Tag: Josh Reynolds

Five reasons the Detroit Lions lost 37-31 in OT to the Seahawks

DETROIT — Dan Campbell will be serving up slices of humble pie this week after a 37-31 overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

Ford Field was electric, the fans were jumping out of their seats expecting the very best after the big win at the Chiefs 10 days prior.

What they did not see was the Lions at their best. Two critical turnovers on offense put more pressure on the defense. Not a good equation.

“I know it stings and those guys are disappointed, I’m disappointed, the staff is, but my gosh this is good. We’ll get a little humble pie here,’’ coach Dan Campbell said. 

Expectations are high for these 1-1 Lions and the season is not over. 

“Sometimes you don’t know exactly where you’re at until you’re in it. We come off a big win and you can always preach certain things but this is the NFL, these guys ame in, took that win and they earned it,’’ Campbell said.

It was the first win for the Seahawks who were coming off a home loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Five things that were costly:

1. The defense had trouble getting pressure on quarterback Geno Smith. The only sack — and it was big — came late in the fourth quarter when linebacker Alex Anzalone went the extra mile to sack Smith for a 17-yard loss on a third-and-10 play with 2:11 left. “I think we’ve got to stay true to the rush plan itself. One more time, close the pocket in on him and don’t give him anywhere to go and somebody’s going to get one here,’’ Campbell said. “But we can’t rush high and let him run through unevaded.’’ Smith finished with 328 passing yards and 20 rushing. Anzalone said Smith may be old (he’s 32) but he still has wheels. Anzalone also said the biggest thing the defense needs to work on is tackling.

2. The Lions turned the ball over three times. The one fumble as the clock ran out in the first half just didn’t matter. The other two were huge. On the first play of the third quarter, running back David Montgomery fumbled and Seattle recovered on Detroit’s 23-yard line. Two plays later Seattle scored a touchdown. Jared Goff’s streak of 383 passes without an interception was snapped when a pass intended for Jahmyr Gibbs was intercepted by Tre Brown and returned for a touchdown. Goff took the blame saying he was about to get hit so had to throw the ball before Gibbs broke for it. “If there was some magic world where we could take away the turnovers today I thought we played pretty well. But outside of that, the turnovers are what kill you,’’ Goff said. “We have to take care of the ball, we didn’t and it cost us.’’

3. Campbell said he thought Goff played “really well.’’ It was the interception that was huge. Otherwise he was 28 of 35 for 323 yards and three touchdowns. But the loss stings, Goff  said they all do. “You would like to get the first one for the fans. That’s why it stings a little more. That was a real, real, real home-field advantage for us today,’’ Goff said.  Having them do that for the rest of the year will be a real, real home field advantage but you have to give them something to root for, though, and continue to find ways to win games.’’

4. The Lions had a chance to win it when they got the ball with 1:44 left at midfield, down by 3 points. They managed to get down to the 20-yard line with 3 seconds left and kicked a field goal to tie it and send it to overtime. Goff didn’t attempt a deep pass for a touchdown on the drive. “I never felt like we were crunched against the clock to score a touchdown,’’ Campbell said. At that point they were without right guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai, Montgomery, Taylor Decker (who was inactive) and while Amon-Ra St. Brown was back in the game after cramping and they didn’t know if he was limited.

5. Wide receiver Josh Reynolds had another big game with 5 catches for 66 yards and a pair of touchdowns. “Reynolds is really playing big for us now. He’s been a reliable guy since he’s been here, he just had some injuries last year that slowed him down at times when eh’s healthy and he’s going he’s somebody we have a lot of faith in,’’ Campbell said. Rookie tight end Sam LaPorta came up big for the second straight week. His five catches for 63 yards do not tell the whole story. He also had a key block on David Montgomery’s touchdown scamper. “I think his run after catch is pretty special and his hands, his catch point is really competitive. He’s starting to find himself and how he wants to play the game and how he fits in our offense,’’ Goff said. “I’m excited to see his development.’’

INJURIES: Montgomery left the game with a thigh bruise, according to Campbell. The coach said James Houston could be out a while, but was not more specific. He had no news on Vaitai who left the game and did not return. 

UP NEXT: Falcons at Lions, Sunday, Sept. 24, 1 p.m. The Falcons (2-0) edged the Packers, 25-24, on Sunday.

Lions win validates Dan Campbell’s vision, plan moving forward

ALLEN PARK — A win in Week 2 in the big scheme of the NFLseason isn’t necessarily key for most teams.

But the Lions  36-27 win over the Commanders on Sunday validates what coach Dan Campbell and his staff are working toward. That is huge for a team that didn’t pick up its first win until Week 13 last year and finished 3-13-1.

“I think it was a great step, a step in the right direction for us to finally learn how to get over the hump and close out the game,’’ wide receiver Josh Reynolds said. “I’m proud of the guys. I think they got the first taste of it on how good we can be and how to close out a game. I think that was a giant step.’’

Campbell has preached finishing and details week in and week out. He’s confident in his team and regularly will say they have the right guys on the roster. 

“Listen we’ve got the guys, they’re going to go to work no matter what happens, they’re going to put in the work, they’re going to try to get better, they’re going to compete,’’ Campbell said on Monday. “So that’s never an issue. But to be able to get our win early in the season, Week 2, you get early validation to what we’re doing and we’re doing that without all our bullets.’’

Three offensive line starters were among the big absences.

“We’ve got some guys out and everything we’ve talked about, next man up, do your job, help us win and we did that with the guys that were available yesterday, the 48-man roster for game day,’’ Campbell said. “I think it’s big, it’s validation that we’re heading in the right direction. These guys believe and they’re doing what we ask them to do and it’s paying off.’’

Left tackle Taylor Decker and right tackle Penei Sewell, both veterans, talked before the game about how they had to dominate and play with confidence so those around them would play the same way.

“The level of expectation of whoever’s out  there doesn’t change because you’re in the NFL and you’re a professional,’’ Decker said, emphasizing there’s a standard in the offensive line room that doesn’t change for anyone.

Dan Skipper had never played the guard position and started at left guard. Logan Stenberg took a few lumps in his first start a week ago at right guard and improved on Sunday. Center Evan Brown played in a dozen games last season so he had a little experience to lean on.

The offensive line blocking is a big reason the Lions lead the NFL with 7.2 rushing yards per carry. The blocking of the wide receivers was key in putting together eight explosive plays. 

But it was all three units — offense, defense, special teams — that contributed to the win. After holding a 22-0 lead at the half, the Commanders were able to get back in the game but the Lions held them off for the win. 

“We kept that lead, we didn’t crumble and didn’t let the stress and pressure break us. We hung in there and finished the game,’’ Campbell said. “That’s what excites me more than anything about what how it went down yesterday.’’

(Next up: Lions (1-1) at Minnesota Vikings (1-0) at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 25. The Vikings face the Eagles in Monday Night Football.)

Lions Dan Campbell sees WR Josh Reynolds having a big year

ALLEN PARK — It can only be a good thing for a player if Lions coach Dan Campbell tags him with a nickname.

Wide receiver Josh Reynolds has three — praying mantis, spider of death and freaking serpent. Campbell shared the names on Saturday, the fourth day of Lions training camp.

Reynolds played the last seven games of last season for the Lions after being cut midseason by the Tennessee Titans. In those games he had 19 catches for 306 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

“I like this guy, I’m buying stock in him. I think he could have a big year,’’ Campbell said. “He’s a smooth athlete, he’s a grinder, he’s smart and Jared (Goff) trusts him. I can’t say enough about that (wide receivers) room in general and he’s a big piece of that.’’

Reynolds was drafted in 2017 by the Los Angeles Rams where he played with Goff.

“We’ve had that rapport but to be able to continue to build on it is awesome and a big difference,’’ Reynolds said on Saturday.

Campbell said it has made a huge difference having Reynolds in camp.

“It makes a big difference. You guys know the story on him, I’ll say this, he came in the spring in great shape and I was pleased with what he was able to do and how he was able to help us toward the end of last year but he came in this spring and caught my eye again. I felt like he even took a step forward from that,’’ Campbell said.

At camp, Reynolds said he’s trying to soak up the offensive scheme.

Wide receiver is a competitive position for the Lions with guys like Amon-Ra St. Brown, Kalif Raymond and Quintez Cephus. Rookie Jameson Williams, a first-round pick, will add even more speed but so far hasn’t been cleared to practice. 

“Those guys are pros in there , they work and they are smart,’’ Campbell said.

Reynolds, 27, says it is competitive. 

“That’s all we do is  compete over there. It’s real competitive. We’ve got guys who can do everything. We’ve got speedy guys, we’ve got long guys, all of them make plays,’’ Reynolds said.