Tag: Godwin Igwebuike

4 things to watch for in the Lions Week 13 matchup with the Vikings

Here are a few things to watch for in Sunday’s Week 13 game.

The Detroit Lions will make their latest attempt to notch their first win of the season on Sunday. The Minnesota Vikings come to Ford Field to face the 0-10-1 Lions hoping to bolster their playoff aspirations at 5-6, which is still very much alive in the NFC.

Minnesota won the first meeting 19-17 when kicker Greg Joseph nailed a 54-yard field goal as time expired. What will happen in the rematch in Detroit?

Here are a few things to watch for in Sunday’s Week 13 game.

Efficiency is key for Lions RBs Jermar Jefferson, Godwin Igwebuike

Jefferson and Igwebuike have both been very effective in small doses for the Lions offense

Finding serviceable depth at the running back position has been a long-time struggle for the Detroit Lions.

What’s shocking is that this season, it isn’t big-name free agent acquisitions or high-round draft picks that have helped bolster the Lions’ run game. Instead, the team has made the most of backups Jermar Jefferson and Godwin Igwebuike.

Igwebuike was initially signed to a reserve/futures contract in January as a safety, a position that he played throughout college and for several years in the pros. After converting to running back during training camp, Igwebuike found himself having a career revival with moderate success in the preseason with 60 total yards of offense and two touchdowns.

Jefferson was a seventh-round draft pick this year who couldn’t even find his way off of the gameday inactive list for six of the nine games this season. He had a relatively quiet preseason as well, and it didn’t seem like he’d make much of an impact for the Lions.

While their opportunities have been limited so far this season, the two young running backs have surely made the most of their small share of snaps.

Igwebuike has taken just 15 snaps on offense over nine games. Of those 15 snaps, he has gotten the ball on eight of them. He has averaged nearly 15 yards-per-carry, going for 72 yards on five attempts, and has found the endzone once. Igwebuike has also made three receptions on three targets for 40 yards.

As for Jefferson, the rookie has seen the field on offense just 14 times. Of those 14 snaps, he got the ball into his hands nine of those times. Jefferson has earned 47 yards on five carries and has scored twice. He also has caught all four passes that came his way for a total of 23 yards.

While they will likely never surpass starters D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams on the depth chart, both Jefferson and Igwebuike have shown that they can be reliable backups for Detroit. Their ability to make the most of their few snaps has been impressive and hopefully, this will open the door for more opportunities for them in the future.

Tunnel Vision of Week 10

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass – Rush TD
 Dak Prescott  296 – 5 3
 Josh Allen 366 – 3 2
 Jalen Hurts 178 – 53 2
 Trevor Siemian 298 2
 Patrick Mahomes 406 5
Running Backs Yards TD
R. Stevenson 20-100 rush
4-14 catch		 2
AJ Dillon 21-66 rush
2-62 catch		 2
Christian McCaffrey 13-95 rush
10-66 catch		 0
Jonathan Taylor 21-116 rush
6-10 catch		 1
Darrel Williams 11-43 rush
9-101 catch		 1
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Stefon Diggs 8-162 1
CeeDee Lamb 1-12 rush
6-94 catch		 2
Kendrick Bourne 3-43 rush
4-98 catch		 1
Justin Jefferson 9-143 0
Tyreek Hill 7-83 2
Tight Ends Yards TD
Hunter Henry 4-37 2
Mark Andrews 6-63 1
Tyler Conklin 3-11 2
Gerald Everett 8-63 0
Travis Kelce 8-119 0
Placekickers XP FG
Zane Gonzalez 2 4
Jake Elliott 3 3
Chris Boswell 1 3
Randy Bullock 2 3
Harrison Butker 5 2
Defense Sack – TO TD
Cowboys 2 – 2 1
Packers 3 – 2 0
Dolphins 4 – 2 1
Patriots 5 – 1 0
Panthers 4 – 2 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Baker Mayfield – Knee
QB Colt McCoy – Pectoral
RB Aaron Jones – Knee
RB Jermar Jefferson – Ankle
WR Anthony Schwartz – Head
WR CeeDee Lamb – Arm
TE Ricky Seals-Jones – Hip
TE Hayden Hurst – Ankle
TE Dallas Goedert – Head

Chasing Ambulances

QB Baker Mayfield (CLE)  – Suffered a bruised right knee and did not return in the loss to the Patriots. Mayfield was already playing through injuries and said after the game that he wasn’t sure he could play this week against the Lions.  Case Keenum will take the attractive start if Mayfield isn’t able to play.

RB Aaron Jones (GB) – Went down in the third quarter of the win over the Seahawks holding his right knee. He did not return to the game and is believed to have sprained his MCL. He had to be helped from the field, and there is concern that it may force him to miss games. An MRI will confirm the situation on Monday. If Jones misses time, AJ Dillon would be in line for an  increase in workload against the Vikings this week, and the Rams the following matchup if it were to be more than one week.

Patrick Taylor is the only other running back currently on the active roster, but he’s an undrafted ex-Memphis back who was on the practice squad until two weeks ago. His two rushes for seven yards on Sunday were his first in the NFL. Dillon is the only back sure to see an increase in work if Jones remains out.

WR CeeDee Lamb (DAL) – He’s been nursing a sore ankle but blew up for two scores against the Falcons. He also suffered an arm contusion that had him leave the game. He’s thought to have been injured in the first half and just played through it. He said that it felt like it was “a charlie horse in my arm.” It doesn’t sound like anything serious.

TE Ricky Seals-Jones (WAS) – Injured his hip and was helped from the field by the trainers, Logan Thomas hasn’t been activated from injured reserve yet, but he’s expected to return soon. The only other options are John Bates and Sammie Reyes but neither would carry any fantasy value if Thomas remains out and Seals-Jones cannot play.

TE Dallas Goedert (PHI) – Took a shot to the head and will be tested for a concussion. If he misses any time, the only other tight ends on the roster are Jack Stoll and Tyree Jackson, and neither would project as fantasy relevant even if Goedert misses any time.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

WR Rashod Bateman (BAL) –  The rookie played in just four games this year, but he’s improved each week and led the Ravens with six receptions for 80 yards in their loss to the Dolphins.

QB Matt Ryan (ATL) – after throwing for two scores and around 300 yards for the last six games, he only completed 9-of-21 for 117 yards with two interceptions in the loss to the Cowboys.

WR Michael Gallup (DAL) – Spent the last eight weeks on injured reserve but returned in the in over the Falcons. He caught three passes for 42 yards and his five targets were second only to the six passes thrown to CeeDee Lamb and Tony Pollard.

RB James Robinson (JAC) – Returned after injuring his heel in Week 8. He started slowly but finished with 12 carries for 57 yards and a touchdown, plus caught four passes for 27 yards. His heel appeared to be no issue.

RB Rhamondre Stevenson (NE) – The Player-of-the-week below not only ran for 100 yards and two scores on 20 carries and caught four passes for 14 yards but he was pulled midway in the fourth quarter or it would have been more. Damien Harris was out with a concussion, but Stevenson is buying a bigger role ongoing even when Harris returns as the starter.

WR Kendrick Bourne (NE) – All of his best efforts have been in home games, which continued against the visiting Browns. Bourne ended with four receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown, plus gained 43 yards on three rushes. His two previous games were on the road and he never gained more than 35 yards in either game.

TE Hunter Henry (NE) – After scoring in five of the previous six games, Henry scored twice in the win over the Browns. His yardage is typically low, but he scored seven times over the last seven games.

RB Matt Breida (BUF) – Both Devin Singletary (7-43, TD) and Zack Moss (7-27, TD) had more carries than Breida, but this was the first time that we’ve seen him since Week 1 and Breida ran for 28 yards and a touchdown on three carries, plus caught three passes for 22 yards and a second score. There was only one other pass thrown to a running back. And this takes a more interesting slant with head coach Sean McDermott’s recent statement that he wanted to get more from his backfield after Week 9 saw Singletary (6-16) and Moss (3-6) were ineffective against the Steelers. Notable too is that all three backs faced the Jets and their No. 32 ranked defense against running backs.

RB Godwin Igwebuike (DET) – The Lions battled to a tie, kind of a win since they were 0-8. And they did that at the Steelers by running the ball 39 times versus just 25 passes. D’Andre Swift (33-130) was the workhorse, and Jamaal Williams was out with a thigh injury that may continue into Week 11, given that he never practiced. Jermar Jefferson ran for 41 yards on three carries and scored but was carted off after injuring his ankle while crossing the goal line.  Godwin Igwebuike is an ex-safety converted to running back  and debuted with three runs for 18 yards and three catches for 40 yards in Week 8. He again filled in this week and ran for 56 yards on two carries that included an impressive 42-yard touchdown run. Jefferson appeared to have a serious injury. If he and Williams remain out this week, Igwebuike would be the direct backup for Swift in Cleveland this week.

RB Mark Ingram (NO) – Had the start since Alvin Kamara was out. Ingram ran for 47 yards and a score on 14 rushes and added four catches for 61 yards. He tied with Tre’Quan Smith for a team-high seven targets. He did a credible job filling in.

RB D’Onta Foreman (TEN) – While fantasy waiver wires were busy fighting over Adrian Peterson, it’s been Foreman who was the busier of the two. Peterson ran for 21 yards on eight carries and lost a yard on his one catch. Foreman ran 11 times for 30 yards and gained 48 yards on his two catches in the win over the Saints.

QB Cam Newton (CAR) – He just signed  with the Panthers in the middle of last week and was surprisingly active on Sunday. P.J. Walker started and threw for 167 yards on his 22-of-29 day with one interception. But Newton trotted on to throw three passes and connected with Robbie Anderson for a 2-yard touchdown. Newton also ran the ball three times for 14 yards and a touchdown, looking very much like it was old times again when he faked the handoff to the left  and ran to the right for the score. The expectation is that Newton resumes as the starter as of this week when they host Washington.

TE Gerald Everett (SEA) – He led the Seahawks in receiving in the loss at the Packers when he caught eight passes for 63 yards for a season-high. Everett hasn’t scored since the season opener, but his four road games in the seven that he’s played have all been more productive than when at home. Things go worse away from Seattle, and Everett is more  frequently used.

Huddle player of the week

RB Rhamondre Stevenson (NE)  –  The rookie is one of the most exciting players in the NFL, but only in a sense you can never quite be sure if he’ll even be active, let alone be allowed a lot of touches. And there’s that every-play tension knowing that if he fumbles, no one sees him again for a few weeks. Stevenson became the top fantasy running back this week when Damien Harris was out with a concussion. The rookie rushed for 100 yards on 20 carries, caught four passes for 14 yards and scored two touchdowns. And he didn’t even play in the latter half of the fourth quarter.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Trevor Siemian 298 2 QB Russell Wilson 193 0
RB Matt Breida 50 2 RB Myles Gaskin 45 0
RB AJ  Dillon 128 2 RB Javonte Williams 49 0
WR DeAndre Carter 60 1 WR AJ Green 4 0
WR Kendrick Bourne 141 1 WR AJ Brown 23 0
WR Jamal Agnew 79 1 WR Mike Williams 33 0
TE Hunter Henry 37 2 TE T.J. Hockerson nope 0
PK Zane Gonzalez   2 XP  4 FG PK Jason Meyers  zero
Huddle Fantasy Points = 141 Huddle Fantasy Points = 22

Now get back to work…

Lions vs Steelers: Studs and Duds for Week 10

After an abysmal showing from the Detroit Lions and the Pittsburgh Steelers ending in a 16-16 tie, here are this week’s studs and duds.

Between the weather and the execution from the teams, it was about as messy and clumsy example of football you’ll ever see in this Week 10 matchup between the Detroit Lions and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The game ended everyone’s misery with a 16-16 tie.

Each team had a plethora of opportunities to seal the victory, but each time it was squandered with inept play or boneheaded mistakes that made it a tough watch. For that matter, the Lions play calling seemed to be taken straight out of a high playbook, where it was downright frustrating to muster any energy into the game. This was one of those games where neither team deserved to walk away with a victory.

There were a few moments that gave the Lions some life against the Steelers, but then there were others you could tell were going to be the death to any hopes of a win. That turned out to be the case in this week’s studs and duds.

 

Lions’ Godwin Igwebuike with long TD run against Steelers

A Godwin Igwebuike run has given the Lions a third-quarter lead

The Detroit Lions are shredding the Pittsburgh Steelers on the ground Sunday at Heinz Field.

The winless NFC North team has nearly 200 yards and the game is minutes into the third quarter.

Detroit took the lead on this run by Godwin Igwebuike.

The dazzling play was good for 42 yards and gave Detroit a 16-10 lead as it looked to avoid its ninth straight loss.

Of course, the Lions missed the PAT.

And Lions PR dug into the history book for some factoids:

5 things to watch for in the Lions Monday Night Football game vs. the Packers

Here are five things our Jeff Risdon will be watching closely for the Lions in Monday night’s matchup in Green Bay.

The anxious waiting is almost over, Lions fans. Playing on Monday Night Football is always fun, but the lead-up to the game creates an extra day of restless anticipation and mind-racing speculation about what might happen when the Lions travel to Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers in the Week 2 nightcap.

Expecting the Lions to pull off the unlikely upset is great to dream about, but the Packers are favored by almost two touchdowns for good reason. But there are still compelling reasons to pay close attention to the Lions even if the game goes the way the sportsbooks think it does.

Here are five things I’ll be watching closely for the Lions in Monday night’s matchup in Green Bay.

Lions roster bubble watch: 5 players who revamped their roster stock

With the final preseason game in the books, the Detroit Lions have tough decisions to make and these 5 players did not make it any easier

Even though the Detroit Lions failed to notch a preseason win after a 27-17 loss to Indianapolis Colts, you can tell this team will give you every ounce they got and fight till the very end.

On Friday night, with the majority of the starters sitting out, it gave roster bubble players a chance to give one final push to try to persuade the coaching staff they deserve a spot on the 53-man roster. With one last opportunity, many players seized that chance to showcase what they can bring to the table.

With some tough decisions ahead for the coaching staff, some players did not make it easy for them. Here are five players who improved their odds after their preseason performance against the Colts.

Godwin Igwebuike converts from safety to running back

The Detroit Lions have a position change to start training camp

Per Chris Burke of The Athletic, Detroit Lions safety Godwin Igwebuike will be switching to the offensive side of the ball at the running back position.

Igwebuike initially signed with the Lions in January on a reserve/futures contract. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Northwestern and had spent time with the Buccaneers, 49ers, Eagles, and Jets.

Igwebuike has been out of the NFL since 2019, and most recently was with the Seattle Dragons of the XFL before the league folded.

In Detroit, he was in competition for a reserve safety and special teams role along with Dean Marlowe, Alijah Holder, Bobby Price, Jalen Elliott, C.J. Moore and D’Angelo Amos.

 

Now that he will be playing as a running back, his new position group will be much less crowded. Jamaal Williams and D’Andre Swift are locks to make the roster, so Igwebuike will be up against seventh-round pick Jermar Jefferson, Michael Warren, and undrafted rookie Dedrick Mills.

Igwebuike was a four-star prospect as a running back and safety at Pickerington North High School in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. In his time there, he recorded 1,985 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns. When he committed to Northwestern, he was given the option to play either running back or safety, and he ultimately went with the defensive side of the ball.

 

Resetting the Lions depth chart in the secondary

Resetting the Lions depth chart in the secondary after recent free agency additions

The Detroit Lions have been quite busy addressing the secondary in free agency. New GM Brad Holmes and the Lions have added a few new players to the defensive backfield.

The latest addition is safety Dean Marlowe, who jumps into a projected starting role…for now, anyway. With the NFL draft coming up in less than three weeks, here’s where the depth chart in the Detroit secondary stands:

Cornerback

Starters: Jeff Okudah, Quinton Dunbar

Slot: Corn Elder

Reserves: Amani Oruwariye, Mike Ford

Dunbar gets the veteran nod over Oruwariye, though that would almost certainly be a spot up for a training camp competition. Elder wins the slot role almost by default; Dunbar is the only other CB with any functional experience playing inside in the NFL.

Safety

Starters: Tracy Walker, Dean Marlowe

Reserves: Will Harris, Godwin Igwebuike, C.J. Moore, Bobby Price, Jalen Elliott

If you’re looking for clues for the lineup, the Lions own official roster tips off this one. Marlowe is listed at free safety, the only safety to receive a positional designation. Walker and Igwebuike are listed as defensive back, not just safety.

Igwebuike, Price and Elliott have never played a regular-season snap on defense.

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