Tag: lions news

Analyst thinks Matt Stafford can be 2020’s NFL passing leader

Can Georgia football great Matthew Stafford, now with the Detroit Lions, lead the NFL in passing yards in 2020? One NFL analyst thinks so.

NFL.com contributing columnist Adam Schein released nine ‘bold predictions’ for the 2020 NFL season and is high on Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Schein used one of his predictions to state that Stafford will lead the NFL in passing yards this year.

He writes:

“It’s Year 2 in Darrell Bevell’s offense, an attack that suited Stafford quite well last fall. Detroit has a fine trio of receivers in Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones and Danny Amendola, and I think T.J. Hockenson can enjoy a breakout sophomore campaign with better health. Rookie RB D’Andre Swift was a steal in Round 2, and he’s a legit weapon in the passing game. Detroit still has issues on defense, meaning Stafford is going to be called upon to throw the ball a lot.”

It’s not too crazy to think that Stafford can do this. He’s never done it before, but he’s consistently right near the top of NFL passing leaders and already ranks 18th all-time in career passing yards.

Stafford played in eight games last year before missing the second half of the season with a back injury. But before he got injured, he was playing at an MVP caliber level. He had thrown for 2,500 yards through eight games, meaning he was on pace for a 5,000 yard season. If he kept up that pace he would have competed with Jamies Winston for the 2019 passing title. Winston finished first with 5,109 yards.

Stafford will have plenty of weapons around him in 2020, but thanks to what’s likely going to be yet another weak defense, the Lions should find themselves playing from behind quite often. That just means more yards for Stafford.

Georgia great, Detroit Lions RB D’Andre Swift tabbed as instant impact rookie

Former Georgia football RB D’Andre Swift, now with the Detroit Lions, tabbed as an instant-impact NFL rookie.

USA TODAY has released its list of the 20 NFL rookies who could make instant impacts in the 2020 NFL season. Among those listed is former Georgia star D’Andre Swift, who was drafted by the Detroit Lions in this year’s NFL Draft.

Swift checked in at No. 7 on the list.

Via USA TODAY :

“Detroit Lions RB D’Andre Swift (second round / 35th overall): Since Barry Sanders retired in 1999, this team has enjoyed four 1,000-yard rushing seasons from three players, none since 2013. Swift totaled nearly 2,300 yards on the ground over his final two season at Georgia and has the tools to supplant oft-injured Kerryon Johnson, perhaps on an every-down basis.”

Also on the list was former Georgia kicker Rodrigo Blankenship, who went undrafted and was signed by the Colts. He checked in at No. 20.

We touched on that here. 

It looks as if Swift landed in a good spot in Detroit. He has former Georgia passer Matthew Stafford under center, one of the most prolific passers in the NFL, and will be competing for the starting job with former Auburn Tiger Kerryon Johnson, who is entering his third year and has had a hard time staying healthy.

Last week, Stafford, Swift, and former Bulldog, Lions tight end Isaac Nauta were seen working out together. Rumors surfaced that Swift was the favorite to win the starting running back job over Johnson, but the former Auburn back was quick to fire back at the critics who assumed he wasn’t staying in shape.

As the NFL begins to reopen its team facilities, we should get a better look at both Johnson and Swift as teams begin to practice for the 2020 season. Regardless on who is tabbed as the starter come September, Swift will see plenty of touches, especially through the air from that infamous Stafford side-arm.

Georgia Bulldogs on the Lions: Matthew Stafford talks D’Andre Swift addition

Georgia football great Matthew Stafford and D’Andre Swift have teamed up on the Detroit Lions, and the former UGA QB is excited about it.

Matthew Stafford is excited to play with fellow Georgia Bulldog D’Andre Swift on the Detroit Lions this year.

Detroit used its second round pick to take Swift, and Stafford cannot wait to see what he will do in the Lions’ offense.

“As a player goes, he’s a back that can kind of do it all,” Stafford said of Swift in a Zoom call, per detroitlions.com’s Tim Twentyman. “I think he does a good job out of the backfield catching the ball and making big plays. They handed it to him a bunch and he was doing a great job running with it.”

Stafford, who played for Georgia from 2006-08 before becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 draft, knows what Swift is capable of. The two have already trained together as members of the same franchise along with another Dawg on the Lions, tight end Isaac Nauta.

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Swift joins a running back room that includes former Auburn ball carrier Kerryon Johnson and Alabama’s Bo Scarbrough. That’s some pretty legit SEC talent in the Lions’ backfield.

“I think it’s huge,” Stafford said of the Lions adding Swift to their backfield. “In the NFL everybody, but especially running backs, get dinged up and beat up here and there throughout a season, and really throughout games. The more guys you can have back there that can carry the rock and do a good job for you the better off you’re going to be.”

Lions: Kerryon Johnson replies to D’Andre Swift hype on Twitter

Georgia football vs Auburn Tigers has found its way to the Detroit Lions. AU’s Kerryon Johnson tired of hearing about UGA’s D’Andre Swift.

The Detroit Lions selected Georgia running back D’Andre Swift with the 35th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Swift will likely get the bulk of the touches at the running back position going forward, even with former Auburn ball carrier Kerryon Johnson, who’s had a solid start to his NFL career, on the roster.

Johnson is a good player, but there’s a reason Swift was taken by Detroit in the second round.

Fans have begun suggesting that Swift is coming for that starting position, but it appears Johnson harbors no animosity toward Swift. He may be growing tired of hearing about it, but at the end of the day they are teammates and it seems he genuinely wants Swift to succeed.

@LionsFanReport, a Lions Twitter fan account, tweeted a photo of Johnson enjoying the beach, coupled with a photo of Swift working with fellow Bulldog and quarterback Matthew Stafford.

The fan account was suggesting that Swift is coming for Johnson’s starting job.

“I assure you it’s scientifically possible to workout and NOT post about it…I’m with the ignorance tho if you wanna get started,” Johnson wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

Johnson made it clear that he looks forward to working with Swift, rather than against him.

“Like imma want him to fail so i can succeed? Lmao that’s not how it works…they just don’t understand,” Johnson followed up on Twitter.

Johnson was looking like one of the NFL’s best young running backs during his first two seasons. However, injuries cut both of his seasons short.

At Auburn, Johnson was a problem for Georgia in the Tigers’ home win over the Bulldogs in 2017. In that Auburn blowout, Johnson took 32 carries for 167 yards and had two catches for 66 yards and a touchdown.

But the second time around, in the SEC Championship Game, Johnson was playing through a shoulder injury that he suffered against Alabama the week prior. In Georgia’s 28-7 win, Johnson only had 44 yards. It was Swift, though, who led all rushers with 88 yards that game. A freshman, Swift took a 64 yard sprint to the house in one of the most iconic plays of the Kirby Smart era.

Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford puts Michigan home up for sale

Former Georgia football star and current Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford recently listed his Michigan home for sale worth $6.5m.

Detroit Lions veteran QB Matthew Stafford recently listed his $6.5 million Michigan home for sale. The home was rumored to be on the market this off-season, but it seems it has only been listed for the last day or so.

Stafford was drafted by the Lions in the 2009 NFL Draft with the No. 1 pick. Now in his 12th season, the former Georgia star is the most prolific passer in Detroit Lions history with over 41,000 yards through the air.

Trade speculation is usually high on the list when a tenured quarterback puts his home up for sale, but this isn’t exactly the case with the Stafford family. Matthew and his wife, Kelly Stafford, have three daughters and are expecting a fourth child soon. So it’s fair to guess that the reason they are selling their current home is so they can move into a more kid-friendly one. They moved into this house in 2013, before they had any children.

Kelly confirmed that when she said on her Instagram that the reason for the move is to find a home that is more suitable for their young girls rather than a house with a pool and a lake.

 

Detroit Lions assign D’Andre Swift temporary jersey number

Former Georgia football RB D’Andre Swift has been assigned a temporary jersey number by the Detroit Lions.

Former Georgia running back D’Andre Swift was selected 35th overall by the Detroit Lions in the 2020 NFL Draft.

A few weeks removed from the virtual draft, rookies are starting to get their jersey numbers.

As for Detroit, the Lions are handing out temporary numbers until they finalize their roster.

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Swift will wear #6 for the time being, according to Detroit News.

The number is only temporary, as running backs are not allowed to wear single digit numbers anyway. Swift will be placed into a permanent number upon completion of the Lions’ 53 man roster, and given the NFL rules for jersey numbers by positions, Swift will wear something between 20 and 49.

As of now, Detroit has not officially announced the signing of any draft picks.

From DetroitNews:

The current problem for Detroit’s top two selections (Jeff Okudah, D’Andre Swift) is there were no numbers to choose. The only numbers available between 20-49 are 20, 22 and 37, but all three have been retired by the franchise to honor all-time greats Barry Sanders, Bobby Layne and Doak Walker.

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Georgia greats, Lions teammates Matt Stafford, D’Andre Swift, Isaac Nauta workout together

Former Georgia Bulldogs RB D’Andre Swift, QB Matthew Stafford and TE Isaac Nauta seen working out together in Detroit.

With the 35th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions selected Georgia running back D’Andre Swift, where he will team up with some fellow Bulldogs.

Swift will be joining former teammate and Lions’ tight end Isaac Nauta, along with legendary Georgia Bulldog and Lions’ franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford, selected 1st overall in 2009.

Former UGA defensive tackle John Atkins is also on the roster.

All Georgia Bulldog fans have been ecstatic to see these Dawgs get to work in Detroit, and that day has come.

It was not all four of them, but Stafford, Swift and Nauta were seen working out for the first time together this Friday.

Even though we didn’t get to see any practice reps with the three, it’s refreshing to see some Dawgs on the turf, especially these three together.

We’re expecting big things out of the Dawgs in Detroit come next season.

Watch: Former Georgia QB Matt Stafford shows off crazy math skills

During the Detroit Lions draft party, former Georgia football QB Matt Stafford showed his crazy math skills.

If you thought all Matthew Stafford had was a really strong arm, well, you’d be incorrect.

The former Georgia quarterback and No. 1 overall pick in the 20019 NFL Draft went on the Lions draft party and showed some absolutely wild math skills.

Stafford was a first-team All American in 2008 at Georgia and was the first overall pick by the Detroit Lions in the 2009 NFL Draft.

As a 11-year starter in Detroit, he now leads the Lions in career passing yards by a mere 26,000 yards over second place.

Whenever Stafford decides to hang up his cleats, it’s nice to know that at the very least he has a bright future as an accountant.

Lions fans, enjoy these D’Andre Swift Georgia highlights

Detroit Lions, you may want to watch these Georgia football highlights of D’Andre Swift, who you just selected #35 overall in 2020 NFL Draft

D’Andre Swift is now a Detroit Lion, hearing his name called with the 35th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Swift finished his collegiate career ranking seventh in Georgia history with 2,885 rushing yards.

When Swift committed to Georgia in September of 2016 (in epic fashion), he did so as a 5-star running back out of Philadelphia who ranked as the No. 4 ball carrier in the country.

He knew he was about to join a crowded running back room, with Sony Michel, Nick Chubb and Elijah Holyfield all on the roster.

In 2017, Swift burst onto the scene. In a backfield that included two future NFL stars, the freshman still took 81 handoffs for 618 yards as he helped the Bulldogs to the national championship game.

When Michel and Chubb left Athens for the NFL, it was Swift’s turn. Paired with Holyfield, the two formed a deadly duo and rushed for 2,067 yards, with both topping the 1,000 marker.

With Michel and Chub gone, Swift began to show Georgia fans a crazy blend of finesse, speed and power. In 2019, he ran for 1,218 yards and caught 24 passes for 216 yards. He had eight total touchdowns last year.

The sky is the limit for Swift. Lions, you have one job — don’t mess it up.

Lions fans, if you’re unsure of Swift’s abilities check out this video featuring #7’s best runs of his three-year Georgia career.

Video via JustBombsProductions:

 

Georgia players, coaches react as D’Andre Swift goes #35 to Lions

Reactions from Georgia football players and coaches as RB D’Andre Swift goes #35 to the Detroit Lions in the 2020 NFL Draft.

On Friday night, D’Andre Swift was selected with 35th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

It may have come a day late, but Swift is now an NFL running back.

Twitter erupted when Swift, regarded as the class’ top running back prospect, heard his name called. And rightfully so – Swift is a hard worker, a competitor and a fighter. He plays with a chip on his shoulder, and that chip got even bigger when he did not get drafted in the first round.

Some former Dawgs also jumped on to Twitter to express excitement over Swift becoming a Detroit Lion.

Here are a few reactions from some Georgia Bulldogs from Friday night:

Not a Georgia player, but his new teammate Jeff Okudah out of Ohio State, who the Lions at #3 last night.