Monday, December 21, 2020

Morning Lions Links for Monday 12-21-20

Articles:

NOTEBOOK: Bevell talks fake punt attempt:  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/notebook-bevell-talks-fake-punt-attempt-moore-bryant-vaitai


Inside the locker room: Derrick Henry on his violent stiff-arm amid dominating day against Lions:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2020/12/inside-the-locker-room-derrick-henry-on-his-violent-stiff-arm-amid-dominating-day-against-lions.html

Lions’ Matthew Stafford determined to play through injury: ‘My ass is going to be out there’:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2020/12/lions-matthew-stafford-determined-to-play-through-injury-my-ass-is-going-to-be-out-there.html

Lions’ Darrell Bevell explains failed fake punt, why he didn’t challenge spot:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2020/12/lions-darrell-bevell-explains-failed-fake-punt-why-he-didnt-challenge-spot.html






Mike Vrabel Must Be Grateful He Doesn't Coach the Detroit Lions:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/mike-vrabel-lucky-he-does-not-coach-detroit-lions


Week 15 takeaways: Brady mounts big comeback, Bears keep playoff hopes alive (On a day when the Lions were eliminated from playoff contention and clinched their third consecutive losing season, QB Matthew Stafford gave a reminder of how good he has been on some bad teams and why he continues to play through injury and pain over and over again. "Because I'm the quarterback of the Detroit Lions and it was Sunday and I got a bunch of teammates out there that work their a-- off and fight to be available and fight to get out there and play and try to help us win," Stafford said. "If there's any way I can play, I'm never gonna not, you know." -- Michael Rothstein):  https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/30556161/nfl-week-15-takeaways-stat-leaders-packers-bills-flex-camera-saturday#detten

Week 15: What we learned from Sunday's games (Tennessee Titans 46, Detroit Lions 25:  1) Ryan Tannehill came out on fire, dicing up a Lions defense that had no answers to the pummeling Titans offense. Tannehill dropped dimes from the moment the coinflip hit the ground. The Tennessee QB connected on his first six passes, and, yet, his first incompletion might have been his best pass -- an absolute dart dropped right between two defenders deep down the seam. Tannehill controlled the game, completing 77.8% of 27 attempts for 273 yards, three TD passes, including a 75-yard picture-perfect bomb to Corey Davis. The Titans (10-4) scored on three straight possessions to open the game and never relented. Derrick Henry plowed through hapless Lions defenders for 147 rushing yards, looking like a man among boys. The Tennessee offense handled its business and looked like it should against one of the worst defenses in the NFL.  2) Matthew Stafford played through a painful rib injury and picked apart the Titans D with a bevy of short throws early. With Mike Vrabel's defense not generating any pressure, Stafford was able to stand in the pocket and find his targets with little fear of getting hit. The signal-caller looked good, considering the injury and not practicing most of the week. Stafford completed 22-of-32 passing for 252 yards and a TD. After a botched snap by replacement center Joe Dahl led to Stafford getting crunched, the veteran was yanked from the blowout. Still, it was a reminder of the injuries Stafford has played through for a floundering franchise through the years.  3) The Titans' 10th victory inched them closer to a postseason spot. With Baltimore and Miami winning, however, Tennessee did not clinch a playoff bid in a close AFC race. With games against Green Bay and Houston left on tap, Vrabel's defense will need to play better than it did this week moving forward. For Detroit, the loss officially eliminates the Lions (5-9) from playoff contention -- in reality, they were out of the competition weeks ago. -- Kevin Patra):  https://www.nfl.com/news/week-15-what-we-learned-from-sunday-s-games

Week 15 Takeaways: Bucs and Brady Wake Up for Comeback Win (Things That Made Me Giddy - Matthew Stafford, Still Doing His Thing: As has often been the case for the past decade, he was the only thing keeping the Lions competitive as he threw for 252 and a touchdown in Nashville while playing with torn cartilage in his rib cage. Former Lions GM Bob Quinn, who dismantled this roster in a way that will take years to recover from, should volunteer to donate his full salary from his tenure to a charity of Stafford’s choice—it’s the right thing to do.):  https://www.si.com/nfl/2020/12/20/week-15-takeaways-analysis-brady-bucs-comeback-patriots-eliminated-wentz-gripes

FMIA Week 15: How Buffalo Built Its Way Back To The Top Of The AFC East (4. Chris Spielman. Hired as the special assistant to Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp, Spielman walked out of the FOX booth and into the front office, something Lions fans have wanted him to do for years. He’ll be one of my guests on The Peter King Podcast this week, and we talked the other day about what he can contribute to a wayward franchise, one that next season will “celebrate” the 30-year anniversary of its last playoff victory.  Spielman told me: “I just want to be an outside set of eyes. ‘You know, this is something you might wanna look at.’ . . . I’m not there ever to tell a coach what to do. I’m not there ever to tell anybody how to do it, or a GM. I’m just there to be a support system for them. If the coach was walking out to the practice field and coach said, ‘Shoot, I left my call sheet up on my desk,’ I’m the first one sprinting to get the call sheet off his desk. I mean, I believe that’s the servants’ attitude in a very big, multiple, complex world. If you can get everybody with that servants’ attitude, then you have the best chance.”):  https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/12/21/buffalo-bills-afc-east-nfl-week-15-fmia-peter-king/


Next Up: Bucs Face Detroit Lions in Week 16, 2020:  https://www.buccaneers.com/news/week-16-schedule-bucs-face-detroit-lions-saturday

Grades:


CBS (Lions Grade - C-:  The Lions defense has been one of the worst in the NFL all season, and their position in the rankings isn't going to improve after this loss. The Lions had no answers for a Titans offense that rolled up 463 yards. The Lions were exceptionally bad on third down (allowing the Titans to convert 9 of 11 times) and they were even worse in the red zone, where they allowed Tennessee to score five touchdowns on five trips.):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-week-15-grades-bears-get-an-a-for-keeping-their-playoff-hopes-alive-patriots-get-big-fat-f/

2021 NFL Draft:


Video:

SportsWorks - 12-20-20 -- Dan, Wojo & Burchie dive into the Lions, college football & NBA:  https://www.fox2detroit.com/video/882700
Posted by LionsFan at 6:04 AM

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