Lions Lowdown

If ever there was a game the LIons should win it’s this matchup on Sunday at Cincinnati.

The Bengals (5-9) have no playoff hopes, so all they’re playing for is pride.

The Lions (8-6) must win to keep their playoff hopes alive, plus they need help.

Cincinnati has been the only focus for the team this week. They seriously do not look ahead.

“We try to encourage them just to focus on what we can control, what we do. And there’s 16 games in the season, you play them out no matter how they fall. You take a look at it at the end and see where you are, and I think that’s where we are at this stage,’’ coach Jim Caldwell said.

(Photo courtesy of Detroit Lions)

If they finish 10-6 and do not make it to the postseason they can only blame themselves.

Five things to watch against the Bengals:

1. Keep Matthew Stafford from being touched. Two more sacks and he’ll have 45 for the year which ties a career-high which is pathetic. Stafford was sacked zero times by the Tampa Bay Bucs two weeks ago, the only game this season he hasn’t gone down. Stafford is good at avoiding sacks, but he should not be put in so many potential sack situations.

“We have to protect the quarterback better, it starts with me. Could be play calling, could be scheme, could be game plan for the week. But at the end of the day, we do not want our quarterback hit as much as we have been so far this year and that’s a major point of emphasis for us moving forward,’’ offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said. “We believe in protecting our quarterback and that’s really important in offense football I believe, so we got to do a better job and I’ve got to do a better job.”

2. Pressure Andy Dalton who has had an up-and-down season. Last week in the 34-7 loss to the Vikings, he had two interceptions and zero touchdowns. In the season opener, he was worse with four interceptions and no touchdowns. In-between he’s been so-so. The defense has has issues with pressuring quarterbacks, but no excuse here. Dalton has been sacked 35 times. Of course he does have a top wide receiver in A.J. Green. “I expect he’ll give us all we can handle,’’ defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said of Green.

3. Run the ball. Seriously.  If Lions can’t find success against the Bengals, who rank 32nd in rushing defense (allowing 131.5 yards per game), then their run game is worse than we thought. Theo Riddick should be back after he left Saturday’s game with a wrist injury. Ameer Abdullah is healthy except for his hurt feelings that his role has diminished. Tion Green appears to be a playmaker but needs to get the chance.

4. Stopping the run should not be much of a challenge for the Lions. The Bengals are the worst team in the NFL in rushing averaging just 77.0 yards per game. Top running back Joe Mixon has been in concussion protocol, but has practiced this week and is expected to play. He has 157 carries for 518 yards (3.3 yards per carry) and four touchdowns.

5. It’s so much easier to win with a good start. Look at last week when the LIons had a 13-0 lead in the first half before the Bears kicked a field goal in the waning seconds. Even against a bad team like the Bengals, a good start is essential.

PREDICTION: Lions 31, Bengals 17

ALLEN PARK — Brothers Graham and Ryan Glasgow will face each other — literally — when the Detroit Lions play at the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

Graham Glasgow will start at center for the Lions while his younger brother, Ryan, will rotate in at defensive end for the Bengals.

It’s not unprecedented that brothers stand on opposite sidelines in an NFL game. But it has to be rare when they stand across from each other on the field.

It’s also something different for the brothers who both played at the University of Michigan. Graham Glasgow was a third-round pick by the Lions in 2016 while Ryan was drafted in the fourth round this year by the Bengals.

(Photo courtesy of Detroit Lions)

“We were never on different teams it was always like stuff on the driveway of our house or just little things, nothing really like this,’’ Graham Glasgow said on Thursday.

Who was the better basketball player?

“I think I was, he’d say he was. That’s how it is with almost everything,’’ Glasgow said insisting that it really was him.

Their parents will be at the game and he’s not sure how exactly they will divide their support. He’s thinking they might wear a Lions shirt with a Bengals hat or vice-versa.

Who do his parents like best?

“I think I’m the favorite, he actually might say that too,’’ Glasgow deadpanned.

The older brother said he will have no trouble treating his younger brother like he treats any NFL opponent. Even a cut-block?

“Yeah I’d cut Ryan,’’ Glasgow said.

The brothers talk every day, even this week.

“You see what everybody does on film. I know what Ryan did in college. The last time I played against him at all was two years ago (in practice at Michigan). He’s gotten better since then and I’ve gotten better since he played me,’’ Glasgow said. “So it’s just something where you need to gauge where he’s at on the tape.’’

Smart remarks aside, Glasgow said he’s proud of Ryan.

“I’m very happy for Ryan, I think he’s done really well for being a rookie tackle. It’s something that I’m very proud of him and I know our family is proud,’’ Glasgow said.

He thinks it will be fun (although he said to ask him about it after the game) but he’s not so sure his parents and grandparents want to see the brothers go against each other.

They also have a younger brother, Jordan, who plays at Michigan.

Graham Glasgow is the only Lions’ offensive lineman who has been healthy enough to start in every game. He started the season at left guard, but has filled in at center when Travis Swanson (concussion) has been out.

“I’m not going to say it’s easy but I think it’s something that I’ve learned to get better at, I still have to improve on it,’’ Glasgow said. “I still have things I need to get better at center, and a lot of things I need to get better at guard, but it’s something I try to improve on every day every week.’’

ALLEN PARK – Glover Quin couldn’t be happier that Darius Slay has been voted to his first Pro Bowl.

“Very deserving, playing great for us all year, he’s been working hard throughout his career and to see it finally happen for him is good,’’ Quin said on Wednesday.

However, Quin is not happy with the process of how players are selected to the Pro Bowl.

That includes another snub for him. It’s not sour grapes, it’s an honest look at who deserves the honor and who doesn’t. Quin was elected to the Pro Bowl only once and that was in 2014.

(Photo courtesy of Detroit Lions)

“I told you guys this a couple years ago and I mean if I don’t lead the league in interceptions I don’t make the Pro Bowl. It doesn’t matter how good I play,’’ Quin said. “I have more turnovers than any safety in the NFC, I don’t know if I gave up a touchdown this year I don’t know. It is what it is. Just continue doing what I do.’’

NFC safeties who were elected to the Pro Bowl as starters are Seattle’s Earl Thomas, Giants’ Landon Collins and Eagles’ Malcolm Jenkins.  They each have two interceptions while Quin has three.

“I have more picks than Earl, I have more picks than Landon, I have more picks than Malcolm so I can’t even say they just look at picks …. There’s just certain things that kind of bother me about the whole situation,’’ Quin said.

“I’ve stood here in front of you guys for five years, I tell you every year when a safety has a good year. I’m the first to be like, ‘Hey he played good, he deserved it.’ Even myself if I don’t have a good year I’ll tell you …. The guys that made it, I don’t feel like either one of those guys had a better year than I did. The alternates? I don’t feel like anyone of those guys had a better year than I did. I don’t know.’’

He has a solution. Instead of putting everyone’s name on the ballot a nominating committee should narrow it down to who is having a good season.

“There’s no reason why you should be on the ballot if you haven’t had a Pro Bowl worthy season. You shouldn’t be eligible. No disrespect, Kam Chancellor (Seattle) played nine games. Seriously? You’re an alternate. I’m not being a hater, I’m just saying he played nine games. Kam Chancellor would probably look at you and say, ‘I didn’t have a Pro Bowl year.’ But you’re on the ballot, people see your name and they vote for you, he made alternate,’’ Quin said.

Wait, there’s more.

“I’ve been saying it for years, the NFL there’s no way you can tell me they can’t come up with some type of selection committee and have a release show of guys who are eligible for the Pro Bowl, who should be nominated for the Pro Bowl,’’ Quin said. “Why do you put everybody on the ballot? Everybody is not a Grammy nominee, it’s an honor to be nominated. Just being real. It’s an honor. You don’t get to get voted for best song if you’re not nominated. You get nominated, now you’ve got the opportunity to win the Grammy. You shouldn’t be able to go to the Pro Bowl if you’re not nominated. That’s the way it is for all all-star stuff.’’

He would recommend, ex-coaches, scouts and/or TV analysts might be good to form the nominating committee.

They could wait until Week 13 or so to put out a ballot. Give fans two weeks to vote and then give the players and coaches a vote like they have now.

Hey Roger Goodell, sounds like a good plan.