Category: sports

Five things to watch as the Lions face the Bucs; plus injury updates, prediction

Under coach Dan Campbell the Lions have piled up amazing statistics on their way to two straight NFC North titles.

One stat seems to stand out. The Lions have not lost back-to-back games since October 2022 when they fell to Miami and Dallas.

That streak gets tested on Monday night when the Lions (4-2) host the Tampa Bay Bucs (5-1). Detroit is coming off a 30-17 loss at Kansas City. The bounce-back stat is on the line. If it was easy to accomplish this season after season, more teams would do it.

“It’s our players, we have a good group of guys that are competitive, they’re a resilient group, they know how to overcome adversity,’’ Campbell said. “They don’t like losing. And they go back to work to fix the things that need to be fixed. We have a couple things to clean up and we’re going to clean them up this week. So it’s our players man, coaches do a helluva job too.’’

The Lions lost just two regular season games in 2024 and one of them was to the Bucs in Week 2. They bounced back after that with 11 straight wins.

“We’ve gotten each other, I don’t know, four or five times now in the last handful of years. And it feels like we’ve given them a good punch and they’ve given us a good punch. We’ve kind of gone back and forth in that way,’’ quarterback Jared Goff said. “And I think a lot of who they are is a lot of who we want to be too. And again, I’d hope they’d say the same thing about the respect they have for us, the respect we have for their team, how hard they play, how well they’re coached, the whole thing. It’s great. It’s a good, fun I guess rivalry, if you want to call it that and I think they’re a good team.”

Five things to watch:

ONE: Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield is a challenge even with a fully healthy secondary which the Lions do not have.  “Baker makes that offense go, and it’s been that way no matter who the play-caller has been over the last couple season. … He’s a tough guy. He’s a tough guy to deal with because when it seems like there’s nothing there, he finds a way to pull his team through,’’ Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said. “So, he makes that thing go. The coordinators are smart because they don’t try to change much, they understand what works for him and they carried over. There’s some nuances that changed motion-wise, schematically, but for the most part it’s Baker’s show.” In the Bucs 20-16 win over the Lions last year Mayfield scored on passing and running touchdowns. The Lions secondary will be without Terrion Arnold, Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph and Avonte Maddox.

TWO: It’s an understatement to say DL Alim McNeill has been missed since he tore up his knee late last season. He will be back in action on Monday. “I expect Alim to come in and show what he’s shown the last two weeks on the practice field. Like I said, it’s like he didn’t miss a beat,’’ Sheppard said. “Now, obviously you’re not taking hard-core doubles and true pounding and – you know that live in-game you may find yourself in kind of an eight-play sequence there that you can’t simulate on the field. So, it’s all that stuff – getting his legs back up under him. But I mean I expect this player to play at a high level and more importantly help our defense in a tremendous way.”

THREE: The Lions offensive line is coming together despite playing without LT Taylor Decker for two games. Decker could possibly return against the Bucs which would be huge since they’ll be facing nose tackle Vita Vea (6-foot-4, 347 pounds) who has 2.5 sacks to start the season.  “The size is one thing but (Vea’s) quickness to get off the ball. He’s got explosiveness and he’s got really good feet. When you’re (facing) a man that big and can move like he moves you have to do everything right and you’ve got to play with leverage,’’ Campbell said. “You have to get off of your life. We have double teams, we have to fit the double teams together. You’re off just a little bit he’ll spit you, he’ll crease you, he’ll get an edge. He’ll do that in the pass game too. He’ll swim sometimes and so if you’re not locked in and you’re not perfect fundamentally he’ll get on you. We have to be locked in on every stinking play and we have to play together.’

FOUR: All the talk about the change in offensive coordinators came to an end quickly. One main reason is the play of Jared Goff who leads the NFL in passing TDs (14) and passing percentage (75.9). “I mean, he’s the CEO of this place. So, when you’ve got a veteran guy like that, we’re always talking, ‘Hey I want this, I want that. I’d like to have this.’ It’s awesome. When you have that dialogue with the quarterback, it just makes it so much easier for me and everybody,’’ offensive coordinator John Morton said. “Everybody sees how much confidence he has to do things, and it’s paid off for us. So yeah, it’s big time.” Goff said he’s always tried to keep the ball in his teammates’ hands and avoid sacks. “Those two things, completion percentage and low sack numbers, is something I work on and something we’ve done a good job with up to this point,’’ said Goff who has been sacked nine times this season with four of those in the opening loss.

FIVE:  Tampa Bay’s coach Todd Bowles is known for switching things up which creates headaches for guys like Morton. “Listen, we have to prepare for everything. Protection-wise, that’s the biggest thing. You give them all the looks that you can give, especially the things that they’re doing this year,’’ Morton said. “You’ve already played them three times, you go back there, and you look at those games. You look at games of other teams that are similar to us, similar to the quarterback. … But the biggest thing is, we try to make sure (Goff is) protected. Because when he’s protected, he’s deadly.’’ 

LIONS INJURIES:  OUT: CB Terrion Arnold (shoulder), Kerby Joseph (knee), DB Avonte Maddox (hamstring) and RB Sione Vaki (groin). QUESTIONABLE: LT Taylor Decker (shoulder), DT D.J. Reader (back) and DT Alim McNeill (knee).

SUSPENDED: DB Brian Branch

BUCS INJURIES: OUT: WR Chris Godwin Jr. (fibula), G Luke Haggard (shoulder), RB Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder); QUESTIONABLE: WR Mike Evans (hamstring), WR Emeka Egbuka (hamstring), LB Lavonte David (knee/rib), QB Teddy Bridgewater (illness).

PREDICTION: Lions 28, Bucs 27

Lions DT Alim McNeill ready to go after 10 longs months off

Alim McNeill says he never has a dark day. He’s one of the more positive people you’ll ever meet.

So when the Detroit Lions defensive tackle, who has not played since he tore up his knee 10 months ago, says he’s positive he’ll be back at 100 percent on Monday night, there’s no reason to doubt him.

McNeill practiced for two weeks knowing he wouldn’t play, but this week the end result of all his hard work and therapy to get back on the field was in sight. He coudlnt be more excited. 

“One thousand percent, probably slept a little longer last night too trying to get more rest for the week,’’ McNeill said. “Ten thousand percent, I’m 100 percent locked in right now. Ready to go.’’

The Lions (4-2) are coming off a loss at Kansas City. They’re facing the Tampa Bay Bucs (5-1) featuring mobile quarterback Baker Mayfield.

McNeill’s return is perfect timing for his teammates.

“I know he can’t wait to be back and it’s going to be fun to watch,’’ defensive end Aidan Hutchinson said. “We’re playing beside each other on some reps, it’s going to be really good to have him back.’’

McNeill plans to pick up where he left off when his season ended on Dec. 15. Oddly enough, the Lions were wearing their black uniforms that day and they’ll be wearing them again on Monday night.

“Mac brings a lot to us. I feel like he’s going to bring a lot in the pass game because he is a guy we believe can win one-on-ones in the pass game,’’ coach Dan Campbell said. “But also all that he can do in the run game. I mean he’s stout, he’s aggressive, he’s powerful. So, I just think he’s another player that can elevate those around him.’’

Campbell said he will help Hutchinson just like Hutchinson will help him. The coach expects him to boost D.J. Reader and Al-Quadin Muhammad too.

McNeill said he’s been watching the games and visualizing what he could do if he was playing.

“I see myself fitting in just fine, being explosive, getting off blocks, creating pressure on the quarterback, making plays in the backfield,’’ McNeill said. “So that’s all I’ve been envisioning and that’s the work I’ve been putting in toward being able to do that.’’

The Lions and Bucs have played each other five times since 2019 with the Lions winning two of those matchups including one in the playoffs. Detroit lost to the Bucs in Week 2 last year, 20-16.

“I would say it definitely helps with a familiar opponent that we’ve seen a couple times now,’’ McNeill said. “They still do a lot of the same tendencies, the same things, but it will be all fresh to me because I’m coming back in. Once I get my legs under me with two or three snaps I think I’ll be all right.’’

UP NEXT: Tampa Bay Bucs (5-1) at Lions (4-2), 7 p.m., Monday, Oct. 20 at Ford Field)

Five reasons the Lions lost to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs

Unlike 2023, the Lions could not find a way to win in Kansas City on Sunday night. Playing with a depleted secondary, Detroit lost to the Chiefs, 30-17.
The Lions 4-game win streak was snapped, dropping them to 4-2. The Chiefs, who were coming off a loss to the Jaguars, entered the game with a 2-3 record. So while it wasn’t a must-win situation for Kansas City, it was close to it.

“We just didn’t make the plays we needed to make, we were able to do some things good in phases at times but not enough for a team like that with the pedigree they have, the way they play back at their house,’’ coach Dan Campbell said. “We couldn’t complement each other and we weren’t able to really make it a game, we really weren’t.’’

While the Lions did not turn the ball over, their unforced errors on offense were costly. Credit the Chiefs defense for finding a way to stop Detroit’s offense which was ranked tops in the NFL. The offense and defense didn’t play up to the team’s standards.

“I’m disappointed. It’s been a long time since you’re watching somebody kneel it three times in front of you and it’s not even close, you’re down two scores,’’ Campbell said. “We got worked pretty good so yeah, it’s disappointing it’s really disappointing.’’

He said they’ll get back to work and clean up the mistakes. They have no choice. The Tampa Bay Bucs (5-1) are next on the schedule for a Monday night game at Ford Field on Oct. 20.

“It’s not going to get any easier, things get harder and harder as you go. And they’re more meaningful every game we go,’’ Campbell said. “I go back to this, maybe we needed this, maybe we needed to get kicked around a little bit because that’s what happened.’’

Five main reasons the Lions lost:

ONE: The defense could not stop Patrick Mahomes. It’s a tough assignment with a beat-up secondary, but the Lions were just not good enough. Detroit is missing most of its top cornerbacks and safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch are not 100 percent. Still, no excuses. LB Alex Anzalone led the defense with a dozen tackles and a quarterback hit. Jack Campbell had 8 tackles, a sack and a quarterback hit.

TWO:  WR Amon-Ra St. Brown dropped a fourth-down catch in the second quarter which eventually led to a Chiefs touchdown right before halftime. Usually, he’s got great mitts so it was uncharacteristic and could not have come at a worse time. St. Brown had nine receptions for 45 yards. Jameson Williams  (6 for 66 yards) and Sam LaPorta (4 for 46 yards) each scored a receiving touchdown

THREE: Aidan Hutchinson sacked Mahomes one time, but was whistled for roughing the passer early in the fourth quarter – which gave the Chiefs 15 yards that led to the second Mahomes-to-Hollywood Brown touchdown. It was not close, it was definitely roughing the passer. Hutchinson also finished with a quarterback hit, a forced fumble and 2 tackles. Mahomes was also sacked by Jack Campbell and Al-Quadin Muhammad.

FOUR: Goff had solid numbers and ran more than 9 minutes off the clock on the opening touchdown drive, but Campbell said before the game they would need 30 points to win and obviously they didn’t get close. Goff completed 8 straight passes late in the third, ending with an amazing one-handed touchdown catch by Sam LaPorta. Goff finished 23-29, 203 yards, 2 TDs and was sacked once.

FIVE: The Lions run game worked early, but once they were down by 10 they had to go away from it more. Jahmyr Gibbs had 17 carries for 65 yards with David Montgomery with 4 carries for 24 yards. 

EXTRA: Brian Branch initiated a scuffle immediately after the game. Campbell addressed it at the start of his post-game press conference: “I love Brian Branch, but what he did was inexcusable and it’s not going to be accepted here. It’s not what we do, it’s not what we’re about. I apologize to Coach Reid and the Chiefs. That’s not OK.’’

UP NEXT: Tampa Bay Bucs (5-1) at Lions (4-2) at 7 p.m. on Monday Night Football on Oct. 20.