Tag: David Montgomery

Lions look to fix struggling run game as they prepare to face the Bears

ALLEN PARK — The Detroit Lions’ standard has risen so high in the past three seasons, that to see the run game struggle in the loss at Green Bay was a head-scratcher.

After averaging 5.1 yards per carry last season, the run game could not get in gear which led to a meager 2.1 yards per carry. It is a stat that is not acceptable to anyone in the organization.

It wasn’t just the fault of running backs Jahmyr Gibbs (9 carries, 19 yards) or David Montgomery (11 carries, 25 yards) or even the new-look offensive line. It was a team failure, including the coaches, which Dan Campbell has said includes him.

“Reacting is not going to change what we did, responding will change our future,’’ said Scottie Montgomery, assistant head coach/wide receivers.

Wednesday was Day 1 in practice to prepare for the Chicago Bears who play at Ford Field on Sunday. Campbell said they will address the run game issues head-on.

“The focus, the footwork, the little things, and we’re going to make sure we establish that today, Day 1, in practice and that we’re on point with our footwork, our hat placement, all the little things were IDed correctly,’’ Campbell said on Wednesday. “We’re coming off the ball. If not we’ll do it again we’ll get it right. We will be much better.’’

While it was only one game, the Lions’ 46 rushing yards in the loss were tied for the worst in the NFL in Week 1.

“When (Gibbs) touches the ball that many times, we expect him to be an eraser. There was a couple times he would like to have back, just making sure when we get to those checkdowns — vertical, speed, quickness – everything has to be more detailed,’’ Montgomery said. “I’m not just talking about him, I’m talking about everybody that was in that situation.’’

Gibbs had 20 touches including 10 receptions for 31 yards. Montgomery chipped in with 4 catches for 18 yares.

“Some of the things that extended drives for us in the past didn’t do it this year. Right? Broken tackles, the detail of how sharp and how crisp we were getting to some of those areas and then turning it around, like I said, last year when we were able to unlock those,’’ Montgomery said.

It  goes back to communication, details and fundamentals, according to the coach.

“Those fundamental details are what’s going to take us to get second-and-1, then now it’s first-and-10, putting you in a different situation to open everything up,’’ Montgomery said.

Lions open training camp with high expectations, a few changes and injury news

ALLEN PARK — Lions opened training camp on Sunday, with a few new players, two new coordinators, defensive injuries and the same huge expectations as in recent years.

Coach Dan Campbell said he’s still as enthusiastic as ever.

“The message to the team is what it’s been all along. It’s about who we are, what we believe in and staying hungry, staying hungry. Put the work in, we cannot be content,’’ Campbell said on Sunday. “I believe we’ll be just fine. We have the right guys and we’ve been building and improving for a long time. Our dudes will be ready to go.’’

While expectations from the outside may be lower because of the new coordinators — John Morton on offense replaces Ben Johnson who is head coach of the Bears and Kelvin Sheppard moves up to defensive coordinator replacing Aaron Glenn who is now head coach of the Jets.

Campbell gets it but doesn’t believe it.

“First of all, it doesn’t matter what I say, it’s already been written. So that’s coming. That’s already in there. I’m not going to change that, none of us will. A loss, it’s coming, we don’t do well on offense, it’s coming. Something happens defensively, it’s coming,’’ Campbell said. “That narrative is coming, it’s written, it’s done. I have no control over that.’’

However, that is not what he thinks personally.

“Yeah, I don’t think it’s what it’s played out to be. I’ve said this before it hurts to lose two guys who have been here from the beginning, got a lot of trust and faith in,’’ Campbell said.

“There’s a lot of communication that goes on that’s not even said because once you get to that you understand each other,  a look, a nod, body demeanor says it all,’’ he added. “That’s just a little bit of what we’ve got to gain together between myself, Johnnie Morton and Shep. That takes a minute, takes time, we’ll get it, it will come.’’

And it starts to take more shape in training camp.

Running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs are not concerned about the change.

“Obviously they’re different people. Ben was an awesome OC and he’s going to be an even better head coach, but I think we’ve got a damn good OC in coach Johnnie Mo too. They coach a little different,’’ Montgomery said. “Johnny Mo is a little more verbal and vocal, but I love him.”

Gibbs said not a lot has changed – tweaks here and there – but nothing major.

INJURY NEWS

Defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike is out for the season following ACL surgery. “Levi’s surgery, it was significant, but it needed to be done,’’ Campbell said.

Left tackle Taylor Decker had surgery to clean up his shoulder. Campbell expects him to return after the Hall of Fame preseason game on July 31.

Defensive end Josh Paschal also had surgery. The plan is to start working him in around Labor Day.

Cornerback Ennis Rakestraw left practice early and is being evaluated for a chest injury.

(Up next: Day Two of training camp on Monday. First preseason game is July 31 against the Los Angeles Chargers at the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio.)

Lions Dan Campbell: ‘We’re in the middle of the circus, man, and it’s about time to perform’

Five things to watch as the Lions host the Commanders

A year ago, the Detroit Lions won a pair of playoff games and ended their 32-season drought without a postseason win.

It was good, but it wasn’t enough. In fact “it takes more” became the motto for this season. Mottos don’t win games, but they can plant the seeds. Thriving is mutual and that is what the Lions have accomplished with a second straight NFC North title, a 15-2 record and the No. 1 seed.

It all leads up to Saturday night when the heavily-favored Lions host the Washington Commanders in the NFL divisional round.

The bull’s-eye has been on the Lions for every game this season so it’s not new. Coach Dan Campbell does not feel a difference of expectations.

“I look at it as like, I know who we are, I know what we’re about, I know how we have to prepare, I respect the opponent, and now it’s time to go to work, that’s how I look at it,’’ Campbell said. “I don’t look at anything else, I don’t think of, ‘What if it doesn’t, what if the –‘ The what ifs, man, I couldn’t sleep at night if I lived that way, there’s no freaking way. So, no, I don’t think of that. 

“We’re the one seed, we earned the one seed, we’ve got a good opponent coming in and we’re going to be ready to play. That’s how I look at it,’’ the coach added.

With the turnaround from a 3-13-1 season in 2022, the Lions may not exactly be America’s team now, but they are in the conversation.  Under Campbell the Lions are 11-2 in primetime games. The networks love them and the ratings that come along with them. 

While there may be extra attention it’s nothing the Lions cannot handle.

“We’ve had attention for four years here. I mean, there’s been more stuff that’s been made out, that’s been built one way, we’ve been so good, we’ve been so bad, we’re a laughingstock, now we’re great, and it’s just been this rollercoaster of ups and downs, and it’s the next week of it, you know what I mean?’’ Campbell said. 

“And so, this is nothing new that we’re in, this is nothing new for me, for the coaches, for the players. We’re in the middle of the circus, man, and it’s about time to perform, that’s the world we’re in,’’ the coach added.

Five things to watch:

ONE: Jayden Daniels’ poise for a rookie quarterback has turned heads all season. He’s thrown 25 touchdowns against just nine interceptions and he’s the team’s leading rusher. Obviously, mobile quarterbacks can present issues. “He is dangerous. He’s dangerous, he poses a major threat. He does not play the position like a rookie quarterback. He’s composed, he understands how to progress, he sees the field well, he can buy time with his legs, he’s a dangerous runner, he’s smart, you can tell he understands how to run that offense, what they’re asking him to do, and then he’s got weapons,’’ Campbell said.

TWO: Run the ball and run it some more. Running back David Montgomery will return from a knee injury with no pitch count. He’s ready to roll and help exploit Washington’s porous rushing defense which gives up 137.5 yards per game. He said stakes are high each game but there’s a certain vibe this week. “We’ve got guys in the locker room who take this personal, they take their job very serious. Everybody is locked in — you can see it, you can feel it, you can smell it. I’m just happy to be a part of it,’’ Montgomery said.

THREE: Ball possession will be key. The Commanders are good at it, so are the Lions who ‘edged’ the Vikings 36:12 to 23:48 in time of possession in the win that clinched the No. 1 seed.  In the 23-20 wildcard win at Tampa last week, the Commanders held the ball 35:26 to Tampa’s 24:34. “Certainly to possess the ball is big, that’s what Washington does a good job of, watching them, I mean, they possess the ball, they finish the game out’’ Campbell said. “They were able to do that, get first downs, and so that’s big, and to be able to run the ball is what helps you do that. So yeah, that’s a big part of it.”

FOUR: Expect Jared Goff to have a good day against the Commanders’ man coverage. He excels when that’s the case and Washington is big on it. Goff never takes any team lightly. “They’re good, they’re young, they’re feisty. I think the whole team is young and hungry and we’re aware of that and we have to come out and be ready to go,’’ Goff said.

FIVE: Get points on the board early and keep piling them on. The Lions have outscored opponents 103-84 in the fourth quarter all season and 54-29 in the last five games. They finish, it’s why they’ve only lost two games. Keep in mind, the ‘’Cardiac Commanders’’ excel at finishing too. Their last five games were all won by a total of 17 points, They’ve outscored opponents 64-28 in the fourth quarter of those last five games. Daniels excels in clutch situations with a 117.3 passer rating when tied or down by eight points or fewer in the fourth quarter or overtime.

UP NEXT: The Lions/Commanders winner will face the winner of Rams/Eagles (Sunday at 3 p.m.) in the NFC Championship game at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 26, at Ford Field.