The Official Detroit Lions Den Thread

#8,128
#8,128
We are 29% through the season. I figured every 5 games is a good report spot. That way we do it after game 10 and then after game 15, wrapping up with a report after the postseason.

1. I think every single Lions fan would take 4-1 after 5 games. The schedule broke way nicer than we thought. After the game 1 debacle (I will get there), the Lions ended up with a Ravens defense that had significant injuries and then a Bengals team dead in the water without Joe Burrow. I wanted to talk about game 1 against Green Bay, which feels like months ago at this point. Dan Campbell deserves a pass. That was the first truly bad game Detroit had played since Week 6 against Baltimore in 2023. When you factor in 2 new O-Lineman, two new coordinators, the hype that Green Bay got from the Micah Parsons trade AND Dan punting on the preseason game, it's worth a pass. And thanks to Green Bay for having a terrible offensive performance in week 3 and terrible defensive performance in week 4, Detroit is 1st in the NFC North and still in great position to get the 1 seed. You can make the case that’s the only good team Detroit has played (though that’s unfair since we played Baltimore with a healthy Lamar Jackson and at the time, only down 2 defensive starters) but Detroit has more than handled business the last four weeks. One of these days the media will believe in Dan Campbell.

2. I think John Morton has done perfectly fine as OC. I don't know what happened in week 1, where they seemed to really dumb down the offense with the lack of an exotic run game and lack of motion. But they made significant adjustments and are back to an elite offense. My two biggest concerns right now. Detroit’s rushing numbers look very good, but there still seems to be too many negative or stuffed runs, something Detroit rarely had the last 3 years. Maybe that’s a certain tendency teams are scouting via scheme or down/distance. It could just be not having Ragnow/Zeitler and having two super young guards earning their stripes. Detroit is still getting their explosives, but I don’t see as much consistency getting 3-6 yards like I’m used to with Detroit. That will be something I will keep an eye on moving forward. The second one is trying to get Jameson Williams more touches. He only has 11 catches in five games, that’s too few. Part of this is that everyone just runs 2-high against Detroit and he’s running mostly vertical routes to clear the middle, which is an important part of Detroit’s philosophy. But Detroit focused heavily on getting Williams more involved during training camp, and it hasn’t hit yet. I will say, Goff looks so comfortable in Morton’s offense and it’s a testament to Goff and Campbell for creating a fantastic offensive environment.

3. I don’t want to throw Aaron Glenn under the bus, because he was overall a positive in Detroit and he’s 0-5 right now as the Jets head coach. But the Detroit Lions fanbase knew that this was an opportunity for Detroit to improve at the DC spot and I think Detroit has a potential gem in Kelvin Sheppard. It’s not perfect. Detroit has really struggled in no-huddle communication in the first five games. Green Bay got them multiple times in game 1, Baltimore absolutely cruised on their final offensive drive and Cincinnati put up 21 points quickly in the 4th quarter once they went scramble mode. But I think the blitz packages are more productive. I think they do a better job mixing coverage schemes and giving themselves more options. I also think this team has improved its tackling (which is impressive considering they’ve always tackled well under Dan) and I think the front 7 has taken improved steps. Sheppard also seems to adjust better than Glenn ever did. Yes, they gave up 4 TDs on the first drive in four straight games (part of that was penalties) but take that out and they have given up 84 points on 51 drives, which is good. They’re 12th in yards per play, they are 4th in takeaways per game, they are 3rd in sack percentage. They are 2nd in Defensive DVOA and top 5 in both run D and pass D (they’ve allowed some late TDs in garbage time, which DVOA accounts for and shows why it’s higher than the raw numbers indicate). They got to improve on third down and some of the backend penalties. But I really like what Shep is bringing to the team, and he’s only going to get better with more experience.

4. Jack Campbell isn’t a player I have criticized per se. I just wanted a little bit more from the 18th overall pick at the LB spot. This year, he brought it. He has been playing at an All-Pro level this year and he has a case as the second-best MLB in football right now (nobody beats Fred Warner). He might be the best run defender at the off-ball LB spot in football. His pass coverage has gone from bad, to average, to good in 3 years. He’s a tackling machine and he’s wreaking more havoc this year overall. He plays every freaking down. Because he is such a wrecking crew in the box, this has let Anzalone take advantage of his pass coverage strength and be even better, along with letting Barnes and Nowaske helping on QB spies, setting the EDGE and blitzing. Jack also does a great job in his blitz situation and getting his DL or other LB free. His sideline-to-sideline range has really improved and the elite instincts he showed at Iowa are finally popping. Maybe Brad Holmes truly knows what he is doing.

5. Speaking of Brad Holmes knowing what he is doing, I must give him props for finding 3 starters in the 2025 NFL draft. Tyliek Williams has been a day one starter and has played like it. He’s shown more juice as a pass rusher than initially thought (already 3 batted passes this year despite zero sacks) and I love what he provides on run defense. He’s in excellent shape and I love his hustle; he can really clean up a play. He is only going to get better. Look, I’m not Brad Holmes, but Tate Ratledge is such a natural at RG, I would keep him there. He was rough in game 1, but his natural technique and athleticism have shown these last 4 games. He is going to make a couple Pro Bowls in his career. While Isaac TeSlaa has not quite had the numbers, he has shown his natural ability as a pass catcher and willingness as a blocker that he will be a weapon moving forward. I would look for his role to increase as the season goes along. I also would not give up on Miles Frazier; if they can get him healthy like they did Mahogany last year, I think he can still play in this league on the interior.

6. I never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever want to hear about Jared Goff and if he can succeed with a different OC ever, ever again. Also, just a fun little stat: Sean McVay his first four years with the Rams and Jared Goff as his QB? 65.7%. Sean McVay’s win percentage since he traded Jared Goff? 56.2%. And yes, that includes playoffs. Just a fun little fact next time somebody wonders if Jared Goff is just a system QB. He’s a certified top 8 QB in the league and anybody that argues with you about it doesn’t know ball.

7. Injuries are part of the NFL and they have quietly plagued Detroit. Let’s start with Reed and Arnold. First, we got lucky. Initially both injuries Detroit went into thinking they were season-ending and they were not. Arnold might not even require an IR stint, which is a minor miracle from where we were on Monday. Reed should be back by Thanksgiving at the absolute latest (and it could be earlier). I’m not too concerned about CB because I know Amik can handle one spot (despite JaMarr Chase cooking him on one play Sunday) and play well above average. I don’t think this is 2023 at the CB spot because Rock Ya-Sin (who I thought looked very good on Sunday) and Avonte Maddox are quality, veteran backups. Maddox played 33% of the snaps last year for a top ranked defense and Super Bowl winner. So overall, I think they are fine for a few weeks. However, I would not mind grabbing another veteran CB with experience considering that Reed and Arnold’s injuries are potentially something that can flare up again. Giving up a 2027 fifth for a guy with starting experience in case of emergency with a veteran trying to get a ring cannot hurt, especially if he is fine playing Special Teams.

8. Right now, I think I’m okay with our current EDGE group. Muhammad has played excellent football and has impressed me with his third down ability. O’Connor doesn’t make plays, but he has done a great job with the dirty work in the run defense. Marcus Davenport will be back and while I can never count on him, I’m hoping with Muhammad’s emergence they lower his snap count for less toll on his body. Josh Paschal should be back before Thanksgiving and will help on 1st & 2nd down. Plus, the Lions have gotten good contributions with Derrick Barnes and Trevor Nowaske on passing downs. Plus, with how well Reader, Williams and Lopez have played on the interior, I still would like to see Alim play that 5-tech as a big body that they did with Levi on early downs when he comes back to help with their front. I would rather they get another piece in the secondary at the moment than the front.

9. I wanted to shout out Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright for the absolute beasts they have become in the run game. Both LaPorta and Wright have graded out as top 10 blocking TE’s in football and they are massive advantages for the Lions run game. The Lions play 12 personnel as much as anyone in football and it’s a testament to those 2 guys and the work they put in that Campbell trusts them in big spots. What a fantastic job by Brad Holmes getting those two guys at the TE spot, especially when they had T.J. Hockenson in the building.

10. After Week 1, the obituary for the Detroit Lions was written in stone by the national media. And once again, this group is too resilient and talented to be written off. They have been the best team in the NFL in the last four weeks and are currently 2nd in the league in point differential (and 21 points ahead of the next NFC team). The Lions have had the third easiest schedule in the league and as we mentioned, that’s a surprise. The next 5 weeks will be difficult. They play 5 playoff teams from last year, 4 with current winning records, and 3 of the 4 finalists from last year’s conference championship games, with those of those on the road. They will have three island games and another game of the week on FOX. They have some things to clean up, but they are right on track for a third straight division title and potentially a #1 seed. If they can go 3-2, that will give them a 7-3 record. If they can somehow get the next two games, an advantageous bye week at 6-1 and right before a divisional opponent sets them up nicely. But right now, the Lions are a top 5 team in the NFL. Time to prove to the NFL world they are the best in the next 5 weeks.
 
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#8,129
#8,129
zjcvols said:
We are 29% through the season. I figured every 5 games is a good report spot. That way we do it after game 10 and then after game 15, wrapping up with a report after the postseason.

1. I think every single Lions fan would take 4-1 after 5 games. The schedule broke way nicer than we thought. After the game 1 debacle (I will get there), the Lions ended up with a Ravens defense that had significant injuries and then a Bengals team dead in the water without Joe Burrow. I wanted to talk about game 1 against Green Bay, which feels like months ago at this point. Dan Campbell deserves a pass. That was the first truly bad game Detroit had played since Week 6 against Baltimore in 2023. When you factor in 2 new O-Lineman, two new coordinators, the hype that Green Bay got from the Micah Parsons trade AND Dan punting on the preseason game, it's worth a pass. And thanks to Green Bay for having a terrible offensive performance in week 3 and terrible defensive performance in week 4, Detroit is 1st in the NFC North and still in great position to get the 1 seed. You can make the case that’s the only good team Detroit has played (though that’s unfair since we played Baltimore with a healthy Lamar Jackson and at the time, only down 2 defensive starters) but Detroit has more than handled business the last four weeks. One of these days the media will believe in Dan Campbell.

2. I think John Morton has done perfectly fine as OC. I don't know what happened in week 1, where they seemed to really dumb down the offense with the lack of an exotic run game and lack of motion. But they made significant adjustments and are back to an elite offense. My two biggest concerns right now. Detroit’s rushing numbers look very good, but there still seems to be too many negative or stuffed runs, something Detroit rarely had the last 3 years. Maybe that’s a certain tendency teams are scouting via scheme or down/distance. It could just be not having Ragnow/Zeitler and having two super young guards earning their stripes. Detroit is still getting their explosives, but I don’t see as much consistency getting 3-6 yards like I’m used to with Detroit. That will be something I will keep an eye on moving forward. The second one is trying to get Jameson Williams more touches. He only has 11 catches in five games, that’s too few. Part of this is that everyone just runs 2-high against Detroit and he’s running mostly vertical routes to clear the middle, which is an important part of Detroit’s philosophy. But Detroit focused heavily on getting Williams more involved during training camp, and it hasn’t hit yet. I will say, Goff looks so comfortable in Morton’s offense and it’s a testament to Goff and Campbell for creating a fantastic offensive environment.

3. I don’t want to throw Aaron Glenn under the bus, because he was overall a positive in Detroit and he’s 0-5 right now as the Jets head coach. But the Detroit Lions fanbase knew that this was an opportunity for Detroit to improve at the DC spot and I think Detroit has a potential gem in Kelvin Sheppard. It’s not perfect. Detroit has really struggled in no-huddle communication in the first five games. Green Bay got them multiple times in game 1, Baltimore absolutely cruised on their final offensive drive and Cincinnati put up 21 points quickly in the 4th quarter once they went scramble mode. But I think the blitz packages are more productive. I think they do a better job mixing coverage schemes and giving themselves more options. I also think this team has improved its tackling (which is impressive considering they’ve always tackled well under Dan) and I think the front 7 has taken improved steps. Sheppard also seems to adjust better than Glenn ever did. Yes, they gave up 4 TDs on the first drive in four straight games (part of that was penalties) but take that out and they have given up 84 points on 51 drives, which is good. They’re 12th in yards per play, they are 4th in takeaways per game, they are 3rd in sack percentage. They are 2nd in Defensive DVOA and top 5 in both run D and pass D (they’ve allowed some late TDs in garbage time, which DVOA accounts for and shows why it’s higher than the raw numbers indicate). They got to improve on third down and some of the backend penalties. But I really like what Shep is bringing to the team, and he’s only going to get better with more experience.

4. Jack Campbell isn’t a player I have criticized per se. I just wanted a little bit more from the 18th overall pick at the LB spot. This year, he brought it. He has been playing at an All-Pro level this year and he has a case as the second-best MLB in football right now (nobody beats Fred Warner). He might be the best run defender at the off-ball LB spot in football. His pass coverage has gone from bad, to average, to good in 3 years. He’s a tackling machine and he’s wreaking more havoc this year overall. He plays every freaking down. Because he is such a wrecking crew in the box, this has let Anzalone take advantage of his pass coverage strength and be even better, along with letting Barnes and Nowaske helping on QB spies, setting the EDGE and blitzing. Jack also does a great job in his blitz situation and getting his DL or other LB free. His sideline-to-sideline range has really improved and the elite instincts he showed at Iowa are finally popping. Maybe Brad Holmes truly knows what he is doing.

5. Speaking of Brad Holmes knowing what he is doing, I must give him props for finding 3 starters in the 2025 NFL draft. Tyliek Williams has been a day one starter and has played like it. He’s shown more juice as a pass rusher than initially thought (already 3 batted passes this year despite zero sacks) and I love what he provides on run defense. He’s in excellent shape and I love his hustle; he can really clean up a play. He is only going to get better. Look, I’m not Brad Holmes, but Tate Ratledge is such a natural at RG, I would keep him there. He was rough in game 1, but his natural technique and athleticism have shown these last 4 games. He is going to make a couple Pro Bowls in his career. While Isaac TeSlaa has not quite had the numbers, he has shown his natural ability as a pass catcher and willingness as a blocker that he will be a weapon moving forward. I would look for his role to increase as the season goes along. I also would not give up on Miles Frazier; if they can get him healthy like they did Mahogany last year, I think he can still play in this league on the interior.

6. I never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever want to hear about Jared Goff and if he can succeed with a different OC ever, ever again. Also, just a fun little stat: Sean McVay his first four years with the Rams and Jared Goff as his QB? 65.7%. Sean McVay’s win percentage since he traded Jared Goff? 56.2%. And yes, that includes playoffs. Just a fun little fact next time somebody wonders if Jared Goff is just a system QB. He’s a certified top 8 QB in the league and anybody that argues with you about it doesn’t know ball.

7. Injuries are part of the NFL and they have quietly plagued Detroit. Let’s start with Reed and Arnold. First, we got lucky. Initially both injuries Detroit went into thinking they were season-ending and they were not. Arnold might not even require an IR stint, which is a minor miracle from where we were on Monday. Reed should be back by Thanksgiving at the absolute latest (and it could be earlier). I’m not too concerned about CB because I know Amik can handle one spot (despite JaMarr Chase cooking him on one play Sunday) and play well above average. I don’t think this is 2023 at the CB spot because Rock Ya-Sin (who I thought looked very good on Sunday) and Avonte Maddox are quality, veteran backups. Maddox played 33% of the snaps last year for a top ranked defense and Super Bowl winner. So overall, I think they are fine for a few weeks. However, I would not mind grabbing another veteran CB with experience considering that Reed and Arnold’s injuries are potentially something that can flare up again. Giving up a 2027 fifth for a guy with starting experience in case of emergency with a veteran trying to get a ring cannot hurt, especially if he is fine playing Special Teams.

8. Right now, I think I’m okay with our current EDGE group. Muhammad has played excellent football and has impressed me with his third down ability. O’Connor doesn’t make plays, but he has done a great job with the dirty work in the run defense. Marcus Davenport will be back and while I can never count on him, I’m hoping with Muhammad’s emergence they lower his snap count for less toll on his body. Josh Paschal should be back before Thanksgiving and will help on 1st & 2nd down. Plus, the Lions have gotten good contributions with Derrick Barnes and Trevor Nowaske on passing downs. Plus, with how well Reader, Williams and Lopez have played on the interior, I still would like to see Alim play that 5-tech as a big body that they did with Levi on early downs when he comes back to help with their front. I would rather they get another piece in the secondary at the moment than the front.

9. I wanted to shout out Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright for the absolute beasts they have become in the run game. Both LaPorta and Wright have graded out as top 10 blocking TE’s in football and they are massive advantages for the Lions run game. The Lions play 12 personnel as much as anyone in football and it’s a testament to those 2 guys and the work they put in that Campbell trusts them in big spots. What a fantastic job by Brad Holmes getting those two guys at the TE spot, especially when they had T.J. Hockenson in the building.

10. After Week 1, the obituary for the Detroit Lions was written in stone by the national media. And once again, this group is too resilient and talented to be written off. They have been the best team in the NFL in the last four weeks and are currently 2nd in the league in point differential (and 21 points ahead of the next NFC team). The Lions have had the third easiest schedule in the league and as we mentioned, that’s a surprise. The next 5 weeks will be difficult. They play 5 playoff teams from last year, 4 with current winning records, and 3 of the 4 finalists from last year’s conference championship games, with those of those on the road. They will have three island games and another game of the week on FOX. They have some things to clean up, but they are right on track for a third straight division title and potentially a #1 seed. If they can go 3-2, that will give them a 7-3 record. If they can somehow get the next two games, an advantageous bye week at 6-1 and right before a divisional opponent sets them up nicely. But right now, the Lions are a top 5 team in the NFL. Time to prove to the NFL world they are the best in the next 5 weeks.
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Yep. Tl;dr… 🤣
..i will, i will… 😉🧡

Edit: Fantastic review! Now i’ve got to wander out into the webz to find a similar breakdown for Houston. You spoil the local Lion’s fans…
 
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#8,136
#8,136
zjcvols said:
We are 29% through the season. I figured every 5 games is a good report spot. That way we do it after game 10 and then after game 15, wrapping up with a report after the postseason.

1. I think every single Lions fan would take 4-1 after 5 games. The schedule broke way nicer than we thought. After the game 1 debacle (I will get there), the Lions ended up with a Ravens defense that had significant injuries and then a Bengals team dead in the water without Joe Burrow. I wanted to talk about game 1 against Green Bay, which feels like months ago at this point. Dan Campbell deserves a pass. That was the first truly bad game Detroit had played since Week 6 against Baltimore in 2023. When you factor in 2 new O-Lineman, two new coordinators, the hype that Green Bay got from the Micah Parsons trade AND Dan punting on the preseason game, it's worth a pass. And thanks to Green Bay for having a terrible offensive performance in week 3 and terrible defensive performance in week 4, Detroit is 1st in the NFC North and still in great position to get the 1 seed. You can make the case that’s the only good team Detroit has played (though that’s unfair since we played Baltimore with a healthy Lamar Jackson and at the time, only down 2 defensive starters) but Detroit has more than handled business the last four weeks. One of these days the media will believe in Dan Campbell.

2. I think John Morton has done perfectly fine as OC. I don't know what happened in week 1, where they seemed to really dumb down the offense with the lack of an exotic run game and lack of motion. But they made significant adjustments and are back to an elite offense. My two biggest concerns right now. Detroit’s rushing numbers look very good, but there still seems to be too many negative or stuffed runs, something Detroit rarely had the last 3 years. Maybe that’s a certain tendency teams are scouting via scheme or down/distance. It could just be not having Ragnow/Zeitler and having two super young guards earning their stripes. Detroit is still getting their explosives, but I don’t see as much consistency getting 3-6 yards like I’m used to with Detroit. That will be something I will keep an eye on moving forward. The second one is trying to get Jameson Williams more touches. He only has 11 catches in five games, that’s too few. Part of this is that everyone just runs 2-high against Detroit and he’s running mostly vertical routes to clear the middle, which is an important part of Detroit’s philosophy. But Detroit focused heavily on getting Williams more involved during training camp, and it hasn’t hit yet. I will say, Goff looks so comfortable in Morton’s offense and it’s a testament to Goff and Campbell for creating a fantastic offensive environment.

3. I don’t want to throw Aaron Glenn under the bus, because he was overall a positive in Detroit and he’s 0-5 right now as the Jets head coach. But the Detroit Lions fanbase knew that this was an opportunity for Detroit to improve at the DC spot and I think Detroit has a potential gem in Kelvin Sheppard. It’s not perfect. Detroit has really struggled in no-huddle communication in the first five games. Green Bay got them multiple times in game 1, Baltimore absolutely cruised on their final offensive drive and Cincinnati put up 21 points quickly in the 4th quarter once they went scramble mode. But I think the blitz packages are more productive. I think they do a better job mixing coverage schemes and giving themselves more options. I also think this team has improved its tackling (which is impressive considering they’ve always tackled well under Dan) and I think the front 7 has taken improved steps. Sheppard also seems to adjust better than Glenn ever did. Yes, they gave up 4 TDs on the first drive in four straight games (part of that was penalties) but take that out and they have given up 84 points on 51 drives, which is good. They’re 12th in yards per play, they are 4th in takeaways per game, they are 3rd in sack percentage. They are 2nd in Defensive DVOA and top 5 in both run D and pass D (they’ve allowed some late TDs in garbage time, which DVOA accounts for and shows why it’s higher than the raw numbers indicate). They got to improve on third down and some of the backend penalties. But I really like what Shep is bringing to the team, and he’s only going to get better with more experience.

4. Jack Campbell isn’t a player I have criticized per se. I just wanted a little bit more from the 18th overall pick at the LB spot. This year, he brought it. He has been playing at an All-Pro level this year and he has a case as the second-best MLB in football right now (nobody beats Fred Warner). He might be the best run defender at the off-ball LB spot in football. His pass coverage has gone from bad, to average, to good in 3 years. He’s a tackling machine and he’s wreaking more havoc this year overall. He plays every freaking down. Because he is such a wrecking crew in the box, this has let Anzalone take advantage of his pass coverage strength and be even better, along with letting Barnes and Nowaske helping on QB spies, setting the EDGE and blitzing. Jack also does a great job in his blitz situation and getting his DL or other LB free. His sideline-to-sideline range has really improved and the elite instincts he showed at Iowa are finally popping. Maybe Brad Holmes truly knows what he is doing.

5. Speaking of Brad Holmes knowing what he is doing, I must give him props for finding 3 starters in the 2025 NFL draft. Tyliek Williams has been a day one starter and has played like it. He’s shown more juice as a pass rusher than initially thought (already 3 batted passes this year despite zero sacks) and I love what he provides on run defense. He’s in excellent shape and I love his hustle; he can really clean up a play. He is only going to get better. Look, I’m not Brad Holmes, but Tate Ratledge is such a natural at RG, I would keep him there. He was rough in game 1, but his natural technique and athleticism have shown these last 4 games. He is going to make a couple Pro Bowls in his career. While Isaac TeSlaa has not quite had the numbers, he has shown his natural ability as a pass catcher and willingness as a blocker that he will be a weapon moving forward. I would look for his role to increase as the season goes along. I also would not give up on Miles Frazier; if they can get him healthy like they did Mahogany last year, I think he can still play in this league on the interior.

6. I never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever want to hear about Jared Goff and if he can succeed with a different OC ever, ever again. Also, just a fun little stat: Sean McVay his first four years with the Rams and Jared Goff as his QB? 65.7%. Sean McVay’s win percentage since he traded Jared Goff? 56.2%. And yes, that includes playoffs. Just a fun little fact next time somebody wonders if Jared Goff is just a system QB. He’s a certified top 8 QB in the league and anybody that argues with you about it doesn’t know ball.

7. Injuries are part of the NFL and they have quietly plagued Detroit. Let’s start with Reed and Arnold. First, we got lucky. Initially both injuries Detroit went into thinking they were season-ending and they were not. Arnold might not even require an IR stint, which is a minor miracle from where we were on Monday. Reed should be back by Thanksgiving at the absolute latest (and it could be earlier). I’m not too concerned about CB because I know Amik can handle one spot (despite JaMarr Chase cooking him on one play Sunday) and play well above average. I don’t think this is 2023 at the CB spot because Rock Ya-Sin (who I thought looked very good on Sunday) and Avonte Maddox are quality, veteran backups. Maddox played 33% of the snaps last year for a top ranked defense and Super Bowl winner. So overall, I think they are fine for a few weeks. However, I would not mind grabbing another veteran CB with experience considering that Reed and Arnold’s injuries are potentially something that can flare up again. Giving up a 2027 fifth for a guy with starting experience in case of emergency with a veteran trying to get a ring cannot hurt, especially if he is fine playing Special Teams.

8. Right now, I think I’m okay with our current EDGE group. Muhammad has played excellent football and has impressed me with his third down ability. O’Connor doesn’t make plays, but he has done a great job with the dirty work in the run defense. Marcus Davenport will be back and while I can never count on him, I’m hoping with Muhammad’s emergence they lower his snap count for less toll on his body. Josh Paschal should be back before Thanksgiving and will help on 1st & 2nd down. Plus, the Lions have gotten good contributions with Derrick Barnes and Trevor Nowaske on passing downs. Plus, with how well Reader, Williams and Lopez have played on the interior, I still would like to see Alim play that 5-tech as a big body that they did with Levi on early downs when he comes back to help with their front. I would rather they get another piece in the secondary at the moment than the front.

9. I wanted to shout out Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright for the absolute beasts they have become in the run game. Both LaPorta and Wright have graded out as top 10 blocking TE’s in football and they are massive advantages for the Lions run game. The Lions play 12 personnel as much as anyone in football and it’s a testament to those 2 guys and the work they put in that Campbell trusts them in big spots. What a fantastic job by Brad Holmes getting those two guys at the TE spot, especially when they had T.J. Hockenson in the building.

10. After Week 1, the obituary for the Detroit Lions was written in stone by the national media. And once again, this group is too resilient and talented to be written off. They have been the best team in the NFL in the last four weeks and are currently 2nd in the league in point differential (and 21 points ahead of the next NFC team). The Lions have had the third easiest schedule in the league and as we mentioned, that’s a surprise. The next 5 weeks will be difficult. They play 5 playoff teams from last year, 4 with current winning records, and 3 of the 4 finalists from last year’s conference championship games, with those of those on the road. They will have three island games and another game of the week on FOX. They have some things to clean up, but they are right on track for a third straight division title and potentially a #1 seed. If they can go 3-2, that will give them a 7-3 record. If they can somehow get the next two games, an advantageous bye week at 6-1 and right before a divisional opponent sets them up nicely. But right now, the Lions are a top 5 team in the NFL. Time to prove to the NFL world they are the best in the next 5 weeks.
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As always zjc your diligence and dedication to these write-ups is excellent.
 
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#8,139
#8,139
zjcvols said:
We are 29% through the season. I figured every 5 games is a good report spot. That way we do it after game 10 and then after game 15, wrapping up with a report after the postseason.

1. I think every single Lions fan would take 4-1 after 5 games. The schedule broke way nicer than we thought. After the game 1 debacle (I will get there), the Lions ended up with a Ravens defense that had significant injuries and then a Bengals team dead in the water without Joe Burrow. I wanted to talk about game 1 against Green Bay, which feels like months ago at this point. Dan Campbell deserves a pass. That was the first truly bad game Detroit had played since Week 6 against Baltimore in 2023. When you factor in 2 new O-Lineman, two new coordinators, the hype that Green Bay got from the Micah Parsons trade AND Dan punting on the preseason game, it's worth a pass. And thanks to Green Bay for having a terrible offensive performance in week 3 and terrible defensive performance in week 4, Detroit is 1st in the NFC North and still in great position to get the 1 seed. You can make the case that’s the only good team Detroit has played (though that’s unfair since we played Baltimore with a healthy Lamar Jackson and at the time, only down 2 defensive starters) but Detroit has more than handled business the last four weeks. One of these days the media will believe in Dan Campbell.

2. I think John Morton has done perfectly fine as OC. I don't know what happened in week 1, where they seemed to really dumb down the offense with the lack of an exotic run game and lack of motion. But they made significant adjustments and are back to an elite offense. My two biggest concerns right now. Detroit’s rushing numbers look very good, but there still seems to be too many negative or stuffed runs, something Detroit rarely had the last 3 years. Maybe that’s a certain tendency teams are scouting via scheme or down/distance. It could just be not having Ragnow/Zeitler and having two super young guards earning their stripes. Detroit is still getting their explosives, but I don’t see as much consistency getting 3-6 yards like I’m used to with Detroit. That will be something I will keep an eye on moving forward. The second one is trying to get Jameson Williams more touches. He only has 11 catches in five games, that’s too few. Part of this is that everyone just runs 2-high against Detroit and he’s running mostly vertical routes to clear the middle, which is an important part of Detroit’s philosophy. But Detroit focused heavily on getting Williams more involved during training camp, and it hasn’t hit yet. I will say, Goff looks so comfortable in Morton’s offense and it’s a testament to Goff and Campbell for creating a fantastic offensive environment.

3. I don’t want to throw Aaron Glenn under the bus, because he was overall a positive in Detroit and he’s 0-5 right now as the Jets head coach. But the Detroit Lions fanbase knew that this was an opportunity for Detroit to improve at the DC spot and I think Detroit has a potential gem in Kelvin Sheppard. It’s not perfect. Detroit has really struggled in no-huddle communication in the first five games. Green Bay got them multiple times in game 1, Baltimore absolutely cruised on their final offensive drive and Cincinnati put up 21 points quickly in the 4th quarter once they went scramble mode. But I think the blitz packages are more productive. I think they do a better job mixing coverage schemes and giving themselves more options. I also think this team has improved its tackling (which is impressive considering they’ve always tackled well under Dan) and I think the front 7 has taken improved steps. Sheppard also seems to adjust better than Glenn ever did. Yes, they gave up 4 TDs on the first drive in four straight games (part of that was penalties) but take that out and they have given up 84 points on 51 drives, which is good. They’re 12th in yards per play, they are 4th in takeaways per game, they are 3rd in sack percentage. They are 2nd in Defensive DVOA and top 5 in both run D and pass D (they’ve allowed some late TDs in garbage time, which DVOA accounts for and shows why it’s higher than the raw numbers indicate). They got to improve on third down and some of the backend penalties. But I really like what Shep is bringing to the team, and he’s only going to get better with more experience.

4. Jack Campbell isn’t a player I have criticized per se. I just wanted a little bit more from the 18th overall pick at the LB spot. This year, he brought it. He has been playing at an All-Pro level this year and he has a case as the second-best MLB in football right now (nobody beats Fred Warner). He might be the best run defender at the off-ball LB spot in football. His pass coverage has gone from bad, to average, to good in 3 years. He’s a tackling machine and he’s wreaking more havoc this year overall. He plays every freaking down. Because he is such a wrecking crew in the box, this has let Anzalone take advantage of his pass coverage strength and be even better, along with letting Barnes and Nowaske helping on QB spies, setting the EDGE and blitzing. Jack also does a great job in his blitz situation and getting his DL or other LB free. His sideline-to-sideline range has really improved and the elite instincts he showed at Iowa are finally popping. Maybe Brad Holmes truly knows what he is doing.

5. Speaking of Brad Holmes knowing what he is doing, I must give him props for finding 3 starters in the 2025 NFL draft. Tyliek Williams has been a day one starter and has played like it. He’s shown more juice as a pass rusher than initially thought (already 3 batted passes this year despite zero sacks) and I love what he provides on run defense. He’s in excellent shape and I love his hustle; he can really clean up a play. He is only going to get better. Look, I’m not Brad Holmes, but Tate Ratledge is such a natural at RG, I would keep him there. He was rough in game 1, but his natural technique and athleticism have shown these last 4 games. He is going to make a couple Pro Bowls in his career. While Isaac TeSlaa has not quite had the numbers, he has shown his natural ability as a pass catcher and willingness as a blocker that he will be a weapon moving forward. I would look for his role to increase as the season goes along. I also would not give up on Miles Frazier; if they can get him healthy like they did Mahogany last year, I think he can still play in this league on the interior.

6. I never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever want to hear about Jared Goff and if he can succeed with a different OC ever, ever again. Also, just a fun little stat: Sean McVay his first four years with the Rams and Jared Goff as his QB? 65.7%. Sean McVay’s win percentage since he traded Jared Goff? 56.2%. And yes, that includes playoffs. Just a fun little fact next time somebody wonders if Jared Goff is just a system QB. He’s a certified top 8 QB in the league and anybody that argues with you about it doesn’t know ball.

7. Injuries are part of the NFL and they have quietly plagued Detroit. Let’s start with Reed and Arnold. First, we got lucky. Initially both injuries Detroit went into thinking they were season-ending and they were not. Arnold might not even require an IR stint, which is a minor miracle from where we were on Monday. Reed should be back by Thanksgiving at the absolute latest (and it could be earlier). I’m not too concerned about CB because I know Amik can handle one spot (despite JaMarr Chase cooking him on one play Sunday) and play well above average. I don’t think this is 2023 at the CB spot because Rock Ya-Sin (who I thought looked very good on Sunday) and Avonte Maddox are quality, veteran backups. Maddox played 33% of the snaps last year for a top ranked defense and Super Bowl winner. So overall, I think they are fine for a few weeks. However, I would not mind grabbing another veteran CB with experience considering that Reed and Arnold’s injuries are potentially something that can flare up again. Giving up a 2027 fifth for a guy with starting experience in case of emergency with a veteran trying to get a ring cannot hurt, especially if he is fine playing Special Teams.

8. Right now, I think I’m okay with our current EDGE group. Muhammad has played excellent football and has impressed me with his third down ability. O’Connor doesn’t make plays, but he has done a great job with the dirty work in the run defense. Marcus Davenport will be back and while I can never count on him, I’m hoping with Muhammad’s emergence they lower his snap count for less toll on his body. Josh Paschal should be back before Thanksgiving and will help on 1st & 2nd down. Plus, the Lions have gotten good contributions with Derrick Barnes and Trevor Nowaske on passing downs. Plus, with how well Reader, Williams and Lopez have played on the interior, I still would like to see Alim play that 5-tech as a big body that they did with Levi on early downs when he comes back to help with their front. I would rather they get another piece in the secondary at the moment than the front.

9. I wanted to shout out Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright for the absolute beasts they have become in the run game. Both LaPorta and Wright have graded out as top 10 blocking TE’s in football and they are massive advantages for the Lions run game. The Lions play 12 personnel as much as anyone in football and it’s a testament to those 2 guys and the work they put in that Campbell trusts them in big spots. What a fantastic job by Brad Holmes getting those two guys at the TE spot, especially when they had T.J. Hockenson in the building.

10. After Week 1, the obituary for the Detroit Lions was written in stone by the national media. And once again, this group is too resilient and talented to be written off. They have been the best team in the NFL in the last four weeks and are currently 2nd in the league in point differential (and 21 points ahead of the next NFC team). The Lions have had the third easiest schedule in the league and as we mentioned, that’s a surprise. The next 5 weeks will be difficult. They play 5 playoff teams from last year, 4 with current winning records, and 3 of the 4 finalists from last year’s conference championship games, with those of those on the road. They will have three island games and another game of the week on FOX. They have some things to clean up, but they are right on track for a third straight division title and potentially a #1 seed. If they can go 3-2, that will give them a 7-3 record. If they can somehow get the next two games, an advantageous bye week at 6-1 and right before a divisional opponent sets them up nicely. But right now, the Lions are a top 5 team in the NFL. Time to prove to the NFL world they are the best in the next 5 weeks.
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Love this one:

6. I never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever want to hear about Jared Goff and if he can succeed with a different OC ever, ever again. Also, just a fun little stat: Sean McVay his first four years with the Rams and Jared Goff as his QB? 65.7%. Sean McVay’s win percentage since he traded Jared Goff? 56.2%. And yes, that includes playoffs.
 
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#8,141
#8,141
This would be my plan

Amik and Ya-Sin on the outside
In base, BB at safety (we ran base almost 60% of the time anyways)
In nickel, BB to slot and Harper or Strickland at safety
 
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