Category: Lions News

Lions snap count notes: Dan Campbell rode his starters heavily vs. Texans

Lions snap count notes: Dan Campbell rode his starters heavily in the Week 10 win over the Houston Texans

Injuries across the Detroit Lions roster forced head coach Dan Campbell to ask a lot of his healthy regular starters, and also more than expected from several reserves. It wasn’t always pretty of confidence-inducing, but the Lions delivered in a thrilling 26-23 comeback win.

The snap counts from Detroit’s Week 10 trip to Houston reveal just how strapped for healthy bodies the Lions were in a few spots. It starts on the defense.

Nine defensive starters played at least 58 of the 68 snaps in the game. That includes five iron men:

Safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch
Linebackers Alex Anzalone and Jack Campbell
Cornerback Terrion Arnold

Cornerback Carlton Davis missed three plays after leaving briefly with a minor injury.

Linemen Josh Paschal, Alim McNeill and Levi Onwuzurike all played an absurd amount of snaps for big men thanks to the myriad injuries around them. Paschal was on the field for 61 snaps, with McNeill at 59 and Onwuzurike at 58. That’s over 85 percent for each.

In the third LB vs. third CB snap rate–the Lions almost always have one or the other, but not both, on the field–SAM Trevor Nowaske played more than nickel/slot Amik Robertson, 33 to 29.

The Lions only used No. 4 CB Kindle Vildor on three plays–the ones Davis sat out. No other corners played beyond special teams. Joseph and Branch were the only safeties who played. Reserve Brandon Joseph only played on special teams, while rookie Loren Strickland was inactive in Week 10.

On offense, the starting line and QB Jared Goff all played all 65 snaps. Veteran Dan Skipper got the nod at left tackle with Taylor Decker inactive due to a shoulder injury.

Jamarco Jones made his Lions debut with one official snap as an extra tackle (Skipper’s normal role), though he had two other plays that were negated due to penalties. No other linemen played outside of special teams.

The ever-popular running back splits saw Jahmyr Gibbs getting 60 percent of the workload to David Montgomery’s 40 percent. The Lions had one or the other in on every snap, but never played more than one. Gibbs and Montgomery were the only RBs who played on offense, with Craig Reynolds and Sione Vaki very busy on special teams.

Jameson Williams returned from his two-game suspension and quickly resumed his WR2 role. He played 48 of the 65 offensive snaps, followed by Tim Patrick (32), Kalif Raymond (16) and Allen Robinson (4). Third TE Shane Zylstra got 19 snaps, behind Sam LaPorta (39) and Brock Wright (37), showing the Lions’ need for auxiliary blocking with Decker sidelined.

Top photos from the Lions amazing comeback win in Houston

Top photos from the Lions amazing comeback win in Houston

The Detroit Lions pulled off a prime-time comeback for the ages on Sunday night. After falling behind the Houston Texans inside NRG Stadium by a 23-7 halftime score, the Lions stopped making so many mistakes and turned it around.

The Lions capped off the improbable road win over the AFC South-leading Texans when first-year kicker Jake Bates snuck a 52-yard field goal just inside the left upright, giving the Lions a 26-23 win.

Here are some of the top photos from the professionals inside the stadium for the Lions Week 10 win.

No NFL team had ever done this before the Lions pulled it off in their Week 10 comeback

No NFL team had ever done this before the Lions pulled it off in their Week 10 comeback

The Detroit Lions were playing one of their worst games of the last two-plus seasons on Sunday night. Thanks to some self-inflicted wounds, poor execution from the offense and facing a good opponent in Houston, the Lions trailed the Texans 23-7 at the half.

And then it happened. Fueled by two interceptions from cornerback Carlton Davis and the offense awakening and adjusting to the Texans speedy, playmaking defense, Detroit pulled off the mother of all comebacks.

How rare was the Lions comeback? Consider this tidbit from The 33rd Team:

The Lions became the first team since the AFL/NFL merger in 1970 to overcome a deficit of at least 15 points while throwing five or more interceptions.

No team has ever shot itself in the feet so badly and still come back to win a game, not since at least five years before Dan Campbell or Brad Holmes were even born.

Lions win over the Texans: What they’re saying about Detroit’s epic comeback

Lions win over the Texans: What they’re saying on social media about Detroit’s epic comeback

Facing a 16-point halftime deficit on the road against a team that almost certainly will win its division (again), the Detroit Lions overcame. With no run game in the first half, with quarterback Jared Goff throwing five INTs in the first 10 drives, with several key players out of the lineup with injuries, it looked bleak for the Lions.

Didn’t matter. None of it could hold back the grit of Dan Campbell’s team. The Lions rallied around a heroic defensive effort, improved play from Goff and two clutch field goals from Jake Bates to turn a 23-7 humiliation in the first half into a 26-23 triumph that will have Detroit fans buzzing for days.

Here’s a sampling of the social media reaction to the Lions’ epic win, starting with safety Kerby Joseph,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was a common theme from fans, and also the wife of offensive lineman Kevin Zeitler,

 

 

Lions stun the Texans and a national TV audience with an epic comeback win

The Lions stun the Texans and a national TV audience with an epic comeback win in Week 10

The Detroit Lions are 8-1 and alone in first place atop the entire NFC. For about 58 minutes of Sunday night’s game against the Texans in Houston, it sure looked like the Lions were headed for a second loss.

Not this team. Not Dan Campbell’s gritty Lions.

Despite five interceptions from Jared Goff, some really shaky offensive line play much of the night and falling into a 23-7 halftime hole, the Lions pulled off a comeback for the ages. First-year kicker Jake Bates squeezed a 52-yard field goal about six inches inside the left upright as time expired to lift the Lions to a 26-23 win.

The Lions overcame so much in this one, with many of those obstacles being self-imposed. Goff was uncharacteristically off all night, not just on the interceptions. The run game did nothing for the first three quarters, a combination of poor blocking and designs that the Texans defense was more than ready to defend. There were costly penalties on both sides of the ball.

Aaron Glenn’s undermanned defense played strong enough to keep the struggling offense within striking distance. Carlton Davis intercepted C.J. Stroud twice in the second half, the second one in the end zone with an incredible effort that prevented a sure-fire touchdown.

Detroit’s defense shut out Houston in the second half. The Lions offense got one last chance to win after Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn missed badly from 58 yards. Bates had just made a close-shave inside the right upright from 56 to tie it up. Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown picked up enough yards to get Bates in range, and the Houston-area native delivered.

It was a thrilling comeback for the Lions, one that left the NBC broadcast crew stunned. The grit to pull this one off, on the road against the AFC South-leading Texans in prime time, is the sort of victory that will earn these Lions more “team of destiny” type of talk.

Jared Goff had a bad night and social media let him know about it

Lions QB Jared Goff threw 5 INTs in the first 3 quarters against the Texans and the social media response was harsh

Jared Goff has been outstanding throughout the 2024 season. The Lions quarterback was deservedly a prime candidate for the NFL MVP through the first nine weeks of the season.

Week 10, alas, was not Goff’s night. In the first three quarters against the Houston Texans, Goff threw five interceptions. He had thrown just four in the first eight games and none since Week 3.

Not all of the picks were his fault, and the third was an end-of-half Hail Mary that was inconsequential. That didn’t stop the internet from having some fun at Goff’s expense. Note that at this time of the game, Goff was 9-for-23 with 5 INTs…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Za’Darius Smith not expected to play Sunday vs. Texans

Za’Darius Smith’s debut likely on hold for a week, but he at least gets his week off.

Lions fans will have to wait a week to see the debut of new edge rusher Za’Darius Smith. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Smith, who was acquired by the Lions on Tuesday just before the trade deadline, will not play Sunday night against the Houston Texans.

Rapoport reports Smith is “not quite ready.” This could also be a case of the Lions giving Smith some time off. The Browns did not have their bye week before making this trade and the Lions have already had their bye week.

In other words, if Smith had played today, he would have potentially not had his own bye week and could have played 18 games. So this could also be simple load management by the Lions.

Lions make transactions involving 7 players ahead of Week 10

Lions make transactions involving 7 players ahead of Week 10, including placing Jalen Reeves-Maybin on IR and signing 3 from practice squad

It was a very busy Saturday for the Lions ahead of their trip to Houston to play the Texans in Week 10. Detroit made roster moves involving seven players.

The Lions waived EDGE Isaiah Thomas at the first possible opportunity. Thomas was signed off the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad after Week 6, meaning the Lions had to keep him on the active roster for at least three weeks. That time expired ahead of Week 10, and Thomas’ meager contributions (3 tackles, zero QB hurries) made him expendable.

Detroit also placed linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin on injured reserve. Reeves-Maybin suffered a neck injury suffered in the Week 9 win in Green Bay. He will miss at least the next four games, including Sunday.

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To fill those roster vacancies, the Lions signed three players from the practice squad to the active roster:

TE Shane Zylstra
EDGE Al-Quadin Muhammad
LB Abraham Beauplan

Zylstra was out of practice squad elevations, so his signing was expected after the team waived rookie WR Isaiah Williams during the week. Williams has since been claimed by the Cincinnati Bengals.

In this week’s practice squad elevations, offensive tackle Jamarco Jones and linebacker Ezekiel Turner were promoted to play against Houston. It is the first elevation for each player in 2024.

Brian Branch fined for his ejection against the Packers

Lions safety Brian Branch fined for his ejection against the Packers, and also for his middle-finger salute to the Green Bay crowd

After getting ejected from the Lions’ Week 9 win in Green Bay, Detroit safety Brian Branch was expected to earn a fine from the NFL. The league delivered in its weekly doling out of disciplinary actions, which takes place every Saturday.

Branch was fined $10,128 for his unnecessary roughness penalty in the first half of the Lions’ road triumph. He was then fined the matching amount for his middle-finger salute to the Lambeau Field crowd following his ejection.

Any suspension would have already been doled out separate from the fines. Branch will be back in action on Sunday night when the Lions visit the Houston Texans in Week 10.

In related news, Panthers safety Xavier Woods was fined $16,883 for an unnecessary roughness penalty that knocked Saints WR Chris Olave unconscious on the field. Woods was not ejected from the game.

Texans shuffling their starting OL to face the Lions’ strong defensive front

The Texans are shuffling their starting left guard and center spots to face the Lions’ strong defensive front in Week 10

The Detroit Lions are forced to modify their stellar offensive line in Week 10 due to an injury to stalwart left tackle Taylor Decker. Lions coaches haven’t yet revealed their plan for replacing Decker, who is out with a shoulder injury.

Detroit’s opponent, the Houston Texans, is also shuffling the offensive line deck for the Sunday night game.

The Texans are moving regular starting center Juice Scruggs to left guard after losing regular starter Kenyon Green to an injury. Moving Scruggs allows Houston to insert second-year reserve Jarrett Patterson into the lineup as the new starting center.

The interior offensive line has been a massive issue for the Texans all season, so a change might have been in order regardless of Green’s injury. No team gives up a higher pressure rate to interior defensive linemen than Houston, though the injured Green was a big part of that. Patterson is a natural center, while Scruggs does have some starting experience at left guard late in the 2023 campaign.

Regardless of the Texans shuffling, the matchup of Alim McNeill, DJ Reader and Levi Onwuzurike against the Houston G-C-G package is perhaps Detroit’s biggest advantage (on paper anyway) in the game.