Tag: dan campbell

Five things to watch as Lions return to Ford Field, face Titans

Also injury updates from both teams, prediction

Lions coach Dan Campbell is not taking the Tennessee Titans lightly. Sure they’re 1-5, but he has a four-word replay: “Look at the tape.”

The Titans visit Ford Field on Sunday looking to snap a two-game losing streak.

“It’s a dangerous team, they’ve got a lot of weapons across the board, it’s an outstanding defense. Yards wise it’s the No. 1 defense in the league,’’ Campbell said. “Outstanding on third down.’’

The Lions (5-1) seek to extend their win streak to five games and to stand alone atop the NFC North after the Vikings (5-2) lost to the Rams on Thursday night. They know they can’t overlook the Titans. Those who were with the Lions in 2021 certainly understand the situation.

“They’re still a really good team. I think back to when we were 1-6 in 2022. I think they’re going to come out hungry and ready to go, we have to be ready for them,’’ linebacker Alex Anzalone said. “We’ve been there, we know what it’s like in their shoes and what they’re still fighting for. This is the NFL and every team is really good in my opinion. They have talent all over the field. It’s just about them putting it together.’’
Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said the record don’t matter in the NFL.

“You can get your ass kicked at any given time and we understand that because we were in Tennessee’s shoes before. We were that team that we were out for blood every week, I know this team feels the same way,’’ Glenn said. “Listen, they have names, they have players, they have high draft picks that want to come out and establish dominance, but we have to do a really good job of just understanding what the task is at hand.’’

Five things to watch:

ONE: Jared Goff’s play in recent games has the Lions offense on fire. He’s put up amazing numbers with seven touchdowns and zero interceptions in the last three games. Still, he’s not cocky and certainly not overlooking the Titans. “I think this defense is as good as any defense we’ve played up to this point and we know that. I’m not just blowing smoke or anything,’’ Goff said. “I know their record doesn’t show that but it’s a good defense, they’re good at every level and we’ve got our work cut out for us for sure.”

TWO: The Titans offense led by quarterback Will Levis is dead last in the league in passing offense and 21st in rushing offense with Tony Pollard and Tylae Speers as the leading rushers. Levis has thrown at least one interception in every game. “I think they do a good job, their run game first and foremost. That’s the focus this week. They do a really good job of scheming up runs and we have to bring a certain mentality to this game to defend it that’s what sets everything else up for them,’’ Anzalone said. Worth noting that if Levis goes to the air it’s risky since Lions safety Brian Branch has three interceptions in the last two games.

THREE: Turnovers have been an issue for the Titans. The Titans have a dozen giveaways and just three takeaways. In comparison, the Lions have five giveaways and 11 takeaways. “You flip that just a little bit and they’re not sitting where they are,’’ Campbell said.

FOUR: Lions running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery seemingly set new records each week. Gibbs had the hot hand in the win at the Vikings, it could be Montgomery this week.  Each produced at least 70 scrimmage yards for the sixth-straight game to start the season. This is the longest streak of games where each member of a running back duo has logged 70 scrimmage yards since Saints RBs Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara in 2017. It’s a two-headed monster that defenses haven’t found a way to stop with the Lions averaging 155.5 rushing yards per game. The Titans’ defense allows just 105.5 rushing yards per game so something has to give. Expect Gibbs and Montgomery to be ready.

FIVE: The Lions will be without WR Jameson Williams who has been suspended for two games by the NFL. While Williams had just one catch last week for minus-4 yards he’s a pivotal part of the offense. In his absence Kalif Raymond will fill in. “You know what you’re getting each and every day. He comes in with a great attitude and he’s willing to do whatever it takes. If you told him, ‘Hey, you’re going to have 10 snaps this week and they’re all run blocking,’ he’s going to attack that with a vigor, and he just loves playing football and being out on the field for his teammates,’’ offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said. “And so, when you combine that mentality along with – he’s got probably the best press releases on the team because of how small and shifty he is, guys can’t keep up with his quickness, he’s a threat in man-to-man, and then his run after catch is that of what you would expect from a punt returner. So, a very dynamic weapon, there were some games earlier in the year, didn’t feel like we were giving him enough opportunities, and so the last couple of weeks we’ve been able to get the ball in his hands and he’s taken it and ran with it.” Also look for WR Isaiah Williams to be brought up from the practice squad and possibly more reps for veteran WR Allen Robinson. 

LIONS INJURY UPDATE: DL Josh Paschal (illness) and G Christian Mahogany (illness) are out.

TITANS INJURY UPDATE: RB Tylae Spears (hamstring), LB Jerome Baker, T Jaelyn Duncan (hamstring), LB Cedric Gray (shoulder) and CB L’Jarius Sneed (quad) are out; CB Jarvis Brownlee (ankle) and QB Will Levis (right shoulder) are questionable. 

LIONS SATURDAY MOVES: OLB Al-Quadin Muhammad and TE Shane Zylstra elevated from practice squad.

PREDICTION: Lions 35, Titans 15

Lions Dan Campbell emphasizes his trust in WR Jameson Williams who faces 2nd NFL suspension

ALLEN PARK — Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams appears to be facing his second NFL suspension, but coach Dan Campbell trusts him. That is key moving forward.

While the suspension isn’t official yet, ESPN reported that he is to be suspended for two games for violating the NFL’s Performance Enhancing Substance policy. 

Campbell was not allowed to talk specifics about the situation while it’s under appeal. 

“Here’s what I can tell you, I trust this kid, I trust him. Unfortunately you have to pay for your sins if something happens and this comes down, so be it,’’ Campbell said on Wednesday.

“I know this, we dangled the rope down on the way up, we can’t wait for anybody. Over a year ago he started climbing his way up and got to us. Maybe he lost his grip, but he’ll climb back up again, that rope is still there, it’s tied to us and he’ll be just fine. He’s part of this team and I trust him,’’ the coach added.

Williams was suspended by the NFL for six games for violating the gambling policy at the start of the 2023 season. It was reduced to four games when the rule was changed. So this is not his first rodeo.

“There’s enough things, he and I have had enough dialect about things that have happened. When he tells me something I know what it is, that’s the best way I can say it,’’ Campbell said. “This happened, it is what it is and move on. He’s put the work in, he put his best foot forward and, like I say, he lost his grip. He’ll be back.’’

Williams practiced on Wednesday. He’s had a solid start in the first six games with three touchdowns and 17 catches for 361 yards – an average of 21.2 yards per catch.

“We’re prepared not to have him and it’s all good. He’s going to be here, he’s helping. Until they come through with whatever is going to happen he’s with us, he’s part of this team, he’s helping out and we’re good,’’ Campbell said.

The Lions have plenty of depth at the position. Campbell mentioned Allen Robinson could get more work and they could bring up Isaiah Williams from the practice squad. 

“This is the first little bit of stuff we’ve been hit with so we adjust, move on, life’s good,’’ Campbell said.

The Lions (5-1) are at home against the Titans (1-5) on Sunday. The next week they play a key division game at Green Bay (5-2).

Lions Jared Goff earns MVP talk; Dan Campbell expects the best from his QB

With a 5-1 start to the season, Lions coach Dan Campbell often credits complementary football when the offense, defense and special teams all step up. 

No argument here.

Still, quarterback Jared Goff has been playing lights out. He’s not doing it alone, but he’s accomplishing feats that are remarkable.

“I guess I’m just not surprised, I guess is the best way to say it. I hear these numbers and yeah, he’s playing good. He’s a good quarterback,’’ Campbell said on Monday. “I don’t see this like I’m blown away, I expect that from him. He’s playing at a high level. There are so many little things he does.’’

In the 31-29 win at the Vikings on Sunday, Goff completed 22-of-25 passes (88.0 percent) for 280 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions for a 140.0 passer rating. 

“We put a ton on his plate this week – we put a ton mentally. We asked him to do so much particularly on third down because it’s such a unique defensive scheme that we faced and the amount of pressure and he handled it so good,’’ Campbell said. “Because of that, that helps the rest of the team, it helps the rest of the offense perform at a high level. To me, that’s him.’’

With such stellar play, Goff has worked himself into the conversation for NFL MVP. 

Statistics don’t tell the whole story – as ESPN analyst Booger McFarland said, “Stats are like bikinis. They show some things but not all things.”

Stats don’t show the heart, the fire in the belly and the ice in the veins. Nonetheless Goff is putting up the numbers.

The Lions offense is the only team with more offensive touchdowns (18) than incompletions (16) in a four-game span since the merger. Think about that.

— In any four-game span in NFL history, Goff is the only one to produce a completion percentage of 80.0 percent and a passer rating of 140.0.

—  In each of his last four games, Goff has completed at least 72.0 percent of his passes, thrown for two touchdowns and posted a passer rating of 110.0. The only other player to have a four-game streak with these numbers in a single season was Tom Brady in 2007. 

Not done yet: 

—  Goff is  the fourth quarterback in NFL history to produce a passer rating of 140.0-or-higher in three-straight games, joining: Aaron Rodgers (2011), Kurt Warner (1999) and Roger Staubach (1971).

— Oh, and at the Vikings, Goff tied the franchise single-game completion percentage record (88.0 percent) in a game with at least 25 attempts.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Campbell was asked about critical comments from Chris Christie following the Lions 47-9 rout at Dallas a week ago. The coach smiled, shook his head and said: “The last time someone called me classless I was drinking wine from the bottle.”

UP NEXT: Tennessee Titans (1-5) at Lions (5-1), 1 p.m. on Sunday at Ford Field.