Detroit Free Press

Dave Birkett Detroit Free Press Published 4:00 PM EDT Sep 19, 2020 The Detroit Lions placed their second starter of the week on injured reserve, left guard Joe Dahl. Dahl suffered a groin injury in practice Thursday and was previously ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers. He’ll miss at least three weeks,

Dave Birkett Detroit Free Press Published 2:53 PM EDT Sep 19, 2020 First, it was the Detroit Lions secondary that was riddled with injuries. Now, it’s the team’s defensive line. The Lions downgraded starting defensive tackle Nick Williams to out for Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers because of a shoulder injury. For subscribers:

Shawn Windsor Detroit Free Press Published 1:48 PM EDT Sep 19, 2020 The Detroit Lions don’t have to win Sunday. Seriously. They don’t.   They can lose to the Packers and still make the playoffs. It has been done before.   From 2007 to 2018, 98 teams opened their season 0-2, according to CBS Sports. Twelve teams made the playoffs.  But wait, the news gets better.

Carlos Monarrez Detroit Free Press Published 8:00 AM EDT Sep 19, 2020 The Detroit Lions have no chance against the Green Bay Packers, right? How could they? They just lost to Mitchell Trubisky and the Chicago Bears in the most Liony way ever. They’re facing a hot Aaron Rodgers. They’re playing at Lambeau Field, a

Dave Birkett Detroit Free Press Published 6:02 AM EDT Sep 19, 2020 Free Press sports writer Dave Birkett breaks down the Detroit Lions’ Week 2 game at the Green Bay Packers and makes a prediction:  Detroit Lions (0-1) at Green Bay Packers (1-0) The coaches: Lions: Matt Patricia (9-20-1 overall, 9-20-1 with Lions; Packers: Matt

Dave Birkett Detroit Free Press Published 5:37 PM EDT Sep 18, 2020 Matthew Stafford penned a powerful essay for The Players’ Tribune website Friday in which he detailed racist behavior he experienced while with some of his teammates this spring and urged everyone to continue fighting against racial injustice. Stafford said his proudest day as

Dave Birkett Detroit Free Press Published 4:48 PM EDT Sep 18, 2020 If the Detroit Lions are going to avoid an 0-2 start in the NFC North, they’ll have to do so without at least three key starters. The Lions ruled receiver Kenny Golladay, cornerback Desmond Trufant and left guard Joe Dahl out for Sunday’s

Dave Birkett Detroit Free Press Published 9:16 PM EDT Sep 17, 2020 Detroit Lions linebacker Jamie Collins said he did not mean to make contact with referee Alex Kemp in the first half of Sunday’s loss to the Chicago Bears, and he did not think his actions were worthy of an ejection, either. “Obviously, I

Dave Birkett Detroit Free Press Published 6:59 PM EDT Sep 17, 2020 In the hours that followed his dropped touchdown pass, Detroit Lions rookie running back D’Andre Swift heard words of encouragement from more people than he could count. Coach Matt Patricia, Matthew Stafford and Adrian Peterson were among the teammates there with pick-me-ups, either

Carlos Monarrez Detroit Free Press Published 5:45 PM EDT Sep 17, 2020 It had been a while — 315 days to be exact — since Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford had thrown a pass to tight end T.J. Hockenson in a game. Sure, they had gotten some practice during training camp and offseason workouts that

Dave Birkett Detroit Free Press Published 3:10 PM EDT Sep 17, 2020 As the Detroit Lions lined up for a key third-down play midway through the second quarter of last week’s loss to the Chicago Bears, linebacker Danny Trevathan yelled for teammate Roquan Smith a few yards away. “Hey, Ro. Hey, Ro,” Trevathan said, before

Dave Birkett Detroit Free Press Published 12:57 PM EDT Sep 17, 2020 Kenny Golladay is in danger of missing his second straight game because of a strained hamstring. Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia said Golladay will not practice Thursday because of the injury he suffered in practice last week. Golladay has missed four straight practices,

Carlos Monarrez Detroit Free Press Published 9:49 AM EDT Sep 17, 2020 I got an email early Wednesday afternoon from the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which announced 130 modern-era nominees for the class of 2021. No big deal, I thought. Then I saw the tweet from the Hall that included an image with three

Carlos Monarrez Detroit Free Press Published 6:00 AM EDT Sep 17, 2020 I got an email early Wednesday afternoon from the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which announced 130 modern-era nominees for the class of 2021. No big deal, I thought. Then I saw the tweet from the Hall that included an image with three

Dave Birkett Detroit Free Press Published 7:18 PM EDT Sep 16, 2020 Jarrad Davis has not developed into a three-down linebacker like the Detroit Lions hoped when they took him in the first round of the 2017 draft, and if Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears is any indication, his role could be shrinking even

Carlos Monarrez Detroit Free Press Published 7:11 PM EDT Sep 16, 2020 The Detroit Lions have rallied around D’Andre Swift all week after he dropped the winning pass in the final seconds of Sunday’s gut-wrenching 27-23 loss to the Chicago Bears. But the rookie running back got the biggest vote of confidence yet Wednesday, when

Dave Birkett Detroit Free Press Published 6:04 PM EDT Sep 16, 2020 It was made a footnote by their late-game meltdown, but Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford became one of the highest-profile players in any sport to take a knee during the playing of the national anthem when he did so before Sunday’s game against the

Dave Birkett Detroit Free Press Published 5:34 PM EDT Sep 16, 2020 Jeff Okudah was back at Detroit Lions practice Wednesday, but the team’s issues in the secondary continue to grow. Desmond Trufant sat out Wednesday’s practice with a hamstring injury he suffered in last week’s season opening loss to the Chicago Bears, and backup

Dave Birkett Detroit Free Press Published 11:11 AM EDT Sep 16, 2020 Brayden Coombs did not make the call to send Matt Prater out for a 55-yard field goal attempt late in Sunday’s season-opening loss to the Chicago Bears, but the first-year Detroit Lions special teams coordinator said he agreed with the decision 100%. “No question,”

Dave Birkett Detroit Free Press Published 6:01 AM EDT Sep 16, 2020 D’Andre Swift’s dropped touchdown pass with 6 seconds to play in last week’s loss to the Chicago Bears overshadowed an otherwise promising debut. Swift has to catch that pass, there are no two ways about it, even if Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia