Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Lions Links for Tuesday 11-3-26

Articles:

TWENTYMAN: 5 stats that stand out following Lions' Week 8 victory:  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/5-stats-that-stand-out-following-detroit-lions-week-8-victory-gibbs-reed-hutchinson

Lions Create Two Roster Spots After Cutting DB, Placing LB on IR:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/onsi/lions-create-two-roster-spots-after-cutting-defensive-back-linebacker

Lions Give Further Jack Campbell Update, Avoid What We Want to Hear:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/onsi/lions-gives-further-jack-campbell-update-avoid-what-we-want-to-hear

Lions Can Be Serious Contenders If They Make Key Defensive Additions:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/onsi/lions-can-be-serious-contenders-if-they-make-key-defensive-additions

Detroit Lions Provide Clear Role For Kerby Joseph This Week:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/onsi/detroit-lions-provide-clear-role-for-kerby-joseph-this-week

Three Linebackers Lions Could Trade For After Recent Injuries:  https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/onsi/three-linebackers-lions-could-trade-for-after-recent-injuries





The Detroit Lions need to have an uncomfortable conversation about Cade Mays, Juice Scruggs and their future at center:  https://atozsports.com/nfl/detroit-lions-news/the-detroit-lions-need-to-have-an-uncomfortable-conversation-about-cade-mays-juice-scruggs-and-their-future-at-center/

Detroit Lions sign veteran linebacker after devastating injuries, but there’s a catch with what he brings to defense:  https://atozsports.com/nfl/detroit-lions-news/detroit-lions-sign-veteran-linebacker-after-devastating-injuries-but-theres-a-catch-with-what-he-brings-to-defense/

Lions Will Be Without Kerby Joseph vs. the Dolphins, Testing a Secondary Already Short-Handed:  https://athlonsports.com/nfl/detroit-lions/lions-kerby-joseph-out-dolphins-secondary

Blake Miller Lost Only Two Pass-Rush Reps Against the Vikings, but the Lions Saw a New Problem:  https://athlonsports.com/nfl/detroit-lions/blake-miller-lions-pass-blocking-run-blocking-vikings

Jared Goff suggests Vikings should be fined for play where "I got punched in the face":  https://www.audacy.com/971theticket/sports/detroit-lions/jared-goff-vikings-punch

Ahmed Hassanein 'probably getting his opportunity' for Lions this week:  https://www.audacy.com/971theticket/sports/detroit-lions/ahmed-hassanein-lions

More good signs for Jack Campbell: 'We know things are headed in the right direction':  https://www.audacy.com/971theticket/sports/detroit-lions/jack-campbell-lions-recovery

Dan Campbell challenged Lions' offense to run for 200 against Vikings. Everyone delivered:  https://www.audacy.com/971theticket/sports/detroit-lions/detroit-lions-run-game

Jack Campbell injury update: What Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Tuesday:  https://www.clickondetroit.com/sports/2026/11/03/jack-campbell-injury-update-what-detroit-lions-head-coach-dan-campbell-said-tuesday/

Could NFC North be first modern division with four playoff teams?:  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfc-north-four-playoff-teams-looking-more-likely-than-ever/

Ten new coordinators changing their teams' fortunes at midseason (3. Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing:  One could look at new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing putting together the NFL's No. 3 scoring offense (29.0 points per game) and say, "Well, anyone could do that." Detroit has the firepower with Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta and Penei Sewell. That group alone represents 17 trips to the Pro Bowl.  Petzing's predecessor, John Morton, lost his job after one season and had his play-calling duties stripped by Dan Campbell entering Week 10. Petzing has thrived at giving Gibbs a chance to shine with David Montgomery no longer in the picture. Gibbs totaled his third 150-yard rushing game of 2026 on Sunday in the 19-15 defeat against the Minnesota Vikings after having just two such games in his first three seasons combined.  Petzing also isn't afraid to get creative after having St. Brown line up 10 yards behind Goff on a third-and-8, and the pass play that allowed St. Brown to catch the ball while already moving at near top speed went for a first down against the NFL's No. 1 defense.):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-coordinator-rankings-midseason-packers-jonathan-gannon-steelers/

Six lessons from Week 8: The Bears have arrived (2. Don't count out the Lions, though
*whispers* Here come the Lions.  It seems like all the discourse from the Lions' gritty 19-15 win over the Vikings was about how bad Kyler Murray has been. Maybe -- just maybe -- we should focus on Detroit.  The offense is currently third in EPA per play and success rate and sixth in explosive play rate. Jared Goff has thrown for 15 touchdowns and one interception and is playing like a legit MVP candidate. He won't win the award, but he should garner votes. His ability to manage pressure -- long his biggest weakness -- has been at career-best levels this year. Jameson Williams looks like a stud again, and we already know Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown are awesome. Detroit ranks third in run blocking and fourth in pass blocking in PFF's metrics.  The defense, meanwhile, is eighth in success rate and 13th in EPA per play over the past two weeks. Brian Branch's return has been huge. Kerby Joseph could be back soon. The secondary has been miles better since the bye. Up front, Aidan Hutchinson remains a star, and Alim McNeil and Tyleik Williams are playing well inside.  This could be the NFC version of the Bengals: elite offense plus just enough defensive playmaking to be a threat.):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-week-8-lessons-bears-super-bowl-chiefs-kicker/

2026 midseason rookie grades: Ranking the early hits, misses and biggest surprises (17. Blake Miller, OT, Lions: B.  Miller's pass protection has been one of the more encouraging developments among all rookie offensive linemen. His balance, lateral agility and ability to redirect stood out at Clemson, and he's handled NFL edge rushers surprisingly well over the first two months. The running game is another story; he hasn't been nearly as good play in and play out.):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2026-nfl-rookie-grades-midseason-surprises/

NFL Week 8 Plays That Stood Out: Cardinals Beat Dallas' Secondary; Lions Crack Flores Code (3. Detroit Lions - Lions And Jahmyr Gibbs Crack The Brian Flores Code.  The play-calling matchup between Brian Flores and Drew Petzing was decidedly one-sided in the first half, with the Vikings defensive coordinator getting the better of his counterpart on the Lions sideline. Minnesota’s blitzing overwhelmed Jared Goff and the Detroit offensive line, forcing Petzing to abandon the downfield passing game in the second half.  Fortunately, the Jahmyr Gibbs-led run game was more than capable of picking up the slack. That didn’t appear to be the case early, though. The Lions were held to just 53 yards in the first half, with 19 of them coming on one play in the final seconds before the half. The second half was a different story, with Detroit racking up 164 yards on the ground. Gibbs’ 30-yard touchdown run, which gave the Lions their first lead in the third quarter, was the biggest play of the day and showed how Petzing unlocked the run game against the NFL’s best defense.  A lot is made of Minnesota’s blitzing against the pass, but the run blitzes are just as effective. Flores will send linebackers and defensive backs to plug gaps that initially looked open. In many offenses, quarterbacks will make a predetermined check at the line against certain fronts.   Against the Vikings, you don’t know what front you’re getting until after the snap. It prevents the offense from creating blocking double teams at the point of attack. On top of that, Flores typically has a bead on where offenses want to run the football and designs his blitzes accordingly.  Petzing came up with a creative run plan to combat that tactic. He had Detroit line up in these funky backfields, with two tight ends aligned side by side and Gibbs behind them.  This creates two dilemmas for the defense:  1. Do they overload to that side of the formation to match the numbers, leaving them vulnerable to weak-side runs?
2. The two tight ends could be headed to either side, so which side do you target with those run blitzes? Flores and the Vikings struggled to answer either question. And Petzing wisely waited until the second half to really lean on those formations, giving Minnesota little time to adjust. By my unofficial count, the Lions ran out of these formations 10 times for 100 yards.):  https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-week-8-plays-that-stood-out-cardinals-beat-dallas-secondary-lions-crack-flores-code

7 biggest takeaways from Week 8 of NFL season (Detroit’s rushing attack overwhelms Minnesota.  The Lions picked up a huge victory, with Jahmyr Gibbs leading the way with 23 carries for 153 yards and a touchdown. Gibbs was nearly unstoppable in the second half. Sione Vaki also contributed 11 carries for 65 yards as Detroit consistently attacked Minnesota’s run defense. Jameson Williams added four catches for 70 yards and a touchdown after finding ways to get open. Detroit’s defense has also shown significant improvement over the past couple of weeks.):  https://www.thebiglead.com/biggest-takeaways-week-8-2026-nfl-season/

Week 9 NFL MVP Power Rankings: Josh Allen, Joe Burrow gain ground (4. Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions:  Goff didn't have his best week, throwing for 176 yards and one touchdown, and throwing his first interception. But the Lions are 5-2 after knocking off the undefeated Vikings to keep up momentum in a tight NFC North divisional race, and Goff is still among the league's top 10 with 1,964 passing yards and 15 passing touchdowns.):  https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/touchdown/2026/11/03/week-9-nfl-mvp-power-rankings-josh-allen-joe-burrow-gain-ground/92591015007/


10 NFL Rookies Who Made Week 8 A Massive Statement: Ranking the Biggest Winners (3. Blake Miller, OT, Detroit Lions:  The Detroit Lions handed the Minnesota Vikings their first loss and closed the gap in the competitive NFC North. Lions rookie right tackle Blake Miller was quite good in protection. He was credited with allowing one sack and two pressures against an elite Brian Flores-coached defense. Miller has been the immediate steadying presence scouts thought he'd be.):  https://www.si.com/nfl/draft/onsi/news/10-nfl-rookies-who-made-week-8-a-massive-statement-ranking-the-biggest-winners

QB Rankings:

QB Stock Market Week 9: Who's Been The Best Starter In The First Half Of 2026? (6. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions - Previous ranking: 7.  Jared Goff got a signature win.  Did he get help from his running back? Of course. Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 153 yards and a touchdown.  Did he get help from his defense? Yes. I did not see them frustrating the Vikings quite like this.  But Goff did what he has done all year, which was to facilitate and set up the offense for success. Which sounds kinda boring because it is kinda boring. His stat line wasn’t all that awesome. He was 18 of 25 for 176 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception.  Even the advanced stats were … meh. His completion percentage over expected was -1.9%, per Next Gen Stats. But there’s context: The Vikings blitzed on 26 of 29 dropbacks (89.7%) in Week 8. All but three!  It was the highest blitz rate by a team since at least 2018, breaking the previous record set by … these Vikings in Week 7. (They blitzed the Colts on 85.2% of dropbacks, per Next Gen Stats.) Despite that, Goff tied the record for completions against the blitz (17) and managed 130 yards, a touchdown and an interception. That’s pretty good, especially because the Vikings’ blitzes are a head-spinning array of concepts that are designed (by the best defensive coordinator in the NFL, Brian Flores) to turn a QB into a shell of himself.   And it didn’t work against Goff.  He has the reputation of folding under pressure. He has been worse against the blitz this year than he has been since 2023, with an EPA per dropback of .13 against the blitz, per Next Gen Stats. And I’ve been holding that stat — among others — against him as he’s had an elite season of counting stats: 1,964 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, one interception.  But this game went a long way in reassuring me that those counting numbers are largely indicative of how well Goff is playing. His offensive line has been outstanding. His skill players are terrific. And it’s all linked to Goff’s performance.  I’ve got to give him credit for a well-managed game against the league’s most intimidating defense.):  https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/qb-stock-market-week-9-whos-been-best-starter-first-half-2026

Albert Breer: The Lions Gave the NFL a Playbook to Combat the Vikings’ Blitz Scheme:  https://www.si.com/nfl/albert-breer-lions-gave-nfl-playbook-to-combat-vikings-blitz-scheme



Grades:

Report card grades for every NFC team in NFL Week 8 (Detroit Lions: A.  The Detroit Lions have delivered wins in back-to-back games against this tough NFC North. Jahmyr Gibbs had another huge game for the offense and helped them win another key game. They continue to rely on him in big moments, and he performed the best on defense in the NFL.):  https://www.thebiglead.com/report-card-grades-nfc-teams-2026-nfl-week-8/

Power Rankings:

Week 9:  

Video:

Exploring Why Detroit Lions Fans Still Trust Lions GM Brad Holmes:  https://sports.yahoo.com/videos/exploring-why-detroit-lions-fans-215904023.html

Jack Campbell’s injury update from Detroit Lions didn’t offer much:  https://sports.yahoo.com/videos/jack-campbell-injury-detroit-lions-001600799.html



Albert Breer on if Chargers Would Trade Herbert, Steelers Need WR Help and Lions’ Defensive Problems:  https://www.si.com/nfl/video/albert-breer-on-if-chargers-would-trade-herbert-steelers-need-wr-help-and-lions-defensive-problems-01m6gx66e2yqxr8msb57
Posted by LionsFan at 7:46 PM

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