Morning Lions Links for Monday 12-30-19

Articles:

NOTEBOOK: Golladay leaves season finale with concussion:  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/notebook-golladay-leaves-season-finale-with-concussion

FOUR DOWNS: Johnson & Scarbrough a nice duo for Lions:  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/four-downs-johnson-scarbrough-a-nice-duo-for-lions

Lions 2020 NFL Draft pick set:  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-2020-nfl-draft-pick-set

Lions trailed Green Bay for 0 seconds this season. Mason Crosby swept them anyway.:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2019/12/lions-trailed-green-bay-for-0-seconds-this-season-mason-crosby-swept-them-anyway.html

Inside the locker room: How the Packers beat the Lions with crucial screen pass on final drive:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2019/12/inside-the-locker-room-how-the-packers-beat-the-lions-with-crucial-screen-pass-on-final-drive.html

Pending Lions free agent Graham Glasgow: I would like to feel like I’m wanted:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2019/12/pending-lions-free-agent-graham-glasgow-i-would-like-to-feel-like-im-wanted.html

Detroit Lions DT Snacks Harrison is mulling retirement:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2019/12/detroit-lions-dt-snacks-harrison-is-mulling-retirement.html

Darius Slay knows he’s one of best, won’t lose sleep over where he’s playing next season:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2019/12/darius-slay-knows-hes-one-of-best-wont-lose-sleep-over-where-hes-playing-next-season.html

What they’re saying nationally after Lions lose to Packers as time expires in Week 17:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2019/12/what-theyre-saying-nationally-after-lions-lose-to-packers-as-time-expires-in-week-17.html

Here's where things stand with Lions' big offseason decisions:  https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/12/29/detroit-lions-graham-glasgow-free-agency/2772062001/

Lions heartbroken by death of Marvin Jones' son: 'Definitely playing inspired':  https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/12/29/detroit-lions-marvin-jones-son-death/2772368001/

Aaron Rodgers tells Darius Slay in jersey swap: 'You're one of the greatest':  https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/12/29/detroit-lions-darius-slay-aaron-rodgers-jersey-swap/2771595001/

Mercifully, the Lions' 2019 season is over:  https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/12/29/detroit-lions-lose-ninth-straight-insist-theres-lots-hope/2768694001/

Niyo: Last-minute kick in the teeth fitting end to dreadful Lions' season:  https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/columnists/john-niyo/2019/12/29/niyo-last-minute-kick-teeth-fitting-end-dreadful-lions-season/2769295001/

Lions’ Prater passes Hanson among all-time leaders of 50-plus-yard field goals:  https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/12/29/lions-prater-passes-hanson-among-all-time-leaders-50-plus-yard-field-goals/2771250001/

Lions’ trick touchdown play had been in the works since training camp:  https://lionslowdown.com/2019/12/29/lions-trick-touchdown-play-had-been-in-the-works-since-training-camp/

Five keys to Detroit Lions’ 23-20 loss to Green Bay Packers:  https://lionslowdown.com/2019/12/29/five-keys-to-detroit-lions-23-20-loss-to-green-bay-packers/

Lions Week 17 Player of the Game for the last time in 2019:  https://lionswire.usatoday.com/2019/12/29/detroit-lions-player-of-the-game-week-17/

Kerryon Johnson honors Marvin Jones with touchdown celebration:  https://lionswire.usatoday.com/2019/12/29/kerryon-johnson-honors-marvin-jones-with-touchdown-celebration/

Watch: Lions execute a beautiful trick play against the Packers:  https://lionswire.usatoday.com/2019/12/29/watch-lions-execute-a-beautiful-trick-play-against-the-packers/

Emotional day following death of Marvin Jones' son:  https://www.fox2detroit.com/sports/emotional-day-following-death-of-marvin-jones-son

NFL Week 17 PFF ReFocused: Green Bay Packers 23, Detroit Lions 20:  https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-week-17-pff-refocused-chicago-bears-21-minnesota-vikings-19

What we learned from Sunday's Week 17 games (Green Bay Packers 23, Detroit Lions 20 - 1. It wasn't especially pretty, but Green Bay sealed up a first-round bye in the NFC and can still grab the No. 1 seed away from San Francisco if the Niners stumble in Seattle. The Packers hit the scene lifeless and sleepy on offense with an ice-cold Aaron Rodgers throwing for 29 air yards over the first 27 minutes. Aa-Rod pulled Green Bay out of a 17-3 hole, though, with gorgeous scoring darts to Davante Adams and Allen Lazard. Rodgers also tossed a pick with the game notched at 20-20 inside the two-minute warning, but returned one drive later to fling the ball to Aaron Jones, who weaved deep into Lions territory to set up Mason Crosby's game-winning field goal as time expired. The second-half surge looks more impressive considering right tackle Bryan Bulaga was lost to a concussion while center Corey Linsley left with a back injury. Still, the ugly first half raises concerns about this offense.  2. Detroit's final tilt in a lost campaign started with a dash of sizzle as wideout Danny Amendola flung a trick-play touchdown rope to signal-caller David Blough. The Matthew Stafford fill-in did just enough to help the Lions build that 17-3 advantage, but also tossed a killer fourth-quarter pick that set up Green Bay's game-tying march. Chalk it up as another problematic crumbling for coach Matt Patricia, whose club has led the league in blown leads over the past two seasons. -- Marc Sessler):  http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001092693/article/what-we-learned-from-sundays-week-17-games

Insider Notes: Six hot seats for 2020 (Detroit Lions:  Their results have gone backwards, fast, after firing Jim Caldwell despite a winning record in a place where no one has a winning record. Keeping Matt Patricia for a third year seemed a stretch to some around the league, but ownership has made it clear this had better be a playoff team in 2020 … but even with a healthy Matthew Stafford that might be a stretch in that division. The Lions haven't been able to sustain anything positive under this regime and seem to still have their share of issues along the offensive and defensive lines. Big gains will be required of this group.):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-week-17-insider-notes-six-teams-with-coaches-already-on-2020-hot-seat-philip-rivers-next-stop-and-more/

NFL Week 17 Takeaways: Pats Run Out of Time, Chiefs Get the Bye (Things that make me giddy - David Blough’s First Career Touchdown Catch: Well, of course it was his first. Blough, the Lions’ rookie quarterback, only has four touchdown passes. Trick plays are always great, and this one was a beauty. Blough faked the handoff to the RB and flipped it to Danny Amendola, who was motioning across. Blough, totally unaccounted for by the Packers defense, then slips up the field to make the catch on the throw by Amendola. Blough did also make a throw on the play—he launched the football into the stands after he crossed the goal line.  Mason Crosby’s Bye-Clinching Kick: The Packers kicker has had a challenging year, personally. His wife, Molly, had surgery to remove a rare tumor in her right lung days before the season started. His sister-in-law, Brittany, passed away after a years-long battle with ovarian cancer the day after Thanksgiving. In the context of difficult news at home, the game of football is very small. But it has been nice to see Crosby experience professional joy this year, making a career-best more than 90 percent of his field goals, including the 33-yarder that clinched the first-round bye.):  https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/12/29/nfl-week-17-takeaways-analysis-scores

NFL Winners and Losers: Packers eke out a key win to clinch bye, but nobody will fear them or Aaron Rodgers (The Green Bay Packers’ path looked easy. They just had to beat the Detroit Lions to clinch a first-round bye, with a good chance at the No. 1 seed in the NFC.  The Lions had lost 11 of 12 games and eight in a row. Their defense was near the bottom of the NFL in every important statistical category, and dead last in passing yards allowed. And in a hugely important game for the Packers that meant nothing for the Lions and their awful defense, Aaron Rodgers’ line at one point was 2-of-12 for 29 yards. The Packers trailed 14-0.  Rodgers will be credited for a second-half rally, but the truth is if the Lions had a remotely competent quarterback, the Packers would have lost. Green Bay needed every second against a putrid Lions team to squeeze out a 23-20 win and clinch a first-round bye. Rodgers threw a pair of second-half touchdowns and Mason Crosby hit a game-winning field goal as time expired. The Packers were even alive for the No. 1 seed, just needing a Seahawks win over the 49ers on “Sunday Night Football.”  It might be the least intimidating 13-3 team we’ve seen in a long time. Part of that is the quarterback, who might have moved from all-time great to currently good.  No matter if Rodgers doesn’t have a lot to work with outside of Davante Adams, if Matt LaFleur’s scheme is new and maybe not fitting, Rodgers shouldn’t have let the Lions hang around that long on Sunday. The Rodgers of five or 10 years ago would have buried the Lions by halftime.  It’s not that Rodgers is bad. And he’s still capable of moments where he looks great, like some plays in the second half Sunday. But it’s hard to see the Packers rolling through the playoffs if they can barely beat the Lions. Rodgers couldn’t get anything going on a possession at the two-minute warning and threw an interception on third-and-20, but the Lions were so bad they gave it right back with plenty of time to get a field goal.  While it seemed that injuries the past couple years, or Mike McCarthy’s coaching, were holding back Rodgers, maybe the decline was already happening. Rodgers has been healthy this season. He had a new coach who was supposed to bring creative offensive ideas. And while the Packers have had a good season, it was clear all year they were over their skis a bit as their record kept improving. The Packers rarely looked like a 12-3 team. And even when they did, it was because Aaron Jones was dominating or the defense was on a hot streak. Rodgers has been good. Not great.  When the playoffs start, you’ll hear about the Packers being dangerous because of Rodgers. And prime Rodgers was one of the best quarterbacks ever, so it’s hard to rule out him having a great playoff run. Being in Lambeau Field in January is a tremendous equalizer. But a few years ago, the thought of having to face Rodgers and a 13-3 Packers team in Green Bay for the playoffs would have been frightening. Not so much anymore.):  https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-winners-and-losers-packers-eek-out-a-key-win-to-clinch-bye-but-nobody-will-fear-them-or-aaron-rodgers-213516544.html

Aaron Rodgers: Too many missed throws on Sunday:  https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/12/29/aaron-rodgers-too-many-missed-throws-on-sunday/

FMIA Week 17: Game 256’S Thrilling Finish Sets Table For NFL Playoffs (Detroit has announced Matt Patricia is back, and I don’t suppose the Lions will reconsider. But he’s a lucky man. The Lions are 6-19-1 in Patricia’s last 26 games, allowing a defensively generous 24.0 points per game and ending this season on a nine-game losing streak. Patricia, of course, is a defensive coach, and he hasn’t build a strong defense, or even close to one. The Lions in 2019 allowed less than 19 points in one game all season. Patricia’s fortunate he went to work for a patient organization.):  https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/12/30/nfl-playoff-preview-49ers-fmia-peter-king/

Grades:

Grading Detroit Lions' 23-20 loss to Green Bay Packers:  https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/12/29/detroit-lions-grades-green-bay-packers/2768703001/

Justin Rogers' Lions grades: Detroit holds up well before injuries torpedo effort:  https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/12/29/justin-rogers-lions-grades-detroit-holds-up-well-before-injuries-torpedo-effort/2771325001/

2020 NFL Draft:

2020 NFL Draft: Detroit Lions team needs, draft picks, prospects to watch:  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/2020-nfl-draft-detroit-lions-team-needs-draft-picks-prospects-to-watch/

What players have stood out so far in College Football's Bowl Season? (12-29-19):  https://www.nfldraftdiamonds.com/2019/12/bowl-season/

Video:

Patricia on Week 17 loss to Packers:  https://www.detroitlions.com/video/patricia-on-week-17-loss-to-packers

Lions react to Week 17 loss to Packers:  https://www.detroitlions.com/video/lions-react-to-week-17-loss-to-packers

Wrapping up the Lions' 9th straight loss, the 2019 season and a look at offseason:  https://www.freep.com/videos/sports/nfl/lions/2019/12/30/detroit-lions-game-packers/2772609001/

Video: Breaking down Lions' loss to the Packers:  https://www.detroitnews.com/videos/sports/nfl/lions/2019/12/30/video-breaking-down-lions-loss-packers/2771874001/