Tag: John Penisini

Lions Week 15 rookie report: Where will Jonah Jackson line up?

Projecting the roles for the Detroit Lions rookies during their Week 15 matchup with the Tennessee Titans.

As the season comes closer to the end, the Detroit Lions seem to have fewer and fewer rookies available on their roster due to injuries.

Luckily for Detroit, most of the ones who are still healthy will be playing major roles for the team as they get ready to play against the Tennessee Titans in Week 15.

Here’s what to expect from the rookies this Sunday afternoon:

RB D’Andre Swift

For the first time in weeks, Swift’s status for an upcoming game is not in question. The rookie will get the start against Tennessee but could have some struggles against their defense.

The Titans have prevented opposing teams for rushing over 100 yards six times so far this season and have been fairly effective at shutting down running backs in the passing game as well.

The rookie has averaged just 35 rushing yards per game this year and also has hauled in 35 receptions for 301 yards. He has also found the endzone seven times in his 10 games.

Swift will have to put on a strong showing as the starter to help out the Lions offense. With massive change-ups happening at three spots on the offensive line, it’ll make it that much harder for the rookie.

OL Jonah Jackson and Logan Stenberg

As mentioned earlier, some major changes will be happening on the offensive line for Detroit.

After suffering a fractured throat last weekend, Frank Ragnow has been ruled out, leaving some uncertainty as to who will start at center.

Third-round pick Jonah Jackson had previously played center during his time at Rutgers before transferring to Ohio State and could be named the starting center after starting at both left and right guard throughout this year.

Right now, it is a toss-up between Jackson and Joe Dahl, who has practiced at center many times over his career in Detroit but has never played the position in a regular season game. Whoever wins the job at center, the other will play left guard.

With a lack of depth now for the interior offensive line, Logan Stenberg may have a window to get himself onto the gameday roster. He had taken a few special teams snaps in two games this season, and now could serve as Detroit’s backup guard and center in their matchup against Tennessee.

WR Quintez Cephus

With Kenny Golladay out once again, Cephus will likely see more playing time at the wide receiver position.

The rookie has had a very up-and-down season, especially in recent weeks. Two weeks ago against Chicago, he had two receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown. The following week, he took more snaps on offense but came away with the same number of receptions but for just 16 yards.

Cephus is the clear fourth option at receiver behind Marvin Jones, Danny Amendola, and Mohamed Sanu. His size and versatility to play both the outside and the slot will help his chances of getting a good share of snaps in this game, but it’ll be up to him for how he will perform.

The rookie has dropped 11-percent of passes that have come his way and has 16 receptions for 253 yards on the season. If he can become more reliable, he will be a solid asset to the passing game.

DL John Penisini

The rookie nose tackle is once again listed as questionable as the Lions prepare for this game.

Nose tackles are not known for impressive stat lines on defense, and that remains true for Penisini. Last week against Green Bay, he had just two tackles, one of which went for a loss of yards.

If he can play, he will be Detroit’s starting nose tackle. Unfortunately for him and the rest of the defensive line, they will be facing off against the NFL’s best running back, Derrick Henry. Tennessee’s star rusher is coming off a 215-yard, two score game last week, and is now set to face one of the league’s worst-ranked defenses.

If active, Penisini will have a lot on his plate this week as he tries to prevent Henry from trampling the defense.

TE Hunter Bryant

Bryant will once again serve as Detroit’s third tight end behind T.J. Hockenson and Jesse James. The undrafted rookie has appeared in two games this season, taking a total of nine offensive snaps without even a single target.

Detroit Lions Week 15 injury designations: Matthew Stafford headed towards a game time decision

The Detroit Lions (5-8) have declared their injury designations for their Week 15 matchup with the Tennessee Titans (9-4).

The Detroit Lions (5-8) have declared their injury designations for their Week 15 matchup with the Tennessee Titans (9-4) and they will be without four starters, two on each side of the ball: WR Kenny Golladay, OL Tyrell Crosby, DL Da’Shawn Hand, and CB Darryl Roberts.

QB Matthew Stafford and C Frank Ragnow have not been ruled out at this time and both appear to be headed towards game-time decisions in Nashville.

Here’s a look at the Lions’ full injury report, with the updated changes in injury status listed in bold.

Ruled OUT

Player Injury Wednesday Thursday Friday
Kenny Golladay Hip No Practice No Practice No Practice
Tyrell Crosby Ankle No Practice No Practice No Practice
Da’Shawn Hand Ankle No Practice No Practice No Practice
Darryl Roberts Hip No Practice No Practice No Practice

The conversations surrounding shutting Golladay down for the season are coming. “We’re really trying to get him back,” interim coach Darrell Bevell said. “He really wants to play, he wants to be in there. But that’s a conversation that — where we’re at in the season — that it might come to that (shutting him down).”

Expect Mohamad Sanu and rookie Quintez Cephus to continue to split Golladay’s snaps in Tennessee.

Crosby will likely be replaced in the starting lineup by Matt Nelson, who, along with left tackle Taylor Decker, are currently the only healthy offensive tackles on the active roster. Expect a roster move on Saturday, either removing Vaitai from IR or signing Dan Skipper to the active roster (as he is out of practice squad elevations) for depth.

It’s worth noting that the Lions do have an open spot on the active roster after placing Okudah on IR earlier this week.

Hand was back for one game, suffered a new injury, and is missing another game. This opens the door for Kevin Strong to take on a bigger role this Sunday.

Roberts being ruled out leaves the Lions with just three healthy corners on the active roster — Amani Oruwariye, Justin Coleman, and Mike Ford — with the fourth option being recently signed to the practice squad Tramaine Brock, who will likely be elevated on Saturday.

Questionable

Player Injury Wednesday Thursday Friday
Matthew Stafford Rib/Right Thumb No Practice No Practice Limited Practice
Frank Ragnow Throat No Practice No Practice No Practice
John Penisini Shoulder Limited Practice Limited Practice Limited Practice

Despite Bevell suggesting Stafford would miss practice on Friday, it appears he got in some work, testing out his rib injury. Stafford will travel with the team to Nashville, but will he play?

“You guys have seen it,” Bevell said. “You guys have covered this team way longer than I have been here, and you know what he’s done and what he’s played through. So I’m not putting him past it.”

Ragnow missed practice again, this time to see a specialist regarding his throat injury, and his status for the game will be the determining factor, per Bevell: “The communication from him (the specialist) will be able to tell us, is it safe for him to play, is it totally clear, all those types of things are what we’re looking for.”

Both Stafford and Ragnow look they’re headed towards a game-time decision.

Penisini was limited all week but played a full game last week, and despite being listed as questionable, he seems in a good spot to play.

No Injury Designation

Player Injury Wednesday Thursday Friday
Adrian Peterson Forearm Limited Practice Full Practice Full Practice
Jason Cabinda Illness No Practice Full Practice Full Practice
Austin Bryant Thigh Limited Practice Full Practice Full Practice
Tracy Walker Shoulder Limited Practice Full Practice Full Practice
C.J. Moore Ankle Full Practice Full Practice Full Practice

Back-back full practices and no injury designation for everyone in this group is a sign they should not be limited on Sunday.

Injured reserve

Detroit Lions Week 15 injury report: Matthew Stafford misses practice again on Thursday

Examining the Detroit Lions Week 15 Thursday injury report as the team prepares to take on the Tennessee Titans.

The Detroit Lions (5-8) were practicing indoors again on Thursday as they prepare to take on the Tennessee Titans (9-4) in Week 15, and outside of upgrading a handful of limited players to full practices, not much has changed from yesterday’s report.

Here’s a look at the Lions’ full injury report, with the updated changes in injury status listed in bold.

Injured reserve

No Practice

Player Injury Wednesday Thursday Friday Designation
Matthew Stafford Rib/Right Thumb No Practice No Practice
Kenny Golladay Hip No Practice No Practice
Frank Ragnow Throat No Practice No Practice
Tyrell Crosby Ankle No Practice No Practice
Da’Shawn Hand Ankle No Practice No Practice
Darryl Roberts Hip No Practice No Practice

Stafford missed another day of practice, as expected, and interim coach Darrell made a point of mentioning the Lions have had no talks of shutting him down for the season. He is still in play for Sunday and a decision could come down to the wire.

Golladay is still not ready to practice.

Ragnow’s throat fracture received some more clarity today, with Bevell pointing out that the injury is in the vocal cord cartilage, not the bone. The plan for Ragnow is to rest his vocal cords, then reevaluate on Friday to determine if playing on Sunday is an option. Bevell wouldn’t disclose who would start in Ragnow’s absence at center, but did say he was “confident with the plan that we’ll have going forward.”

Of note: Joe Dahl, the most likely candidate to replace Ragnow at center, said today that he feels very comfortable at the position.

Crosby continuing to miss practices is also an indicator the Lions may need to keep his replacement options at the ready. Matt Nelson filled in the last game and a half, but Vaitai is practicing and could be an option.

Hand missing practice is a statement Lions fans have become all too familiar with. He’s an important member of the defensive line and a valuable player at getting inside pressure — but he needs healthy.

Roberts missing another practice is concerning as it leaves the Lions with only three healthy corners, with the fourth option being 10-year Tramaine Brock, who the Lions just signed to the practice squad.

Limited practice

Player Injury Wednesday Thursday Friday Designation
John Penisini Shoulder Limited Practice Limited Practice

Penisini getting in back to back limited practices after not missing a snap last week is a good sign for his availability on Sunday.

Full Practice

Player Injury Wednesday Thursday Friday Designation
Adrian Peterson Forearm Limited Practice Full Practice
Jason Cabinda Illness No Practice Full Practice
Austin Bryant Thigh Limited Practice Full Practice
Tracy Walker Shoulder Limited Practice Full Practice
C.J. Moore Ankle Full Practice Full Practice

Peterson, Cabinda, Bryant, and Walker all being upgraded to full practices meaning they are likely headed towards full availability this weekend. Moore appears to be on track to play as well.

Titans’ Report

This section will be updated when info becomes available.

Detroit Lions Week 15 injury report: Matthew Stafford, Frank Ragnow, Kenny Golladay not practicing Wednesday

Examining the Detroit Lions Wednesday injury report as they prepare to take on the Tennessee Titans in Week 15 of the 2020 season.

The Detroit Lions (5-8) are taking on the Tennessee Titans (9-4) in Week 15, and like most weeks near the end of the season, Wednesday’s practice was a mixed bag of positive and negative results.

Frank Ragnow surprisingly showed up with a horrific injury, while Matthew Stafford and Da’Shawn Hand were downgraded with new injuries after last week’s game.

Here’s a look at the Lions’ full injury report, with the updated changes in injury status listed in bold.

Injured reserve

Vaitai has begun practicing this week, and with several injuries on the offensive line, his return can’t come soon enough.

No Practice

Player Injury Wednesday Thursday Friday Designation
Matthew Stafford Rib/Right Thumb No Practice
Kenny Golladay Hip No Practice
Jason Cabinda Illness No Practice
Frank Ragnow Throat No Practice
Tyrell Crosby Ankle No Practice
Da’Shawn Hand Ankle No Practice
Darryl Roberts Hip No Practice

Stafford reportedly suffered a rib cartilage injury on Sunday, and while things are not off to a great start on Wednesday, Interim coach Darrell Bevell isn’t ruling him out from playing this week: “I’m totally comfortable with him not practicing and playing in the game, I’ve seen him do it.”

“I’m not counting myself out,” Stafford said of his status for the weekend.

As The Athletic’s Chris Burke pointed out, this is day 45 of being out for Golladay, and while reports continue to be very positive on his recovery, his inability to get on the field is concerning.

Ragnow suffered an unimaginable fractured throat — technically called a Laryngeal Fracture — last Sunday and his status is still being determined by doctors. He seems very vulnerable to miss this week’s game and if he does the Lions will likely turn to former starting guard Joe Dahl, currently starting guard Jonah Jackson, or look to promote a practice squad center in either Marcus Martin or Evan Brown.

Crosby being unavailable further complicates things for the Lions’ offensive line. If Crosby misses another game, and Vaitai is unable to return from injured reserve, the Lions will once again lean on Matt Nelson to start and may have to sign protected practice squader Dan Skipper to give them at least one healthy reserve tackle.

Hand only saw 30-percent of the Lions defensive snaps last Sunday and it’s worth noting that he no longer has a groin injury but is being listed as having an ankle injury. He was not identified as having an injury issue during the game, so it’s unclear when this happened.

Roberts went down in last week’s game and was not able to return. With Okudah also unavailable, the Lions only have three healthy corners, Amani Oruwariye, Justin Coleman, and Mike Ford.

Limited practice

Player Injury Wednesday Thursday Friday Designation
Adrian Peterson Forearm Limited Practice
John Penisini Shoulder Limited Practice
Austin Bryant Thigh Limited Practice
Tracy Walker Shoulder Limited Practice

Peterson and Walker were not tabbed as being injured during the game, so hopefully, these are not significant injuries and just management.

Penisini and Bryant were able to play through their injuries last week, so limited practice is a good sign for their availability for this weekend’s game.

Full Practice

Player Injury Wednesday Thursday Friday Designation
C.J. Moore Ankle Full Practice

Despite getting in limited practices, Moore missed last week’s game with an ankle injury and was replaced on special teams by Bobby Price. A full practice is a very positive sign for his availability this week.

Titans’ Report

Lions Week 14 rookie report: D’Andre Swift’s on track to return to action

Examining the Detroit Lions rookie’s roles as they prepare to take on the Green Bay Packers in Week 14.

Riding high after a win against the Chicago Bears last weekend, the Detroit Lions will be hosting the Green Bay Packers in another NFC North matchup.

With Darrell Bevell taking the reigns as the interim head coach, the Lions have seen some optimistic changes to their playbook and how players are utilized on the field.

With a second week to learn more from Bevell and a tough divisional matchup ahead of them, what is to be expected from Detroit’s 2020 rookie class?

CB Jeff Okudah

The 2020 season has not been kind to the Lions’ first-round pick.

Okudah missed the first game of the season because of an injury. Once he was healthy, his first career matchups were against some of the league’s top talents. He has had more than his fair share of rookie mistakes, and now it seems his debut year is over as he prepares for his upcoming surgery and heads to the injured reserve list.

Expect Amani Oruwariye and Darryl Roberts to be Detroit’s outside cornerbacks while Justin Coleman mans the slot.

RB D’Andre Swift

After missing the last two games due to a concussion and issues with migraines, it appears Detroit’s up-and-coming rookie running back will make his return.

Assuming he does play, Swift may need some time to reacclimate to the game. Adrian Peterson and Kerryon Johnson have been sharing snaps in the Lions backfield, with Peterson doing most of the work on the ground and Johnson playing more as a receiver.

If Swift returns, he could immediately fill both of those roles for Detroit’s offense. The rookie has 606 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns on the season. If the Lions want to stay competitive in this matchup, they better hope that Swift can play.

OL Jonah Jackson and Logan Stenberg

Not much has changed for the roles of either rookie offensive lineman in recent weeks.

Jackson struggled a little more than usual last week against Chicago, but was luckily bailed out by some Bears defensive penalties. The rookie out of Ohio State will still get the start at left guard. He has allowed four sacks on the season and has committed the same number of penalties.

Stenberg took the field for the first time in his pro career last week, albeit just for three special teams snaps. The fourth-round pick will continue to serve as a reserve offensive lineman and should be active for the game as the Lions’ eighth lineman.

WR Quintez Cephus

Filling in for Kenny Golladay, rookie Quintez Cephus had quite the showing in Chicago. Cephus had the best game of his young career with two receptions for 63 yards and one very impressive touchdown.

He took the field for a little less than half of the team’s offensive snaps last weekend and that isn’t expected to change this week. The rookie should still be considered as Detroit’s second option behind Marvin Jones and will split some snaps with Mohamed Sanu as well.

DL John Penisini

After taking over as Detroit’s starting nose tackle, Penisini came through for the defense with three tackles as well as an important fumble recovery late in the game against Chicago.

Unfortunately, the sixth-round rookie’s status for the Packers game is questionable as he deals with a shoulder injury he suffered late in the week during practice.

If he can’t play, the Lions have no other rostered nose tackles and will have to try and utilize Kevin Strong and Frank Herron in the attempts to stop Aaron Jones and the rest of Green Bay’s rushing attack.

TE Hunter Bryant

Bryant saw the field for the first time in his NFL career last weekend and is expected to play again this week. The undrafted rookie took a mere 11 snaps in that game – five on offense and the rest on special teams.

Bryant still sits behind T.J. Hockenson and Jesse James on the depth chart, so don’t expect too much from the rookie against Green Bay.

S Bobby Price

Another undrafted rookie to make his NFL debut against Chicago, Price was given a substantial role on special teams right away. The safety, who was just elevated from the practice squad, saw the field for almost two-thirds of the Lions’ special teams snaps and made one tackle.

With fellow safety and core special teamer C.J. Moore questionable to play, Price may find himself in that role once again.

Detroit Lions Week 14 injury designations: Kenny Golladay, Tyrell Crosby, Jeff Okudah ruled OUT

The Detroit Lions (5-7) injury designations ahead of their Week 14 matchup with the Green Bay Packers (9-3) and Kenny Golladay, Tyrell Crosby, and Jeff Okudah have been ruled OUT.

The Detroit Lions (5-7) have declared their injury designations ahead of their Week 14 matchup with the Green Bay Packers (9-3) and three starters have been ruled out: Kenny Golladay, Tyrell Crosby, and Jeff Okudah.

Here’s a look at the Lions’ full injury report, with the updated changes in injury status listed in bold.

Ruled OUT

Player Injury Wednesday Thursday Friday Designation
Kenny Golladay Hip No Practice No Practice No Practice OUT
Tyrell Crosby Ankle No Practice No Practice No Practice OUT
Jeff Okudah Groin No Practice No Practice No Practice OUT

This has been trending in this direction all week.

Golladay will likely be replaced in the starting lineup by Mohamad Sanu, while rookie Quintez Cephus has proven he is capable — and deserving — of a larger role in the offense moving forward.

Crosby will be replaced at right tackle by Matt Nelson, and with a depth deficiency at tackle, expect a practice squad elevation of Dan Skipper on Saturday. Skipper, or possibly Joe Dahl, will be the only remaining options if the Lions suffer another injury at offensive tackle.

With Okudah out, the Lions will continue to roll with Amani Oruwariye, Justin Coleman, and Darryl Roberts at corner, with Mike Ford as the fourth option, backing up all three spots.

Questionable

Player Injury Wednesday Thursday Friday Designation
Matthew Stafford Right Thumb Limited Practice Limited Practice Limited Practice Questionable
D’Andre Swift Illness Limited Practice Limited Practice Full Practice Questionable
John Penisini Shoulder Not Listed Not Listed Limited Practice Questionable
Da’Shawn Hand Groin Limited Practice Limited Practice Limited Practice Questionable
Austin Bryant Thigh Limited Practice Limited Practice Limited Practice Questionable
C.J. Moore Ankle No Practice Limited Practice Limited Practice Questionable

Stafford should be ready to roll once again.

With Swift’s illness being identified as migraine headaches, there has been speculation swirling around his original concussion diagnosis that unexpectedly popped up a few weeks back. Bevell did his best to explain the situation — while trying to maintain Swift’s privacy publicly — at his morning press conference, but there is a fine line of difference between the two ailments.

As far as Swift’s availability/playing time this weekend, Bevell continues to say Swift is “trending in the right direction”, but also doesn’t plan on relying on him to jump back into a full-time role.

Penisini showed up on the injury report as limited today and was given a questionable designation. He will likely be evaluated on Saturday to see how his shoulder is progressing, and if he is not downgraded, there’s a good chance he will play on Sunday.

Hand and Bryant continue to string together limited practices, but will either finally return to action this week? It still looks like a coin flip.

Moore getting back on the field after injuring his ankle last Sunday and missing practice on Wednesday is a good sign, but he’s not out of the woods yet. His status will likely be decided during warmups on Sunday.

No Injury Designation

Player Injury Wednesday Thursday Friday Designation
Kerryon Johnson Knee Limited Practice Full Practice Full Practice No Designation
Everson Griffen Non-injury related Not Listed Not Listed No Practice No Designation

Johnson looks fully ready to play, and with no injury designation, he should get a full complement of snaps on Sunday.

Griffen missed today’s practice with a non-injury, so this listing is just a formality — he’s good to go.

Injured reserve

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Week 13 snap counts: Lions roll out 4 down DL under Darrell Bevell

Breaking down the Detroit Lions snap counts after their Week 13 victory over the Chicago Bears.

There’s not a lot you can do to the physical makeup of a roster in a week, and for interim coach Darrell Bevell, he needed to rely on the scheme put in place by Matt Patrica — with a few twists mixed in.

On offense, there weren’t a lot of changes, which isn’t overly surprising considering he likely had some weekly influence on how much players played, but on defense, there was a noticeable change up front.

The most notable change was the use of the Lions’ base defense ends Romeo Okwara and Everson Griffen.

Over the last two weeks, the Lions relied on their linebackers to create pressure off the edge, but in this game, Bevell and defensive coordinator Cory Undlin went back to their strategy against Washington and used bigger bodies on the edge.

Okwara was on the field 96-percent of defensive snaps, while Griffen saw 65-percent of his own. Each player did rush from a standing position at times, but the idea of getting bigger up front suits this team’s strengths — especially when Trey Flowers, Austin Bryant, and Julian Okwara return.

That, and more in this week’s snap count review.

Lions Week 13 Rookie report: Late-round picks move into starting lineup

With injuries and opportunities rising, the Detroit Lions are leaning on late-round rookies Quintez Cephus and John Penisini to start.

The Detroit Lions are headed to Soldier Field short-handed to play the Chicago Bears in Week 13.

This marks the first game without coach Matt Patricia and GM Bob Quinn running the team and interim head coach Darell Bevell has a tough assignment ahead of him, as injuries plague the roster and the Lions sit with a losing record.

So how will all of this impact Detroit’s 2020 rookie class? Here’s what to expect from the rookies:

CB Jeff Okudah

The third-overall pick in 2020 has been ruled out once again this week as he deals with a lingering shoulder injury. Expect veteran Darryl Roberts to take his place as the second outside cornerback alongside Amani Oruwariye, with Justin Coleman primarily in the slot.

RB D’Andre Swift

The Lions’ star running back has had his rookie season hindered by injuries. Over the last two weeks, he has sat out of multiple practices due to a concussion (when has cleared) and illness. His official status for this game is ‘doubtful’ so don’t expect Swift to see the field in Chicago.

OL Jonah Jackson and Logan Stenberg

Overall, the Lions’ offensive line has been a bright spot on an otherwise struggling team.

Jackson will continue to start for Detroit at left guard. So far, the rookie out of Ohio State has committed just two penalties and allowed four sacks while playing as both right and left guard. Jackson may catch a break this week as several of Chicago’s starting defensive linemen have been sidelined from practices with various injuries.

Stenberg is on the back end of the Lions’ offensive line depth chart. He may be active this week due to the number of injured players on the active roster, but don’t expect the rookie to see the field.

WR Quintez Cephus

Cephus could be primed for a much bigger role this week following the release of wide receiver Marvin Hall.

While the rookie has seen more work in the slot, he should now take over as Detroit’s third or fourth receiver and could be used in the deep-threat role that Hall had before his release.

The rookie has 12 receptions for 174 yards on the season but has yet to find the endzone. With Kenny Golladay out and Marvin Hall no longer on the roster, Cephus could end up being the number two guy in Detroit behind Marvin Jones.

Expect a handful of receptions and a score from the rookie receiver against the Chicago Bears.

DL John Penisini

His role has already been increasing from week-to-week, and starting nose tackle Danny Shelton going to the injured reserve, Penisini will now assume the starting role for Detroit’s defensive line.

The rookie nose tackle has outperformed his draft position and shown versatility as a run stuffer and someone who could provide pressure form the interior of the line.

Against a struggling Chicago offensive line, expect big things from this rookie.

TE Hunter Bryant

Bryant recently got brought back to the active roster after a stint on injured reserve. The much-talked-about undrafted rookie impressed enough during training camp to make the initial roster and now will see his first action as an NFL player.

His role will be limited as he sits behind T.J. Hockenson and Jesse James, but the rookie could still see the field in certain offensive situations and could make his first career reception against the Bears.

S Bobby Price

Another undrafted rookie who could make his debut as a pro against Chicago, Price was elevated from the practice squad for this game. While he could provide depth at the safety position, but he is more likely to see the field on special teams.

The Honolulu Blueprint: Keys to a Lions victory over the Bears

The Detroit Lions will look to hand the Chicago Bears a sixth straight loss and this week’s Honolulu Blueprint lays out key areas to win.

The Detroit Lions (4-7) are on the road this week to face their division rival Chicago Bears (5-6), where one game separates the two teams in the division cellar.

After the Lions Thanksgiving slaughter, principal owner Sheila Ford Hamp decided to clean house and fired both Matt Patricia and Bob Quinn. In their stead, Darrell Bevell was named the interim head coach, while the GM duties are made up of a slew of front office personnel.

It’s difficult to anticipate how different the Lions will look this week, but Bevell has said he wants the players to work hard but have fun in the process. On the flip side, mixed signals have gone out about the defense, but it’ll be interesting to see if the issues were mostly due to Patricia or these coordinators should share some of the blame.

The Bears were handed their own massacre on Monday Night Football against the Green Bay Packers, getting pummeled 41-25. Coach Matt Nagy was embarrassed by the performance and expected a whole lot more from the players.

The Bears started hot to begin the season, but they have fallen into the dark abyss, and have dropped their last five games — bringing into question if they are on the verge of purging their coach and GM as well.

It’ll be interesting to see how well the players have responded to the coaching situations this week, and with playoff hopes all but shot, for both teams, this game may determine the rest of their seasons.

Here are the key areas in this week’s Honolulu Blueprint the Lions need to focus on to secure victory.

Lions’ Week 12 Rookie report: John Penisini emerges as a starter

Setting rookie expectations for the Detroit Lions rookie as they prepare to face off with the Houston Texans on Thanksgiving Day.

The rookies of the Detroit Lions should be feeling thankful as they prepare to play in their first prime time game of their professional careers.

Today, the Lions will face the Houston Texans for the team’s annual Thanksgiving Day game, hoping to bounce back from their shutout loss last Sunday.

Here’s what to expect from the rookies this week:

CB Jeff Okudah

The Lions’ first-round pick was ruled out due to a shoulder injury that he suffered from a brutal hit in last week’s matchup against the Panthers.

RB D’Andre Swift

Swift, who has been in concussion protocol for over a week, is questionable to play in this game. The rookie running back returned to practice earlier this week but has had a limited workload as part of the league’s protocols.

It’s still unclear if he will play on Thanksgiving Day.

OL Jonah Jackson and Logan Stenberg

Jackson will be active despite finding himself on the injury report earlier this week — he does not carry an injury designation into this game.

The rookie offensive lineman has been a bright spot as Detroit’s starting left guard this season, and will continue to play in that role. Houston’s defense has amassed 21 sacks so far this season, albeit most have not come from defensive linemen. Still, Jackson and the rest of the line will have their work cut out for them this Thanksgiving.

As for the other rookie guard, don’t expect too much. Logan Stenberg has been inactive for most of the season, even when Detroit was faced with multiple injuries along the offensive line. Despite Halapoulivaati Vaitai moving to injured reserve a few days ago, Stenberg will still be the last offensive lineman to be called to the field for the Thanksgiving Day matchup.

Due to the number of players already ruled out, Stenberg will likely be active as the eight offensive lineman for the game, but don’t expect much from the fourth-round pick.

WR Quintez Cephus

Cephus could be primed for a bigger role as the Lions face a slew of injuries to the wide receiver position — both Kenny Golladay and Danny Amendola will be out again this week.

The rookie will backup Marvin Jones and Marvin Hall on the outside and serve as Detroit’s fourth or fifth option at receiver, depending on how the team plans to use veteran Mohammed Sanu.

Cephus had just one reception for nine yards last week while staying on the field for 30-percent of offensive snaps. His snap count should stay about the same against the Texans, and hopefully his production will be better.

DL John Penisini

Penisini has quietly been Detroit’s best interior defensive lineman throughout the 2020 season. After rising up the depth chart and seeing his snap counts increase from week to week, the rookie earned his first career sack against Carolina last Sunday and should get the start today.

The big-bodied lineman was originally thought to just be a backup nose tackle behind Danny Shelton but has proved to be more versatile and capable of a bigger role on the defense. His athleticism shined on his sack on Carolina’s P.J. Walker, where he chased down the speedy quarterback despite weighing over 100 pounds more than him.

Expect a solid game from Penisini against Houston.