Morning Lions Links for Tuesday 10-1-19

Articles:

KEY QUESTIONS: What does Patricia hope to accomplish over bye week?:  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/key-questions-what-does-patricia-hope-to-accomplish-over-bye-week

Lions sign free agent DE Jonathan Wynn to practice squad:  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-sign-free-agent-de-jonathan-wynn-to-practice-squad

TIM AND MIKE: Week 4 observations:  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/tim-and-mike-week-4-observations-x6981

After appearing to lose consciousness on field, Lions’ T.J. Hockenson in concussion protocol:   https://www.mlive.com/lions/2019/09/after-appearing-to-lose-consciousness-on-field-lions-tj-hockenson-in-concussion-protocol.html

3 things we learned: Lions RB Kerryon Johnson is back on track:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2019/09/3-things-we-learned-lions-rb-kerryon-johnson-is-back-on-track.html

Matt Patricia explains why he didn’t challenge for PI on Kerryon Johnson play:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2019/09/matt-patricia-explains-why-he-didnt-challenge-pass-interference-on-kerryon-johnson-play.html

Kenny Golladay on connection with Matthew Stafford after 2 TD game: ‘The sky is the limit’:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2019/09/kenny-golladay-on-connection-with-matthew-stafford-after-2-td-game-the-sky-is-the-limit.html

NFC North Sunday recap: Packers keep top spot, Lions drop to third:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2019/09/nfc-north-sunday-recap-packers-keep-top-spot-lions-drop-to-third.html

Why Lions' bye week might not be helpful for Matthew Stafford:  https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/09/30/detroit-lions-matthew-stafford-football-bye-week/3824291002/

Lions' loss vs. Chiefs shouldn't change your expectations for 2019:  https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/09/30/detroit-lions-2019-expectations/3821707002/

Bye week 'helpful' for banged-up Matthew Stafford, Lions:  https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/09/30/bye-week-helpful-banged-up-matthew-stafford-detroit-lions/3825068002/

Timeout strategy for Lions' Matt Patricia had mixed results:  https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/09/30/timeout-strategy-lions-matt-patricia-had-mixed-results/3825004002/

Hitchens' stop on Lions' Johnson draws flashback to 2015 playoff loss:  https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/09/30/anthony-hitchens-stop-lions-kerryon-johnson-similar-one-2015-playoffs/3825017002/

Pat Caputo - Effort, despite loss, could be sign Lions pulling together:  https://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/pat-caputo---effort-despite-loss-could-be-sign/article_58e98232-e2f9-11e9-8e9c-27baf08db927.html

Detroit Lions: Jarrad Davis’ 5 thoughts on defensive play in first 4 games:  https://lionslowdown.com/2019/09/30/detroit-lions-jarrad-davis-5-thoughts-on-defensive-play-in-first-4-games/

Detroit Lions let game against Kansas City Chiefs slip away:  https://www.clickondetroit.com/sports/detroit-lions-let-game-against-kansas-city-chiefs-slip-away

Lions fell short, but can take plenty of positives from loss:  https://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/lions-fell-short-but-can-take-plenty-of-positives-from-loss-093019

Ex-Lions CB Teez Tabor signs with 49ers practice squad:  https://lionswire.usatoday.com/2019/09/30/ex-lions-cb-teez-tabor-signs-with-49ers-practice-squad/

PFF's NFL Team of the Week: 2019 NFL Week 4 (RG: Graham Glasgow, Detroit Lions:  The Lions came dangerously close to pulling the upset over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, and right guard Graham Glasgow had another huge performance in the process. He produced an 88.0 PFF run-blocking grade in the game, the second time in four games that he has produced a run-blocking grade at 88.0 or higher.  ST: Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Detroit Lions:  Reeves-Maybin saw 19 snaps on special teams on Sunday, seeing time on the kick return, kick coverage, punt return and punt coverage units. He finished the game with three tackles and a forced fumble.):   https://www.pff.com/news/pro-pffs-nfl-team-of-the-week-2019-nfl-week-4

What to care/not care about from Week 4: Cowboys, Dak Prescott hit a sudden speed bump (Time to put some respect on the Lions’ name:  The Lions were a favorite punching bag in the offseason. Hell, they were a popular target even dating back to last season.  We all laughed at their constant insistence that they wanted to be a run-first team. Few gave Matt Patricia much respect as the head figure of this organization. Matthew Stafford was left for dead as a fantasy quarterback, frequently going off the board with the dregs of the position. Not much respect was paid to their defense, a unit that had added new faces.  Through four games, the Lions aren’t exactly smashing, but they finally endured their first loss after getting dropped at home by the Chiefs. It was a brutal late-game loss and that “1” in the tie column is still a dark mark after choking away a win in Week 1 against Arizona. However, this version of the Lions looks like a perfectly capable team.  Stafford has the passing attack in Detroit looking like a fun, vertically driven unit. Perhaps the Lions want to be built around the running game but this aerial assault is deadly when they can push the ball downfield.  The defense in Detroit has been a unit to attack in years past but of all the new realities surrounding this team here in 2019, this is the most crucial. Detroit isn’t an elite stop unit but they’ve been more than pulling their weight. Coming into the weekend, they were ranked 10th in both run and pass defense by Football Outsiders. Here in Week 4, they held Patrick Mahomes without a passing score and under a 60 percent completion rate. Several new additions like Trey Flowers and Justin Coleman have shown to be near-finishing-type pieces for this underrated Patricia-led group. Coleman had a fabulous Week 4, breaking up a pair of potential Sammy Watkins touchdowns.  The Lions aren’t one of the best teams in the NFL but they are far from the cellar. Right now, this is one of at least 25 teams in the league that could finish anywhere between 6-10 and 10-6. At least for me, that’s a big adjustment. It’s time to respect the Lions and adjust your expectations.):  https://sports.yahoo.com/what-to-carenot-care-about-from-week-4-cowboys-dak-prescott-hit-a-sudden-speed-bump-040603767.html

MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK (Maybe I’m alone here, but I think the Lions’ loss to the Chiefs might be just as encouraging regarding where Matt Patricia’s program is as last week’s win over the Eagles was. They fought through a mess of turnovers, they made things hard on Patrick Mahomes, they ran the ball (186 yards on 35 carries), and they got a very efficient game out of Matthew Stafford. The Lions are going to be a pain for other teams to deal with.):  https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/09/30/browns-ravens-bucs-rams-jaguars-panthers-nfl-london-week-4

$.10 After NFL Week 4 ($.01--Entering the weekend there were eight undefeated teams. Two of those squared off at Ford Field in Detroit in a thoroughly enjoyable back-and-forth contest between the Lions and the visiting Kansas City Chiefs. Most people thought the Lions had no real business being listed with the unbeatens. A Week 1 tie to the lowly (and still winless) Cardinals after blowing a 16-point 4th-quarter lead brought out the nonbelievers. After beating the Chargers and Eagles in successive weeks, this Chiefs visit was the litmus test to see if Detroit was good, or if they were getting lucky.  To quote the great band Coheed and Cambria, All nonbelievers stand beside and fear.  A new day’s marching through the door. The Lions gave the mighty Chiefs everything they could handle. Missing their best defensive player, CB Darius Slay, the Lions held MVP Patrick Mahomes without a passing TD for the first time since he took over as the Kansas City starter. Detroit forced four turnovers and forced Mahomes into several bad throws. On offense, the Lions crushed their previous season highs with 29 first downs, 186 rushing yards (125 from Kerryon Johnson) and over 33 minutes of possession time.  Detroit played a great game...and it still wasn’t enough. To continue Coheed’s The Running Free,   How could you ever think you'd make it here?  The fifth lead change of the second half was the last one, and it gave the Chiefs the 34-30 win with under 30 seconds to go. It was the kind of game challenge the Chiefs needed to validate their own lofty status in the eyes of some, and Andy Reid’s team passed the test. Facing adversity on the road against a quality opponent, the Chiefs still had enough of a combination of talent and grit to eke out an impressive win in a game that definitely had a playoff atmosphere.):  https://football.realgm.com/analysis/3187/$10-After-NFL-Week-4

9 things we learned from Sunday of Week 4 of the NFL season (4. The Lions had a great game plan for Patrick Mahomes -– and still lost:  The Kansas City quarterback came in with a chance to set an NFL record by throwing for at least two touchdowns. He didn’t make it and his streak stalled at 14 games. For only the fourth time in his career, Mahomes went through a game without throwing a touchdown pass. Yet, the Chiefs still defeated the Lions, 34-30. Give Detroit credit for limiting Mahomes – as much as Mahomes can be limited. He completed 24 of 42 passes for 315 yards. But Mahomes came through when it mattered most. At the end of the game, he led the Chiefs on a 79-yard drive that ended with Darrel Williams scoring on a 1-yard run. On that drive, Mahomes completed six of nine passes for 55 yards and also had a crucial 15-yard run. He still is the leading candidate for Most Valuable Player award.):  https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/2019/09/29/9-things-we-learned-from-sunday-of-week-4-of-the-nfl-season/5/

32 things we learned from Week 4 of NFL season (7. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes failed to throw a TD pass for only the third time in his career, just the second since the start of his 2018 MVP season.  7a. Mahomes' "failure" occurred in Detroit, his first NFL start in a dome.  7b. However, while pulling a win out of the fire against the upstart Lions, Mahomes threw for 315 yards, officially putting him on pace to become the league's first 6,000-yard passer.  7c. And Kansas City still scored 34 points, the club's record 25th consecutive game with at least 25.  8. Kudos to the Lions and second-year coach Matt Patricia, who are six points away from being 4-0 instead of 2-1-1. If Patricia looked overmatched and autocratic in 2018, he's now starting to look like the rare coach who can thrive after being plucked from the Bill Belichick tree.  9. Told y'all a few weeks ago the NFC North was the NFL's best division. Always fun to crow a little bit ... even with some unexpected help from Detroit. No NFC North member has a losing record, the only division that still has such a claim):  https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2019/09/29/nfl-week-4-32-things-we-learned-2019/3813399002/

Making sense of the NFC: Bears, Panthers among teams surviving chaos (NFC North:  The margin for error is perilously thin in the league's best defensive division. If being able to win any style of game is a prerequisite to success in today's NFL, it's fair to doubt whether the Bears or Vikings have that gear. What's clear after Chicago's 16-6 victory over Minnesota on Sunday is that there's still no defense like the Bears' defense. Vikings coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman have carefully built their defense over the years with homegrown products, contract extensions and incredible continuity. But they still don't play with the cohesion, explosion or ferocity of the Bears' group, even when facing a backup quarterback like Chicago's Chase Daniel. The Vikings are already 0-2 in the division, a significant hole to climb from.  It probably doesn't speak well for quarterback Mitchell Trubisky that his expected absence against the Raiders in London in Week 5 doesn't feel like a killer for the Bears, especially because there are no current plans for surgery. If the Bears can win another defensive game at Tottenham, they'll hit the Week 6 bye at 4-1. Before the season started, this looked like a division that would produce two playoff teams, and that remains true after four weeks. The surprise here is that the 2-1-1 Lions should also be in that mix. They've already faced the tougher part of their non-conference schedule (Kansas City and Los Angeles), with Sunday's 34-30 loss to the Chiefs serving as proof that they can compete with anyone.):  http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001060828/article/sorting-out-nfc-after-september-chaos-bears-up-falcons-down

2020 Draft:

NFL Draft Risers and Sliders: Jalen Hurts and Chazz Surratt leads Week 5 list:  https://www.profootballnetwork.com/nfl-draft-risers-and-sliders-week-5/

College Football Week 5: Eckrich Big Ten Team of the Week:  https://www.pff.com/news/college-football-week-5-eckrich-big-ten-team-of-the-week

College Football Week 5: Eckrich Big 12 Team of the Week:  https://www.pff.com/news/college-football-week-5-eckrich-big-12-team-of-the-week

College Football Week 5: Eckrich SEC Team of the Week:  https://www.pff.com/news/college-football-week-5-eckrich-sec-team-of-the-week

College Football Week 5: Eckrich Pac-12 Team of the Week:  https://www.pff.com/news/college-football-week-5-eckrich-pac-12-team-of-the-week

NFL draft winners and losers: Lock Ohio State's Chase Young into top five – 'He’s better than [Nick] Bosa':  https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-draft-winners-and-losers-you-can-lock-os-us-chase-young-into-the-top-five-174051520.html

2020 NFL Draft QB Stock Watch: Jalen Hurts continues to impress, working his way up draft boards:  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/2020-nfl-draft-qb-stock-watch-jalen-hurts-continues-to-impress-working-his-way-up-draft-boards/amp/

College Football Week 5 Gameday MVP: WR Devonta Smith, Alabama:  https://www.pff.com/news/college-football-week-5-gameday-mvp-wr-devonta-smith-alabama

Video:

Patricia on how injuries affected team on Sunday:  https://www.detroitlions.com/video/patricia-on-how-injuries-affected-team-on-sunday

Davis on improving over bye week:  https://www.detroitlions.com/video/davis-on-improving-over-bye-week

Wilson on giving the offense good opportunities:  https://www.detroitlions.com/video/wilson-on-giving-the-offense-good-opportunities

3 and Out with Chris Spielman: Week 4:  https://www.detroitlions.com/video/3-out-with-chris-spielman-week-4-x5920

Tori's Take LIVE: Week 4:  https://www.detroitlions.com/video/tori-s-take-live-week-4

Burleson: Lions silenced skeptics in Week 4:  http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000001060881/Burleson-Lions-silenced-skeptics-in-Week-4

Did Lions create blueprint to contain Mahomes? Deion weighs in:  http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000001060674/Did-Lions-create-blueprint-to-contain-Mahomes-Deion-weighs-in

Steve Smith Sr.: Lions provided blueprint on how to contain Mahomes:  http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000001060871/Steve-Smith-Sr-Lions-provided-blueprint-on-how-to-contain-Mahomes

NFL-N-Motion: How Lions' defense approached Mahomes:  http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000001060867/NFL-N-Motion-How-Lions-defense-approached-Mahomes

Miller goes one-on-one with Stafford:  https://www.fox2detroit.com/video/610372

WATCH: 7 Sports Cave (9/29):  https://www.wxyz.com/sports/watch-7-sports-cave-9-29