dan campbell – Page 70 – Lions Lowdown

Lions Dan Campbell says team hasn’t played best football yet; plus notes

Injury updates, plus Donovan Peoples-Jones gets acclimated

ALLEN PARK — During the bye week, Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell and his staff self-scouted the team which is 6-2 and atop the NFC North heading into the final nine-game stretch.

He boiled it down to three areas that need work on both sides of the ball: turnover-takeaway ratio, red zone and third-quarter production or lack of.

“We still have left so much out there, as good as we’ve played to get six wins, we’ve been able to complement each other, but I would say we’ve not played our best football collectively – offense, defense and special teams,’’ Campbell said on Monday.

So far they have turned the ball over 10 times (5 interceptions, 5 fumbles lost) while also getting 10 takeaways (7 interruptions, 3 fumbles recovered.)

In the Red Zone the Lions’ offense has had a 48.1-percent success rate while the defense has allowed opponents to score 65.4 percent of the time in the Red Zone.

Campbell would like to see a quicker start in the third quarter on both sides.

On special teams he thinks Kalif Raymond can start breaking through on returns.

“We’re one block away, we’re close but we have to start breaking some of these with him in the return game,’’ Campbell said.

Injury update

Coming off the bye week, center Frank Ragnow, running back David Montgomery and left guard Jonah Jackson are trending in the right direction to play on Sunday at the Los Angeles Chargers.

While they have been dealing with injuries that kept them out of games, they were able to participate in Monday’s walk-through.

“All three of those guys moved around today, they were out there. Today was really more priming the pump, getting ready for (Tuesday),’’ Campbell said. “We did some individuals, some group, special teams segment and they were all involved in all three of those.’’

Campbell said Tuesday’s padded practice will be a bigger indication of if they are ready to play.

If Montgomery returns after missing two games, rookie Jaymyr Gibbs will still get his fair share of work, although Campbell doesn’t foresee him getting 65 plays as he did in the win over the Raiders.

“We know what Dave can do but we know Gibbs has gotten better every week so we’re going to ask those guys to do the things they do well to help our offense move the football,’’ Campbell said.
When Montgomery was healthy he was getting the bulk of the carries, while Gibbs was allowed to slowly adjust.

Peoples-Jones gets to work

Wide receiver Donovan People-Jones, who was acquired last week from the Browns, was on the field during Monday’s walk-through but Campbell is taking it slowly with the fourth-year player out of Michigan.

“I think more of it was getting him in here, getting him acclimated with our resources that we have. We’ll get him up to speed with the playbook, make sure he’s good and healthy, then see where he is,’’ Campbell said. “Certainly we acquired him because we think he can help us but I also want to make sure he’s ready mentally and physically. I want to make sure he’s 100 percent ready before we do that. This week will be big for him. … We’ll take it day to day.’’

Jones, who will wear No. 19, had eight receptions for 97 yards in six games with the Browns this season.

UP NEXT: Lions (6-2) at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:05 p.m. on Sunday. The Chargers (3-4) play the N.Y. Jets on Monday night.

Lions acquire WR Donovan Peoples-Jones from Browns; plus notes

ALLEN PARK — The Lions filled a position of need on Tuesday when acquired wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones from the Cleveland Browns.

Detroit sent a 2025 sixth-round pick to Cleveland. Tuesday at 4 p.m. was the NFL trade deadline.

Peoples-Jones, who played at Michigan, was a sixth-round pick by the Browns in 2020. He’s a 24-year-old Detroiter who played at Cass Tech.

“We’re excited about the kid. He’s had good production in the past, he’ll be a good fit here. He’s been a high character kid,’’ Lions GM Brad Holmes said announcing the deal. “… I just talked to the kid. He’s fired up about getting this process going.’’

Holmes said they needed to add a wide receiver since Marvin Jones Jr. left the team last week.

“You always feel like you’re one injury away and that was a position we felt like if we could find a steady, reliable guy that fits us, that can play outside. That was something we were looking at to see if we could acquire,’’ coach Dan Campbell said.

Holmes said Peoples-Jones is a big guy (6-foot-2, 204 pounds) who has good contested catch skills.

“We feel like he fits our style. And he’s smart and can play multiple positions,’’ Campbell said. “We feel like he’ll be a good fit for the team and the room.’’

This season Peoples-Jones has played in seven games with five starts for the Browns with eight receptions for 97 yards. In his career, he’s played in 50 games with 30 starts, with 117 receptions for 1,837 yards and eight touchdowns.

While it would seem that the defensive line is an area of need, Holmes said they looked at every position prior to the deadline.

“A lot of these names that you might see pop up, they look good in the media and they are names, it’s not reality. Those same names that you see pop up when you start getting in conversations, it just doesn’t work out for us,’’ Holmes said. “Every team is in a different place, a different direction, a different phase. There’s nothing we leave unturned. We looked at every position and this was the best one for us.’’

Bye week timing

The players watched film from Monday night’s game on Tuesday then were given the rest of the week off due to the bye.

“I think it’s perfect timing. This is exactly when, from where we’re at, it’s perfect,’’ Campbell said. … “We’re going to get reinforcements back for the Chargers who will be critical to help us.’’

Campbell said he will spend all day Wednesday to look at the last eight games and then will get away for a few days.

The next game is Nov. 12 at the Los Angeles Chargers.

Long snapper out

Long snapper Scott Daly is going to need surgery after injuring his knee on the last kick on Monday, a missed 26-yard field goal. It’s a position that doesn’t get much thought unless there’s an injury.

“It’s going to hurt to lose him,’’ Campbell said.

Five reasons the Lions bounced back with a 26-14 win over the Raiders

DETROIT — While the Detroit Lions turned the ball over three times and were far from perfect, they managed to overcome their own mistakes and pull out a 26-14 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night.

With the win the Lions are now 6-2 and still atop the NFC North. The Raiders fell to 3-5 with their second straight loss.

Detroit was coming off a miserable loss to the Ravens and badly needed the bounce-back win.

“I told the team the most important thing about this game was us getting our identity back. It was all the work we put in this week, the whole focus was about getting back to what we do and that was the most important thing,’’ coach Dan Campbell said afterward. “That really showed through. It wasn’t perfect but ultimately we got what I wanted to get out of it, you come away with a win.’’

While there’s half a season remaining, the Lions are in a good position. They have a bye this week which will give them time to rest up and heal the bumps and bruises.

Perhaps the key lesson so far, showed up on Monday night.

Despite those three turnovers — two lost fumbles and an interception — they hung in there.

“Ultimately good teams don’t do that consistently, they don’t have multiple turnovers but when they do they’re able to overcome them,’’ Campbell said. “I do feel that we have guys who don’t get frazzled — the wheels don’t fall off. We were composed, I think there was more anger than frustration.’’

Five reasons the Lions won:

1. Rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs had a breakout game in prime time. The secret is out. Gibbs carried 26 times for 152 yards and a touchdown, He also caught five passes (on five targets) for 37 yards. He ran between the tackles and showed his speed to the outside. “That defense they played pretty danged good, they’ve been pretty stingy in the run game. But we felt like there was something we could do, we wanted to get Gibbs going. We wanted to be able to establish the run,’’ Campbell said. “You could tell he was feeling it, every week he’s gotten a little bit better and a little bit better and I thought last week was his best game and this week certainly surpassed that. I think the more he gains confidence in his own abilities in this league he’s just going to continue to grow. I think this was kind of the tip of the iceberg for what he is able to do and going to be able to do.’’ The run game should get another boost after the bye when David Montgomery is expected to return.

2. The pass rush which was a bit anemic at Baltimore played perhaps their best game. They sacked quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo six times, all in the second half. In fact he was sacked three times in four snaps in the fourth quarter. It was a group effort with Alex Anzalone and Alim McNeill each getting two and Julian Okwara and Tracy Walker each with one. “Outstanding top to bottom, those guys came through. That was one of the things we talked about transitioning from play pass to the rush and working the games on third down,’’ Campbell said. “Six sacks and 9 quarterback hits that was 100 percent teamwork there. We looked like a tenacious defense, that’s how we expect to play defense. We’re ferocious, we play tight coverage, we challenge.’’ The Raiders only scored one offensive touchdown, the other score was an interception returned for a touchdown.

3. Jared Goff bounced back after the Ravens’ loss too. He did throw the interception, but hung in there and showed poise and control that he’s had most of the season. He completed 26 of 37 passes for 272 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Until late in the second quarter, the Lions could not make anything happen in the Red Zone and had to settle for three field goals. But with 27 seconds left in the half, Goff’s 18-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Sam LaPorta sent the Lions to the locker room on a strong note and with a 16-7 lead.

4. Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown wasn’t feeling well, per Campbell, and was placed on the injury report on Sunday with an illness. It was unclear if he’d play. Indeed he did and was good for six catches for 108 yards. He’s a steady presence and he’s not alone. LaPorta had eight catches for 57 yards and a touchdown. He and Gibbs no longer look like rookies.

5. Over recent years — and certainly before Campbell became coach — that was not a game the Lions would always find a way to win. They’d wilt too easily and couldn’t always come back from a little adversity. This bunch is different. They’re strong mentally, indivicually and as a team. That’s what Campbell was so pleased about with the win. This is who they are — tough, physical and poised. And they showed it on Monday night in front of a national TV audience.

NEXT UP: The Lions have a bye week, then will play at the Los Angeles Chargers at 4:05 p.m. on Nov. 12.