Friday, January 10, 2025

Lions Links for Friday 1-10-25

Articles:

6 Lions named to 2024 All-Pro team:  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/6-lions-named-to-2024-all-pro-team-joseph-sewell-stbrown








Teddy Bridgewater Tells Jameson Williams 'Keep Working, Stay Angry':  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/teddy-bridgewater-encourages-jameson-williams


Calvin Johnson Loves Dan Campbell's 'Authenticity':  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/calvin-johnson-loves-dan-campbell-s-authenticity


VIDEO: Lions CB Amik Robertson’s emotional locker room entrance is must-see:  https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2025/1/10/24340516/video-lions-cb-amik-robertsons-emotional-locker-room-entrance-is-must-see


Ranking the NFL's top five coaching staffs right now: Chiefs, Vikings, Lions employ brilliant football minds (3. Detroit Lions:  If you appreciate culture and team-building, you love Dan Campbell's work in Detroit. The former NFL tight end has remade the Lions in the image of a gritty city that fully appreciates a blue-collar squad that does not flinch in any situation. Moreover, this team's fun factor reflects its leader's unbridled energy and passion for the game.  Ben Johnson has made the Lions must-see TV for observers who appreciate trickery and gadgetry on the perimeter. The offensive wizard is not afraid to utilize deception and misdirection to create explosive plays, but he also makes it a point to keep his top playmakers engaged throughout the game. Johnson puts Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta in prime playmaking positions, making the game easy for quarterback Jared Goff. With a talented offensive line that specializes in pummeling opponents at the point of attack, Detroit can win by utilizing force or finesse to get the job done.  Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has created a buzz in league circles with his evolution as a play-caller and tactician throughout his tenure in Detroit. The former Pro Bowl cornerback adapted his schemes to fit his talent while retaining the aggressive approach that creates chaos for opponents. Whether featuring man-to-man or zone coverage behind an aggressive blitz, Glenn is not afraid to switch up his plan in order to accentuate the strengths of his personnel. With the crafty defensive play-caller capable of working around the inexperience of young players and the limitations of backups thrust into prominent roles by injury, the Lions' defensive leader has shown the creativity and adaptability elite coaches possess. Given Detroit's immense success with a coaching staff full of former players, the football world is paying close attention to the Lions' approach.):  https://www.nfl.com/news/ranking-the-nfl-s-top-five-coaching-staffs-right-now-chiefs-vikings-lions-employ-brilliant-football-minds

Agent's Take: Playoff bonuses that players can earn (Jared Goff:  Playoff performance bonus that can be earned: $1 million.  Goff's $39 million 2028 base salary will increase by $1 million with the Lions winning the Super Bowl provided his offensive playtime during the regular season was 50% or above and he takes at least 50% of Detroit's offensive snaps in the playoffs. He had 97.04% offensive playtime during the regular season.):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/agents-take-player-performance-bonuses-that-can-be-earned-in-2025-nfl-playoffs/

10 NFL players who could make or break team's SB hopes (1. Jameson Williams, WR, Lions:  Detroit's speedy wideout has grown leaps and bounds in his third NFL season. Williams hardly played as a rookie returning from a major knee injury, and his up-and-down second season featured explosive plays but also drops and a suspension for gambling. It was as tantalizing as it was frustrating.  This year, Williams went over 1,000 receiving yards and scored eight total touchdowns. His 17.3 yards per reception were most of any 1,000-yard receiver. The Lions used him in a variety of ways, and he, for the most part, has delivered.  It's the "for the most part" that is scary. Williams is still a boom-or-bust player, and while he has been much better not dropping the ball (just three all season), a couple of his drops have been on potential big plays. There's certainly a scenario where Williams wins deep in a big situation, and whether or not he converts will loom large.):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2025-nfl-playoffs-10-players-who-could-make-or-break-a-teams-super-bowl-hopes-this-postseason/

NFL playoffs: Ranking rookie classes of all 14 teams (13. Detroit Lions - CB Terrion Arnold, Alabama (Round 1, No. 24 overall).  CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Missouri (Round 2, No. 61 overall).  OT Giovanni Manu, British Columbia (Round 4, No. 126 overall).  RB Sione Vaki, Utah (Round 4, No. 132 overall).  DT Mekhi Wingo, LSU (Round 6, No. 189 overall).  OG Christian Mahogany, Boston College (Round 6, No. 210 overall).  Arnold has had a difficult rookie season, giving up four touchdowns and being responsible for seven defensive pass interferences. He has played a substantial amount, though. Mahogany recently stepped into the starting lineup and performed admirably. Outside of those two players, and Wingo factoring into the rotation, there has not been much to show for Detroit's rookie class.):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2025-nfl-playoffs-ranking-the-rookie-classes-of-all-14-teams-with-jayden-daniels-commanders-leading-the-way/

Ranking backup QB situations for 2025 playoff teams (7. Teddy Bridgewater Detroit Lions QB:  Second-year reserve Hendon Hooker is technically the No. 2 in Detroit, but the Lions wouldn't have lured the 32-year-old Bridgewater out of retirement if they weren't prepared to use him in case of emergency. He's a conservative arm, but his experience (65 career starts) is invaluable, and he's also got premium playmakers at his disposal, not to mention one of the NFL's best fronts.):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/backup-qb-rankings-for-2025-nfl-playoffs-rams-jimmy-garoppolo-steelers-justin-fields-among-top-reserves/

Here's each NFC team's ideal road to Super Bowl LIX (Ideal road - Divisional Round: Commanders.  NFC Championship Game: Rams.  Super Bowl: Texans.  The Lions haven't reached—much less won—a Super Bowl in franchise history, but this season is arguably their best chance yet. They are the No. 1 seed for the first time in franchise history and have both home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs and a bye into the Divisional Round.  Here's an oddity: The SportsLine Projection Model says the seventh-seeded Packers have the best chance of any team in the NFC at beating Detroit (47.6%), even though the Lions won their two regular-season meetings. So Detroit fans may consider rooting for the Eagles to beat Green Bay in their wild-card matchup on Sunday.  The model gives the Lions a 60.9% chance of beating the Buccaneers if the teams square off in a rematch of the Week 2 game, which Tampa Bay prevailed in.):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-playoffs-the-easiest-path-to-get-to-new-orleans-and-win-super-bowl-lix-for-each-nfc-team/

NFL Playoffs Quarterback Rankings: Patrick Mahomes Chases History (5. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions - Playoff record: 4–4, Super Bowl appearances: 1, Super Bowl victories: 0. Goff’s career was seemingly on the downturn when he was dealt to Detroit a few years ago. Now? He’s playing like one of the league’s best. Already having been to a Super Bowl, Goff is now aiming to destroy old memories and win a ring on the league’s most explosive offense. Based on his output in 2024, it’s well within reach.):  https://www.si.com/nfl/nfl-playoffs-quarterback-rankings-patrick-mahomes-chases-history

Amik Robertson Overwhelmed With Emotion in Extended Lions’ Locker Room Celebration:  https://www.si.com/nfl/amik-robertson-overwhelmed-with-emotion-extended-lions-locker-room-celebration

Why all 14 NFL playoff teams won't win Super Bowl 59, from a Chiefs collapse to Lions' injury woes (Detroit Lions:  The Lions’ defensive injury situation seems a lot better after turning Sam Darnold into a pumpkin and with an additional week to rest, but the other NFC heavyweights likely won’t be so kind. There is a realistic situation where Detroit has to face down Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay, Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley behind an elite offensive line, and one of Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, or Lamar Jackson en route to the Super Bowl.  No matter the Lions’ belief, cohesion, and connectiveness, that is A LOT to ask for a shorthanded unit in successive weeks. It’ll require some timely playmaking Detroit has proven capable of but it might ultimately be too much to ask in the crucible of sudden-death football in the winter.):  https://ftw.usatoday.com/lists/nfl-playoffs-why-every-team-wont-win-super-bowl-59-chiefs-lions-eagles

Campbell has gone for it on 4th down an NFL-record 151 times in 4 years:  https://lionswire.usatoday.com/2025/01/10/breaking-down-how-the-lions-fared-in-aps-all-pro-voting/

Ranking the Five Players, Coaches With Most to Prove During NFL Playoffs (3. Lions Coach Dan Campbell
Dan Campbell:  Detroit went far into the playoffs last year riding Campbell's aggressive, risk-it-all coaching style and won 15 games during the 2024 regular season doing the same thing. But their quest for a title last year ended on a 34–31 loss to the San Francisco 49ers that featured a couple of highly criticized failed fourth-down conversions.  He's nicknamed Dan "Gamble" Campbell for a reason. However, if Campbell's overly aggressive coaching tactics come back to bite the Lions once again in a year they have Super Bowl aspirations and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, it'll be much harder for him to defend his decision making.):  https://www.si.com/nfl/ranking-five-players-coaches-with-most-to-prove-during-nfl-playoffs

Lions enter playoffs tops in the NFC for first time:  https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/lions-enter-playoffs-tops-in-the-nfc/


Video:


Windsor flies Honolulu blue flag to kick off Detroit Lions playoff run:  https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6610455
Posted by LionsFan at 6:41 PM

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