Thursday, August 8, 2024

Lions Links for Thursday Evening 8-8-24

Articles:







Nate Sudfeld struggled vs the Giants and Lions fans weren't happy:  https://lionswire.usatoday.com/2024/08/08/nate-sudfeld-lions-preseason-bad-play-social-media-reaction/

8 Lions players to watch in the preseason opener vs. the Giants:  https://lionswire.usatoday.com/lists/8-lions-players-to-watch-preseason-opener-vs-giants/

Lions Will Debut "The 313" Uniforms Against Giants:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/lions-will-debut-313-uniforms-against-giants



VIDEO: Lions QB Hendon Hooker TRUCKS Giants defender, heads to locker room:  https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2024/8/8/24216507/video-lions-qb-hendon-hooker-trucks-giants-defender-injury-update


Why Lions’ offensive trench battles matter most in preseason game vs. Giants:  https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2024/8/8/24215800/detroit-lions-new-york-giants-preseason-preview-offensive-line-key





One rookie to watch in every NFL preseason Week 1 game (Detroit Lions @ New York Giants: Lions CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. - First-round cornerback Terrion Arnold got a lot of hype on draft weekend, but Ennis Rakestraw Jr. could play a big role, too. With as many veterans as Detroit now has in its secondary, we weren’t sure how early Rakestraw would get on the field. But a strong showing in the preseason might make it tough to keep him out of the rotation this season. He earned a 96th-percentile PFF coverage grade on the outside in 2023.):  https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-rookie-to-watch-every-nfl-preseason-week-1-game-2024

NFL Preseason Week 1 Preview: Schedule, storylines and matchups to watch (Detroit Lions @ New York Giants (-3.5) - Storyline of the Game: Numerous fights broke out between teams during joint practices.  Tempers tend to flare in joint training camp practices. It’s hot, the offseason is over and it’s time to hit people. All understandable. But, even still, the Giants and Lions got after each other early and often. Multiple fights broke out throughout Monday's and Tuesday’s practices, with even quarterback Daniel Jones being seen in the mix.   Needless to say, the tension will be high in this one.  Matchups to Watch: Lions C Frank Ragnow vs. Giants DI Dexter Lawrence.  This is the All-Pro versus All-Pro matchup we want to see. On the defensive side of the ball stands the massive Lawrence, the league’s highest-graded 0-technique interior defender. When faced with help or exchange blocks, the All-Pro produced the league’s only 90.0 pass-rush grade.  That presents a unique challenge for Detroit, which owns PFF’s top-ranked offensive line heading into the season. Ragnow, the league’s highest-graded interior lineman in 2023, represents one-half of the best double team in the NFL, earning a 92.4 grade on all combo and help blocks last season.  Additional News:  Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (toe) has sat out of practice, but it is not expected to be serious.  Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (knee) will see live reps sooner rather than later to test his surgically repaired ACL.):  https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-preseason-week-1-preview-schedule-storylines-matchups-to-watch-2024

2024 NFL season: One pivotal rookie for each team (Detroit Lions - Terrion Arnold:  The Lions know they can compete against the big boys in the NFC (and across the NFL) but competing and overtaking are two different things. Detroit has several new faces in the secondary this season and Arnold could be the most important player of them all. He’s probably going to need to play at a high level quickly if the Lions are to continue their momentum toward the top.):  https://www.nfl.com/news/2024-nfl-season-one-pivotal-rookie-for-each-team

NFL Preseason 2024 Week 1: Seven Things to Watch This Weekend (Physicality - Albert Breer and I talked a lot about this on our most recent MMQB Podcast. Dan Campbell and the Lions have helped swing the league’s pendulum back to a less risk-averse approach to the preseason. The Giants are doing almost exclusively 11-on-11 drills. Teams are maxing out on their opportunities to practice longer and in pads. We always see cyclical periods in the league, and now the prevailing theory may be that callousing players to the inevitable run-ins with injury could actually minimize the tidal wave of season-altering injuries we see early in each season once workloads become significant.  So, could players be working longer? We mentioned the Giants above, but it’s worth adding that Daniel Jones asked to play in the opener against Detroit after Daboll embarked on a preseason predicated on facing adverse situations. Aaron Rodgers, too, blamed his not playing in the preseason on head coach Robert Saleh mentioning the time-honored progression formula that players used to abide by (one quarter in the first game, a half in the second, into the third quarter in the third).):  https://www.si.com/nfl/nfl-preseason-2024-week-one-seven-things-to-watch

The tight ends of Gen Z poised to take over the NFL (1. Lions TE Sam LaPorta - The obvious young headliner is Sam LaPorta, who shattered both NFL and franchise records for tight ends during his rookie season in 2023. In Week 18, LaPorta broke the league record for receptions by a rookie tight end with his 82nd of the year, surpassing Keith Jackson's 81. LaPorta also finished the season with 10 touchdowns, joining the aforementioned Gronk and Mike Ditka as the only tight ends to record double-digit touchdowns in their first season.  When all was said and done, LaPorta carved out a role on a stacked offense that went to the NFC Championship Game while amassing 889 yards on 86 catches. Detroit is returning offensive coordinator Ben Johnson this season and the expectations are through the roof for the Lions, who are looking for their first-ever Super Bowl berth. If they do it, you can bet LaPorta will be on his way to being a household name ready to carry the elite TE torch.):  https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/tight-ends-gen-z-poised-take-over-nfl

1 veteran who could be cut or traded for all 32 NFL teams this preseason, from Jack Conklin to Brandon Aiyuk (Detroit Lions: DL Levi Onwuzurike - Cap savings: $1,771,212.  Potential replacement: Mekhi Wingo.  Wingo slid to the sixth round of the 2024 draft, but he’s a penetrating interior pass rusher who could push Onwuzurike out of a roster spot behind Alim McNeill. Onwuzurike was a 2021 second round pick who has yet to make a start in his NFL career and has played only 10 games since 2022.):  https://ftw.usatoday.com/lists/nfl-releases-cutdown-day-2024-candidates-32-teams

Podcast: 


Video:

HIGHLIGHT: Hooker lowers shoulder on powerful 16-yard run:  https://www.detroitlions.com/video/highlight-hooker-lowers-shoulder-on-powerful-16-yard-run

HIGHLIGHT: Vaki's juke moves disorient Giants defenders on 15-yard run:  https://www.detroitlions.com/video/highlight-vaki-s-juke-moves-disorient-giants-defenders-on-15-yard-run

HIGHLIGHT: Joseph records Lions' first takeaway of preseason with INT of Lock:  https://www.detroitlions.com/video/highlight-joseph-records-lions-first-takeaway-of-preseason-with-int-of-lock


WATCH - Dan Miller reports from New Jersey where the Lions are getting ready to face the Giants in preseason action on Thursday:  https://www.fox2detroit.com/video/1497597
Posted by LionsFan at 6:06 PM

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