Monday, October 14, 2024

Lions Links for Monday 10-14-24

Articles:


NOTEBOOK: Branch emerging as playmaker in Lions' defense:  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/notebook-branch-emerging-as-playmaker-in-lions-defense

FOUR DOWNS: Lions score 40+ points in consecutive games:  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/four-downs-lions-score-40-points-in-consecutive-games






Lions break 40 points in back-to-back weeks, first time in over 60 years:  https://lionswire.usatoday.com/2024/10/14/lions-break-40-points-in-back-to-back-weeks-first-time-in-over-60-years/


Why losing Aidan Hutchinson isn't the end of the Lions' Super Bowl chances:  https://lionswire.usatoday.com/2024/10/14/lions-aidan-hutchinson-replacement-detroit-super-bowl-dreams-still-alive/

Jared Goff set NFL season passing mark while under pressure vs. Cowboys:  https://lionswire.usatoday.com/2024/10/14/jared-goff-lions-passing-under-pressure-season-mark-week-6-cowboys/


'Cleared the Stands': Elite Safety Duo Helps Lions Tame Cowboys:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/brian-branch-kerby-joseph-help-lions-tame-cowboys

Lions' Brad Holmes Facing Most Critical Decision:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/lions-brad-holmes-facing-critical-decision




'He's Too Much Like Us': David Montgomery Is Perfect Fit For Lions:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/david-montgomery-perfect-fit-goff-favorite-teammate

What They're Saying: Lions Determined to 'Make A Statement':  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/lions-notable-locker-room-quotes-cowboys-win-2024






The First Read: 5 NFL bandwagons to hop on NOW! Who's up/down entering Week 7? MVP race shakeup (THREE UP - 1. Jared Goff:  The questions about Goff’s consistency have vanished lately. He just threw for 315 yards and three touchdowns while completing 18 of 25 passes in a 47-9 win over a Dallas Cowboys team that was depleted by injuries. He went 18-for-18 with two touchdown passes in his previous game, leading Detroit to a 42-29 victory over Seattle in Week 4. The Lions offense couldn’t be any hotter as it prepares for a huge NFC North matchup with Minnesota in Week 7. Goff is the driving force behind that.): https://www.nfl.com/news/the-first-read-5-nfl-bandwagons-to-hop-on-now-who-s-up-down-entering-week-7-mvp-race-shakeup

NFL stats and records, Week 6: NFC North flexing its muscle; Patriots' Drake Maye makes history in debut (1. NFC North flexing its dominance through six weeks  The NFC North is a combined 17-5 in 2024, with every team 4-2 or better and the 5-0 Vikings at the top. It is the first time since 1970 in which every team in a division has at least four wins through six weeks.  The top four teams in point differential entering Monday Night Football all reside in the NFC North, with the Vikings at plus-63, Lions at plus-60, Bears at plus-47 and Packers at plus-41.  The two at the top of that list, Minnesota and Detroit, face off in Week 7.  6. Jared Goff continues slinging in revenge game against Cowboys.  Goff and the Lions showed dominance in Dallas this week, handing the Cowboys a 47-9 loss that felt personal for Detroit.  Coming off the bye, Goff finished Week 6 with 315 passing yards, three touchdowns and a 153.8 passer rating. He is the only quarterback with a 150-plus passer rating in a game against the Cowboys all-time (minimum 25 attempts).  Over his last three games, Goff has completed 81.8 percent of his passes and thrown seven touchdowns (to just one interception). Goff is the fourth player since 1970 to complete at least 80 percent of his passes in a three-game span while also throwing for 800-plus yards and seven touchdowns. He joined Drew Brees (2018), Peyton Manning (2013 and 2008) and Philip Rivers (2013).  7. David Montgomery breezes through tackles in Dallas.  Montgomery ran for an easy 80 yards and two touchdowns in Week 6 against the Cowboys -- or perhaps not so easy, considering he ended up forcing 10 missed tackles, according to Next Gen Stats. Still, he made it look effortless. The former Bears third-round pick has now rushed for at least one touchdown in eight consecutive games, breaking a tie with Billy Sims (1980-81) for the longest streak in Lions history.):  https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-stats-and-records-week-6-nfc-north-flexing-its-muscle-patriots-drake-maye-makes-history-in-debut

Sorting NFL Sunday Pile, Week 6: Fear the Ravens (Kings of the North - We mentioned the Lions above, but it warrants discussing just how incredibly good the entire NFC North looks right now. Detroit's 4-1 after blasting Dallas out of its bye ... and the Lions are not even in first place! The North is 17-5 as a whole on the season after Week 6 saw three teams win, giving it the best record by any division since the 1970 merger. It's the first division to have all four teams with four-plus wins since realignment in 2002. The NFC North has the four best teams by point differential in the NFL. The NFC North's point differential is +211 and the next closest division is the NFC South at +20.  The Vikings remain undefeated coming off their Week 6 bye and have looked like a very complete team, with Sam Darnold playing great football under Kevin O'Connell's tutelage, Justin Jefferson doing Justin Jefferson things, Aaron Jones providing a massive boost in both the run and pass game as an offseason addition and Brian Flores' defense flummoxing even the best offenses with wizard-level blitz and pressure packages. Minnesota very much does not look like a fluke.  Detroit has Jared Goff operating at elite-level quarterback play right now -- Goff's 157.5 passer rating over his last two games is the highest in NFL history. The Lions scored 40-plus points in back-to-back games for the first time since 1962. The Lions likely lost Aidan Hutchinson for the year on Sunday, a brutal blow for an elite pass rusher who was tracking for DPOY candidacy and was actually on pace to break the single-season sack record before his injury. The Lions rebuilt their team through the draft, loading up in the trenches and it's paid off handsomely, with one of the best rosters in football. David Montgomery (two touchdowns Sunday) and Jahmyr Gibbs are a lethal combination and Amon-Ra St. Brown/Jameson Williams/Sam LaPorta are arguably the best trio of pass-catching weapons in football and wonderfully complementary in terms of their skillset. You never know who's going to beat you week to week.  Green Bay lost Jordan Love for multiple weeks and didn't skip a beat with Malik Willis under center. The Packers have 17 takeaways on the season after turning over the Cardinals three times Sunday in their 34-13 cruise control win. It's tied for the most by any team through six games over the last 10 seasons, along with the 2015 Broncos and 2018 Bears. Love has lived up to the offseason hype when he's been on the field and tossed four passing touchdowns Sunday, including two to Romeo Dobbs, despite the receiver coming off a suspension in Week 5. Jayden Reed is just a PROBLEM. Christian Watson back in the fold gives Green Bay an elite field stretcher. This offense has weapons for days and bringing in Jeff Hafley as defensive coordinator this offseason has paid massive dividends.  The Bears have maybe the toughest schedule moving forward, and it's a real dagger for Chicago fans to have this division so beefy right as they finally get a franchise quarterback in Caleb Williams. But I don't think the Bears will fade easily. Matt Eberflus catches a lot of heat, but he's built up a really good defense in Chicago, which shouldn't be surprising given how good his units were in previous stops. As mentioned above, Waldron moved past some early season issues with the play-calling. D'Andre Swift looked like a free-agency bust early on, but he's been one of the best running backs in football over the last month. Cole Kmet and Keenan Allen both caught a pair of scores on Sunday, a week after D.J. Moore extracted revenge on Carolina with 100 yards and two touchdowns. The skill-position situation for Williams is panning out the way we suggested it might this offseason. No division has ever had all four teams make the playoffs and while having to play each other a bunch down the stretch plus increasingly harder schedules for some teams (made harder by those division games), the NFC North at least has a decent shot after its hot start.):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/sorting-nfl-sunday-pile-week-6-fear-the-ravens-cowboys-spoil-owners-birthday-nfc-north-reigns-supreme/


Week 6 overreactions: Mike McCarthy on way out? (Jared Goff is on greatest two-game stint for any QB in NFL history - Overreaction or reality: Reality.  Jared Goff was nearly perfect in Sunday's blowout win over the Cowboys, finishing 18 of 25 for 315 yards with three touchdowns in the 47-9 win. Goff finished with a 153.8 passer rating, giving him a 157.5 passer rating over his last two games -- the best passer rating in a two-game stretch in NFL history (minimum 40 attempts).   Goff is 36 of 43 for 607 yards with five touchdowns and zero interceptions, averaging 14.1 yards per attempt. Goff has the same number of 30+ yards completions as incompletions (7) during that stretch. The Lions also have back-to-back 40+ games for the first time since 1962 as a result. This is the best we've ever seen a quarterback over a two-game stretch -- statistically.):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/overreactions-after-week-6-of-2024-nfl-season-mike-mccarthy-on-way-out-nick-sirianni-in-no-win-situation/

Jared Goff, Jordan Love sizzle; Cowboys QB Dak Prescott frigid in red zone (WHO'S HOT - Jared Goff, QB, Lions:  The Cal product went 18-for-25 for 315 yards and three scores on Sunday, posting a 153.8 passer rating as the Lions manhandled the Dallas Cowboys. Goff finished a perfect 18-for-18 in a win over the Seattle Seahawks before Detroit's bye week. So, in his past two games, Goff is 36-of-43 for 607 yards, with five touchdowns and no interceptions for a 157.5 passer rating.  Led by Goff, Detroit's offense scored a touchdown or field goal on the first nine drives against the Cowboys, earning a measure of revenge after the team's controversial loss at Dallas last season. Goff gave head coach Dan Campbell the game ball afterward in the locker room.):  https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/week-6-heat-index-jared-goff-jordan-love-sizzle-cowboys-dak-prescott-turnovers-red-zone

The NFC North makes history, plus 10 more incredible stats from Week 6 (2. Detroit did what?  Dan Campbell's squad dominated the Cowboys in a 47-9 victory this past Sunday. It snapped a five-game losing streak against Dallas (and six-game when including playoffs), giving them their first win against America's team since Week 8 of the 2013 season. It was also the first time the Lions have defeated the Cowboys in Dallas since 2011.  The Lions now have a 4-1 record through five games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1970-71. The 47 points scored against Dallas is Detroit's most in a game since Week 11 of the 2011 season, and gave them 40 points in consecutive games for the first time since 1962.   Much of the offensive firepower was spearheaded by David Montgomery, who rushed for 80 yards and two scores. He now has one or more rushing touchdowns in eight consecutive games dating back to Week 16 of last season, breaking a tie with Billy Sims (1980-81) for the franchise record. He is also now tied with Kyren Williams for the longest active streak in the NFL.):  https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfc-north-makes-history-plus-10-more-incredible-stats-from-week-6

Tom Brady: Why Lions are among NFL's best, solution for Cowboys' slow starts:  https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/tom-brady-detroit-lions-nfl-best-dallas-cowboys-starts

Tom Brady's LFG Player of the Game for Week 6: Lions OL Penei Sewell:  https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/tom-bradys-lfg-player-game-week-6

Detroit lost its heart and soul ... now can it win a Super Bowl without Aidan Hutchinson?:  https://sports.yahoo.com/detroit-lost-its-heart-and-soul--now-can-it-win-a-super-bowl-without-aidan-hutchinson-160135902.html

Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown, Cowboys' Jourdan Lewis Take Bitter Rivalry to Social Media:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions-amon-ra-st-brown-cowboys-jourdan-lewis-bitter-rivalry-social-media

SI:AM | NFC North Is Off to a Historically Great Start:  https://www.si.com/nfl/nfc-north-historic-start-vikings-lions-bears-packers

Week 6 NFL Takeaways: Lions Are Smothering Teams and Having Fun (Detroit Lions -The Detroit Lions are what we thought they were—the same team they have been going back to the middle of the 2022 season. And it showed, again, after the Dallas Cowboys got themselves off to a promising start Sunday afternoon at AT&T Stadium.  Dak Prescott and the Dallas offense kicked off the game with a nine-play, 54-yard march that stalled out in the red zone and resulted in a 34-yard field goal from Brandon Aubrey. That made it 3–0, and also marked the last time the Cowboys would hold a lead.  From there, Detroit absolutely smothered the Cowboys, scoring on all five of its first-half possessions, while holding Dallas out of the end zone for the game’s first 30 minutes. It was 27–6 at halftime and 47–9 in the end. And it all started the same way the Lions have finished off so many of their other opponents, with a steady stream of David Montgomery and, perhaps, the NFL’s best offensive line.  That approach closed out the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1, and set the tone in the Lions’ Week 4 win over the Seattle Seahawks. Against Dallas, it was there when Detroit had to respond to that opening salvo, with three Montgomery carries for 28 yards sandwiching a 42-yard dart from Jared Goff to Denver Broncos castoff Tim Patrick, including a physical 16-yard scoring run.  “The opportunity presents itself—and if that means that I’m in when the opportunity presents itself, I know I need to be ready for it,” Montgomery told me postgame. “For me being able to understand and do that, that’s the only thing that matters.”  What mattered this time around was that, by halftime, Montgomery had 58 of the Lions’ 92 rushing yards, and Detroit was well on its way to 4–1.  The rest was breezy, for sure, and certainly a sign of where the visitors to Texas are now. But that doesn’t mean the game was without fireworks for an appreciative audience that needed some on a relatively dull Sunday.  Maybe the best example? How offensive coordinator Ben Johnson called the second half. There was the hook-and-ladder to right tackle Penei Sewell. The play-action pass to left tackle Taylor Decker. The “route,” if you want to call it that, run by swing tackle Dan Skipper. All of those came with the game in hand, each as a sort of reward to vital parts of an offensive line that’s long been among the NFL’s best.  "It’s fun,” Montgomery says. “When you watch football on Sundays, you want to see that kind of fun stuff. The plays we do already are pretty fun, and Ben gets pretty creative in what he decides to do [beyond the more conventional stuff].”  The plays to Sewell, Decker and Skipper didn’t work.  But almost everything else in Dallas did—with one very difficult exception. Indeed, the cost of the trip to Texas, which wound up being Aidan Hutchinson’s season, was heavy. Hutchinson’s leg snapped when his shin whipped around teammate Alim McNeill’s leg on a pass rush, sending the Lions’ star to the ground in pain, and his teammates onto the field to try to console their beloved captain.  “He’s the heartbeat of this team,” Montgomery says. “You can feel the energy coursing through the way he talks and how he carries himself. That’s a big blow, but we’re taking this personal because we know that it means a lot to Aidan.”  The good news is the Lions have a chance to lift Hutchinson’s spirits over the next few months, the same way they’ve lifted up their region the past couple of years.  We already knew, before the season started, that Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes had put together something sustainable. What we’re learning now is that the ceiling on this particular group of players, even without Hutchinson, may be higher than most realized. And next week, they’ll have another chance to show it with a trip to Minnesota to play the unbeaten Vikings on tap.  Montgomery, with a new two-year extension to stay in Detroit now signed, didn’t want to make too big a deal of next week just yet. Mostly because, at this point, being in games like that one isn’t new to him, or anyone else in his locker room.  “It’s just handling our business,” he says. “We know what we’re capable of. If we all connect on all cylinders and we’re playing the way that we play, we’ll be hard to beat.”  Which the Cowboys found out the hard way.):  https://www.si.com/nfl/week-6-nfl-takeaways-detroit-lions-smothering-fun

Maybe the best example? How offensive coordinator Ben Johnson called the second half. There was the hook-and-ladder to right tackle Penei Sewell. The play-action pass to left tackle Taylor Decker. The “route,” if you want to call it that, run by swing tackle Dan Skipper. All of those came with the game in hand, each as a sort of reward to vital parts of an offensive line that’s long been among the NFL’s best.:  https://www.si.com/nfl/week-6-nfl-takeaways-detroit-lions-smothering-fun




Now we know: Detroit Lions were still mad about what happened vs. Cowboys last year:  https://www.clickondetroit.com/sports/2024/10/14/now-we-know-detroit-lions-were-still-mad-about-what-happened-vs-cowboys-last-year/


32 things we learned in NFL Week 6: NFC North dominance escalates (10. The number of times Lions OT Dan Skipper reported as eligible against the Cowboys, including on both half-ending kneel-downs. You'll recall tackle-eligible plays were a, well, problem in Detroit's Week 17 loss in North Texas last season.  23. Since divisional realignment in 2002, the NFC North is the first to feature all of its members with at least four wins through Week 6.  23a. Though the undefeated Minnesota Vikings were on bye, the rest of the division cleaned up Sunday, the Bears, Lions and Packers winning by an average of 26 points. Things should get nicely heated once intra-divisional play ramps up given only the Pack and Vikes have met thus far.  24. And how good has Lions QB Jared Goff been? Sunday, he became only the second signal-caller, along with Drew Brees, to record a passer rating in excess of 150.0 in consecutive starts. 25. Sadly, the NFC North will lose some significant luster in the aftermath of the broken tibia suffered by Detroit DE Aidan Hutchinson, who boosted his league-leading sack total to 7½ on the play that will almost undoubtedly end his 2024 season … and perhaps drastically alter his team’s Super Bowl hopes):  https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/columnist/nate-davis/2024/10/13/nfl-takeaways-week-6-learned-caleb-williams/75666334007/


Podcast:

Dungeon of Doom: Injury to star defender casts shadow on Detroit’s blowout win:  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2024/10/dungeon-of-doom-injury-to-star-defender-casts-shadow-on-detroits-blowout-win.html


Video:












Maxx Crosby to Detroit? Why the Lions should trade for Raiders’ star:  https://www.fox2detroit.com/video/1531673

Rex Ryan: Hutchinson injury 'might have lost the Super Bowl' for Lions:  https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/41789527

How does Aidan Hutchinson's injury impact Lions' playoff hopes? | 'NFL GameDay Final':  https://www.nfl.com/videos/how-does-aidan-hutchinson-s-injury-impact-lions-playoff-hopes-nfl-gameday-final

Thoughts on Lions dominant Week 6 win vs. Cowboys | 'GMFB':  https://www.nfl.com/videos/thoughts-on-lions-dominant-week-6-win-vs-cowboys-gmfb

Posted by LionsFan at 1:10 PM

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