Tag: Lions record

USA TODAY projects the Lions to finish in 2nd place in NFC North

The Lions rocket up the standings in the 2022 season record predictions from USA TODAY

Summer is often the season of NFL record predictions for the upcoming season. A few of those 2022 projections have the Detroit Lions nicely improving on the 3-13-1 record from a year ago.

One of those who foresees even bigger and better things for Detroit is Nate Davis of USA TODAY (subscription required). His official prediction is for the Lions to rocket up to eight wins and finish in second place in the NFC North division.

Here’s what Davis wrote in predicting the Lions to finish 8-9,

They played .500 football over the final six weeks of last season after going winless during the first 11 games. The culture seems to be established even if a building talent quotient probably still isn’t quite ready to challenge for a wild card.

The Minnesota Vikings are also projected to finish 8-9, well behind the Green Bay Packers at the top of the division. The Chicago Bears are at the bottom of the barrel at 4-13.

It’s a rosy picture painted for Detroit and it’s based as much on how well-coached the team is under Dan Campbell than it is the players themselves. That might explain why Campbell is a betting darling on the NFL Coach of the Year front.

Lions schedule: Too-early game-by-game predictions for all 17 games

Craig Reynolds shines, makes Lions history in his first career start at RB

Reynolds joined some lofty company with his performance in his first two games with the Lions

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Craig Reynolds burst onto the Lions scene in Week 14 in Denver. In his first career NFL regular-season game, Reynolds netted 83 yards on 11 carries while filling in for D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams. It was quite the debut, but Reynolds was just getting started.

Reynolds earned the starting nod for Detroit in Week 15. And he etched his name in Lions history with his 25-carry, 112-yard performance in the team’s 30-12 upset win over the Arizona Cardinals.

Only Billy Sims has ever run for more yards in his first two games in a Lions uniform than Reynolds. The unheralded, undrafted (2019) D-II product matches Sims and Mel Farr as the only Detroit players to top 75 rushing yards in their first two games. Sims and Farr were both top-10 overall draft picks.

(Because I know you’re curious, Barry Sanders ran for 71 and 57 in his first two starts in 1989)

Not bad for a guy who will revert back to the practice squad on Monday. That’s right; Reynolds isn’t even on the Lions’ 53-man roster. He’s been a practice squad elevation both weeks.

Expect that to change quickly for Reynolds, who also thrived in the preseason when given chances to prove himself.

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Lions make dubious history by blowing yet another double-digit lead

The Lions have blown leads of 10 or more in 4 straight weeks, an NFL record

The Detroit Lions raced out to a quick 14-3 lead over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday before the first quarter ended. It turned out to be another case of fool’s gold for Lions fans.

In the process of getting their doors blown off 39-7 over the final three quarters, the Lions set an NFL record that nobody wants their name associated with in the history books. No team has ever blown double-digit leads in four straight games and lost in the 100-year history of the NFL until Matt Patricia’s Lions managed the dubious feat on Sunday. From the ESPN Stats & Info department,

The record-setting string:

Week 2 – led 14-3 in Green Bay, lost 42-20

Week 1 – led 23-6 in the 4th quarter over Chicago, lost to the Bears 27-23

Week 17 of 2019 – led the Packers 17-3 at halftime, lost 23-20

Week 16 – led 10-0 at Denver, lost 27-17 to the Broncos