Category: Lions News

Lions can continue to rewrite their history in Week 10 against the Texans

The Detroit Lions can avenge a fateful loss in the last meeting with the Texans and continue to rewrite their history in Week 10

Sunday night in Week 10 features a battle of two first-place teams, with the Houston Texans hosting the Detroit Lions. Both franchises are gunning for unprecedented postseason success in their respective histories as two of the teams that have never been to the Super Bowl.

The Lions are favored, as they should be. Injuries have hit the Texans offense as virulently as the bug has bitten the Lions defense; this looks to be a game about who can score more, not who can keep the other team from scoring as much.

This is a special matchup for me personally. Fans who have watched the Detroit Lions Podcast or heard me on the radio over the years know that I have frequently compared these current Lions and their rise up under Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes to my experience with the Texans surge from being a frustrating franchise to legit perennial contender over a decade ago. And I still believe very much in that, though they’ve gone about the rise in different ways.

I lived in Houston from 2010 to 2013, moving there from Michigan. Coming off some dark times as a Lions fan, it was fun and engaging to see a Texans team that finally buried years of mediocrity (or much worse) and rise up. A young core led by J.J. Watt, Arian Foster, Demeco Ryans, Connor Barwin, Johnathan Joseph and others (Glover Quin included) congealed nicely around a star-crossed veteran QB in Matt Schaub, who thrived to Pro Bowl status after some shaky times (sound familiar?). Those were fun, exciting and unprecedentedly successful teams in Houston.

But they stalled out short of their goals. Schaub started throwing pick-sixes, Watt and the secondary couldn’t stay healthy, Andre Johnson hit a wall, high-character “glue” vets like Eric Winston and Owen Daniels fell off just enough. Close but no victory cigar.

I covered their resurgent hiccup in 2017-2019 for Texans Wire, with Deshaun Watson breathing life back in before the bottom completely fell out for both him and the Texans. I still look back at those Houston teams from 2011-2018 with profound admiration in the way they established the Texans to a largely meh fanbase to that point. Everyone else who lives in my house still roots for the Texans…

…which made the last meeting between the two teams a tough one. Thanksgiving 2020. A bad Texans team (they were 3-7, with two of the wins over a Jaguars team that finished 1-15) came into Ford Field and beat the Lions over the head with turkey legs. Houston had an interim head coach at the time in Romeo Crennel, after Bill O’Brien got canned for a miserable start. Houston was 0-4 and didn’t have a single defensive takeaway, ranking dead last in points allowed and completion percentage. Crennel had stabilized things, but that was not a good Houston team at all.

Houston won that fateful game, 41-25. The score looked closer than the actual game, thanks to what many Lions fans derisively called “Stat Padford” at the end. It led me to write this anti-Matt Patricia piece in head-shaking anger.

That ugly loss on national television turned out to be the last straw for then-new Lions owner Sheila Hamp, who hadn’t yet dropped the “Ford” from her name. Patricia and GM Bob Quinn were fired that week, to the gleeful joy of the Lions fan base that hadn’t already tuned out on a lifeless, hopeless team.

We’ve come a very long way from those dismal depths in Detroit. The Lions are now the best team in the NFC and maybe the entire league. Detroit is winning games because of coaching, not to mention a loaded roster that has proven deep and versatile.

Should the Lions exorcise yet another past demon on Sunday night, it will sway even more of the very few remaining skeptics. This Detroit team has risen and will keep rising, hopefully beyond where the similar teams of Texans past could not.

Za’Darius Smith gets his Lions jersey number from a new teammate

Za’Darius Smith gets his familiar No. 99 jersey with the Lions and Brodric Martin changes his number

When new Lions defensive Za’Darius Smith makes his debut in Detroit’s Week 10 game in Houston on Sunday night, the veteran will be wearing his familiar jersey number. Smith, acquired in a trade on Tuesday from the Cleveland Browns, is listed on the Lions’ official roster as No. 99.

That number wasn’t immediately available when Smith joined the team. Defensive tackle Brodric Martin has been wearing No. 99, though Martin has yet to play in 2024. Martin, who wore No. 98 as a rookie in 2023, is now listed as No. 96. Injured DT Kyle Peko, who is out for the season, previously wore the 96 jersey.

No word on if Smith gave up anything to acquire the 99 jersey from Martin. The new No. 96 is in his second week of practicing after being designated to return from I.R.

Lions waive rookie wide receiver in surprising move

Lions waive rookie wide receiver Isaiah Williams in surprising move

In an unexpected move after Thursday’s practice session ahead of Week 10, the Detroit Lions announced they have waived rookie wide receiver Isaiah Williams.

Williams made the team as an undrafted free agent from Illinois and had seen brief action in two games on offense and special teams, including a nice kick return in the Week 9 win in Green Bay. He had been a healthy scratch several times. He had impressed throughout training camp and preseason as a slot weapon and return specialist.

The waiver of Williams comes without a corollary roster move, which makes it more of a surprise.

Lions injury update: An offensive lineman joins the team’s practice injury report

Lions injury update: An offensive lineman joins the team’s practice injury report, with left tackle Taylor Decker limited on Thursday

The Detroit Lions head to the final practice ahead of the team’s Week 10 trip to Houston in relatively good health. However, Thursday’s practice participation report did feature one new addition after a Wednesday session that saw two defensive contributors sit out with injury.

Linebackers Malcolm Rodriguez and Jalen Reeves-Maybin are still sidelined, and neither should be expected to play in Houston.

The new addition is left tackle Taylor Decker, who was listed as a limited participant with a shoulder. He was not on Wednesday’s injury list, and that practice was an estimated walkthrough.

Newly acquired DE Za’Darius Smith continues to be away from the team after initially reporting. Head coach Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn have both indicated Smith can play on Sunday and is excused from practice this week.

Defensive end Josh Paschal continues to battle back from the removal of a non-cancerous mass from his shoulder. The cancer survivor from his college days at Kentucky missed last week as well. Rookie defensive lineman, who missed Week 9, joined Paschal as a full participant in both of the practices this week.

Lions cornerbacks among the best in single coverage in 2024

Lions cornerbacks among the best in single coverage in 2024 and we’ve got the data to prove it

Last season, one of the Achilles heels for the Lions was at the cornerback position. They clearly knew it; hence them drafting two corners to start the draft (Terrion Arnold, Ennis Rakestraw) and signing Carlton Davis in free agency. So far, that investment has paid off.

Arnold and Davis, in particular, are currently two of the better cornerbacks when it comes to playing in single coverage this season, according to a chart from Jrfortgang (@throwthedamball on Twitter). Both are playing single coverage at more than a 60% rate (the graph used a minimum of 100 coverage snaps) and both are above average (around -0.33) in terms of their separation grade, which used a scale from -2 to +2.

Davis is second on the team with eight passes defended while Arnold is fourth with five. Both are also among the top five on the team in tackles – Davis has 43, Arnold has 32.

Neither cornerback may be elite right now, but it’s much better play than what they got last season and it’s just one reason why the Lions are 7-1 and in the driver’s seat for home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs.

Lions add some familiar names and a newcomer to the practice squad

Lions add Chris Smith and Abraham Beauplan, plus a newcomer to the practice squad ahead of the Week 10 matchup with the Houston Texans

The Detroit Lions filled out all the vacancies on the team’s practice squad ahead of Wednesday’s practice session in Allen Park. With three spots open, the Lions brought back two familiar names and one new player–who has ties to this week’s opponent, the Houston Texans.

As expected, the Lions re-signed defensive tackle Chris Smith and linebacker Abraham Beauplan to the practice squad. The defensive duo had been on the practice squad all season before being signed to the active roster last week as Detroit dealt with an injury crunch. Smith played 10 snaps in the win over the Packers, while Beauplan didn’t get in on defense but played extensively on special teams while filling in for injured Malcolm Rodriguez.

The Lions also added veteran linebacker Ezekiel Turner to the practice squad. The 28-year-old spent the 2018 through 2023 seasons playing for the Arizona Cardinals, primarily on special teams. The Lions are his fourth team in 2024, with practice squad stints with the Texans and Seattle Seahawks during the regular season and offseason time with the San Francisco 49ers. He was on the Texans practice squad for the first four weeks of the season.

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Jameson Williams back at Lions practice after serving his suspension

Detroit wide receiver Jameson Williams back at Lions practice after serving his 2-game suspension

Jameson Williams is back and ready to roll for the Detroit Lions. The wideout has completed his two-game suspension for a violation of the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances rules and is ready to play in Sunday’s Week 10 matchup in Houston against the Texans.

Wednesday’s practice was just a walk-through session closed to the media, but Williams was slated to be back and an active participant.

“He was out there today,” head coach Dan Campbell stated. “He’s locked in and ready to go.”

No. 9 returning to the Lions lineup should bolster an offense that has scored 76 points in two weeks without him despite netting 198 total passing yards in wins over Tennessee and Green Bay. Williams remains second on the Lions among wide receivers in both catches (17) and targets (30), and second overall in receiving yards (361) and touchdowns (3).

Lions begin clock for two injured defenders to return from I.R.

The Lions are starting the 21-day return window for injured DBs Emmanuel Moseley and Ifeatu Melifonwu

Lions head coach Dan Campbell offered some positive injury news on two Detroit defenders who are set to return from the injured reserve list. The Lions are starting the 21-day windows to return for cornerback Emmanuel Moseley and safety Ifeatu Melifonwu as of today, November 6th.

Almost as an afterthought at the end of his press conference on Wednesday, Campbell added this nugget,

“Oh, we are going to start the clock on E-Man (Moseley) and Iffy (Melifonwu).”

Moseley has been out since tearing a pectoral muscle during the preseason. He had been the Lions’ first-team slot corner prior to his injury. The veteran corner has played just two regular season snaps in over two years after tearing each ACL, one with the 49ers in 2022 and another last year with Detroit.

Melifonwu also has not played in 2024. He has been sidelined with an ankle injury since the Lions’ second preseason game and practiced just twice before being placed on I.R. earlier this season. Melifonwu was repping as the Lions’ second-team strong safety behind Brian Branch prior to suffering his injury.

Moseley and Melifonwu are eligible to be activated at any time. They must be activated from I.R. before November 27th or else they are lost for the rest of the season and postseason.

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Film Study: Lions new DE Za’Darius Smith is a near-perfect fit for the Lions defense

Film Study: Lions new DE Za’Darius Smith is a near-perfect fit for the Lions defense

It’s been a few weeks in the making but the Detroit Lions finally made the trade with the Cleveland Browns for Za’Darius Smith. Adding the talented defensive end was much needed after the Lions lost Aidan Hutchinson for the season due to his leg injury.

With this addition, the Lions are getting a veteran defender that has started more than 80 games in his career. During that time, he has over 300 tackles and 65 sacks. The former 4th round pick from the 2015 NFL Draft has found success playing for the Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns.

Currently, Smith is playing on a 2-year contract worth a total of $23 million dollars. For the Lions, most of that money has been paid out from the Browns so currently, Smith will count as a $605,000 cap hit for the Lions (per Spotrac). There is an option for the Lions to let him go after the season, if it isn’t a fit and it wouldn’t cost them anything in dead cap money. If the Lions decided to bring him back for 2025 to pair with Hutchinson, it would only cost them a cap hit of $5.4 million dollars.

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So, the tenured player has been a productive player and has more than a reasonable contract for the Lions. But what does he bring to the team? Let’s jump into some film to see what Smith will provide the Lions defense moving forward!

 

During the absence of Hutchinson, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has done a good job getting creative to generate pressure. Whether it be blitzing from all angles or designing a variation of line stunts, Glenn is doing whatever he can to form some type of pass rush.

Now his job gets somewhat easier to execute that game plan with the addition of Za’Darius Smith. Looking at the play above, you’ll see Za’Darius Smith (Browns DE 99) executing a T/E stunt for the Browns defense last season against the Texans.

Watch as he loops inside; he has more than enough speed and burst to get through the hole and close to the quarterback. Fortunately for the quarterback, he’s able to get the pass the ball while throwing off his back foot. However, it’s 3rd-and-long, and it’s one of those plays where Smith interrupts the timing, and it could lead to a sack or turnover. Adding that to a defense that is 2nd in the NFL with 11 interceptions on defense could do wonders for this unit.

 

Jumping into some tape from this year, one thing that immediately stood out with Smith is how he provides alignment versatility. He can play in a wide-9, tilt-5 and pretty much anywhere else a defensive coordinator wants to put him.

Looking at the play above, you’ll see Smith (Browns DE 99) align standing up over the right tackle as a 5-technique. However, he’s aimed or tilted towards the right guard. As he goes to rip across the face of the right guard, his pad level is a bit too high but he does his job by collapsing the middle as an interior pass rusher.

This works perfectly as there’s an outside rush from two defenders with wide alignments. This forces the quarterback to step up in the pocket and this is where he’s met by Smith for the sack.

 

Lastly, I want to highlight Smith’s ability to stop the run. Looking at the play above from a game against the Ravens this year, we’ll see Smith (Browns DE 99) is aligned over the tight end to the right of the formation.

Once the ball is snapped, Smith displays good burst while being able to rip across the face of the tight end. In the process, he bends down the line-of-scrimmage and helps make the tackle.

Having Smith present on the Lions defensive line won’t just help with generating a pass rush. He will also assist in stopping the run and teams will have to find ways to block him.

Overall, this deal had to be done by the Lions. They needed help up front for their defense and they should get it moving forward. So far this season, Smith has played 324 defensive snaps (per PFF).

This has led to 5 sacks and 27 pressures for Smith this season. From PFF, he’s earned a 73.6 overall grade and a 71.1 pass rush grade. Certainly, Smith is not graded as highly as Aidan Hutchinson but he will enter as the highest graded edge defender that is active on the team right now.

Pairing Smith with Alim McNeill, DJ Reader, Josh Paschal and the rest of their defensive line combinations should do wonders for this Lions defense. Having a defensive end that can turn speed-to-power, align anywhere on the line-of-scrimmage and execute the designed line stunts will be impactful. This move was the correct one by the Lions franchise and it should pay off in a big way for the next year and a half.

Looking into the Lions future draft picks after the NFL trade deadline

Recapping what picks the Lions have in the 2025 and 2026 NFL Drafts after the NFL trade deadline

The trade deadline has officially wrapped up and the Lions have made their move, trading with the Cleveland Browns for premier edge rusher Za’Darius Smith, who will fill in for an injured Aidan Hutchinson.  That being said, in a year where Detroit has a chance at a Super Bowl, they still have a lot of hope for the future in their remaining picks. 

Lions 2025 Picks

Retained Detroit picks:

First-round pick

Second-round pick

Fourth-round pick 

Seventh-round pick 

 

Picks acquired through trades

Sixth-round pick via Buccaneers- Back in March, the Lions traded away their 2025 sixth-round pick for Buccaneers cornerback and Super Bowl champion Carlton Davis. Outside of Davis, Detroit received a 2024 sixth-round pick and a 2025 sixth-round pick.

Seventh-Round pick via Cowboys- The Lions retained the pick after trading up for Terrion Arnold in the 2024 draft. The Cowboys traded the 24th overall pick and a 2025 seventh-round pick for Detroit’s 29th and 73rd overall picks.

 

Picks Traded away

Third-round pick- In another trade-up situation, the Lions gave away their third-round pick to the Jets to draft offensive tackle, Giovanni Manu. 

Fourth-round pick from Eagles- Detroit traded their fourth-round pick to the Eagles to move up to draft safety/running back Sione Vaki.

Fifth-round pick- Just traded to the Browns for edge rusher Za’Darius Smith.

Sixth-round pick- During last year’s trade deadline, the Lions traded their sixth-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones.

Detroit 2026 Picks

Retained Lions Picks:

First round pick 

Second round pick 

Third round pick 

Fourth round pick 

Fifth round pick 

Seventh round pick 

Picks Acquired Through Trades:

Seventh-Round Pick- Traded by Browns for Za’Darius Smith.

Picks Traded Away:

Sixth-round pick- Traded to the Browns for Za’Darius Smith.

It has been an exciting season so far for Detroit, but the Lions also have to be excited about the possibility of new superstars wearing blue and gray in the future.