Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Morning Lions Links for Tuesday 10-27-20

Articles:

KEY QUESTIONS: How has the defensive line performed the last two weeks?:  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/how-has-the-defensive-line-performed-the-last-two-weeks-shelton-hand

Snap counts: Joe Dahl missing from offensive line as Detroit Lions stick with same group:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2020/10/snap-counts-joe-dahl-missing-from-offensive-line-as-detroit-lions-stick-with-same-group.html

Detroit’s recent defensive turnaround starts with vastly-improved play in the trenches:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2020/10/detroits-recent-defensive-turnaround-starts-with-vastly-improved-play-in-the-trenches.html

The officials screwed up the spot on Detroit’s game-winning play (by 3 yards!):  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2020/10/the-officials-screwed-up-the-spot-on-detroits-game-winning-play-by-3-yards.html


Detroit Lions Week 7 snap counts: Defensive line snaps on the rise:  https://lionswire.usatoday.com/lists/detroit-lions-week-7-snap-counts-defensive-line-snaps-on-the-rise/


Matthew Stafford passes Drew Brees for most game-winning drives since 2010:  https://www.radio.com/971theticket/sports/detroit-lions/matthew-stafford-has-most-game-winning-drives-since-2010



NFL Week 7: PFF Team of the Week, key takeaways, player awards and more (2. THE DETROIT LIONS’ PASSING OFFENSE HAS BEEN ROLLING WITH KENNY GOLLADAY BACK IN THE LINEUP - Detroit was a hot topic entering the 2020 season, with many viewing the team as a dark horse candidate to win the NFC North. This was due to the new-look, aggressive Matthew Stafford we saw in 2019 before he got hurt — he was the eighth-highest graded passer in the league and led Detroit to the fifth-most efficient passing offense when on the field.  To start the year, though, the Lions' passing offense looked far from dangerous. They were without wide receiver Kenny Golladay the first two weeks of the season, ranking 25th in expected points added (EPA) per pass play generated in that span.  But since his return in Week 3, Detroit’s offense has started to look as expected. The unit has the most efficient passing attack in the NFL since Golladay returned, and Week 7 was the best game of the year for both Stafford and the wide receiver.  Stafford posted a 90.3 PFF grade in the Lions' comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons, the fourth-best mark of the week. He was near-automatic downfield, completing 14 of his 16 attempts that went 10-plus yards for 279 yards, one touchdown and two big-time throws. Golladay was Stafford’s top target on these throws, and it clearly paid dividends. On targets of 10 or more yards, Golladay posted the best receiving grade of the week, going a perfect 5-of-5 on contested targets for 107 yards.  Atlanta's secondary isn’t anything special, and the connection between Stafford and Golladay makes this sneakily potent passing offense one that won’t be easy to face for playoff teams like Tampa Bay, Tennessee, Green Bay and Chicago.):  https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-week-7-pff-team-of-the-week-key-takeaways-player-awards-and-more

Lions’ game-winning touchdown overshadowed bad spot that preceded it:  https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/10/26/lions-game-winning-touchdown-overshadowed-bad-spot-that-preceded-it/

Week 7 overreactions: Fitzgerald in G.O.A.T WR debate (Nobody wants to play the Lions - Entering their Week 3 bout with the Arizona Cardinals, the Lions found themselves 0-2 and losers of 11 straight games dating back to Week 9 of the 2019 NFL season.  That Sunday, however, Detroit clawed its way to a win on the road against what now looks like a very good Cardinals team. Matthew Stafford engineered a 10-play, 67-yard drive with under 5 minutes left to set up the game-winning field goal as time expired.  That positive momentum seemed to disappear by the next weekend, when the Lions blew a 14-point lead to the Saints and heard the whispers of "same old Lions" grow louder.  But after returning from their bye in Week 6 to face the Jaguars, the Lions snapped one of the more brutal losing streaks in the NFL, ending a run of six straight losses after leading by 10-plus points in their 34-16 win.  That brings us to this past Sunday, when Stafford orchestrated yet another game-clinching drive -- this time of the 8-play, 75-yard variety, with 1:04 remaining and zero timeouts while down by 6. The final play, an 11-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to T.J. Hockenson, gave the 12-year veteran his 34th game-winning drive since 2011, the most by any QB in the NFL.  For Stafford, a flair for the dramatic clearly is nothing new. But in his heroic Week 7 effort, the former first overall pick joined Tim Couch as the only QBs in the Super Bowl era to throw a game-winning touchdown pass as time expired in the fourth quarter in multiple games. (Stafford's other occurrence was Week 11, 2009 vs. the Browns.)):  https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-overreactions-week-7-baker-mayfield-vs-joe-burrow-next-great-qb-rivalry

NFL stats and records, Week 7: Kyler Murray, Russell Wilson make history together (Matthew Stafford had a season-high 340 passing yards in the Lions' win over the Falcons on Sunday, with 75 on them coming on the final drive that culminated in a game-winning touchdown pass to T.J. Hockenson on the last play from scrimmage. Stafford has led 28 4th-quarter comebacks and 34 game-winning drives over the last 10 seasons (since 2011), both most in the NFL.
D'Andre Swift had 1 rushing touchdown and Todd Gurley had 2 rushing touchdowns (although he only meant to score 1) in the Lions' win over the Falcons on Sunday. This marked the 4th game in NFL history in which 2 opposing running backs from the University of Georgia each scored a rushing touchdown in the same game. Herschel Walker and Rodney Hampton did so in Week 12, 1992 (Walker's Eagles defeated Hampton's Giants), Hall of Famer Terrell Davis and Robert Edwards did so in Week 1, 1998 (Davis' Broncos defeated Edwards' Patriots), and Mack Strong and Garrison Hearst did so in Week 6, 2003 (Strong's Seahawks defeated Hearst's 49ers).):  https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-stats-and-records-week-7-kyler-murray-russell-wilson-make-history-together

The NFL's Week 7 Overreaction Index: Buyers and Sellers Edition (Detroit Lions: Buyers - With their comeback victory over the Atlanta Falcons, the Detroit Lions improved to 3-3 on the young season. Head coach Matt Patricia is calling more zone coverage schemes in the secondary, which is having a positive effect on execution on that side of the football. Matthew Stafford led yet another game-winning drive, as he currently ranks fifth among active quarterbacks in that statistic.  Even still, the Lions cannot be considered playoff contenders, right? They are not buyers at the deadline are they?  Verdict: No overreaction.  This might flow against conventional wisdom, but I think the Lions would be smart to actually try and make a little run this season. They have a favorable schedule over the next few weeks, including games against Minnesota, Washington, Carolina and Houston, and stringing together some more wins could certainly put them in the thick of playoff contention in the NFC.  Where could they add? If Patricia wants to play more man coverage than he has been the past few weeks, perhaps a cornerback would be a wise acquisition as Jeff Okudah acclimates to the professional game. Or on the offensive side of the ball, imagine what Stafford could do with an A.J. Green or a Julio Jones. Not that those organizations would make such moves, but it would be worth a phone call…):  https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/lists/the-nfls-week-7-overreaction-index-buyers-and-sellers-edition/

MMQB: The Cardinals Never Stopped Believing; Lions prepared for a wild finish:  https://www.si.com/nfl/2020/10/26/mmqb-week-7-arizona-cardinals-pittsburgh-steelers-jimmy-garoppolo

Week 7 numbers to know: Brady, Steelers shine (30 - It's time for some Matthew Stafford appreciation. By connecting with tight end T.J. Hockenson on an 11-yard touchdown strike to beat the Atlanta Falcons 23-22 as time expired on Sunday, the Detroit Lions quarterback completed the 30th fourth-quarter comeback of his NFL career. That broke a three-way tie between him, Fran Tarkenton and Vinny Testaverde and now ties him with Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan for the eighth most since 1960. This particular comeback moved the Lions to 3-3 on the season and kept them alive in an NFC North race, where the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers are both 5-1.  Stafford, who went first overall in the 2009 NFL draft, is too often overlooked in discussions about the great quarterbacks of the past 10 years. This is of course because he plays for the Lions and has only made three career playoff appearances, losing in the wild-card round all three times. Detroit is probably not destined for postseason success this year, but Stafford is doing all he can to save head coach Matt Patricia's job with two straight wins. After missing the second half of last season with a back injury, Stafford could play his way into the Comeback Player of the Year conversation.):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-week-7-numbers-to-know-tom-brady-adds-to-patriots-pain-steelers-deserve-super-bowl-hype-and-more/

2021 NFL Draft:

NFL Draft Stock Report: Nevada QB Carson Strong rising in Week 8:  https://www.profootballnetwork.com/nfl-draft-stock-week-8-risers-sliders-carson-strong/

NFL draft winners and losers: Ohio State QB Justin Fields somehow raised the bar even higher:  https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-draft-winners-and-losers-ohio-state-qb-justin-fields-somehow-raised-the-bar-even-higher-185331992.html





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Posted by LionsFan at 7:34 AM

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