Watch: Lions extend TD streak to 16 straight quarters

Watch: Lions extend touchdown streak to 16 straight quarters on Jamaal Williams’ 2-yard TD run

The Detroit Lions got on the scoreboard first in Minnesota in the Week 3 matchup with the Vikings. Jamaal Williams plunged into the end zone from two yards out to give the Lions the early lead.

Williams’ touchdown extended the Lions streak of scoring a touchdown in each quarter to an outstanding 16 in a row. That’s the most in the NFL.

The touchdown was set up by an aggressive call from offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and head coach Dan Campbell to go for it on 4th-and-5 from the Minnesota 32-yard line. The shallow crossing pattern to Amon-Ra St. Brown wound up gaining 30.

Both the Lions and Vikings missed field goals on their opening possessions.

Report indicates all 4 questionable Lions players will play vs. Vikings

A report indicates all 4 questionable Lions players (Hockenson, Hutchinson, Ragnow, Swift) will play vs. the Vikings

The Detroit Lions final injury report from Week 3 listed four key players as questionable to play in Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings. Lions fans, and some fantasy football owners, can breathe a little easier based on some information that came out early on Sunday.

Per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, all four of the questionable Lions will suit up and play for the Lions against the Vikings. Tight end T.J. Hockenson, DE Aidan Hutchinson, center Frank Ragnow and RB D’Andre Swift are expected to be in the lineup according to the NFL.com insider. Pelissero added to “expect a bigger role” from Swift, who received just five carries in the Week 2 win over Washington.

Ragnow did not play last week. Hockenson (hip), Hutchinson (thigh) and Swift (ankle) were all limited during practices this week.

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Lions vs. Vikings: 4 keys to victory for Detroit in Week 3

Here are some key areas where Dan Campbell’s Lions must come up big to notch the victory in their first road game of the season.

First place in the NFC North is on the line when the Detroit Lions travel to Minnesota to face the division-rival Vikings. Both teams are 1-1 after two weeks, with each team losing to the same Philadelphia Eagles team.

The Vikings are favored by 5.5 points at home. If the Lions are to pull off the upset win, Detroit will need to execute in a few key areas.

4 Lions who must play well for Detroit to beat the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3

Here are some facets where Dan Campbell’s Lions must come up big to notch the victory in their first road game of the season.

Vikings will be without two DBs against the Lions in Week 3

The Minnesota Vikings ruled two DBs out for the Week 3 matchup against the Detroit Lions

Detroit’s potent offense got a nice little boost from its Week 3 opponent, the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings defense will be without two key players in the secondary when the Lions travel to Minnesota for the early-season NFC North showdown.

Veteran safety Harrison Smith and rookie cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. will both miss the Week 3 game. Booth has barely played due to a quad injury and his absence was not unexpected. Smith will be out with a concussion.

Linebacker Eric Kendricks was a late addition to the Vikings injury status report with a toe injury. Kendricks is questionable for Week 3.

The Vikings have a couple of options to replace Smith in the lineup. Former Michigan safety Josh Metellus is expected to start, but rookie Lewis Cine could also see his first extended action as well.

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Ben Johnson downplays any worries about ex-Lions QB David Blough helping the Vikings

Johnson even suggested the Lions could use Blough’s knowledge against the Vikings as a kind of honeypot.

It’s a focal point for a lot of pundits and fans, no doubt about it. When a quarterback leaves one team and joins a foe, the worries about the ex revealing the playbook or intricacies of the offense become a major talking point.

That’s certainly the case for the Detroit Lions this week. Longtime QB David Blough opted to sign on with the Minnesota Vikings practice squad after the Lions unceremoniously dumped him the morning after the roster cutdown to 53 players. Blough and the Vikings are on the docket this week, and there is considerable consternation about how much he can aid his new team against his old one.

That consternation is not shared by the man in charge of the Lions offense, however. Coordinator Ben Johnson downplayed any concerns about Blough being a real asset for the Vikings in terms of knowledge or game prep.

“We’re like every other team in this league,” Johnson told reporters prior to Thursday’s practice. “Everyone steals plays from each other, so I don’t think anything we’re doing is necessarily revolutionary. There are some things David might know situationally about us that – well we also know what he knows. So, we are calculated in how we respond to that. But yeah, I mean there are a couple things that we’ll address. Other than that though, like once again they – we’re not going to overthink things from that regard.”

Johnson turning the talking point on its head and suggesting that the Lions could use Blough’s perceived knowledge about the Detroit offense as a weapon of deception, is an excellent point and one that should quiet the misplaced fears of impending catastrophe.

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4 Lions who must play well for Detroit to beat the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3

4 Lions who must play well for Detroit to beat the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3

At least a share of first place in the NFC North is on the line when the Detroit Lions travel to the Twin Cities to face the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3. It’s a critical game in a clustered division where all four teams boast 1-1 records after two weeks.

This road game will not be an easy one for head coach Dan Campbell’s Detroit team. The Lions haven’t won in Minnesota since 2017 and have dropped eight of the last nine matchups with the Vikings.

For Detroit to reverse the fate and seize some early divisional momentum, it’s going to take good execution and positional discipline. There are several key matchups and paths to victory for the Lions. Most of those lean on a few players having big games.

Here are four Lions who need to have strong outings for the team to win in Week 3.

Lions open as big underdogs in Week 3 at Minnesota

The 1-1 Detroit Lions open as underdogs of more than a touchdown in their Week 3 matchup at the Minnesota Vikings

The 1-1 Detroit Lions head west on their first road trip of the 2022 season in Week 3. The Lions travel to Minnesota to take on the division rival Vikings next Sunday.

Fresh off a 36-27 victory over the Washington Commanders, a game where the Lions were favored by oddsmakers for the first time in 24 games, Dan Campbell’s Detroit team is back to the more familiar underdog role in the early betting lines.

From our friends at Sportsbook Wire, the latest line as of Monday morning.

  • Money line: Lions +250 (bet $100 to win $250) | Vikings -300 (bet $300 to win $100)

  • Against the spread (ATS): Lions +7.5 (-120) | Vikings -7.5 (+100)

  • Over/Under (O/U): 51.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)

Keep in mind the Vikings haven’t played in Week 2 yet. Minnesota plays on Monday night at Philadelphia against the same Eagles team that beat the Lions 38-35 in Week 1 in Detroit. The Monday night game outcome should have some impact on the line here. If you’re feeling confident in the Lions, the time to buy in on the Week 3 game is before the Vikings-Eagles game; the line is likely to go down unless the Vikings put on a dominant performance.

The Lions are 2-0 vs. the spread this year and have scored a league-high 71 points (tied with Kansas City through two games). The Vikings beat the spread as well as the visiting Green Bay Packers in Week 1, 23-7.

Lions vs. Vikings: Best and worst PFF grades from Week 5

Detroit Lions best and worst players through PFF shows the highlights and struggles against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5

Another kick to the heart for the Detroit Lions after the Minnesota Vikings stole the victory right out of the Lions’ grasp with a last-minute field goal to drop the Lions record to 0-5 to start the season.

On top of another loss, the Lions lose yet another player, WR Quintez Cephus, to a potentially season-ending injury, making everyone wonder how the Lions can have this much bad luck. But you can tell the players are fighting to the last second and giving their all, making these losses so tough it brings Dan Campbell to tears.

It will only be a matter of time before the Lions get their first victory, and many of these players will be out to help achieve that win.

Here are this week’s PFF’s best and worst players for the Lions in Week 5.

By the numbers: Breaking down the key stats and figures in the Lions Week 5 loss to the Vikings

Breaking down the key stats and figures in the Detroit Lions Week 5 loss to the Minnesota Vikings

The most important numbers are 19 and 17, the final score of the Detroit Lions loss in their Week 5 trip to Minnesota. But how the Lions and Vikings arrived at those figures matters too, and much of that story can be told with a look at the key stats and figures from the game.

Breaking down the Lions’ latest loss, by the numbers:

0 – Negative yardage runs by the Lions, the first time all year every rushing attempt gained positive yardage

0 – TD passes from Lions QB Jared Goff

1 – 3-and-out possession from the Detroit offense

2 – catches by Pro Bowl TE T.J. Hockenson, including one on Detroit’s first play from scrimmage

2 – turnovers from the Lions offense and turnovers created by the Lions defense

2 – field goals of 50-plus yards by Vikings kicker Greg Joseph. Both topped his previous career-long of 52 yards.

3 – enforced penalties against the Lions, their lowest total of the season

4 – sacks of Goff by the Vikings defense

4.6 – average offensive yards gained per play by Detroit

5 – number of pass attempts by Goff with at least 16 air yards, on 35 total attempts

6 – average offensive yards per play by the Vikings

7 – combined field goals made in the game, three by Detroit’s Austin Seibert

8 – wins in a row in the series by Minnesota

15 – longest completion in air yards by Goff. Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins had six completions (of 25 total) that went at least 15 air yards.

18 – first downs by the Vikings offense

22 – first downs by the Lions offense

27 – third-down conversion percentage by the Lions, going 3-for-11

108 – combined rushing yards for Jamaal Williams and D’Andre Swift, on 24 carries

113 – rushing yards by backup Vikings RB Alexander Mattison, 48 of which came on one run

288 – total net yards from the Lions offense

384 – total offensive yards from the Vikings

 

 

A tearful Dan Campbell: ‘It’s tough’ for players when they ‘give all they have and lose that way’

Campbell wiped away tears several times in his postgame press conference after his Lions lost on a long last-second FG for the second time in three weeks

Dan Campbell wears his heart on his sleeve as the Detroit Lions head coach. After Sunday’s 19-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on a last-second field goal, an emotional Campbell showed just how much he cares in his postgame press conference.

“When you see your players give all that they have and lose that way, it’s tough,” Campbell said as he wiped a tear away from his right eye. “You know, you want that for them.”

Trying to gather his emotions, Campbell talked about the end of the game.

“Credit to Minnesota, but we made the one mistake and it cost us. So ultimately we didn’t do enough to win. But I was proud of them. I love the fight they have in them.”

It was impossible to not feel Campbell’s pain. For the second time in three weeks, his team lost on a last-second field goal from at least 54 yards away to a kicker who had missed an easier kick earlier in the game. Greg Joseph came up short from 49 but the Vikings kicker nailed the 54-yarder at the same goal. Justin Tucker set the NFL record with a 66-yard make to end the Week 3 Ravens win over Campbell’s Lions.