martha firestone ford – Lions Lowdown

Lions training camp notes: Rookie WRs continue to impress; Anzalone is back

ALLEN PARK — Two Lions rookie wide receivers — Isaac TeSlaa and Dominic L0vett — have been turning heads through the first six days of training camp.

Saturday wrapped up with a 30-yard pass to TeSlaa from Hendon Hooker for a potential touchdown. The fans in the stands loved it.

Earlier Lovett, who was double-covered, made an amazing catch during team drills.

Those were the highlights, but there were more impressive plays from the two.

“I would say both of them mentally have done a pretty good job. They picked it up pretty good, Scottie (Montgomery, wide receivers coach) is doing a heckuva job with him,’’ coach Dan Campbell said prior to Saturday’s workout.

“They’re getting all the reps, the mental, the walk-through and they take it on the field. I would say Lovett has popped more early out on the field, but I thought TeSlaa had a really good day (Friday). I can see the uptick now with him so he’s got to stack another good day but that was good to see and that was the first day of pads,’’ the coach added.

TeSlaa, who grew up a Lions fan in Hudsonville, Mich., was drafted in the third round out of Arkansas, while Lovett was a seventh-round pick out of Georgia.

One or both have a shot at making the 53-man roster, especially if they can contribute on special teams.

“They’re doing good. I think we’re excited to see these young guys come in. The offense isn’t the easiest. We have a lot of moving parts but they’re doing a great job of getting the whole offense, getting an idea of the offense, going out there making plays,’’ wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown said.

As a veteran he said he tries to answer they questions and give them tips and reminders.

“At the end of the day I want them to play fast, don’t worry too much about being a rookie, trying to impress the coaches, just go out there and play,’’ St. Brown said.

NOTES: Linebacker Alex Anzalone practiced for the first time since the start of training camp. He was sitting out with a hamstring. He is seeking a contract extension which is not done and he didn’t want to speak to the specifics.

— Martha Firestone Ford attended practice with her daughter Sheila Ford Hamp, principal owner and chair. Loud thanks were yelled from the fans when their golf cart stopped in front of the bleachers.

— With the Hall of Fame game just days away, Campbell wants to see his rookies in game action. “I think all of those guys need to play in the game or games. I think our young guys, I see them playing in this game. Am I going to say it’s written in stone? No, I’m not. But I’d like to play those guys,’’ Campbell said. The Hall of Fame game on Thursday, July 31, in Canton, Ohio, is the first of four preseason games.

— Campbell was pleased with the first padded practice on Friday. “Loved the energy, we’ve got a lot to clean up but it was good. I thought they went back and forth, we got a little better on both sides of the ball which is what you’re looking for,’’ Campbell said on Saturday morning.

(UP NEXT: Lions have a day off on Sunday and then continue training camp on Monday.)

Detroit Lions: Five key moments from 2019 season

It’s over. The Lions’ 3-12-1 record this season was the worst since 2009 when they went 2-14 in Jim Schwartz’s first season trying to bring the franchise back from the infamous 0-16 season.

This season started with promise. Much was expected of the defense, especially the defensive line.

With a new offensive coordinator in Darrell Bevell, the offense was a bit of an unknown. While the Lions had plenty of issues, the offense wasn’t one of them while Matthew Stafford was healthy.

Five key moments from the season:

1. When Matthew Stafford got crunched in the 31-24 loss at the Oakland Raiders on Nov. 3 it changed everything. Stafford, who had started 136 straight games, broke bones in his back and missed the final eight games of the season. Backup QB Jeff Driskel started three games before he was injured. Then rookie David Blough started the final five games. When Stafford went out the Lions were 3-3-1. Without him, they didn’t win another game. He wasn’t the only injured player — there were plenty — but his absence was the most consequential.

2. The fourth-quarter loss to Packers on Oct. 14. The Lions led 22-13 heading into the fourth and then Green Bay’s Allen Lazard caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers with 7:31 left. The Lions could get nothing going when they got the ball back and were forced to punt. Green Bay’s Mason Crosby kicked a 23-yard field goal to win the game with two seconds left on the clock. It was a gut punch. A win would have given the Lions a 3-1-1 record. Instead they fell to 2-2-1 and could never recover. Oddly enough Crosby’s field goal with time running out on Sunday at Ford Field, gave the Packers a 23-20 win. Green Bay never led in those two games until the field goals.

3. The 34-30 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at Ford Field was back in Week 4 but could have shifted the momentum of the season to the Lions’ favor. Again, the Lions led 30-27 with two minutes left but the defense allowed a rushing touchdown that proved to be the game winner. Sense a trend? These Lions were horrid in the fourth quarter on offense and defense. In seven games they held fourth-quarter leads and lost.

4. Safety Quandre Diggs, who had struggled a bit early in the season, was traded to Seattle on Oct. 22. Diggs, who was voted a captain by his teammates, was a leader in the locker room and popular with players on offense too. Yes, the NFL is a business. But the timing of a trade like this was suspect. The Lions were 2-3-1. Lions players were careful to watch their words when speaking of the deal, but it’s clear it was a blow to the defense. This is a trade that could be made by the Patriots without anyone blinking an eye. Once the Lions have won six Super Bowls, maybe that would be the case in Detroit. But not now. The Lions went 1-9 after the Diggs’ trade.

5. Owner Martha Firestone Ford announced on Dec. 17 that GM Bob Quinn and coach Matt Patricia would return for a third season. She expects the team to be a playoff contender in 2020. This deadline of sorts could definitely affect how they approach free agency and the draft. Mrs. Ford is running out of patience (and who can blame her). The expectations are now clear.

BONUS: Kerryon Johnson played in the first six games before injuring his ankle in the home loss to the Vikings on Oct. 20 and was placed on injured reserve. He was off to a solid start with 308 yards and a pair of touchdowns after missing the final four games of the 2018 season. He came back for the final two games and scored a touchdown in Sunday’s loss to the Packers. Paired with Bo Scarbrough (who emerged after Johnson went on IR) they could be the one-two punch the Lions so desperately need in the run game for next year. There’s always next year.

Lions lose sixth straight, a look at five reasons why it happened

Minnesota Vikings win 20-7

In the first dozen games, at least the Lions had a chance. They only won three of them, but they held leads in all 12.

As former Lions coach Wayne Fontes would say, “At least we’ve got that going for us.”

Well, not so much on Sunday in the 20-7 loss to the Vikings at Minnesota.

A pre-game photo showed owner Martha Ford Firestone on the sidelines prior to the game with a grim look on her face and her arms folded. Her body language screamed displeasure. Can’t imagine what she was thinking when the clock ran out and the dust settled.

Not sure that wholesale changes in the staff would be the cure-all especially at this point with just three games left in the season.

But if Mrs. Ford was thinking about the immediate futures of coach Matt Patricia and GM Bob Quinn, certainly Sunday’s performance (or lack of it) could help shape her decision.

The Lions lost their sixth straight, fell to 3-9-1 and are now 0-5 in NFC North contests.

Five reasons the Lions lost:

1. David Blough looked more like a rookie quarterback in this game than he did during his first start on Thanksgiving in the loss to the Bears. He was 24-40 for 205 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. Look, this loss is not all on him but he made a few mistakes that were costly. Late in the first half, instead of throwing the ball away on third-and-2 from Minnesota’s 15, he was sacked for a loss of 12 yards. That pushed the field goal attempt to 45 yards instead of 33. Matt Prater kicked it wide right. No word on when or if Matthew Stafford will return this season.

2. The defense could have been worse, but Kirk Cousins was 12 of 12 for 114 yards and a touchdown on play-action in the first half. This has been an issue with Detroit’s defense all season. Cousins completed 80 percent of his passes (24-30) for 242 yards and one touchdown.The Vikings finished with 354 total yards while the Lions had 231. On a positive note, the Lions’ defense held the Vikings to just 3 second-half points.

3. Blough was sacked five times, three of them by Danielle Hunter. The fault lies in three places – the offensive line, tight ends (particularly Jesse James on one of the Hunter sacks) and Blough for holding the ball too long. It was a good day for the sack-happy Vikings’ defense. Trey Flowers had Detroit’s only sack.

4. Coaching. Matt Patricia will take some of the blame, he always does. This team didn’t look prepared to start the game. That’s on coaching. The Lions looked a little better in the second half on both sides of the ball, but obviously it was not enough.

5. The Lions are dealing with injuries. Matthew Stafford’s absence is key, but the defense is hurting (literally) too. A’Shawn Robinson did not play, Jarrad Davis was among those injured during the game. Still, it’s that time of year in the NFL. Injuries are an issue for most NFL teams – dealing with them separates the losers from the winners.

BONUS: Lions now hold the fifth pick in the NFL draft.

NEXT UP: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Ford Field at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15.

(Photo courtesy of Detroit Lions)