Category: NFL

Lions at Packers: Five things to watch in the season opener; plus prediction

For so long the Lions could not find a way to beat the Packers at Lambeau Field.

In fact, that streak stretched for 23 seasons from 1992 to 2014. However, coach Dan Campbell is 3-1 at Green Bay’s shrine to football, winning there for three straight seasons. 

The two teams kick off the season there at 4:25 p.m. today. Campbell can’t wait.

“We love Lambeau, it’s awesome. It’s one of those places on the eighth day the good Lord made Lambeau,’’ Campbell said.. “… If you love football you love going to play there so our guys look forward to it.”

The Lions’ last loss there, 35-17, was on Sept. 20, 2021. They finished 3-13-1 that season. Since then the Lions have won 24-14 (2024), 34-20 (2023) and 20-16 (2022).

As NFC North champs for the past two years, facing a key division opponent to open the season is crucial. 

“Man, you want to win the first one, right. It just – you feel like you get off on the right foot and you get that first win under your belt. I just think that’s big for anybody. For us – you love it,’’ Campbell said. “I mean this is, I bring it up, the problem is not getting too excited too early right now. Division opponent at Lambeau, nationally televised game. I mean this is – we love this stuff, we live for this, so this is good, this is exciting. Listen, any win sets you up for the season, helps you. And that’s really what it’s about.”

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH:

ONE: Changes on Detroit’s offensive line could be a factor but the talent-rich position is expected to remain a strength. Graham Glasgow takes over at center (Frank Ragnow retired) while rookie Tate Ratledge has earned the start at right guard and Christian Mahogany will start at left guard. “Obviously Frank is such a great player and it’s hard to replace him in any capacity. But Graham is a great player in his own right as well and has done a hell of a job stepping into that role, and even last year at times when he needed to step in there,’’quarterback Jared Goff said. “ He’s been great. I mean he really has. He’s taken a lot of the responsibility on his shoulders and I thought today was great by him, and he’s been a lot of fun to work with.”

TWO: Expect the best from the defensive line with the return of Aidan Hutchinson and the addition of rookie Tyliek Williams. Campbell said veteran D.J. Reader had a “kick-ass” camp and that edge rusher Marcus Davenport doesn’t have to show him anything any more. “I tell them, ‘We’re not friends here, we’re family.’ You’re going to go through things together, and we’re still going to be family after. Friends, you kind of separate and it is what it is. We are family here, and that’s what you’re going to see displayed on the field is a family out there fighting together down in and down out,’’ defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said.

THREE: Jared Goff was kept safe and sound on the sidelines during the preseason games, but he excelled during training camp. The passing game, always a strength, gets a boost with a stronger Jameson Williams and rookie Isacc TeSlaa, a third-round pick, who won a roster spot during camp. Amon St. Brown is well, Amon-Ra St. Brown. “I’ve been looking forward to it. Certainly in a division game on the road, I’ve always said these ones feel like they count for two wins and whenever you’re able to go out and get to somebody else’s place and get a W, it’s important and that’s what we want to try to do,’’ Goff said. “These guys are a good team and I think we’re a good team and it’ll be fun.”

FOUR: Don’t expect big changes in the offense with new coordinator John Morton. He’ll add a few new wrinkles but it won’t be a major overhaul. Getting running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery on the field together could be a new twist. Perhaps it will be the biggest adjustment for Goff. “I feel great with him though right now. … He sees the game very similar to the way I do, and really very similarly to the way that I was taught in L.A.,’’ Goff said.

FIVE: Don’t overlook special teams ace Grant Stuard who is in his first season with the Lions. Voted a captain, the veteran linebacker has been a standout through camp and the preseason games. He’s a bulldozer on kick returns, actually on every play he’s on the field. Also expect to see plenty of TeSlaa on special teams.  “(TeSlass is) a good body type, he’s got some size and some length, he’s got some speed, so that’s huge. I mean for us on special teams, sometimes there’s just nothing you can do if a guy can just flat run and a guy just can’t run, it’s hard for the guy who can’t run to match the guy who can run,’’ special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said. “And he can run, so that gives him a chance to play some of these positions on the outside, gunner, hold-up guy and some of that stuff.’’

PICK: Lions 27, Packers 23. 

UP NEXT: Chicago Bears at Lions, 1 p.m. on Sept. 14. Former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson returns to Ford Field as the Bears head coach.

Lions Aidan Hutchinson so ready to play, proving he’s totally recovered

ALLEN PARK — So the NFL headlines for days have been praising Green Bay’s trade to acquire edge rusher Micah Parsons from Dallas. Nothing wrong with that. He could be a game-changer for the Packers.

However, the Lions have a game-changing edge rusher of their own in Aidan Hutchinson who only played in five games last season when he broke his tibia and fibula to end his season.

So don’t be too quick to tip the scales toward Green Bay when Detroit opens the season there on Sunday just because of the addition of Parsons.

Hutchinson is totally recovered from his broken leg and it seems he’d like to stop talking about it.

“It’s great to be back, and it’s been a long time coming, but we’re here, and I’m just looking forward to this season,” Hutchinson said on Tuesday. “I think when I play this game on Sunday, people will finally — I think it will be in my past from the media perspective and from the fan perspective. People will have moved on, which will be good because I think I’ve moved on a while ago.”

He’s been back at work since the spring. Certainly in training camp he didn’t appear to have lost a step. At all.

“Very excited, can’t wait to watch him go. He’s put in a lot of time, a lot of effort, a lot of hard work to get back to where he’s at right now,’’’ coach Dan Campbell said on Tuesday. “And when you have the game taken away from you for whatever reason it just gives you a little extra motivation to come back. I’m excited to watch him, he’s going to be ready to go.’’

Last season, which was his third with the Lions, Hutchinson was injured at Dallas in the fifth game, a 47-9 Detroit win. He finished his abbreviated season with 7.5 sacks, 19 tackles, 17 quarterback hits and a forced fumble. Even with playing in just five games, Hutchinson was the team sack leader when the season ended.

The Lions defense was crushed by his absence and that of many other key players, but still they finished 15-2.  Getting Hutchinson back cannot be overrated.

“I just feel like he’s improved himself even from last year, just his ability to bend, his mechanics with his hands, his hips,’’ Campbell said. “There’s tricks to the trade you learn along the way as you grow and I do feel like from a flexibility standpoint and continuing to hone his own skills you begin to elevate yourself even a little bit more. I feel like he’s done that.’’

In his first two seasons, Hutchinson had 21 sacks combined. He’s always a threat and makes everyone on the line a better player.

“And here’s what you know, he’s going to give you everything he’s got, every play he’s out there — every play,’’ Campbell said. “That’s why I’m excited because I know the guy is going to give us everything he’s got no matter what it is.’’

UP NEXT: Lions at Packers, 4:25 p.m. on Sunday.

Lions versatile LB Grant Stuard checks the boxes with kick return skills

ALLEN PARK — Grant Stuard has never turned down an opportunity on the football field. It started in high school and when he played in college at Houston. It’s no different now with the Lions, starting his fifth NFL season and first in Detroit.

He describes it as a “mad random” deal. He was moved to fullback in his first year (2022) with the Colts and moved around in college and high school.

He’s officially listed as a linebacker on the Lions’ roster but he excels at special teams. He played 73 percent of the Colts special teams snaps in 2024.

Since signing as a free agent with the Lions in the offseason, a new wrinkle has been added to his special teams chores. He’s been working as a kick returner with four returns totalling 112 yards in two of the first three preseason games.

Special teams coordinator Dave Fipp was on the lookout for the position and after watching Stuard’s film from college, decided to give him a shot.

“Anytime you bring a player in, you kind of watch everything they’ve done in the history that we have on film. There was some film from him at Houston where he was running the ball, and I was like, ‘Wait a minute, like this looks pretty good right here,’’ Fipp said on Tuesday.

“So that’s what really started the idea and I was like, ‘Man, I’m not sure who the guy is going to be.’ This is a bigger body guy, physical. Looked like he had some natural skillset to do it, and then we fumbled the opening kickoff,’’ Fipp said.

Indeed Stuard fumbled and lost the ball on the opening kickoff of the preseason Hall of Fame game, opening the door for a quick Chargers’ touchdown. After that score Fipp threw him back in and he returned that next kickoff for 36 yards, holding on tight.

“He showed a bunch of great things and then it said to us, ‘OK, now we got to invest more time in him, to be fair to him and help him with ball security, and stuff like that.’ But it’s now worth the investment because of what he’s shown,’’ Fipp said. “So, we’re excited about him.”

In turn Stuard has embraced the role.

“The longer I play football, the more I understand the threat of a dynamic guy with the ball in his hands. Me knowing, as a cover guy or defensive guy, I’d kind of rather play the guys who want to get sideways because, 1, I’m fast, but 2 if you have a guy who’s as fast as Ja (Jahmyr Gibbs) and he’s slicing through your defense, now he’s at the second level immediately,” Stuard said. “I kind of have that same mentality with the ball in my hand as far as if I can slice through, slice through, slice through, eventually I’m going to get through one-on-one with the safety with all my momentum, it should be something good for the Detroit Lions.’’

He’s gotten plenty of work in training camp, noting that he loves how much time the Lions spend practicing special teams.

“I think just my experience, just as a player, and being around guys who are super-talented and guys who are super-skilled has allowed me to just understand what coach wants from me with the ball in my hands,’’ said Stuard who is 5-foot-11 and 225 pounds.

He thinks the new kickoff rules suit his game.

“If the goal is to get to the 30 I believe in myself getting to the 30 every time just off momentum,’’ Stuard said. “I can run into you at the 20, we’re going to go that way because I’m not running soft or too timid or too visiony, I might take that first gap. I’m trying to mature my game now to where maybe that first gap is tempting, but it’s meant to go here so keep on going over there even if it takes a little longer.’’

UP NEXT: The Lions will hold a joint practice with the Houston Texans on Thursday, before their final preseason game at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Ford Field.