Monday, September 8, 2025

Lions Links for Monday 9-8-25

Articles:

KEY QUESTIONS: What does Campbell want to see from his team heading into Week 2?:  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/key-questions-what-does-campbell-want-to-see-from-his-team-heading-into-week-2


NOTEBOOK: Goff focused on fixing details following loss to Packers:  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/notebook-goff-focused-on-fixing-details-following-loss-to-packers

FOUR DOWNS: Red zone performance played a big role in Lions' loss to Packers:  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/four-downs-red-zone-performance-played-a-big-role-in-lions-loss-to-packers











Grades: Packers Pummel Lions in Lackluster Effort:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/grades-packers-pummel-lions-lackluster-effort

Dan Campbell: I Thought John Morton Did Good:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/dan-campbell-reviews-john-morton

Everything Jared Goff Said After Dropping Season-Opener to Packers:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/everything-jared-goff-said-after-dropping-season-opener

Report: Terrion Arnold Groin Injury Is Not Considered Serious:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/report-terrion-arnold-groin-injury-is-not-considered-serious

Alex Anzalone: Those Questioning Coordinators Not 'Highly Intelligent':  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/alex-anzalone-those-questioning-coordinators-not-intelligent

Fact or Fiction: Aidan Hutchinson May Need to Take Hometown Discount:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/fact-or-fiction-aidan-hutchinson-may-not-get-new-extension-yet

Studs and Duds: Lions' Offense Has Opener to Forget:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/studs-duds-lions-offense-has-opener-to-forget

Everything Dan Campbell Said After Packers Pounced on Lions:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/everything-dan-campbell-said-after-packers-loss

Fans React to Lions' Opening Loss: 'Throw The Tape Away':  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/fans-react-lions-opening-loss-throw-tape-away







Five thoughts from Lions Dan Campbell on day after loss to Packers:  https://lionslowdown.com/2025/09/08/five-thoughts-from-lions-dan-campbell-on-day-after-loss-to-packers/

Dan Campbell on Lions-Bears: "We're going to win this game. We have to.":  https://www.audacy.com/971theticket/sports/detroit-lions/dan-campbell-on-lions-bears-we-have-to-win-this-game

Ratledge welcomed rudely to NFL by Packers, who swarmed Lions on interior: "Did not have my best game mentally":  https://www.audacy.com/971theticket/sports/detroit-lions/detroit-lions-tate-ratledge-welcomed-rudely-to-nfl

Micah Parsons to Penei Sewell: "You’re my new rivalry now … so we might as well buckle up":  https://www.audacy.com/971theticket/sports/detroit-lions/micah-parsons-to-penei-sewell-youre-my-new-rivalry-now

Terrion Arnold on Lions' loss to Packers: "They won, but they didn’t beat us":  https://www.audacy.com/971theticket/sports/detroit-lions/lions-cb-terrion-arnold-packers-won-but-didnt-beat-us

Barnwell separates fact from fiction off NFL Week 1: Is it too early to worry about the Lions? (Real: There are concerns about the Lions' offense
As Detroit has grown into the cream of the NFC North crop over the past few years, Lions fans have dismissed the idea of being challenged by the Packers for the division title. Beginning with their fateful performance in knocking the Packers out of a playoff spot in Aaron Rodgers' final game with the organization at the end of the 2022 season, the Lions had won four of their past five against Green Bay, including a clean sweep in 2024.  The mood changed Sunday. Buoyed by the debut of new star edge rusher Micah Parsons in front of a raucous home crowd, the Packers got out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter against their rivals and didn't really look back. It took a spectacular catch from rookie wideout Isaac TeSlaa in the final minute to earn the Lions their only touchdown of the day in a 27-13 thumping.  Parsons was the story. While he played only 29 of 65 snaps in his first game with the Packers, the newly acquired defender managed one sack and three pressures. He helped create a Jared Goff interception in the red zone at the end of the second quarter by beating Penei Sewell to the inside, the second time Parsons beat his fellow perennial All-Pro to the interior. The pressure prevented Goff from seeing safety Evan Williams breaking on his throw to Amon-Ra St. Brown, costing the Lions points before halftime.  Goff had a disappointing game, especially putting aside what he did in garbage time. Through three quarters, he was 21-of-25 -- but those throws created only 152 yards and eight first downs. Goff turned a league-high 43.8% of his throws into first downs last season; the 32% rate he hit on against the Packers would have ranked 28th in the league a year ago.  During his turnaround over the past few years in Detroit, Goff thrived by avoiding pure dropback situations, with the Lions often playing from ahead and Ben Johnson turning the play-action dial harder than any other coordinator in football. Goff was excellent as usual with play-action against the Packers, going 9-of-10 for 86 yards. Without the play fakes, though, he went 22-of-29 for just 139 yards -- and that even includes the fourth quarter.  And to work things all the way backward, the Lions couldn't get their play-action game going because they weren't a threat to run the football. The game script didn't help matters, but David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs combined for just 44 yards on 20 carries. They had nearly as many stuffs for no gain or a loss (six) as they did successful rush attempts (seven), per NFL Next Gen Stats. This came against a team that lost its two best run defenders on the interior during the offseason in T.J. Slaton Jr. (who led the NFL in run stop win rate) and Kenny Clark (who was sent to the Cowboys as part of the Parsons trade).  While Goff has been excellent in his role, that run game has been at the heart of what the Lions have accomplished on offense. And there are reasons to be nervous about what we saw. Detroit is rebuilding on the interior of its line after Frank Ragnow retired and Kevin Zeitler left in free agency. The Lions have moved Graham Glasgow to center and are starting Christian Mahogany and rookie Tate Ratledge -- who had a combined two career starts before Sunday -- at guard. While the Lions have a great offensive line coach in Hank Fraley and have been excellent talent developers, it's just unfair to lose one of the league's best centers and a very good veteran guard and expect everything to just keep rolling. On Sunday, that Lions ground game came to a halt. Mahogany was overpowered by Colby Wooden and beaten to the inside by Nazir Stackhouse, creating a pair of tackles for loss. Glasgow had trouble with his double-teams, including a whiff of a forearm shiver to leave Gibbs with a lineman in his face in the backfield. The execution from what often looked like such a well-oiled unit in 2023 and 2024 was lacking. The idea of establishing the run to create a basis for play-action is faulty, but the Packers weren't afraid of Detroit's run game yesterday. They didn't have any reason to be.  That pushes Goff into the dropback passing game, which creates problems. Over the past four years, Goff is first in the NFL in QBR when unpressured -- but 28th by the same metric when pressured. The Packers overloaded Ratledge with a double A-gap pressure for one sack, while Lukas Van Ness put Mahogany on skates for another. Taylor Decker struggled with Rashan Gary. And when Sewell is struggling with Parsons, well, there's nothing for the Lions to fall back on. They'll face easier defenses than the Packers, but the NFC North is officially a real fight. And the Lions have a weakness other teams are going to be picking at in the weeks to come.):  https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/46187060/2025-nfl-week-1-real-fake-lions-colts-dolphins-ravens-steelers-jets-commanders-bengals-broncos


NFL Week 1: Highest-graded plays of the week (Isaac TeSlaa’s one-handed grab - While it didn’t change the outcome—cutting the deficit from three scores to two with under a minute left—TeSlaa’s late touchdown against the Packers might end up as the catch of the year. He hauled it in one-handed, secured it and managed to land just in bounds.):  https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-week-1-highest-graded-plays-of-the-week

NFL Week 1: Six biggest surprises, winners & losers; plus, Week 2's top game (5. Lame Lions in loss. As much as people wondered how Detroit would fare with two new coordinators -- John Morton on offense and Kelvin Sheppard on defense -- it was hard to foresee what the reigning NFC North champion would put on the field in a 27-13 loss to Green Bay. Before we get started, hats off to the Packers. They are legitimate Super Bowl contenders now that their defense has been supercharged by the trade that delivered linebacker Micah Parsons, not to mention all the talent they possess on offense. But let's also remember the Lions are the team that held the top seed in the NFC playoffs last season and reached the NFC Championship Game in the 2023 campaign. They didn't bring the same energy we've come to expect from them, particularly on offense. This wasn't just about coaching staff, either. The Lions are breaking in players at three different spots along the offensive line (Christian Mahogany and Tate Ratledge at guard, while former guard Graham Glasgow has moved to center) and that showed big time. This was arguably the best offensive line in football over the past two years, a unit that powered the highest-scoring team in the league in 2025. That same group led a rushing attack that amassed all of 46 yards, averaged 2.1 yards per carry and gave up four sacks on Sunday. If that wasn't bad enough, Detroit didn't score a touchdown until the last minute. Look, we all know the NFC North is going to be a dogfight. It's also reasonable to expect the Lions to take a step back after losing valuable assistants. That doesn't mean this performance shouldn't raise eyebrows. The Lions have plenty of work to do if they want to stay on top of this division again.):  https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-week-1-six-biggest-surprises-winners-losers-plus-week-2-s-top-game

The Good, Bad and Ugly From NFL Week 1 Includes an Epic Finish by the Bills (Good: Packers looked like an elite defense against the Lions.  If this is what the Packers look like when Micah Parsons is on a snap count, imagine what they’ll look like when he’s fully activated.  In its season opener against the Lions, Green Bay took apart the defending NFC North champions in every facet. Detroit only managed 13 points in defeat, while Jared Goff threw for 225 yards and an interception on 5.8 yards per attempt, even with the benefit of garbage time. The Packers were all over him throughout, posting nine quarterback hits and four sacks, while limiting the Lions’ dynamic rushing duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery to 45 yards on nine carries.  In its first game without offensive coordinator Ben Johnson after his departure to coach the Bears, Detroit looked lost without its whiz-kid play-caller. The Lions averaged 6.2 yards per play in 2024, ranking second in the league behind only the Ravens. On Sunday, they got nothing going against Green Bay, mustering 3.8 YPP while generating one run that gained double-digit yardage.   For Matt LaFleur and the Packers, it was a breakthrough. Last season, Green Bay finished third in the NFC North despite an 11–6 record, mainly because it was 1–5 within the division, including a season sweep at Detroit’s hand.   With this victory, the Packers have already matched their 2024 success in the North, and did so in resounding fashion.):  https://www.si.com/nfl/the-good-bad-ugly-from-nfl-week-1-aaron-rodgers-steelers

Week 1 NFL Takeaways: Yes, Josh Allen Is Even Better Now (Jameson Williams’s new contract is a sure sign of how he’s matured as a person—when last season ended, the Lions were very much in wait-and-see mode.):  https://www.si.com/nfl/week-1-nfl-takeaways-bills-comeback-packers-parsons










Lions need to go back to the basics after ugly 27-13 loss to Packers:  https://www.wxyz.com/sports/lions-need-to-go-back-to-the-basics-after-ugly-27-13-loss-to-packers

Dan Campbell ‘Picked the Wrong Dude’ to Lead Lions’ Offense, Stephen A. Smith Says:  https://athlonsports.com/nfl/detroit-lions/dan-campbell-picked-the-wrong-dude-to-lead-lions-offense-stephen-a-smith-says

Unexpected Update Emerges on Lions’ Player Who Suffered Fracture Against Packers:  https://athlonsports.com/nfl/detroit-lions/unexpected-update-emerges-on-lions-player-who-suffered-fracture-against-packers


Winners, losers of NFL Week 1: Ravens left to figure out another crushing collapse (Lions' offense - It's too early for Dan Campbell to panic – not that it's the coach's style to do so, anyway. But the questions about how effective Detroit's attack will be without Ben Johnson were amplified significantly by an uninspiring showing. A front that once ranked as one of the league's best allowed four sacks and was at least partially responsible for a stalled run game, which posted just 46 yards on 22 carries. Goff said after the game that the group could move forward but "there needs to be an urgency of improvement." With games against the Ravens, Bengals and Chiefs looming before the bye, Detroit can't take a return to last year's form as a given.):  https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2025/09/08/nfl-week-1-winners-losers-ravens-dolphins-aaron-rodgers/86028172007/


NFL Game Recaps: Week 1, 2025 (Packers 24, Lions 6 - EDITOR’S NOTE: It turns out that life is tough when losing both coordinators and two key interior linemen in one offseason. The Lions are in trouble.  While Micah Parsons was not a real factor in the game, the Packers cruised to a season-opening win over the Lions. Detroit’s offense was completely inept at finishing drives, and the Lions’ defense played horribly in the first quarter to let Green Bay take firm control of the game.  The Packers took the opening drive into Detroit territory with Jordan Love converting some third-and-longs, and then on another third-and-long, Love connected with Tucker Kraft (2-16-1) for a 15-yard touchdown strike. After a Lions three-and-out, an offsides on the punt led to a 32-yard gain on a repunt, and the Packers turned that field position into a field goal to take a 10-0 lead. The Lions offense got a drive going using Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown (4-45), but settled for a field goal. Two plays later, the Packers were up 17-3 as Love hit a deep ball to Romeo Doubs (2-68) for 48 yards and then a touchdown strike to Jayden Reed (3-45-1) for 17 yards. The Lions drove into Packers territory late in the first half, but Evan Williams intercepted a pass to maintain the lead at halftime.  To open the third quarter, Goff hit some completions to Sam LaPorta (6-79) to get a second field goal. Love threw a pick-six to Brian Branch, but the referees threw some terrible penalties to take the score away from Detroit. After getting great field position from forcing a punt from the Lions’ own end zone, Green Bay put the game away midway through the fourth quarter with a short Josh Jacobs touchdown run.):  https://walterfootball.com/nflreview.php


Video:






Jared Goff breaks down Lions season opening loss to Packers:  https://www.fox2detroit.com/video/1704182

SportsWorks 9-7-25 -- Woody talking Lions, Tigers and college football with John Niyo & Pat Caputo:  https://www.fox2detroit.com/video/1703895

Stephen A.: Nobody expected this drop-off from the Lions:  https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/46197631
Posted by LionsFan at 7:37 PM

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