Detroit Lions – Page 6 – Lions Lowdown

Lomas Brown ‘flabbergasted’ when named a semifinalist for Pro Football Hall of Fame

Brown blocked for Barry Sanders during his 11 years with the Lions

Fittingly, Lomas Brown was at a turkey giveaway on Tuesday morning when he got the call that he is a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“I was just flabbergasted,’’ Brown said at a press conference on Tuesday. “I didn’t have words at that point. I’m still kind of short of words to say what this means to me.’’

Brown, an offensive tackle for the Lions from 1985-1995, said he is thankful for the chance to get in the Hall and to all those who have helped him including the Lions media relations staff and the Lions organizaion. After an 18-year NFL career, he retired from the Buccaneers in 2002 and has been eligible for the Hall since 2007.

“I’m just thankful today to be able to get to a point I’ve never gotten in the Hall of Fame selection. I’m just thankful,’’ Brown said.

The seven-time Pro Bowler was drafted by Detroit in 1985, stayed for 11 years and then went on to play for the Cardinals, the Browns, the Giants and the Buccaneers where he was on the 2002 team that won the Super Bowl.

He was teammates with coach Dan Campbell on the Giants in 2001-2002.

“Unbelievable teammate, always upbeat, never a bad day, willing to do whatever for a teammate and just a helluva player, a productive player,’’ said Campbell who played tight end. “You talk about reliability, dependability, that was him.’’

At the time Brown didn’t see Campbell as a potential NFL coach, but he did see something in him.

“I was in my 15th year, he was in his second when I got to New York. You couldn’t say he was going to be a great coach but there was something different about that dude,’’ Brown said.

Brown remains engaged with the Lions as part of the radio broadcast team. He’s also involved in charity work in the community which started when he was drafted in 1985.

“As an offensive lineman you’ve always — there’s something about you where you want to protect people — make sure everyone is having success,’’ Brown said. “And I think for me when I first got here in ‘85 my thing was instead of making a big impact on the field I thought about making a big impact off the field. It thrust me into the community and you guys live here, this is a great community. We know there’ s a lot of need out there. They say to those who much is given, much is expected. I kind of took that moniker.’’

The next step in the Pro Football Hall of Fame process is to narrow the field from the 26 semifinalists to 15 which is expected by the end of the year.

It’s been a bumpier road this season for the Lions: Will it pay off?

November success hinges on matchup against Packers

ALLEN PARK — Will November be a month to remember for the Lions? So far they have two wins and two losses. It all hinges on the Packers game on Thanksgiving.

Detroit is 7-4, Green Bay is 7-3-1. In their first meeting in Week 1, the Packers dominated, 27-13. Both teams are different now. Green Bay also is 2-2 this month.

The Lions needed overtime on Sunday to beat the lowly, two-win Giants. They routed the Commanders and lost to the Vikings.

Then there is this gem: The Lions are one of two teams in NFL history to produce 24-plus passing TDs, 15-plus rushing TDs and 8-or-fewer turnovers through the first 11 games of any season. The other team was the 2012 Patriots.

After 11 games, the Lions are one big puzzle and so different from last year when they finished 15-2.

On Monday, coach Dan Campbell said the obvious – of course he would like to see his team play cleaner in some areas and he’d like all three units to complement each other game-in and game-out.

“Also, maybe this is this year, you know, as we continue to clean things up just find a way to win, just find a way to win,’’ Campbell said on Monday. “Kind of like what happened yesterday. Along the way let’s get our confidence up, let’s get a little momentum, let’s feed off each other. Say what you want, yesterday, at the end of the day, the best thing that happened was we did complement each other.’’

In the fourth quarter when they needed a big stop in the Red Zone, the defense came up big. When Jake Bates was asked to kick a 59-yard field goal – boom, he did so. Jahmyr Gibbs put the offense on his back scoring on the first snap of OT. Then Aidan Hutchinson came up with the only sack of Giants QB Jameis Winston all day. It may not have been pretty throughout – the Lions never led until overtime – but they dug deep to win.

“At the end of the day, you take it the way it comes and you just try to improve along the way. You just never know, 15-2 felt great last year until you get booted right out,’’ Campbell said, referring to the first-round playoff loss to the Commanders.

“It’s like, hey man, maybe we have to go the hard road and just win, let’s just win and find a way every week and grind it out.’’

Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson echoes Campbell heading into Thanksgiving.

“We found ourselves with a couple losses early and I think right now we are just heads down, grinding these wins out and really just focused on the next game — that’s the Packers,’’ Hutchinson said. “Focus on being 1-0 this week, if we adopt that mentality it will serve us in the end. And I think going to the playoffs when we are hitting our stride, that’s the most ideal time to do that.’’

UP NEXT: Packers (7-3-1) at Lions (7-4), 1 p.m. Thursday at Ford Field. FOX will carry the game with Tom Brady and Kevin Burkhardt in the booth.

In big moments, the Lions stepped up in the 34-27 OT win over the Giants

Five reasons Detroit was able to fight back and win

DETROIT — Jahmyr Gibbs’ 69-yard touchdown run on the Lions’ first snap of overtime gave Detroit its first lead of the game. Aidan Hutchinson’s sack of Giants quarterback Jameis Winston on fourth-and-5 in the next series, sealed the 34-27 win for Detroit.

It was the first lead of Sunday’s game for the Lions.

“They played hard — they threw the kitchen sink at us, we knew they would, that’s what the tape said,’’ coach Dan Campbell said of the 2-10 Giants who have not won a road game this season.

“I’m proud of the guys. We hung in there, we fought, we felt our next series would be the one we were going to get the upper hand and we did,’’ Campbell said. “It’s not easy to hang in a game like that where there are things that aren’t going perfect. But at the end of the day when we needed it most, guys showed up. It wasn’t perfect, there are things to clean up, certainly it came down to the wire, we had to win in overtime, I’ll take that win, it’s a good win.’’

It’s a short week with the Packers coming to Ford Field on Thanksgiving.

Gibbs’ overtime touchdown was one of three he had — two rushing, one receiving. Overall the running back amassed 264 yards (219 rushing).

“Gibbs, he’s electric. When he found a crease he was going to the house. This was not about first downs or picking up a few yards. This guy was going to the house, he’s got the juice to make it happen,’’ Campbell said. “He’s a difference maker. He bailed us out today in a big way.’’

It was another bounce-back win for the Lions who haven’t lost two straight since October 2022. They’re now 7-4 and still in the thick of a division race.

Campbell said he never knows what this type of win can do.

“Sometimes it’s just important to remind yourself what we’re all capable of, even when the chips are down, and things get hard, you don’t ever forget how to dig in one more time, find how to lean on each other and do your job,’’ Campbell said. “Anytime you can get a win like this, that’s a good thing. That very easily a number of times could have gone the other way and we all know it, but it didn’t. We made the plays we needed to make.’’

Five of the reasons the Lions won:

ONE: Again, Jahmyr Gibbs. He averaged 14.6 yards per carry and scored three touchdowns. Electric is the perfect adjective. “That dude is as huge as they come in the league, he’s making his claim across the league as one of the best players regardless of position,’’ quarterback Jared Goff said. “We’re lucky to have him, he’s so electric and to do that, to supplement some of the struggles we were having is awesome.’’

TWO: The offensive line also came up big – they were a key reason Gibbs was able to find creases and break free. Four of them are struggling with injuries, but it didn’t seem to affect them. “Those guys are a rare breed. They’re battling right now through some stuff. They don’t want your sympathy; they’re just going to put their head down and work,’’ Goff said. “I’m proud of those guys, thankful for them laying it on the line for me and the backs every week.’’

THREE: Hutchinson’s sack to win in overtime was huge and it was the first sack of Jameis Winston in the game. Hutchinson also had six quarterback hits and six tackles. The Giants finished with 517 yards of offense, so it’s not like the Lions shut them down, they just came up big when it mattered. Late in the fourth quarter the Giants were stopped on fourth-and-6 at Detroit’s 6-yard line. On the next drive the Lions’ Jake Bates kicked a 59-yard field goal to tie the game and send it to OT. “That’s what gave us a chance. … That changed the whole game with that stop,’’ Campbell said. “Defense once again stepped up for us.’’

FOUR: Jared Goff said there are plays he’d like back but there were some huge moments for the quarterback. After the Red Zone stop in the fourth quarter, Goff got the ball at Detroit’s 6-yard line with just 2:54 on the clock and down 27-24. Goff ran the 2-minute offense effectively so Bates could tie the game. The quarterback finished 28 of 42 for 279 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and he was sacked three times. Campbell credited him with coming up big when they needed it.

FIVE: Special teams also came up big. Bates’ 59-yard field goal to send the game to overtime was the standout. “That was a big kick, that was big time,’’ Campbell said. “He’s clutch when we need him most. He goes out there and makes the kick for us. That’s not an easy kick.’’ Punter Jack Fox pinned the Giants inside their 18-yard line 7 times and of that four were inside the 10. On the opening kickoff, linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez, playing in his first game in nearly a year, tackled the returner.

UP NEXT: Green Bay Packers (7-3-1) face the Lions (7-4) at 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving at Ford Field. The Packers beat the Vikings, 23-6, on Sunday.