Tag: Jahmyr Gibbs

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.

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. 

Five things to watch as Lions look to bounce back against Raiders; plus prediction

After a dreadful loss to the Ravens, the Lions are out to prove they are the team that started 5-1, not the bunch who couldn’t do anything right in Baltimore.

They’ll get their chance in prime time, hosting the Las Vegas Raiders (3-4) on a rare Monday Night Football game at Ford Field.Kickoff is 8:15 p.m. (Coach Dan Campbell said he wished primetime games could be played at 1 p.m., but back to the point.)

“We’ll get back in the flow of a normal game here. That was not who we were. I don’t believe that. It was out there, it happened. We’re going to be able to convert, our defense is going to play good football. We’re going to be able to complement each other and that will get us going,’’ Campbell said this week.

No panic, just a resolve to get back on track and maintain their big lead in the NFC North. 

The Lions aren’t alone in looking for a bounce-back win. The Raiders are coming off a 30-12 loss to the Chicago Bears.

“This is a dangerous opponent, very much like we feel this is what they just went through last week is not indicative of who this team is,’’ Campbell said.

Five things to watch:

1. The defense was just plain awful in the loss to the Ravens. Nothing worked and, in part, when it started going downhill players would try to do their job and help their teammates. It’s a bad situation “And that usually happens because we have a team of guys that really care. We have a team of guys that really try to show up for each other and sometimes at the end of the day, man you’ve just got to do your job and you’ve got to do it well and that’s across the board and I’ve said this several times, man this is a partnership between coaches and players, so we as coaches have to make sure that we give them everything that we can, so they can operate the best way they can,’’ defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said. “And then players, you’ve got to go out there and execute at a high level. And we’ll continue to say that, we’ll continue to do that and that’s our job as coaches and that’s their job as players.”

2. The Raiders’ rushing stats —  68.6 rushing yards per game, worst in the NFL – are deceiving since running back Josh Jacobs is always a threat. Last year’s NFL rushing leader has had a bit of a slow start but the LIons will be ready for him.  “From my perspective they’re this close. I can’t tell you the number of plays where it’s a shoestring or it’s one tackle, they are close, you get a little big cleaner of a block,’’ Campbell said. “I still see a dangerous football player, not only in the run game but in the pass game. That’s where you feel like there’s a bit of a ticking time bomb over there from my perspective. That’s what we have to guard against, be ready for because he can go the distance at any point, he’s still got plenty of juice.’’ In fact, he’s second in the NFL among running backs with 215 receiving yards. He’s averaging just 2.9 yards per carry with 347 rushing yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns.

3. The offensive line will have its hands full with defensive end Maxx Crosby who has 6.5 sacks so far. Campbell calls him the most disruptive defensive player they have faced this year. “What does he not do well? I would start there. I don’t know what that would be. He’s very active, he’s slithery, he can bend, he’s explosive, quick first step, he’s very crafty. He’s a master of his craft – his hands, his bend and his motor – he just doesn’t quit,’’ Campbell said, noting he’s disruptive in the run and pass games. “More times than not he’ll be on (Penei) Sewell and (Taylor) Decker and so those guys are up for the challenge, that makes you feel a ton better knowing the guys we’ve got but this is going to be a war,’’ the coach said. 

4. Improve rushing game which had 84 yards in the loss to the Ravens. Rookie Jaymyr Gibbs continued his improvement with 11 carries for 68 yards and his first NFL touchdown along with 58 receiving yards. David Montgomery (ribs) will miss second straight game. “I saw an improving player, took a step up, and that’s all you can ask for is growth. So, we anticipate he takes another step up and we’ll keep doing things that we feel like he does well and where he can continue to grow, but we’re pleased with where he’s at,’’ Campbell said of Gibbs.

5. Expect Jared Goff to get back in rhythm. It was clear almost from the get-go last week the offense was out of step. The defense couldn’t keep the Ravens offense off the field and the Lions offense was not doing their part notching their initial first down until midway through the second quarter. One of Goff’s superpowers is his ability to be resilient, per offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. “He’s able to just learn from it and move on quickly, quickly. He’s got a short memory that way,’’ Johnson said. “And so, he’s approached this week the same as every other week. He’s been very much studying the tape and preparing like he normally does, and confident that we’ll get the train back on the tracks here.”

PREDICTION: Lions 27, Raiders 24. Look for a bounce-back win, although it could be a battle.