Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Morning Lions Links for Tuesday 1-9-24

Articles:


Sam LaPorta has 'outside shot' to play in Lions playoff game vs. Rams:  https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2024/01/08/sam-laporta-injury-update-detroit-lions-la-rams-nfl-playoffs/72151692007/



'There's tough and then there's Dan Campbell': Untold stories of the Lions' coach as a player:  https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39260210/detroit-lions-coach-dan-campbell-nfl-playoffs-playing-career

NFL Week 18: PFF Team of the Week & Player Awards (Flex: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions.  EDGE: Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions):  https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-week-18-pff-team-of-the-week-player-awards-2023

Ranking all 14 NFL playoff teams entering postseason (6. Lions (12-5):  They've been a different animal at home versus on the road, with Jared Goff susceptible to turnover sprees against aggressive fronts, but when they're firing on all cylinders, few clubs are as confident and controlled. Dan Campbell's aggression from the sidelines is undying, and their sturdy front helps set up both a steady run and play-action attack.):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2024-nfl-playoffs-ranking-all-14-teams-to-make-the-postseason-from-dynamic-ravens-to-deflated-eagles/

NFL playoff narratives for all 14 postseason teams (Detroit Lions:  Dan Campbell will lose a playoff game with his aggressiveness: The Lions aren't afraid to keep a defense on its toes, evidenced by the 40 fourth-down attempts this season -- most among the playoff teams. Detroit has gone for it on fourth down 118 times since Campbell took over in 2021, by far the most in the league. The aggressiveness is why the Lions are NFC North champions in Campbell's third year, but the Lions head coach has cost his team games with that mindset (see the three two-point conversion attempts in Week 17 loss to Cowboys). Campbell seems bound to make a controversial decision at some point.):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-playoff-narratives-for-all-14-postseason-teams-can-lamar-jackson-and-cowboys-end-some-honest-truths/

2023 NFL All-Rookie Team: Best first-year players (Sam LaPorta:  Another rookie record setter on a playoff team, and LaPorta owns two rookie tight end records, catches (82) and touchdowns (10). This was the opposite of a cheap, inflated-by-easy-throws type of season. LaPorta finished in the Top 10 in missed tackles forced among all tight ends. He was one of the focal points of Detroit's fun offense.  Jack Campbell:  The Lions didn't plug Campbell into the full-time lineup immediately to begin his NFL career, and that ultimately was the correct decision. A slow-ish start morphed into steady play for the former Iowa star who finished second on the team with 89 tackles, while only missing eight all season, with two sacks and nine pressures. The linebacker group on this year's rookie team couldn't be any different in size but both were impactful first-year pros in the NFC North.  Brian Branch:  Branch was the latest defensive back who thrived in Nick Saban's "star" position at Alabama, he somehow fell to the second round when historically all of those corner/safeties have gone in Round 1, and not shockingly was a star in Detroit as a rookie. Mostly manning the slot position after the serious injury to Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Branch did everything -- his 11 pass breakups led the team, and he had three interceptions while finishing with 74 tackles. Branch was a splash play waiting to happen.):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2023-nfl-all-rookie-team-c-j-stroud-puka-nacua-headline-multiple-selections-for-texans-and-rams/

Five Things We Learned: Matthew Stafford Is Going Back to Detroit (Lions lose key players to injury vs. Vikings and will face Stafford’s Rams in postseason - Lions coach Dan Campbell will likely catch heat for playing his starters during Sunday’s 30–20 win against the Minnesota Vikings after rookie tight end Sam LaPorta exited early with a knee injury.  It’s unfortunate that LaPorta was carted off the field, but Campbell shouldn’t get criticized for playing his starters, with the NFC’s No. 2 seed still up for grabs at the time. Yes, the Lions (12–5) were banking on the Commanders beating the Cowboys and the Giants defeating the Eagles to take the No. 2 seed—only one upset occurred. But there have been so many upsets this season, it wasn’t that far-fetched, and therefore it wouldn’t have made sense for Detroit to not at least hold their end by defeating the Vikings. But the gamble didn’t pay off, and now the Lions might need to possibly prepare for a wild-card game without LaPorta. Wide receiver and punt returner Kalif Raymond also exited early with a knee injury.  Also, let’s not forget all the right decisions Campell made in the regular season to guide the franchise to its first 12-win season and first division title in 30 years. The Lions are hoping for the best regarding LaPorta’s injury status, but either way, they have enough weapons to get by the Rams (10–7), who defeated the 49ers’ backups to take the sixth seed.  Stafford also has plenty of weapons with Cooper Kupp, Kyren Williams and Puka Nacua, who set rookie records for most receiving yards and receptions in a season. The No. 3 Lions hosting the No. 6 Rams might be the best matchup of the postseason.):  https://www.si.com/nfl/2024/01/08/stafford-detroit-lions-rams-playoffs-return-week-18-learned

32 things we learned in NFL Week 18: Key insights into playoff field (9. Speaking further of tight ends, bittersweet Sunday for Lions rookie Sam LaPorta. He caught five passes, giving him 86 for the season – a new record for rookie tight ends after he surpassed Keith Jackson.  9a. However LaPorta was knocked out of the game with a knee injury, a potentially crippling blow to the NFC North champions a week ahead of their first-ever playoff game at Ford Field.  10. Before the injury, LaPorta also scored – making him the third rookie tight end with at least 10 TD grabs. He and Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs are the first rookie teammates to both score double-digit TDs.  10a. The Lions also became the second squad in NFL annals with four players scoring at least 10 TDs apiece, RB David Montgomery and WR Amon-Ra St. Brown complementing Detroit’s breakout rookie duo.  10b. The 2013 Denver Broncos, who scored a regular-season record 606 points, had five double-digit TD guys.  11. One last note on the Lions. Props for getting 6-9, 330-pound swing OT Dan Skipper a 4-yard catch Sunday, the first of his career, after the Week 17 fiasco at Dallas. And, yes, Skipper was most certainly eligible.):  https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/columnist/nate-davis/2024/01/07/nfl-takeaways-playoff-bracket-schedule-week-18/72144975007/

NFL Week 18 Winners and Losers: Packers, Texans, Steelers Punch Playoff Tickets While Jaguars Collapse (Loser | Detroit Lions - The Lions didn’t have much to play for in Week 18. Sure, Detroit could have moved up from the No. 3 seed to the No. 2 seed, but that would taken a Lions win plus Cowboys and Eagles losses.  Still, head coach Dan Campbell opted to play his starters in what was essentially a meaningless game — and things could hardly have gone worse.  Sam LaPorta, who set a new NFL rookie TE record with his 82nd reception on Sunday, went down with a knee injury and never returned. Campbell said LaPorta’s injury wasn’t as bad as it may have looked but suggested the second-round selection will miss time.  Punt returner Kalif Raymond also suffered a knee injury and failed to re-enter Sunday’s game. Wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown and defensive back Brian Branch, two more critical pieces for Detroit, picked up injuries but finished Week 18.):  https://www.profootballnetwork.com/nfl-week-18-winners-and-losers-2023/

Lions may have to overcome losses of LaPorta and Raymond against Stafford-led Rams in playoffs:  https://apnews.com/article/detroit-lions-analysis-92d7bc1f9a99b1c98a1a782e4ddfe891

Video:


WATCH - Dan Miller has his weekly exclusive sit-down interview with Lions quarterback Jared Goff:  https://www.fox2detroit.com/video/1392367

SportsWorks - 1-7-24 -- Dan talking Lions and National Championship with former Lion Brad Banta & Burchie:  https://www.fox2detroit.com/video/1392337

Eric Woodyard: Dan Campbell is really the guy he says he is:  https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/39263288
Posted by LionsFan at 5:00 AM

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