Tag: Za’Darius Smith

Lions pass rush vs. Bears pass protection: Something’s got to give

Something’s got to give in battle between Detroit’s injury-ravaged D and Chicago’s bad blocking and Caleb Williams’ terrible sack rate

The Chicago Bears have a very real problem with pass protection. The Detroit Lions, thanks to injuries, have a problem rushing the passer of late.

Something’s got to give when the two square off in Soldier Field on Sunday.

Detroit’s pass rush has fallen off since the team lost starters Marcus Davenport, Derrick Barnes and (especially) Aidan Hutchinson in a four-week period. The Lions rank 26th in sack percentage and 23rd in QB pressure rate, but those figures fall to 27th in sack rate and 30th in pressure rate since Hutchinson was lost.

Now the Lions roll into Chicago without their top remaining rusher, DT Alim McNeill. It’s hard to quantify just how much that will impact the Lions pass rush, but consider he’s been responsible for almost exactly 20 percent of the team’s QB pressures over the last five weeks. Needless to say, it’s not a good development.

If ever there was a fortuitous time for the dilapidated Lions defense to make a statement, it’s facing the Chicago Bears. Losers of eight games in a row, their inability to protect rookie QB Caleb Williams, as well as Williams’ own inability to protect himself, has been one of the big reasons for the losses.

No current starting quarterback gets sacked more frequently than Williams, who averages going down on every ninth dropback. Over the last four weeks, which includes the first meeting between the two NFC North rivals, Williams has been both sacked and pressured more frequently than any other quarterback. Chicago allows a sack rate over 12 percent in that timeframe, despite ranking in the middle of the pack (18th) in pressure allowed rate.

From NFL Inside Edge, the sack rate for starting QBs:

In the Thanksgiving meeting in Detroit, the Lions sacked Williams five times and recorded 16 QB hurries (per PFF) on 44 dropbacks by the Bears offense. In the two games since, the Lions have recorded one sack and the 21st-ranked pressure rate in the league. And that was with McNeill!

The Bears pass protection gave and the Lions defense took in that last meeting. If Detroit can win that battle of give/take on Sunday, it will go a long way toward helping the Lions to get back on the winning path.

2 Lions fined for plays during the Week 14 win over the Packers

2 Lions fined for plays during the Week 14 win over the Packers, including rookie OL Christian Mahogany in his first offensive action

A pair of Detroit Lions were fined by the NFL for plays during last Thursday’s home win over the rival Green Bay Packers. Interestingly, neither fine resulted from a play that was penalized during the game.

Defensive end Za’Darius Smith and rookie offensive guard Christian Mahogany were the fined parties. Mahogany got dinged just over $4,600 for grabbing a facemask on one of his three offensive snaps in the game, his NFL debut on offense.

Smith picked up a fine of $6,722 for a hit on Packers QB Jordan Love’s head after he threw the ball. As with Mahogany’s infraction, no flag was thrown on the play. No Packers were fined for any actions during the game, which Detroit won 34-31 to improve to 12-1.

 

Lions vs Packers: Last-minute thoughts and final score prediction for Week 14

Lions vs Packers: Last-minute thoughts and final score prediction for the Week 14 matchup on Thursday night

For the second week in a row, we are treated to Detroit Lions football on a Thursday instead of the traditional Sunday kickoff. As was the case in Week 13’s Thanksgiving matinee against the Chicago Bears, this Thursday pits the LIons in a home game against a division rival.

This time, it’s Thursday night football against the Green Bay Packers. Yeah, those guys from the other side of Lake Michigan. The place where the Lions roared to a 24-14 victory five weeks ago that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicates.

As I sip the morning coffee amidst a winter storm warning that has closed schools and businesses everywhere around me, the chill of the specter of tonight’s game is unavoidable. This is a big one for both teams.

Why I think the Lions will win

The running game with Sonic and Knuckles, better known as Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, continues to play exceedingly well. The Lions offense can control the game script because they can run so effectively in any situation. 1st-and-10, Montgomery gets eight. 3rd-and-3, Gibbs blasts off for 17.

The ability to consistently generate big plays from the run game is huge for Detroit. It’s also huge in how it impacts the opposing defense. The Packers linebackers and safeties have to remain alert for the potential that Gibbs will be racing to the outside on a simple zone run, or Montgomery will run through the initial tackle and be charging at them at full speed, often with Penei Sewell and Kevin Zeitler still leading the way well past the line of scrimmage. That’s in addition to their potential coverage responsibilities against Sam LaPorta, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and even Tim Patrick, who has become more involved in the passing offense since the first meeting.

Detroit might have to focus on outscoring the Packers in this one, thanks to all the defensive attrition. Jared Goff and his merry band of weaponry can do it, and do it unapologetically. That’s a very real edge for the Lions; they’ve done it before and can do it again. The Lions know it, but the Packers do too, and that puts considerable pressure on a young, mistake-prone Green Bay team to try and match. That’s how Detroit so comfortably handled the Week 9 game in Green Bay.

Special teams certainly deserves a nod for the Lions. Punter Jack Fox is having an incredible season. In a golden age of NFL punting, Fox remains the gold standard for consistency in flipping the field. The coverage units have remained strong despite major injury-induced personnel changes, too. Coordinator Dave Fipp has his units playing as well as anyone.

Defensively, there is a “revenge game” angle for a couple of key Lions–perhaps the two most key Detroit defenders. Za’Darius Smith has taken over as the team’s top pass rusher since joining the team. Before he joined the Lions, Smith openly talked about how badly he wanted to come to Detroit specifically so he could play against the Packers, his old team. Smith’s tenure with Green Bay did not end well, and he’s ready to take out some frustration.

Safety Brian Branch had to watch most of the Week 9 win from the locker room after being ejected for a questionable hit. Branch’s ability to make big plays and be a versatile wild card at the back end is integral to everything coordinator Aaron Glenn wants to do defensively, and now Branch has an edge of redemption to him. That should play very well for Detroit.

What worries me about the Packers

Green Bay is playing some very strong football over the past three weeks, winning all three games since losing to Detroit. Their Week 10 bye revived and refocused their offense, notably in ball security. Jordan Love has been playing smarter, cleaner ball; Green Bay has just one giveaway in those three games.

Some of that stems from Josh Jacobs running the ball extremely well. He’s the type of RB that has given the Lions defense some trouble this year, and now the Detroit defense must try to slow him down without premium run defender DJ Reader and three of its top four LBs behind him. Reader’s loss is a big one, because the nose tackle is exceptional at keeping blockers away from Jack Campbell and all the replacements surrounding him at linebacker. Now it’s up to Brodric Martin, who has played exactly two snaps all year. All of the line depth and all of the linebacking depth is completely new from the first meeting.

I give Glenn a ton of credit for keeping the Lions defense formidable throughout all the injuries. But there’s only so much that all those bandages can stretch before they snap, and I worry that happens against a multitalented Packers offense that has been playing largely mistake-free ball lately. Love has found a bit of a rhythm as the Packers lean on Jacobs and a better-than-advertised run blocking OL, and he’s got dangerous weapons in Christian Watson, Tucker Kraft, Dontayvion Wicks and Jayden Reed. Those guys might not be stars, and all have some inconsistency to their games, but they’re playing very well collectively of late.

The Lions patchwork defense has benefitted from playing erratic QBs in Anthony Richardson and Caleb Williams, each of which plays behind an offensive line that isn’t nearly as good as what it will see against Green Bay. Based on the last few weeks, it’s unfair to lump Love in with those quarterbacks, too.

That’s got the potential for Green Bay to play with a lead, and that’s a bit of an issue for the Lions offense. Not having left tackle Taylor Decker could be very bad for Detroit. Decker wasn’t terribly missed against Chicago and their straightforward pass rush attack. Green Bay does a lot more blitzing and wide-angle rushing than the Bears, and that’s not a strong suit for Decker’s replacement, Dan Skipper. As much as we all love Skipper, he’s also not nearly the run-blocking presence that Decker is. With left guard Graham Glasgow also not playing well of late, I worry that a more one-handed offense will struggle against a swift, aggressive Packers defense.

Final score prediction

The Lions are rightly favored to win, but I can’t escape the feeling that the myriad injuries finally catch up to the team tonight. Not having Decker and Reader is huge; I would pick the Lions if either were playing in Week 14. But they’re not, and Green Bay is playing focused enough that I don’t think the Packers give back that advantage.

Packers 29, Lions 21

Dan Campbell on Za’Darius Smith: ‘He’s going to help us big-time’

Lions head coach Dan Campbell on new EDGE Za’Darius Smith: ‘He’s going to help us big-time’

Nearly two weeks after being acquired in a trade from the Cleveland Browns, defensive end Za’Darius Smith will take the field wearing Detroit Lions colors. Smith will make his Lions debut on Sunday in Week 11 against the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars.

Smith didn’t play in the Week 10 win in Houston, though the veteran EDGE was prominent on the Detroit sideline. Head coach Dan Campbell gave him the bye week he would have had while with Cleveland. Campbell is now ready to unleash his new defensive weapon–but with some limitations.

“Yeah, we’ll work him in, we’ll make sure that we use him appropriately,” Campbell told reporters about Smith before Friday’s practice. “Look, he’s going to play on all downs, but we’re going to maximize what he’s got in the tank to help us. I guess, if you – pitch count, yes, somewhere in there we’ll get him some.”

As for Campbell’s expectations of Smith? It’s clear the Lions aren’t asking the 32-year-old Smith to become Aidan Hutchinson.

Campbell noted how well Smith is blending in with fellow linemates Josh Paschal and Alim McNeill, as well as his attention to detail beyond just rushing the passer 1-on-1. He then warned fans not to expect gaudy sack production like Hutchinson was producing,

“So, would I love to see six sacks? Yeah, absolutely, but no, so don’t come out of this game being like, ‘Well, he didn’t get six sacks. I mean, what are we doing?’ He’s going to help us and that’s going to be evident. That was good to see him yesterday, he’s going to help us big-time.”

Lions post-Week 10 injury report and medical analysis

Lions post-Week 10 injury report and medical analysis after the win in Houston and getting ready for Week 11 and the Jaguars

I just returned from Houston where I voluntarily and eagerly overdosed on smoked brisket and Tex-Mex fajitas. Conversely, I involuntarily and begrudgingly overdosed on watching interceptions. At least the final result was a panacea.

Other notes from the stadium:

  • The Texans Battle Red helmets looked fantastic with the mirror red finish. The Lions silver helmets look much shinier and sparkly in person than they do on TV. With the Lions blueberries, this could have been a gorgeous color rush game but alas.
  • The roof was open for only the second time since 2021 which afforded a nice view of the moon and the fireworks. Fortunately, there was not even a hint of wind as that could easily have changed the outcome of the game with how tight Jake Bates’ field goals were to the uprights.
  • Credit to the Texans fans for being raucous all game and the Lions fans for bringing the heat in the fourth quarter. It was an excellent Sunday night atmosphere all the way around.

The game was overall a very healthy one for the Lions. Nothing live at the game jumped out to me from an injury standpoint. There were some minor concerns upon TV review, but the initial injury report is reassuring. The main concern was Sam LaPorta and there is early good news with him.

DETROIT LIONS

Sam LaPorta TE (NP) shoulder

LaPorta suffered a left AC joint sprain. Dan Campbell on Wednesday called it “day-to-day”. If this was the playoffs or a significant regular season game, I would fully expect him to play. Since it’s not, I expect him to miss at least this Sunday vs the Jaguars. There is no long-term concern though.

Taylor Decker OT (LP) shoulder

Decker stated he had a rotator cuff strain in practice last week. He has a history of shoulder labrum surgery in 2017 to the same side. Fortunately, the signs are that this is a minor, short-term issue. Dan Campbell on Wednesday stated “I feel better about having Decker this week… I think he’s going to be able to make it”.

Malcolm Rodriguez LB (LP) ankle

After two straight weeks of NP’s, upgrading to an LP on Wednesday is a good sign that he may be ready to go after missing two games.

Brodric Martin DT (FP) knee

After being on IR all year with a right knee hyperextension, Martin had his 21-day practice window opened on October 30. Expect him to be out for the Jaguars game and moved to the active roster early next week.

Ifeatu Melifonwu S (FP) ankle

Coming off IR with a suspected Achilles tendonitis, Melifonwu’s practice window opened November 6. He’s very likely out on Sunday but should be moved to the active roster before Thanksgiving.

Emmanuel Moseley CB (FP) pec

Recovering from his torn pec in August, Moseley’s 21-day practice window opened November 6. Like Melifonwu, he’s also likely out this Sunday but will move to the active roster before Thanksgiving.

Za’Darius Smith DE (FP) personal

Smith got a personal bye week after the trade and should be raring to go this week.

NOTABLES

Graham Glasgow in the first drive vs the Texans landed on his head and got up shaking his head. This was not shown on TV but I noticed it at the game. Fortunately, there has been no concussion diagnosis.

Carlton Davis in the 3rd quarter got kneed hard in the back of the right lower leg and limped off the field. This was likely just a contusion as he returned to play. Direct impact to that area can lead to a much worse outcome as we saw with Aidan Hutchinson’s tib/fib.

Alim McNeill appeared to be having right TMJ (temporomandibular joint) pain in the 3rd quarter. I reviewed video of the play as well as multiple previous plays of his and didn’t see any trauma to that area. Possibly, he just bit down hard and injured that joint. He was able to return to the game and should be fine going forward. Most TMJ pains will resolve on their own without significant treatment. Injecting the joint is an option to relieve pain and inflammation.

Terrion Arnold, on the Lions final defensive play, had his right ankle area banged a couple times which left him limping off the field. Good to see him unlisted which means it’s likely just a contusion.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Trevor Lawrence QB (NP) left shoulder

Lawrence missed last game with a non-throwing AC joint sprain and will also miss the Lions game. Mac Jones was 14/22 for 111 yards last game vs the Vikings.

Tank Bigsby RB (NP) ankle

Bigsby is the Jaguars #1 RB this year with 519 yards. He has been having an ankle issue the past 2-3 weeks and aggravated it last game. With an NP, there is a good chance he’ll get some time off which would mean Travis Etienne Jr. (298 yards) likely takes the bulk of the carries.

Brian Thomas WR (LP) chest

Thomas, the Jaguars #1 WR, hurt his ribs two weeks ago but hasn’t missed a game. Expect him to play on Sunday.

NOTABLES

Christian Kirk, the Jaguars 2nd-leading WR, is on IR with a clavicle fracture suffered two weeks ago.

Here is the full report:

 

Za’Darius Smith not expected to play Sunday vs. Texans

Za’Darius Smith’s debut likely on hold for a week, but he at least gets his week off.

Lions fans will have to wait a week to see the debut of new edge rusher Za’Darius Smith. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Smith, who was acquired by the Lions on Tuesday just before the trade deadline, will not play Sunday night against the Houston Texans.

Rapoport reports Smith is “not quite ready.” This could also be a case of the Lions giving Smith some time off. The Browns did not have their bye week before making this trade and the Lions have already had their bye week.

In other words, if Smith had played today, he would have potentially not had his own bye week and could have played 18 games. So this could also be simple load management by the Lions.

Za’Darius Smith explains his cryptic tweet on NFL trade deadline day

New Lions EDGE Za’Darius Smith explains his cryptic tweet on NFL trade deadline day

This past Tuesday was the NFL trade deadline. As anxious as Lions fans were about potentially adding some pass rush help, the player Detroit acquired was notably full of angst as well.

Za’Darius Smith wanted out of Cleveland, where the Browns are 2-7 and drifting farther away from contention with every passing week. Smith had even made it known that Detroit was his preferred destination.

So when a long-rumored deal wasn’t getting done yet on Tuesday morning, Smith shared his frustration with a simple social media post.

“SMH”

Whether the cryptic tweet helped grease the skids for the trade, we may never know. But the deal was done less than 90 minutes later and Smith deleted the post. In his first meeting with the Detroit media, Smith smiled and explained the post.

“It was just taking too long. It was taking too long,” Smith told reporters on Friday. “But obviously they got it done, and I deleted it man. Sorry to the fans that were thinking otherwise.”

The consummate professional, Smith did take time to thank the Browns for a successful stint there and for getting a deal done with Detroit.

“(I) thank them, man, for just having me for two years,” Smith stated. “Well, a year and a half, and trading me here for basically giving me a chance to go do something great.”

Smith is questionable for Sunday night’s game in Houston after only practicing on Friday.

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Will new Lions DE Za’Darius Smith play on Sunday night vs. Texans?

Za’Darius is headed to Detriot, but will he be on the field when the Lions take on the Texans this Sunday?

Za’Darius Smith was brought in to upgrade the pass rush entering the second half of the Detroit Lions season.

He might have to wait a week before debuting with his new team.

Lions coach Dan Campbell told reporters on Wednesday that the team would give Smith off until Friday, thus allowing him time to acclimate and enjoy some rest on what would have been his bye week with the Cleveland Browns.

If Smith doesn’t appear on the Lions injury report on Friday, it likely means he’s good to when the NFC favorites take on the Houston Texans. If he does, Detriot could be missing its best pass-rusher when facing C.J. Stroud.

“He’ll be back with us on Friday and we’ll see exactly where he’s at. I can’t confirm whether he’s going to play or not,” Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said. “That’ll be up to coach Campbell and (Smith) to see exactly where he’s at, but I am excited having that player.”

Smith, 32, joins a Lions’ roster hit by a litany of injuries toward their defensive line over the last month. Aidan Hutchinson (leg), Marcus Davenport (pectoral), Derrick Barnes (knee) and John Cominsky (knee), have all dealt with ailments that have sidelined them for weeks.

Hutchinson, who was on pace with Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. for Defensive Player of the Year, is out for the season. Davenport won’t return until at least the playoffs, should the Lions continue their success.
Enter Smith, a three-time Pro Bowl pass rusher with five sacks already attached to his name. Over the past three games, the Lions’ pass rush has registered just five sacks to Smith’s 2.5.

The Texans are prepping for the Lions with the intention of Smith seeing the field. Despite being on a new team, Houston faced Smith twice last season during the regular season and AFC Wild Card Round.

In the first go-around, Smith registered three tackles for loss and two sacks.

“One thing that sticks out about him is that he rushes with power. He’s quick, explosive, rushes with power,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “And of course, we have to have eyes on him at all times, be well aware that we have to make sure we’re blocking him.”

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. The game will be nationally televised on NBC.

Za’Darius Smith gets his Lions jersey number from a new teammate

Za’Darius Smith gets his familiar No. 99 jersey with the Lions and Brodric Martin changes his number

When new Lions defensive Za’Darius Smith makes his debut in Detroit’s Week 10 game in Houston on Sunday night, the veteran will be wearing his familiar jersey number. Smith, acquired in a trade on Tuesday from the Cleveland Browns, is listed on the Lions’ official roster as No. 99.

That number wasn’t immediately available when Smith joined the team. Defensive tackle Brodric Martin has been wearing No. 99, though Martin has yet to play in 2024. Martin, who wore No. 98 as a rookie in 2023, is now listed as No. 96. Injured DT Kyle Peko, who is out for the season, previously wore the 96 jersey.

No word on if Smith gave up anything to acquire the 99 jersey from Martin. The new No. 96 is in his second week of practicing after being designated to return from I.R.

How much cap space do the Browns have in 2025 after Za’Darius Smith trade?

After trading away Za’Darius Smith, we take a loot at their future cap outlook.

The Cleveland Browns traded Za’Darius Smith, who was due a cap number of $5.7 million in 2025.

However, due to the void year the Browns used to space out his cap hit, they do have to eat all of his bonuses in the contract, taking on $14.2 million in dead money when they dealt him to the Detroit Lions. This is added to the $22.5 million in dead money they are eating for trading wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills as well.

This must mean the Browns are sitting in a bad spot with their salary cap, right? Not so fast. While on paper they are currently slotted at $8 million in the red, even factoring in the approximately $45 million they will roll over from 2024, there is a great deal of cap flexibility baked into their current contracts to clear plenty of space to play with.

So let’s take a look at their salary cap situation in 2025 after trading Smith.

The Browns only account for 41 of 53 players in 2025, however, so we have to consider that 12 other players and their salaries will be added.

Most of these players will come in the form of rookies on rookie contracts, so filling out the majority of the rest of the roster will be inexpensive. However, we still want to leave room to potentially trade for a veteran or sign a few free agents right?

So some more cap space will have to be cleared.

Whether the fans or national media like it or not, the Browns are going to restructure the contract of Deshaun Watson again in 2025. This does not make him any less cuttable after the season. The full amount is already guaranteed, so if you can push the same amount of money today into a rising cap total, that is what the Browns are going to do.

This will clear about $44 million in cap space for the Browns alone and push them to about $36 million in the positive. Right tackle Jack Conklin is also a cuttable asset, however, if he stays healthy and continues to play well they may want to keep him around another year.

Cornerback Denzel Ward has a deal that would be quite easy to restructure as well that would clear about another $12 million in cap space. If the Browns hang onto Greg Newsome II and do not trade him, they could do the same and clear about another $12 million there. His money is already guaranteed as well, so they wouldn’t be adding any more guaranteed money to make this move either.

Even without cutting Conklin in this case, the Browns would already sit at around $60 million in cap space. Cutting Conklin would push that total closer to $77 million. Again, we have to account for the other 12 players that the Browns will have to add to the roster, so a more realistic number might sit around $55-60 million in cap space next year as a cushion.

Again, the Browns love to roll over around $30 million (more this year), so the number of effective money to use may sit closer to $20-$25 million. Which is still plenty.

So despite eating a ton of dead cap money by trading both Cooper and Smith, the Browns essentially bought a third round pick from the Bills with Cooper’s money and bought a fifth and sixth round pick from the Lions.

Any free agent the Browns will sign as well will have a base minimum salary with the majority of their first year of the deal being paid out in the form of bonuses. This does not count against the cap space. This has been the case with any contract extension or big free agent like Dalvin Tomlinson that has been added.

Despite the dreaded Watson contract, the Browns retain plenty of cap flexibility heading into the future.