Tag: Dallas Cowboys

Five things to watch as Lions look to improve playoff chances with win over the Rams

With playoff chances on the line again, the Lions hope to tap into the success they found in the win against the Dallas Cowboys last week when they face Matthew Stafford and the Rams in Los Angeles on Sunday.

A win would give the Lions (8-6) a 72-percent chance of making the playoffs while a loss would drop that percentage down around 30 percent. Huge difference.

The Rams (10-3) are seeking to win the NFC West over Seattle (10-3) and San Francisco (9-4).

Against the Cowboys, the Lions played some of their best complementary football this season. 

“Man, we were all  just clicking at the right time. It was like if something went against us, we lost a little bit of momentum, man, the other unit picked it up,’’ coach Dan Campbell said. “They shut it down. So, they score over there, we score. They score, we score. We fizzle out, defense gets a takeaway or gets the stop. They make a play, special teams, we get it to the 45. There’s a return to the minus-45, those are huge. That’s when – all the other stuff doesn’t matter. When you can do that in a game, that’s how you win games in this League.”

The last time Detroit and the Rams met was to open the 2024 season. The Lions pulled out a 26-20 overtime win. In January 2024, the Lions squeaked out a 24-23 playoff win in Detroit.

It’s an interesting recent history. Another chapter will be added on Sunday.

Five things to watch:

ONE: The Lions defense had three takeaways in the win over Dallas, they need to work some of that magic again.  “We were able to disrupt what they were doing, and it paid huge dividends. It got us three takeaways, or really two. Had a lateral that was huge. So, we’ve got to do that again,’’ Campbell said. “The front is just as important as the backend. These guys will understand what they’re getting ready to face. We know this is an outstanding quarterback, he’s got weapons, and they’re versatile. And like I said, very good coaching. We’ve got to find a way to get takeaways, you’ve got to do it. We’ve got to do it again.”

TWO: Prevent Matthew Stafford, the odds-on favorite for the League’s MVP, from throwing explosive passes downfield. Easier said than done as he will try to manipulate the Lions defense. “But at some point, if you just sit there and he’s baiting you, if you don’t move, he’s going to throw it. So, you’ve still got to move, it’s just understanding, you could be – he could be trying to move you here a little bit, he could be trying to manipulate you,’’ Campbell said. “You’ve got to play your keys, and look, we’ve got to get to him upfront. We’ve got to cause some disruption.’’

THREE: The linebackers once again must help out the beat-up secondary. Brian Branch is out for the season and Kerby Joseph won’t play following a setback in his recovery.  That makes linebacker Jack Campbell, Alex Anzalone and Derrick Barnes keys to the defensive success. “They’re big, and they’re one of the reasons – all of those guys were a factor, but man, we put a lot on our backers the other day. Some of those coverages we were playing a lot of, and that puts an enormous amount of stress on your linebackers,’’ Campbell said. “… So, the guys are going after the football and it shows, it pays dividends. You go after the football, you see what you hit, you make a concerted effort. One of your teammates gets him wrapped up, the other one comes in there and takes the ball away. Bite the football. And we’ve got to do it again, we have to.”

FOUR: A big deal has been made this week about the rematch between Stafford and Jared Goff. Both are in the upper echelon of NFL QBs this season — Stafford leads the NFL with 35 touchdown passes while Goff is second with 26. . Goff has made the best of the situation with a rebuilt offensive line. “He doesn’t blink. He doesn’t blink. I mean there’s times where he’s getting his butt kicked, he just gets right back up. That’s one of his strengths, he’s mentally tough,’’ offensive coordinator John Morton said.  “And his preparation is the key to our success, just like everybody. I mean our guys, they do a great job, our coaches do a great job preparing everybody. But when you’ve got a guy like that, it’s pretty special. And when things don’t go right and through his preparation, he sees certain things and gets to it just like he did a couple weeks ago. And it’s helped us. It’s helped us a few times. But run and pass, he always gets us in the right play.’’

FIVE: Dan Campbell has improved at calling the offense and getting the ball to RB Jahmyr Gibbs to run or his increasing role as a pass catcher. “He’s certainly filled some of those targets and catches for us, and he can just do so much. And it’s kind of like he’s just scratching the surface on his route running ability and what he can do out in the backfield,’’ Goff said. Campbell said Gibbs gives them a lot of flexibility. ”I’ve said this before, the more that we ask him to do, the better he gets and the more he can do. But he allows us to do a lot, so he’s a good player. He’s a good player and he’s only getting better,’’ the coach said.

LIONS INJURIES: OUT — S Kerby Joseph, DB Brian Branch, G Christian Mahogany and S Thomas Harper. QUESTIONABLE — LT Taylor Decker, WR Kalif Raymond, G Kayode Awosika, RB Sione Vaki and TE Shane Zylstra.

RAMS INJURIES: WR Davante Adams is questionable.

PREDICTION: Lions 28, Rams 27

Five reasons the Lions pulled off a 44-30 win over the Cowboys

DETROIT — After a disappointing loss to the Packers on Thanksgiving, the Lions bounced back in a huge way with a 44-30 win over the Cowboys on Thursday night at Ford Field.

With the victory, the Lions (8-5) kept their playoff chances alive. The Cowboys (6-6-1) had their three-game win streak snapped and saw their playoff hopes dwindle.

In the last three years Detroit is now 15-0 following a loss. 

“The intensity, the urgency. The guys don’t ever get frazzled, they don’t get panicked, they just go to work,’’ coach Dan Campbell said. “They did it again.’’

The Lions never fell behind, leading 20-9 at the half and keeping their foot on the gas.

They played complementary football with the offense scoring 44 points, the defense coming up with big plays when it mattered most including forcing three turnovers and special teams pitched in too. Jake Bates kicked three field goals (another was blocked) and kick returners gave the offense good field position throughout and the opposite for Dallas.

“Everything was big and the guys really stepped up. We did, we played complementary football that above all is what really makes a difference,’’ Campbell said. “That’s what good teams do. It doesn’t matter how good your offense or defense is if you’re not able to help each other out when you need it with one of the phases it makes it tough and we were able to do that.’’

Five reasons the Lions won:

ONE: The offensive line helped give Goff more protection than he had a week ago. They weren’t perfect – Trystan Colon and rookie MIles Frazier alternated at left guard in place of the injured Kayode Awosika. Dan Skipper provided much help as the sixth lineman. Having Amon-Ra St. Brown back was huge (6 catches 92 yards).  “St. Brown is what we are, where he goes, we go,’’ Campbell said. He wasn’t sure St. Brown’s ankle would be well enough to play until Wednesday. Goff was 25 of 34 for 309 yards and a touchdown. He was sacked just once.

TWO: Running back Jahmyr Gibbs ran for three touchdowns while David Montgomery added another. The Dallas defense just didn’t have an answer for them. Gibbs converted a third-and-8 in the third when he caught the ball near the sideline, stopped and deked DaRon Bland out of his cleats to get extra yards for first down. It was a thing of beauty. Gibbs had 7 catches for 77 yards and a dozen runs for 43 yards, while Montgomery ran 6 times for 60 yards and had one 13-yard catch.

THREE: The defense came up with big plays when needed. First snap of third quarter Derrick Barnes intercepted Dak Prescott and two plays later Goff connected with rookie Isaac TeSlaa for a 12-yard touchdown. Prescott passed for 376 yards and a touchdown, threw a pair of interceptions and was sacked five times. Al-Quadin Muhammad sacked Prescott three times.

FOUR: The Lions were 3 of 8 on third downs, but often they were moving the ball so well they didn’t get to third down. Campbell opted for field goals on a few drives instead of going for the TD on fourth down. No fourth-down attempts.

FIVE: Play calling on both sides was more effective. Jameson Williams finished with 7 catches for 96 yards. It was an all-around better effort. The Lions looked more like the team from weeks ago when they were ranked as one of the best in the NFL.  “We challenged a number of our guys and they really showed up for us. That team (Dallas) is hot – it was a hot team coming in here. That’s a potent offense,’’ Campbell said. “Was it perfect? No. We still have some stuff that wasn’t good.’’

NEXT UP: Lions at Los Angeles Rams, 4:25 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 14.

Lions DC Kelvin Sheppard demands more from the lackluster pass rush

ALLEN PARK — Early in the season, the Lions defense helped carry the load. Lately, not so much. The Lions have lost three of their last five games heading into Thursday night’s home matchup with the red-hot Dallas Cowboys.

The line’s pass pressure has been lacking in recent weeks. And while sacks are not everything, the pressure has been limited too. In the Thanksgiving loss to Green Bay, Jordan Love was not sacked and Alim McNeill accounted for the Lions only quarterback hit. Winning at the line of scrimmage is critical. It’s not happening.

Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard takes some of the blame but he demands more from his players – all of them.

“I don’t think we’ve affected the quarterback to play any style these last couple of weeks.  I don’t care what kind of style you’re going for. The guys understand that,’’ Sheppard said on Monday. “Again, that starts with me. You’ve got to win one-on-ones, no sh–. Yeah, you have to win one-on-ones in this league. I also have to find ways to try to maximize what we do have at our disposal and put these guys in the optimal position to be able to win, give them tools to win. It’s our job to eliminate any gray, any hesitation in play and it’s their job to go out and execute.’’

The defense has just two sacks in the last three games. Against the Giants, Aidan Hutchinson’s sack helped win the game in overtime. It was the only sack in the game.

All of the woes do not fall on Hutchinson’s shoulders. It’s not a one-man defense and he is usually double-teamed. He has 8.5 sacks in the first 12 games. His production is down a bit from last season when he had 7.5 sacks in five games before he broke his leg.

“What I know is I have a high-level, one of the best, if not the best, EDGE rushers in this league,’’ Sheppard said. “He knows, just like we know, people are going to plan for him, that’s why he is one of the best and he has to combat that. It isn’t a one-man show. Other people have to win.’’

Sheppard said the key to turn pressure into sacks is to just finish.

“A lot of too-close, almost-happening, still in November going into December where that absolutely won’t be tolerated,’’ Sheppard said. “Being close isn’t good enough. You have to make that play and that’s coverage and rush — they marry each other.

“There’s no dominant defensive secondary in this league without a good pass rush, there’s no good pass rush without some type of coverage happening on the back end,’’ Sheppard added. “Our guys understand that and we have to find a way to mesh and gel those at the highest level this week against one of the top, if not the top, offense in the NFL right now.’’

Coach Dan Campbell said they have to improve on details, discipline and fundamentals.”We’ve got to get better. It can’t just be you’re going to win off talent or things of that nature. It was really more about pointing out all the things that have nothing to do with talent, which really are the details, the discipline, and the fundamentals,’’ Campbell said. “So, we’ve just got to be a little more on point there. We can, everybody’s got to do their job. And that’ll help, that’ll go a long way.”

UP NEXT:  Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1) at Detroit Lions (7-5), 8:15 p.m. on Thursday.