Tag: jared goff

Five things to watch as Lions face Cowboys; injury update, prediction

At Dallas on Dec. 30,  Jared Goff engineered a 75-yard touchdown drive late to give Detroit a chance and offensive lineman Dan Skipper became a cult hero. However, the Lions dropped the game, 20-19. It has not been forgotten.

The Lions (3-1) and the Cowboys (3-2) meet again at 4:25 p.m. on Sunday in Dallas. The Lions are coming off a bye week after beating the Seahawks in a Monday night game. The Cowboys (3-2) have won two straight after starting the season 1-2. They have yet to win at home.

“I’m excited for this one. And really, look, it’s the next one in front of us and it’s a conference opponent and they’ve had our number for a while and I grew up down there, so I have a lot of people there,’’ coach Dan Campbell said. “I think it’ll be a special game. National television, four o’clock, which, that’s awesome.’’

While the Lions can’t let too much emotion carry them, Campbell understands they have not forgotten the December debacle.

“You’ve got to keep your head about you no matter what it is, and I think each game – look, you can always find something. To me, you always find a nugget, it doesn’t matter who you’re playing. There are reasons behind why you want to win them, and you find what those are and they’re different every week,’’ Campbell said. “But you’ve got to play a clean game, you’ve got to keep your head about you, we’ve got to be disciplined, we’ve got to play fundamental football, we’ve got to have a good gameplan, we’ve got to execute it, take care of the football, we need to get some takeaways, it’s the same song and dance it always is.”

After that loss, the Lions wrapped up the regular season with a win over the Vikings, then beat the Rams in a wild card game and downed the Bucs in divisional playoffs.

Quarterback Jared Goff said they all know what happened at the end in the confusion of whether Dan Skipper or Taylor Decker reported eligible for the 2-point conversion.

“It  was unfortunate the way it worked, but yeah, we’ll be ready this week,’’ Goff said. ”… I think it was just a mistake that the officials made, and it happens. That type of stuff happens, and you move on but no, I don’t think we take it personally.’’

Campbell was asked if Skipper will report eligible on the first play on Sunday. He said the game plan was incomplete at that point.

Five things to watch:

ONE: The Cowboys with Dak Prescott  have the second best NFL passing offense while the Lions are ranked 27th in pass defense. Something’s got to give. Prescott, who has completed 65.4 percent of his passes, has a favorite target in CeeDee Lamb who has 378 receiving yards and a pair of touchdown catches. Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said his corners are ready for it. 

“This quarterback is pretty good now. He’s pretty good, (Lamb’s) pretty good. Listen, I think they’ve done a good job with the personnel that they’ve had, and they’ve lost some guys too,’’ Glenn said. “So, again – and I’m sure they feel the same way I do – no excuses, just go out there and execute. But we know that we have to pay close attention to the tight end, also, (Jake) Ferguson, I think he’s doing a really good job and people don’t really talk about that player. I think he’s physical, I think he’s tough. You watch him on these seam balls, he does a good job of contorting his body and going up and catching the ball. So, this is not going to be an easy out, we know that. Every time we play Dallas it’s going to be a dogfight, and we’re ready for it.”

TWO: Jared Goff, aka Mr. Perfect, definitely found his rhythm in the win over Seattle. He now has 19 straight completions (over last two games) with the NFL record at 25.”He downloads the gameplan and looks to go out there and execute it. I mean, shoot, you can look at that Seattle game and there’s some not-so-great play-calls and we’ve got some guys making things right,’’ offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said. “That was my big point to the until last week before we went on break was, we had a couple explosive plays where I wish I had sent the protection a different direction and cleaned the picture up for them, but he was able to buy some time – I think it was the first catch there to (WR) Tim Patrick was not ideal, but they both made it work and it ended up being a 20-something-yard gain. So, when he’s – he knows exactly what we’re looking for, he knows what the bad looks are too.’’

THREE: The Cowboys’ secondary has improved each week and Campbell said that’s what makes them dangerous. “What you’ve seen in the last two weeks – this is a stingy defense and they play hard, they’re gap sound, everybody plays their responsibilities, it’s a run-and-hit defense …’’ Campbell said. “Then this D-line, I know they’ve been hurt but man, these guys over the last two weeks, just watch them play. And they play hard. So, they’re out working people is what they’re doing. That’s what they’ve been doing the last two weeks.”

FOUR:  The Lions must run the ball early and often against the Cowboys’ 24th ranked rushing defense which should not be an issue with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs off to an explosive start to the season. Campbell said Gibbs is primed for a breakaway run and Ben Johnson agrees. “I think we’ve got him up on a safety a couple of times and I know he always is – if he can’t break that tackle. But our guys are doing a great job up front, O-line, tight ends, of covering guys up and I think what you see with our skill group, I’m talking about our receivers, I don’t know if there’s another group in the NFL that blocks like they do down the field,’’ Johnson said. “And so, it’s probably coach’s confidence not in Gibbs and what he can do, but it’s also what our unit’s been putting on tape so far that, yeah, it’s just a matter of time before he breaks some big ones out.”

FIVE: In the win over the Seahawks two weeks ago, the Lions were whistled for a dozen penalties costing them 101 yards. That’s a lot. Over the first four games they amassed 31 penalties for 307 yards while their opponents had 22 for 185. It hasn’t been a big issue for wins and losses but it’s an issue. The defense has been working on avoiding penalties. “I don’t know how other teams practice, but we still do one-on-ones in practice, receivers and DBs, D-line and O-line, linebackers, tight ends and running backs. And when you’re in those situations, and you’re in a tussle match, where are your hands at?’’ defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said. “There’s a lot of things that we have to – and a lot of that comes from guys in college, because you’re able to do that when you’re in college, so that’s one of the things that TA (Terrion Arnold) is doing a really good job of, of trying to work on those things.”

LIONS INJURY UPDATE: G Christian Mahogany (illness) is out.

COWBOYS INJURY UPDATE: LB Erick Kendricks (calf/shoulder) and DE Micah Parsons (ankle) are out; CB Daron Bland (foot), CB Caelen Carson (shoulder) and LB Nick Vigil (foot) are questionable.

PREDICTION: Lions 27, Cowboys 24.

The maturation of Lions WR Jameson Willliams

ALLEN PARK — Jameson Williams has matured before our eyes. The Detroit Lions wide receiver, who got off to a slow NFL start, collected his second game ball this season in the win over the Seahawks on Monday night.

It wasn’t just his two catches for 80 yards — one a 70-yard touchdown play – his blocking caught the eye of coach Dan Campbell.

Williams also earned a game ball in the opener, a win over the Rams, in which he had five catches for 121 yards and a touchdown. He carried that ball into the press room after the game, cradled in his arm and said it was his first game ball at any level. He didn’t want to let it go. 

In the first four games he’s racked up 289 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns. He’s matched his touchdown total from last year when he had 354 receiving yards in a dozen games.

He’s a changed young man.

Campbell first gives credit to Jameson himself for his maturation, but points out that he had a lot of help along the way.

The coach didn’t mention it but the staff was also patient waiting for the 2022 first-round pick, to get his NFL legs under him. They never gave up. Campbell always would say he had seen improvement even when it might be tough to see to the naked eye by others.

“Everything starts with him. He’s done an outstanding job of rehabbing, getting over the injury, he had to deal with what came with the gambling, the time off (four-game NFL suspension), then he got hurt in camp before that happened,’’ Campbell said on Tuesday.

Williams didn’t play until Week 5 in 2023 and in that first game had two catches for 2 yards. He had missed much of training camp and all of the preseason games so it took a bit for him to get in gear.

“He’s been so raw to it, just learning and working his way through it, he’s just matured so much. He’s matured, he’s worked, he’s grinded, he wants the coaching, he wants to get better. That’s a credit to him that he’s open and he’s coachable,’’ the coach added.

It wasn’t just his teammates and the coaching staff, it was the team’s developmental staff that helped steer Williams in the right direction.

“We have so many resources here that help guys develop, not only certainly as players but as men and just trying to do things the right way, being a pro and everything that goes along with it,’’ Campbell said. “It’s been good to be able to do that and it doesn’t work that way everywhere, not every place is set up the way ours is set up.’’

It was the perfect landing spot for Williams.

Five things to watch as Lions face undefeated Seahawks; injury update, prediction

Wearing basic black, the Detroit Lions will look to snap their three-game losing streak to the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night at Ford Field. Detroit has lost to Seattle for three straight seasons, including a 37-31 overtime loss last September.

The all-black alternate uniforms were last a Lions wardrobe staple from 2005 to 2007 when they were worn twice a season. They have a certain appeal to players and fans too but it will take more than cool-looking black duds to defeat the Seahawks.

The Seahawks (3-0) have outscored opponents 73-43 starting the season with three straight wins. The Lions (2-1) would like to extend their win streak heading into the bye week.

Campbell said there are no higher stakes in this matchup.

“I told the team, ‘Everything’s about one this week. It’s about one and that’s today, one day. It’s about one rep, it’s one week, it’s one game, it’s one win and just focus on that.’ I think we have to get back to honing our craft a little bit. We’re going to do some one-on-ones and pad them up early and then take them off, but just so we get back in the – you start getting in the game plan for weeks and you start focusing so much on the plan. Sometimes you forget about the fundamentals,’’ Campbell said. “You don’t mean to, it just kind of – so this is a way to refocus ourselves, get back to the craft of what we do, the one-one-ones, running routes, covering, one-on-one pass pro in protection up front with the backs, tight ends, all of that. So, that’s the focus.”

Five things to watch as Lions face the Seahawks:

ONE: The Lions’ offense is still catching up to the defense and special teams three games in. While it scored 20 points in the first half in the win over the Cardinals, it was held scoreless in the second half.

Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson expects more of his group and said they have yet to play a 60-minute game on offense.  “The first half (in Arizona) certainly felt more like things that have been going our way in the past, but I guess that second half, when you turn on the tape, I think there were plays to be had and we just didn’t capitalize on it,’’ Johnson said. “…. Fortunately, our defense and special teams have been playing really, really well. I know it’s coming, we’re just too talented of a group to not have more production and more points than what we’ve had and so it’s just a matter of time before we break through.”

TWO: It isn’t lost on Jared Goff that Seattle’s pass defense is the best in the NFL.  “They’ve got good players, they’ve got good schemes. (CB Devon), Witherspoon, just flies around, he’s a great player. I think (CB Riq) Woolen’s been a great player for a long time,’’ Goff said. “They’ve got a lot of good players over there, man. They’re really well-coached, you can tell, and they play hard.”

THREE: The Lions defense will be making adjustments due to the season-ending injury to DL Marcus Davenport and the injury to Derrick Barnes. DL Josh Paschal gets the call to fill in for Davenport. Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said the similarity between the two is they are both able to rush with power. “Obviously, Davenport’s the longer guy so he has a couple more tools that he can use than Paschal, but Paschal is more squatty, to the ground, so he’s able to use his spin moves and things like that to win,’’ Glenn said. “But they both have advantages between each other that they can go out there and be successful.”

Glenn said someone has to step up to fill in for Barnes and the linebacker room has plenty of talent.

“Things change, players change, defense changes at times depending on who you have as players, and we have to do everything we can to figure out what guy’s going to play that role and what defense can we play to go out there and be successful,’’ Glenn said.

FOUR: In leading the Seahawks to three wins, Geno Smith has completed 74.8 percent of his passes (compared to 66 percent for Goff. “Geno  plays really good football. This scheme is good for him. It allows him to get up there, they do some no huddle and he can see what the defense is doing, get the best play available, calm, cool, collected, and as the game goes on, the longer you keep him in it, let them play with their rhythm,’’ Campbell said. “Geno’s going to find it and there’s been some confusion, different areas, first three games where they’ve hurt teams, gotten big plays to (DK) Metcalf. So, we have our hands full but we’re looking forward to it. Our place, Monday night, our guys are ready to go, they’ll be ready to go.”

FIVE: The Lions defense is ranked fourth in the NFL in rushing defense but expects more of a challenge from running backs Zach Charbonnet and  Kenneth Walker. “(Walker) is very explosive, he’s dynamic with these jump cuts, he has a really good stiff arm, so you have to be able to run through tackles and understand that’s how he operates as a runner. We have to gang tackle, and that’s both of those guys,’’ Glenn said. “And I know you guys know about us, everything’s still make sure we stop the run and try to make a team one dimensional. So, it’s going to be a challenge. It’s going to be a challenge to stop both of those guys.”

LIONS INJURY UPDATE: C Frank Ragnow (pectoral) is out; DB Brian Branch (illness) is doubtful; CB Ennis Rakestraw (hamstring) is questionable; S Ifeatu Melifonwu moved to IR; others including TE Sam LaPorta will play.

SEAHAWKS INJURY UPDATE: DE Leonard Williams, LB Boye Mafe, DT Byron Murphy II, LB Uchenna Nwosu are out; LB Jerome Baker is questionable.

PREDICTION: Lions 28, Seahawks 24