DETROIT (AP) — Dan Campbell has never been the kind of coach who points fingers at his staff or players.

On Sunday, he took full responsibility for a second-quarter disaster that cost the Lions in a 20-16 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“I asked our team to improve from last week and we did improve,” Campbell said. “And then their coach costs them with a critical error. That’s 100 percent on me, and I told them that.”

With 18 seconds left in the first half and the Lions out of timeouts, Jared Goff completed an 8-yard pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown in the middle of the field. St. Brown was tackled at the Tampa Bay 9 and the clock kept running.

As Goff signaled for the offense to get lined up for a spike, Detroit’s field-goal unit raced onto the field, only to stop, start again and then race back to the sidelines.

By that point, Goff had taken the snap and spiked the ball with four seconds left, but flags immediately flew for what referee Clay Martin kindly called “12 men on the field at the snap” — it had been at least 20. Since the clock was running in the last two minutes of the half, the Lions were assessed a 5-yard penalty and a 10-second runoff, ending the second quarter.

If the Lions had kicked a field goal, they would have been down by four points at halftime instead of seven. If the second half had played out the same way, they might have been down 20-19 in the last minute with a chance to kick a winning field goal.

Instead, needing a touchdown, they turned the ball over on downs with 53 seconds left. The defense held, but a second drive ended when Goff threw three straight incomplete passes from the Buccaneers 26.

Mayfield runs for a TD and throws a TD pass, lifting Bucs to 20-16 win over Lions in playoff rematch

On fourth-and-10 with six seconds left, Goff bounced a short pass to Tom Kennedy, ending Detroit’s hopes of a hook-and-lateral play with time expiring.

“We had something set up for that play,” Goff said. “I just made a crap throw.”

Goff didn’t think the play at the end of the first half caused the loss, but he appreciated Campbell’s gesture.

“He’s at the top of the pyramid here, and when the guy at the top takes accountability — like he’s done throughout his career — it makes it easier for everyone else to do it,” Goff said. “But we had plenty of opportunities to overcome that and win the game.

Takeaways from Lions’ 20-16 loss: Buccaneers spoil Aidan Hutchinson’s heroic day

“We know he’s going to be hard on himself, but we, as players. have to be better.”

Goff was 34 for 55 for 307 yards with two interceptions. He only averaged 9.0 yards per completion, as opposed to Baker Mayfield’s 15.4, and many of those short completions came as the Lions went 1 for 7 in the red zone.

“I thought we were moving the ball really well, but they got really stingy in the red zone,” Goff said. “If we get a couple touchdowns down there, we probably win the game.”

— DAVE HOGG, Associated Press

Photo gallery from Lions’ 20-16 home loss to Tampa Bay

DETROIT (AP) — Baker Mayfield took one step back, planted his left foot and took off for a zig-zagging, 11-yard touchdown run that gave Tampa Bay the lead for good in a playoff rematch.

Mayfield had an 11-yard TD on a designed run one snap after converting a third down with another 11-yard run late in the third quarter, and the Buccaneers beat the Lions 20-16 on Sunday in a playoff rematch.

“I wasn’t expecting to get to the end zone from that far out, but I made a couple guys miss,” Mayfield said after the longest touchdown run of his career.

Tampa Bay (2-0) fell behind only once in the closely contested game, and it stopped Detroit (1-1) when it had two chances to drive for a go-ahead touchdown in the final minutes.

The Lions turned it over on downs at the Bucs 6 with 53 seconds left and again at their 26 with 2 seconds left.

Lions coach Dan Campbell lamented a mistake he made in the first half, causing confusion for his offense and special teams that had both units on the field. That drew a flag that ran off the clock and took away an opportunity to kick a short field goal and pull within four points.

“I asked this team to improve and they improved, but the coach cost them the game,” Campbell said. “It is a massive error on my part. I messed up.”

If Detroit made that field goal, it potentially would’ve been a kick away from winning the game in the fourth quarter.

“It was fortunate for us,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles acknowledged.

Detroit QB Jared Goff threw two interceptions and got a break when defenders dropped two other passes that could have been picked off.

Goff finished 34 of 55 for 307 yards, and the offense he leads was 1 of 7 in the red zone.

“That’s ultimately the difference in the game,” he said. “If we score a couple touchdowns down there, we probably win the game.

“I think that’s a good team and we fought hard, but we made too many mistakes.”

Mayfield, meanwhile, was efficient through the air by completing 12 of 19 passes for 185 yards, including a tiebreaking 41-yard touchdown pass to Chris Godwin in the second quarter, with an interception. He also ran four times for 35 yards. Godwin had seven catches for 117 yards.

Detroit beat the Bucs 31-23 in the divisional round in January at home after a 20-6 win last October on the road, but couldn’t overcome its miscues and missed opportunities at Ford Field.

Takeaways from Lions’ 20-16 loss: Buccaneers spoil Aidan Hutchinson’s heroic day

"It's so big for everybody on this team to stick together and get a different outcome than the last time we were here," Mayfield said.

Bowles will not be surprised if the teams meet again in the postseason.

"If we can get there in January, I'm sure they'll be there," he said.

The Lions were relegated to field goals until David Montgomery ran for a go-ahead, 1-yard touchdown late in the third quarter.

Detroit's Aidan Hutchinson had three sacks in the first quarter and finished with a career-high 4 1/2 sacks.

"We tried chipping him and tried to do a lot of things," Bowles said. "He made our life miserable."

Amon-Ra St. Brown had 11 receptions for 119 yards for the Lions.

Photo gallery from Lions’ 20-16 home loss to Tampa Bay

INJURIES

Bucs: DT Vita Vea left the game with a knee injury, and Bowles did not have an update on his condition after the game. Three starters — OT Luke Goedeke (concussion), DL Calijah Kancey (calf) and S Antoine Winfield Jr. (foot) — were inactive with injuries.

Lions: LB Alex Anzalone was knocked out of the game with a concussion and starting DE Marcus Davenport (groin) was inactive.

UP NEXT

Bucs: Host Denver on Sunday.

Lions: Play at Arizona on Sunday.

Campbell takes blame for clock-management disaster as Lions lose to Buccaneers, 20-16

The Detroit Lions were seeking to start an NFL season 2-0 for the first time since 2017.

In their way was another previous playoff opponent from last season. While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers came into the Week 2 contest as a depleted group on defense, their offense found success in their opening victory against the Washington Commanders.

The Detroit Lions were seeking to start an NFL season 2-0 for the first time since 2011.

In their way was another previous playoff opponent from last season. While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers came into the Week 2 contest as a depleted group on defense, their offense found success in their opening victory against the Washington Commanders.

Here are several takeaways from the Lions’ 20-16 loss to Tampa Bay:

 

KEY DEFENDERS FORCE TB INTO EARLY FG

No doubt, the Buccaneers wanted to target their key offensive weapons early in the contest.

After the Lions won the opening coin toss and deferred, wideout Chris Godwin was targeted early on the Buccaneers opening offensive drive.

Mayfield, who Terrion Arnold called a “risk-taker” earlier this week, quickly looked in the rookie’s direction, firing a deep shot to wideout Trey Palmer. The rookie was flagged for the third time in his young career, setting up Mayfield and his offense in prime field position.

Brian Branch broke up a pass in the end zone and Aidan Hutchinson pressured Mayfield to force the Buccaneers into a field goal try.

Late in the second quarter, Branch was able to pick off a Mayfield pass that was intended for Mike Evans, haulting a drive that could have resulted in Todd Bowles’ squad taking a two-score lead.

OFFICIALS MISS EARLY CALL

After the Buccaneers took an early 3-0 lead, the officials seemed to miss an interference call on wideout Jameson Williams.

Looking to be aggressive early, Goff dropped back to throw on Detroit’s first offensive play of the game. Unfortunately, cornerback Zyon McCollum intercepted the pass, as Williams was apparently interfered with, which disrupted his route.

The Buccaneers were able to extend their early lead to 6-0 on a 55-yard made field goal by Chase McLaughlin.

Mayfield runs for a TD and throws a TD pass, lifting Bucs to 20-16 win over Lions in playoff rematch

JAMESON WILLIAMS SPARKS OFFENSE

Entering Week 2, the discussion surrounding the former first-round pick was consistency, as the speedy wideout does not just want to have sporadic performances.

After the early turnover, Goff tested the Buccaneers secondary, successfully connecting on a 50-yard pass to Williams, who had gained clear separation from Jamel Dean.

The Buccaneers defense thwarted the efforts of the Lions their first occasion into the red zone, forcing Bates to make a 22-yard-field goal.

HUTCHINSON RECORDS SACKS IN BUNCHES

Aidan Hutchinson was a constant force in the backfield for the Lions, particularly with three sacks in the first quarter. He nearly derailed the Buccaneers' first drive, as he strip-sacked Mayfield to force a field goal try.

Hutchinson had sacks on each of Tampa Bay's first three drives. It was the third time in his career he has had three sacks or more in a game, and he became the fourth player since 1994 to have three sacks in the first quarter of a game.

The Michigan product has 10.5 sacks in his last four regular season games, which is the most by a Lions player over a four-game span in franchise history. He recorded another early in the second half and finished with 4.5 on the afternoon, a sack shy of a franchise record.

The former first round pick has become the first Lions player with four or more sacks in a game since Keith Ferguson did it back in 1986.

Photo gallery from Lions’ 20-16 home loss to Tampa Bay

SECONDARY BLUNDER ON TB'S FIRST TD

After Arnold missed time in the first half with a finger injury, the Buccaneers scored their first touchdown when the rookie returned.

Kindle Vildor had replaced the No. 24 overall pick for a series.

Mayfield was able to take advantage of miscommunication in the secondary, as Godwin was able to find himself completely wide open on a fake screen.

Amik Robertson fell victim to a fake screen and their appeared to be miscommunication regarding coverage on the back end.

Uncharacteristically, Detroit could not capitalize late in the second half, as several offensive players ran on the field prior to Goff spiking the football, resulting in a 10-second runoff and the half ending before a field goal try could be attempted.

At halftime, Campbell told the television broadcast, "I totally screwed my team."

AGGRESSIVENESS IN 2ND QUARTER IN DEFENSIVE BATTLE

After the Buccaneers first touchdown, Campbell dialed up the aggressiveness on Detroit's next offensive drive.

Seemingly stuffed, Detroit dialed up a fake punt from their own 20-yard line. Rookie Sione Vaki was on the receiving end of a 17-yard reception from punter Jack Fox, who has a solid passing track record on fake punts.

Later in the same drive, David Montgomery successfully ran on 4th-and-2 to move the chains.

Unfortunately, the drive stalled midway through the second quarter.

Campbell takes blame for clock-management disaster as Lions lose to Buccaneers, 20-16

OFFENSE GETS INTO RHYTHM IN 3RD, FAILS TO RECORD TDS

Detroit's first touchdown of the afternoon came towards the tail end of the third quarter.

Goff and the offense were able to convert on three third downs en route to a 12-play, 68-yard scoring drive that ate up 6:00 on the clock.

David Montgomery scored Detroit's first touchdown on a 1-yard scamper, and gave his team the lead,16-13, with a little over 3:00 remaining in the quarter.

The Buccaneers answered right away, as Mayfield drove his team 70 yards in six plays that only took a little over 2:00 off the clock. The veteran signal-caller showcased his scrambling abilities throughout the drive, and scored on an 11-yard run. It gave the Buccaneers a 20-16 lead.

Jahmyr Gibbs helped spark a scoring drive midway through the fourth quarter. A 22-yard scamper helped put Detroit in a position for the go-ahead touchdown.

Unfortunately, Goff threw an interception to Christian Izien with just over 7:00 remaining.

The Lions had two opportunities in the red zone at the end of the game, but both resulted in turnover on downs. The second of them, an incompletion to Tom Kennedy, ended the game.

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions

The Lions had a five-game home winning streak snapped with a 20-16 loss at Ford Field to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, despite a decided statistical advantage, falling to 1-1 on the season.

Here are the sights from Sunday’s game:

Takeaways from Lions’ 20-16 loss: Buccaneers spoil Aidan Hutchinson’s heroic day

The Detroit Lions will have one of the best right tackles in the NFL available in Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

After missing practice Wednesday and Thursday, Penei Sewell returned to practice Friday and will be available to help one of the league’s top offensive line units.

Marcus Davenport, who had a stellar debut against the Rams, was ruled inactive after missing practice all week dealing with a groin injury.

Aaron Glenn’s defense will also welcome defensive DJ Reader into the fold. The veteran will make his Lions debut after being ruled inactive last week. He had been rehabbing a torn quadriceps tendon suffered last year while playing for the Cincinnati Bengals.

A prized free agency addition, Reader appears to be a solid fit along the defensive line capable of impacting the game against both the run and pass in defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn’s scheme.

“Well, I talked about that last week, that he’s a man’s man,” Glenn said. “When it comes to the run game, he’s going to be a huge addition to us, but I don’t want guys to just think that’s just who he is, because he has sneaky, athletic ability to be able to help on the passing game too, because he can push the pocket. Anytime you bring a player like that back in the fold, it only helps us as a defense.”

James Houston is active this week. Rookie cornerback Ennis Rakestraw is inactive.

Here is a complete list of Lions’ Week 2 inactives:

S Ifeatu Melifonwu

CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr.

LB Trevor Nowaske

OL Giovanni Manu

OL Colby Sorsdal

WR Isaiah Williams

DL Marcus Davenport

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions

The Detroit Lions signed a pair of veteran wide receivers to their practice squad in an effort to find another reliable option for Jared Goff.

Outside of Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, the Lions are relatively thin at the wide receiver position. As it stands, there are just two others on roster at the position in Isaiah Williams and Kalif Raymond.

A fifth player, Tom Kennedy, was elevated from the practice squad for Week 1. However, moving forward there is an expectation that one of Tim Patrick, Allen Robinson or Donovan Peoples-Jones could be elevated from the practice squad to help the offense.

When asked if Patrick was on track to debut in the near future, Campbell pointed to the ongoing competition between all the options in an effort to find the best solution for the team’s receiver depth.

“All of those guys are competing. When you’re on the vet squad, every day you put in the work and our eyes are open,” Campbell said. “I told them all that last week, so we’re paying close attention to him, Robinson as well. All our options are on the table and we’ll just take it as it comes.”

Patrick was the premier addition to the practice squad, as reports surfaced of his intentions to join the Lions surfaced shortly after cuts were finalized. He has missed each of the last two seasons with significant injuries, but there is optimism that he can be a contributor in the near future.

He may not debut for the Lions this week, but Detroit did clear a spot on the active roster by waiving defensive lineman Chris Smith. The Lions have roster flexibility as a result, and how they decide to use it will be intriguing.

 

RODRIGUEZ’S ROLE

Third-year linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez missed all of the preseason with a hamstring injury, and as a result missed out on valuable reps. However, he has clearly established a level of trust within the coaching staff throughout his first two campaigns.

As a result, he played a role on the defensive side in the Week 1 win with 14 snaps. The Oklahoma State product started 15 games as a rookie in 2022, but played a limited role in 2023 while also getting some action at fullback.

Detroit has established an overall strong linebacking corps, with Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes and Jack Campbell leading the way. However, the performance of Rodriguez and Jalen Reeves-Maybin has left Campbell and position coach Kelvin Sheppard feeling confident about playing any of the team’s options at any point.

“We have no problem with Rodrigo playing. There’s a lot of trust, now, and faith in him. He’s a smart, conscientious player. We do feel like he improved, even before he had the injury, and then when he came back, the hammy’s good, he picked it up pretty quick for the time that he was able to get back in there. When you trust your guys to go in there and help you, man, that takes a load off. Our linebackers do so much for us, all of them, (Jalen Reeves-Maybin) Germ, Rodrigo, Alex, Barnes, Jack, even (Ben) Niemann.”

As a result of the depth, the Lions can keep their options fresh at all points. While Anzalone, Barnes and Campbell are expected to take the majority of the reps, the ability to also utilize Rodriguez, Reeves-Maybin and Niemann without missing a beat can keep everyone healthy through the late parts of the season.

“So with all of those, we spread the load with them because we trust them,” Campbell explained. “They can take reps off each other between special teams and defense. That’s how you get production but you’re also, you get down into December, January, I think this is gonna help us out too.”

NOTES

Safety Brian Branch had strong moments in the season-opening win, but also had multiple missed tackles and dropped interceptions. The end result saw him finsh among the team’s lowest PFF-graded players with a 55.2 overall defensive grade.

While the struggles are by no means indicative of his overall ability, as he is one of the best defensive playmakers on the roster, Branch took accountability for his struggles and told Campbell he would right the wrongs from Sunday’s game.

“BB – I already talked about Kerby (Joseph), I thought Kerby did a good job, and BB made a lot of plays, but then one of the first things he says when he’s coming back in the locker room, he’s like, ‘I won’t miss those tackles anymore.’ So, he knows it and he’s really one of our best tacklers in general,” Campbell said Monday. “He’s got his first game under his belt. But all in all, just cleaning up some of the communication, but I thought it was promising where our D-backs are at.”

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions

The post Matthew Stafford comes up short in Detroit in another chance to lead Rams to win over Lions appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

DETROIT (AP) — David Montgomery’s 1-yard touchdown run in overtime lifted the Detroit Lions to a 26-20 win over the Matthew Stafford-led Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night in a rematch of their NFC wild-card game.

The Lions lost a two-touchdown lead in the third quarter, but extended the game with Jake Bates’ tying 32-yard field goal in the final minute of regulation.

Detroit won the coin flip and took advantage of having the ball, gaining at least 9 yards on its first four plays in overtime to set up Montgomery’s winning score.

The Rams were in a position to spoil Detroit’s season-opening party when Stafford threw a go-ahead, 9-yard touchdown pass to Cooper Kupp with 4:30 left in the fourth quarter.

They just couldn’t make enough plays on both sides of the ball to hold on for the win.

Los Angeles put up quite a fight despite losing Pro Bowl receiver Puka Nacua and two linemen on its banged-up line.

The Lions had a 17-3 lead in the third quarter after Jared Goff threw a 52-yard touchdown pass to Jameson Williams. They lost the comfortable cushion because their former star quarterback picked them apart and their current one threw an interception early in the fourth.

John Johnson intercepted Goff’s pass over the middle at the Rams 20, taking away Detroit’s chance to kick a field goal and restore its seven-point lead.

Stafford took advantage, leading a 10-play, 80-yard drive that he capped with the scoring pass to Kupp. He could not complete enough passes late in the fourth to keep the ball and seal the win, leading to a punt that gave Goff another shot from his 31 with 2:11 to go.

The Lions reached the Rams 14 and settled for Bates’ tying field goal that sent the game to overtime.

Rams coach Sean McVay may have regretted a decision he made in the second quarter.

With a chance to attempt a 40-yard field goal when it was tied at 3, McVay elected to go for it and turned the ball over on downs when Stafford threw an incomplete pass that targeted Kupp.

Photo gallery from the Lions’ 26-20 OT win on Sunday Night Football

It was a rare miss for the duo in Detroit.

Stafford completed 34 of 49 passes for 317 yards with a touchdown and an interception, lobbing a ball in the middle of end zone where Kerby Joseph was waiting early in the second quarter. Kupp matched a career high with 14 receptions and had 110 yards receiving.

Goff was 18 of 28 for 217 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Williams tied a career high with five catches and set a personal best with 121 yards receiving.

Montgomery had 17 carries for 91 yards and Jahmyr Gibbs ran 11 times for 40 yards — with both scoring a TD.

Takeaways from the Lions’ 26-20 overtime win against Rams

INJURIES

Rams: Nacua (knee) was hurt in the first half after catching four passes for 35 yards and didn’t return. … LT Joe Noteboom (ankle) was carted off the field in the second quarter after starting in place of Alaric Jackson, who’s serving a two-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. LG Steve Avila (knee) went down later.

Lions: DT D.J. Reader (leg) and S Ifeatu Melifonwu (ankle) were inactive.

UP NEXT

Rams: Stay on the road and play at Arizona on Sunday.

Lions: Host Tampa Bay on Sunday in a rematch from the divisional round of the playoffs, a game Detroit won 31-23.

The Detroit Lions finally began their quest to reach the pinnacle of the National Football League.

A familiar foe awaited, as the Los Angeles Rams were the first opponent to visit Ford Field this season. Detroit once again was tasked with defeating the Rams veteran signal-caller, Matthew Stafford, who relished the opportunity to avenge a disappointing playoff loss.

Fans lined up three hours early to cheer on a team that is expected to again compete for the NFC North division title.

After a light show and the Lions’ starting defense being introduced, two teams that are expected to be playoff caliber battled for 60 minutes.

Detroit was able to get out to a double-digit lead, but the Rams clawed their way into the game to force Dan Campbell’s squad into needing a fourth-quarter comeback and heroics in overtime.

After the Rams lost the coin toss in overtime, Jared Goff marched the team right down the field to send the frenzied crowd home thrilled.

Here are several takeaways from the Lions’ 26-20 overtime win against the Rams.

 

ONWUZURIKE REWARDS TRUST FROM COACHES

The former second-round pick was one of the bright spots all throughout this year’s training camp.

Finally healthy, the talented defensive lineman was among the defensive starters announced during pre-game introductions.

After Detroit’s defense forced a three-and-out on the Rams first possession, Stafford moved the Rams’ offense into Detroit’s territory, aided by a 16-yard completion to wideout Puka Nacua that had the offense on the 38-yard line.

Onwuzurike was able to force the Rams into settling for a field goal by sacking Stafford along with Marcus Davenport for a loss of 8 yards.

 

Photo gallery from the Lions’ 26-20 OT win on Sunday Night Football

 

LIONS ANSWERED RAMS FIRST SCORING DRIVE WITH OLD SCHOOL FOOTBALL

After the Rams took the early lead, Detroit leaned on what should be their strength for the duration of the season.

Ben Johnson started Detroit's second offensive possession with seven consecutive runs, leaning on David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs to find rushing lanes created by an offensive line ready to prove they can shoulder the load.

After an incompletion on third-and-2, Montgomery was given the nod on fourth-down, as Dan Campbell benefitted from continuing his aggressive ways.

Detroit answered with a near eight-minute, 15-play, 63-yard drive that was capped off by a Jake Bates 25-yard field goal make to tie the game 3-3 early in the second quarter.

CARLTON DAVIS SPARKS LIONS EARLY

Last season, Detroit's secondary struggled to get off the field, as Aaron Glenn's unit was in the bottom tier in terms of pass coverage.

Carlton Davis was a player the front office traded for this past offseason due to his ability to lock up top wideouts on a consistent basis.

Needing a stop on fourth down midway through the second quarter, Stafford targeted Cooper Kupp unsuccessfully, as the veteran defensive forced a turnover on downs with a pass breakup.

Montgomery’s 1-yard touchdown run in OT lifts Lions to 26-20 win over Rams

JAMESON WILLIAMS TURNS ON JETS

Detroit's defensive stop gave it momentum on their third offensive possession.

Jameson Williams, who is expected to be an integral part of the offense, had a 36-yard reception and a 13-yard run that played a major factor in Detroit's first touchdown scoring drive of the season.

The two big plays highlighted a nine-play, 77-yard drive that took 4:34 off the clock. Jahmyr Gibbs had a 14-yard reception and ultimately capped off the drive with a 1-yard score that was initially ruled short but overturned after review.

After relying on power for their first two series, the Lions marched up the field with a quick pace. Speed was the theme of the possession, with Gibbs and Williams being the top two options.

To start the second half, the speedy wideout secured a 52-yard touchdown, even with Rams defensive back Tre'Davious White attempting to thwart his route with an illegal contact penalty. The explosive play excited the crowd and gave Detroit a 17-3 early in the second half.

KERBY JOSEPH’S REVENGE

Stafford has repeatedly discussed his frustrations with the manner in which the talented safety plays the game.

The former Lions signal-caller did not like that tight end Tyler Higbee suffered a torn ACL during the playoff game following Joseph's tackle.

Joseph has not shied away from playing a physical brand of football.

Late in the first half, the Rams were driving once again and threatening to tie the game before the break. However, Joseph thwarted the attempt by picking off Stafford in the end zone.

Brian Branch, who is playing at safety, nearly had multiple interceptions in his first game playing alongside Joseph extensively.

TERRION ARNOLD PICKED ON, DRAWS MULTIPLE FLAGS

Despite a 14-point deficit, the Rams battled back in the second half.

Detroit's talented defensive back did not look out of place, but incurred multiple pass interference calls in the second half.

The first occurred against Cooper Kupp in the end zone.

After Arnold briefly departed, the Rams inched closer when Kyren Williams scampered for a two-yard touchdown to trim Detroit's lead to 17-10.

On the Rams next offensive possession, the No. 24 overall pick again was called for pass interference in coverage against Demarcus Robinson. Fortunately, Detroit's defense limited the Rams to a 26-yard field goal, which trimmed their lead to 17-13 early in the fourth quarter.

ST. BROWN HAS QUIET NIGHT

After logging two catches through the Lions' first two drives, Amon-Ra St. Brown was held silent for much of the rest of the game. The USC product, coming off an All-Pro season in which he surpassed 1,500 receiving yards, finished with just three catches for 13 yards.

Goff also threw a critical interception in his direction, trying to threat the needle into a tight window. John Johnson III made a solid play on the ball and prevented it from hitting the turf, allong the Rams to take over at a critical juncture in the fourth quarter.

The Rams took their first lead of the game, 20-17, with less than five minutes remaining in the opener, as Stafford led his team on a 10-play, 80-yard drive that was capped off by a nine-yard Cupp touchdown grab.

Despite struggling for much of the second half, the Lions were able to put together a scoring drive late in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 20. Jake Bates drilled the equalizer from 32 yards out.

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions

The Lions needed overtime to get it done, but in the end, they drove the field in overtime, with David Montgomery punching in the game-winner for a 26-20 win over the Los Angeles Rams.

Here is a gallery of images from Sunday’s game:

Takeaways from the Lions’ 26-20 overtime win against Rams

Montgomery’s 1-yard touchdown run in OT lifts Lions to 26-20 win over Rams

The Detroit Lions are currently five-point betting favorites to defeat the Los Angeles Rams at Ford Field.

Though the team will debut a revamped defensive line and secondary, it will be without safeties Ifeatu Melifonwu and Loren Strickland.

Veteran DJ Reader, who only recently started to practice on a regular basis, will have to likely wait an additional seven days to make his Lions debut. He was officially ruled inactive for Detroit’s season opener against the Rams.

A surprise inactive is linebacker James Houston, who did not appear on any injury report the week leading up to the opener.

Dan Campbell expressed this week on Fox 2 Gameday Live the plan all along was to put together a team that would excite the fanbase.

There were long lines outside the stadium three hours before kickoff, as supporters have been greatly anticipating the start of the 2024 season.

Ford Field has become one of the most challenging road venues for teams to play in. Fans have consistently forced opponents to use timeouts or incur delay-of-game penalties due to the raucous environment.

“This is what it’s all about, waking the sleeping giant, waking the beast. And, the beast is alive, so now it’s up to us to continue to fuel our fans because they’re gonna show up,” said Campbell. “It is an advantage for us, it is an advantage. So, we’re looking forward to it, Sunday Night Football. Our fans are gonna be rolling, we’re gonna be ready. It’s gonna be electric.”

 

Here is the updated list of the Lions’ Week 1 inactives:

S Ifeatu Melifonwu

S Loren Strickland

LB James Houston

LB Trevor Nowaske

OL Giovanni Manu

OL Colby Sorsdal

DL DJ Reader

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions

The post Why were the Lions so bad for so long? New book offers insights appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

The Detroit Lions have named six players to represent them as captains for the 2024 season.

With the regular season set to kick off Sunday, the Lions announced the six players who earned the leadership role, including Jared Goff, Penei Sewell, Alex Anzalone, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Aidan Hutchinson.

The Lions are allowed to have up to eight players wear the captain patch on their jersey, per league rules. Teams used to be able to have up to 10 representatives wearing the patch, but the league lessened the amount to eight prior to the 2023 campaign.

Last season, Goff, Anzalone, Sewell, Reeves-Maybin, St. Brown and defensive end Charles Harris were the team’s six captains.

While up to eight players can be named captains, teams can only send a maximum of six players out to midfield for the pregame coin toss.

Goff, Sewell and St. Brown earned hefty contract extensions this offseason for their performance since arriving in Detroit in 2021. Sewell and St. Brown were First-team All-Pro selections last year as two of the highest performing players in the league at their positions.

For Goff, the 2023 season was also a successful one. He finished top five in the league in passing yards and touchdowns and won two playoff games.

Reeves-Maybin, meanwhile, was an NFLPA All-Pro selection as a core special teamer in his first season back with the Lions. He also earned Pro Bowl honors for his performance in that aspect of the game.

Meanwhile, Hutchinson is a first-time captain selection as he begins his third year out of Michigan.

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions

Now that Week 1 of the NFL regular season is approaching, the tone of coaches and players will subtly change.

Prior to the season, players, coaches and front offices are asked about season goals and the realistic opportunity to win the Lombardi Trophy is analyzed by pundits and fans.

Now that the Detroit Lions have started their preparation for the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams, head coach Dan Campbell would like the talk of winning the Super Bowl to end.

Campbell, when asked about the psychology of players, coaches and the front office repeatedly talking about the Super Bowl noted, “It’s funny, because I just told the team, ‘Let’s not talk about it anymore.'”

Certainly, Detroit is aware it has put itself in position to make another deep playoff run.

For the fourth-year head coach, the focus shifts to the daily tasks that must get accomplished in order to the Lions to have any sort of chance of appearing in and winning Super Bowl 59 in February 2025.

“Of course we do, who doesn’t, right. We’re to the point, now, where that doesn’t even matter anymore. Like what does that do? Does nothing. Now it’s about the steps to get to there,” Campbell explained. “And the steps are you better win your division because you get home field again. And then once you get a home game now it’s about seeding, right? And you win these head-to-heads. And all of a sudden you’re the three seed. You’re the two seed. Maybe you’re the one seed.”

The first step involves facing an opponent that is playoff caliber and has a veteran quarterback in Matthew Stafford, who is very familiar with Detroit’s defense.

Detroit is now focusing on putting themselves in the best position to have success in 2024. This includes winning games, having the highest-seed possible and getting on the right side of head-to-head NFC matchups.

“So, we got we got to win division man. And so it starts with this first game NFC opponent who could win the the West at the end of this year. You win a head-to-head. So, it’s all about, now, what gives you the best odds. That’s (Super Bowl) so far down the road, now. So now it’s about setting yourself up for that,” said Campbell. “And how do you do that? Well, it’s like we said, it starts with game one. NFC opponent, really good opponent who I think is going to be staring at all of us in the playoffs at the end of this year, too. So that’s it. And you find a way to win your division again.”

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions

The Detroit Lions had several key players dealing with injuries at points throughout training camp. Particularly, the team was hit with a number of ailments in the secondary.

With the regular season opener set for Sunday, the Lions appear to be getting healthier. Coach Dan Campbell said most of the group is ready to go for practice this week, but safety Ifeatu Melifonwu still has a lingering injury issue that continues to bother him.

“Iffy’d be the only right now who’s still not sure,” Campbell said. “Still not sure on him. We’re gonna try to get him moving around a little bit today and tomorrow and see where he’s at. Everyone else, we’re good.”

Melifonwu has been dealing with this injury throughout the preseason. His status is uncertain for Week 1, though the Lions are hoping to get him going in practice this week to evaluate where he stands.

“It’s really something that’s just been lingering, even before that,” Campbell explained. “It’s slow moving, that’s all. It’s slow healing. Take it as it comes.”

The Syracuse product was a breakout player at the end of last season. While injuries have hampered much of his first three seasons, Melifonwu made good on his opportunity in the starting lineup late in the year.

Melifonwu started six games last year and finished the season with two interceptions, three sacks and 33 combined tackles. He also had eight total passes defensed.

The Lions will have Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch as projected starters at the safety position. Joseph has paced the defense in interceptions in each of his first two NFL seasons, while Branch emerged as a dynamic playmaker while playing the nickel position a season ago.

The update is encouraging for the rest of the group of players who had been injured throughout training camp, including tight end Sam LaPorta, running back Jahmyr Gibbs and cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Carlton Davis.

LaPorta and Gibbs had been dealing with hamstring injuries, while Arnold had suffered a pectoral injury in practice ahead of Detroit’s second preseason game.

Several players who had been out at points in training camp had previously returned to practice following the preseason finale. This group included Davis, Arnold, Gibbs, LaPorta, offensive lineman Kevin Zeitler and linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez.

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions

With Tuesday set as the deadline for teams to trim their roster to 53 players, the Detroit Lions made their first round of roster cuts.

Detroit is reportedly set to release wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones and waive wide receiver Kaden Davis, according to reports.

Peoples-Jones had struggled to find his footing throughout training camp. After being believed to be a potential successor to Josh Reynolds, the Michigan product was unable to assert himself amidst Detroit’s wide receiver competition.

The Lions initially acquired Peoples-Jones in a trade deadline deal last season. He made five catches for 58 yards with the team last season. In his career, he has totaled 122 receptions for 1,895 yards and eight touchdowns.

Davis was initially a rookie minicamp tryout player who impressed and earned a contract. He was viewed as another one of the competitors for the vacancy at wide receiver, and caught a 61-yard touchdown from Nate Sudfeld in the second preseason game.

Players with three or fewer accrued seasons are subject to the waiver wire, meaning teams around the league can place claims on them. Those who have four or more seasons hit free agency and could re-sign with the Lions, either on the active roster or the practice squad.

Should the waived players go unclaimed, they could return to Detroit on its practice squad. The Lions can begin building their 16-player practice squad Wednesday at Noon.

Detroit could also add a 17th player to their practice squad through the NFL’s International Player Pathways program, which allows teams to add a player born outside of the United States and Canada without counting against the 16-player limit.

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions

The Detroit Lions announced Sunday afternoon veteran defensive lineman DJ Reader has been removed from the PUP list, after successfully passing his physical.

Dan Campbell indicated the former Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle would likely begin individual work the week team’s were set to trim their rosters down to 53 players.

In 2023, Reader was in the final season of a four-year, $53 million contract he signed with the Bengals prior to the 2020 season. He reportedly had an opportunity of signing another long-term contract, but the severe injury ended his 2023 season prematurely.

After suffering his second torn quad muscle, Reader had a small setback this past June, as he underwent a scope on his right knee. Recall, he had previously torn his left quadriceps muscle during the 2020 season.

Players like Brodric Martin, a player the team is hoping develops further in 2024, are looking forward to Reader returning to action.

“It’s like having another coach, you know, who’s doing it right now. He’s been doing it for a long time. Who has done it at a high level,” Martin told Lions On SI after the preseason finale. “Essentially just having him out there and helping, picking his brain or how he would play certain blocks and stuff like that. It’s definitely, definitely good to have him out there.”

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions

The Detroit Lions’ final 53-man roster projection was certainly difficult to fill out, after the team’s preseason victory, 24-17, against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Players were challenged to step up and show the coaching staff they deserved a spot on a Super Bowl caliber team.

While there were challenging decisions, the initial roster should provide the coaching staff solace early wins in the regular season are attainable.

Here is Lions On SI’s final 53-man roster prediction:

 

QUARTERBACK (3)

In: Jared Goff, Nate Sudfeld, Hendon Hooker

Out: Jake Fromm

Nate Sudfeld not appearing against the Steelers all but solidified his spot on the roster as the team’s backup quarterback behind veteran Jared Goff.

 

RUNNING BACK (4)

In: David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sione Vaki, Craig Reynolds

Out: Zonovan Knight, Jermar Jefferson, Jake Funk

Despite the best efforts of Funk, Jefferson and Knight, the team’s top running backs solidified their positions. All three of those not on the initial 53-man roster will have an opportunity to join the Lions practice squad or join another team, as each played well throughout training camp.

 

WIDE RECEIVER (4)

In: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Kalif Raymond, Isaiah Williams

Out: Donovan Peoples-Jones, Kaden Davis, Daurice Fountain, Tom Kennedy, Maurice Alexander, Jalon Calhoun

Detroit’s “X” receiver is simply not on the roster. While many will have Donovan Peoples-Jones on their initial 53-man roster, it is hard to justify the spot, especially since the former Michigan Wolverines wideout did not stand out against the Steelers.

 

TIGHT END (3)

In: Sam LaPorta, Brock Wright, Shane Zylstra

Out: Parker Hesse, James Mitchell, Sean McKeon

James Mitchell’s drop against the Steelers all but solidified his exit from Motown. Shane Zylstra is the better blocker and perfomed much better all throughout camp.

 

OFFENSIVE LINE (9)

In: Frank Ragnow, Graham Glasgow, Kevin Zeitler, Taylor Decker, Penei Sewell, Colby Sorsdal, Dan Skipper, Giovanni Manu, Kayode Awosika

Out: Michael Niese, Kingsley Eguakun, Bryan Hudson, Jake Burton, Duke Clemens, Jamarco Jones

Manu has a long way to go and the depth behind the starters is a concern heading into the start of the season. Colby Sorsdal’s performances did not get steadily better throughout camp, and it appears his comfort is playing the tackle spot only.

NFI: Christian Mahagony

 

DEFENSIVE LINE (6)

In: DJ Reader, Alim McNeill, Levi Onwuzurike, Brodric Martin, Kyle Peko, Mekhi Wingo

Out: Chris Smith

Detroit’s defensive line is going to be the talk amongst supporters all season. The unit is poised to have a breakout season, with the interior looking stout and ready to help the edge rushers pressure and sack the quarterback.

 

DEFENSIVE END (6)

In: Aidan Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport, Josh Paschal, Issac Ukwu, James Houston, Mitchell Agude

Out: Mathieu Betts, Pat O’Connor

Betts still has room for development, and a stint on the practice squad should see the former Canadian Football League standout grow and develop, so that if he is needed later in the season, he can shine.

 

LINEBACKER (5)

In: Alex Anzalone, Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Ben Niemann

Out: Abraham Beauplan, Ty Summers, Joel Iyiegbuniwe

PUP: Malcolm Rodriguez

This unit should be able to shine with the added talent along the defensive line and secondary.

 

CORNERBACK (6)

In: Carlton Davis, Terrion Arnold, Ennis Rakestraw, Amik Robertson, Kindle Vildor, Khalil Dorsey

Out: Steven Gilmore, Essang Bassey, Javelin Guidry, Rachad Wildgoose

The Lions have improved the talent and depth in the secondary. Now, Vildor and Dorsey can excel as role players, as the top of the depth chart is versatile and able to execute the gameplans of defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.

Unfortunately, Gilmore was picked on quite a bit by the Steelers, making his case to make the team difficult.

 

SAFETY (4)

In: Kerby Joseph, Brian Branch, Brandon Joseph, C.J. Moore

Out: Loren Strickland, Chelen Garnes

**PUP: Ifeatu Melifonwu

The Lions have the potential to have one of the deepest safety rooms in all of the NFL. The injury to Melifonwu makes it difficult to determine if he will be available to start the 2024 season.

 

SPECIAL TEAMS (3)

In: Jake Bates, Jack Fox, Scott Daly

Out: Hogan Hatten

Dan Campbell expressed there will be ‘growing pains’ with Bates. While the former UFL kicker made several kicks in preseason games, his consistency at practice has not been achieved yet.

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions

DETROIT (AP) — Russell Wilson and Justin Fields led touchdown drives for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who lost 24-17 to the Detroit Lions on Saturday in the preseason finale for both teams.

Jermar Jefferson rushed for two touchdowns for the Lions, including a go-ahead, 7-yard run in the fourth quarter.

Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin hasn’t named Wilson the starting quarterback, but has said repeatedly that the veteran is in the “pole position” for the job.

The 35-year-old Wilson didn’t do anything in Detroit that would suggest he won’t take the first snap when the season kicks off in two weeks.

He completed both of his pass attempts, including a 32-yard toss to George Pickens. Two plays later, Cordarrelle Patterson scored on a 31-yard, high-stepping run to cap the game-opening possession.

Wilson spent the rest of the game on the sideline while Fields was given three drives to show what he could do. His performance was uneven.

Fields converted a third down with a run and threw a 22-yard pass to MyCole Pruitt on consecutive plays, setting up La’Mical Perine’s 1-yard touchdown run.

In the previous two preseason games, neither Wilson nor Fields led Pittsburgh to a touchdown.

Fields’ second possession ended when he was looking to the right in the shotgun formation as the ball was snapped. He recovered the fumble but was sacked. His third possession ended when he took another sack.

Fields finished 3 of 4 for 40 yards and ran twice for 4 yards.

Takeaways from Lions’ 24-17 preseason victory vs. Pittsburgh

The Steelers chose to start over at quarterback this season after Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph and Mitchell Trubisky each got starts for a team that went 10-7 and lost to Buffalo in an AFC wild-card game.

Just days apart in March, Pittsburgh signed Wilson after he was released by Denver and acquired Fields in a trade with Chicago.

The defending NFC North champion Lions, meanwhile, didn’t put quarterback Jared Goff or any other key players on the field in the hopes of keeping them healthy for a season with high expectations.

Hendon Hooker started and after completing his first two passes, he was sacked on three straight snaps.

Hooker played extensively, giving him much-needed experience after he missed his rookie year with a knee injury. He helped the Lions scored touchdowns on their last two drives in the first half.

Hooker had a 2-yard touchdown pass to Jake Funk, then made plays with his arms and legs to help set up Jefferson’s first touchdown run.

Hooker was 12 of 20 for 114 yards with a touchdown and threw an interception to former Detroit defensive back Cam Sutton, who got some work in before serving his eight-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

UP NEXT

Detroit opens the season at home on Sept. 8 with a Sunday night matchup against Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams, nearly eight months after the Lions beat the Rams for their first playoff win in 32 years.

The Steelers open their season at Atlanta on Sept. 8.

Lions vs. Steelers preseason photo gallery