength (his God-given arm talent). Stafford threw for 265 yards against the Packers and should've been credited with a touchdown that T.J. Hockenson couldn't secure as his body hit the turf. If not for an absolute officiating meltdown, Stafford would've walked off the field as a winner. Stafford's 8.0 yards per attempt remains a career-high and his interception rate (1.2%) remains a career-low, not including his injury shortened 2010 season. Last week: 4): https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-week-7-qb-power-rankings-darnolds-triumphant-return-shakes-up-leaderboard-mahomes-falls-from-his-perch/

Goodell: pass interference reviews are working as expected:  https://www.wxyz.com/sports/goodell-pass-interference-reviews-are-working-as-expected

Week 7 Power Rankings:  https://captainbluelionslinks.blogspot.com/2019/10/week-7-power-rankings.html

2020 Draft:

College Football Week 7: 2020 NFL Draft Scouting Notes:  https://www.pff.com/news/draft-college-football-week-7-2020-nfl-draft-scouting-notes

NFL DRAFT PROSPECT SHOWDOWN: WEEK 8:  https://www.rotoworld.com/article/prospect-vs-prospect/nfl-draft-prospect-showdown-week-8

2020 NFL draft: Stock watch for top QB prospects:  https://draftwire.usatoday.com/2019/10/16/2020-nfl-draft-qb-stock-watch-tua-tagovailoa-justin-herbert-joe-burrow/

2020 NFL Draft Stock - Week 7 (10-16-19):  http://walterfootball.com/draft2020stock_07.php

NFL Draft Mailbag: Tony Pauline on LSU Tigers QB Joe Burrow and more:  https://www.profootballnetwork.com/nfl-draft-mailbag-tony-pauline-lsu-joe-burrow/

Video:

Stafford on mindset entering Vikings game:  https://www.detroitlions.com/video/stafford-on-mindset-entering-vikings-game

Hockenson on facing tough Minnesota defense:   https://www.detroitlions.com/video/hockenson-on-facing-tough-minnesota-defense

Flowers on moving on to the Vikings: https://www.detroitlions.com/video/flowers-on-moving-on-to-the-vikings

Coleman on matching up with Vikings receivers:  https://www.detroitlions.com/video/coleman-on-matching-up-with-vikings-receivers

Muhlbach on joining the top 100 in games played:  https://www.detroitlions.com/video/muhlbach-on-joining-the-top-100-in-games-played

Sights and Sounds: Week 6 vs Green Bay:  https://www.detroitlions.com/video/sights-and-sounds-week-6-vs-green-bay

Which NFC teams have must-win games in Week 7?:  http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000001066437/Which-NFC-teams-have-must-win-games-in-Week-7