Rod Beard The Detroit News Published 4:39 AM EDT Sep 22, 2020 With the first overall pick in the 1980 NFL Draft, the Lions selected running back Billy Sims, setting a foundation for the position for the next 20 years, with another top-three pick, Barry Sanders, following at the end of the decade. The Lions
Dave Birkett Detroit Free Press Published 8:35 PM EDT Sep 21, 2020 Matt Patricia strongly denied a radio report Monday that division marred the Detroit Lions’ decision to take Jeff Okudah with the No. 3 pick in April’s draft, and that general manager Bob Quinn went against the wishes of his head coach and personnel
Carlos Monarrez Detroit Free Press Published 8:24 PM EDT Sep 21, 2020 Frank Ragnow threw his full support behind coach Matt Patricia a day after a disappointing loss at Green Bay and said the team could overcome its struggles. “Hundred percent,” Ragnow, a 2018 first-round draft pick, told reporters Monday about his level of confidence
Justin Rogers The Detroit News Published 6:47 PM EDT Sep 21, 2020 If there was one positive to come out of the Detroit Lions’ 42-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers, it’s that the team didn’t suffer any of the serious injuries that plagued the league this weekend. Not that the Lions needed any more
Carlos Monarrez Detroit Free Press Published 6:47 PM EDT Sep 21, 2020 Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia sounded hopeful Monday that Kenny Golladay could make his season debut. The Pro Bowl receiver continues to recover from a strained hamstring that has kept him out of practice and out of the first two games. “Yeah, I
Justin Rogers The Detroit News Published 6:27 PM EDT Sep 21, 2020 Reggie Ragland knows a thing or two about winning. You could argue, it’s all he knows. Outside of his first NFL season in Buffalo, where he was sidelined the entire year with an injury, the Detroit Lions linebacker has won, and won big,
Justin Rogers The Detroit News Published 5:54 PM EDT Sep 21, 2020 Following a disappointing debut for Detroit Lions rookie cornerback Jeff Okudah, local sports talk radio host Mike Valenti opened up his afternoon program on 97.1-FM with an anonymous report that there was draft-day division regarding the team’s selection of Okudah in April. Referencing
Justin Rogers The Detroit News Published 2:08 PM EDT Sep 21, 2020 Here are four observations after having a night to ponder the Detroit Lions’ 42-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers. First down One of the primary points of intrigue heading into the contest was the impending debut of cornerback Jeff Okudah, the team’s first-round
Carlos Monarrez Detroit Free Press Published 1:28 PM EDT Sep 21, 2020 When Lomas Brown was a broadcaster for ESPN, he once interviewed a tiger. But broadcasting the Detroit Lions’ 42-21 loss to the Packers on Sunday might have been stranger than trying to get a good quote out of a jungle cat. That’s because Sunday’s
Dave Birkett Detroit Free Press Published 12:57 PM EDT Sep 21, 2020 GREEN BAY, Wis. — It was 12 years ago this week that the Detroit Lions came to their senses and fired Matt Millen as general manager and president, ending one of the most disastrous reigns an NFL team has ever known. For the
Shawn Windsor Detroit Free Press Published 10:13 AM EDT Sep 21, 2020 GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Matt Patricia era in Detroit started with a nighttime debacle against the Jets at Ford Field. The team looked unprepared and hapless. Just wait, we were told. Patricia is a teacher and a taskmaster, and he needs time to
Dave Birkett Detroit Free Press Published 8:01 AM EDT Sep 21, 2020 GREEN BAY, Wis. — Free Press sports writer Dave Birkett breaks down the Detroit Lions’ 42-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday at Lambeau Field and looks at three players who helped their stock and three who hurt their stock: Stock
David Brandt Associated Press Published 9:12 PM EDT Sep 20, 2020 Glendale, Ariz. – Kyler Murray’s slippery, spectacular touchdown runs for the up-and-coming Cardinals are becoming a common occurrence. So are the Arizona wins. Murray’s dual-threat skills were on full display Sunday during the Cardinals’ dominant 30-15 victory over Washington. The second-year quarterback threw for
Justin Rogers The Detroit News Published 9:19 PM EDT Sep 20, 2020 Green Bay, Wis. — Justin Rogers grades the Detroit Lions’ performance in their 42-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers Quarterback Matthew Stafford was sharp in the early portions of this game, but racked up another round of uncharacteristic mistakes as the contest progressed. He
Bob Wojnowski The Detroit News Published 9:18 PM EDT Sep 20, 2020 Green Bay, Wis. — If Matt Patricia has a single answer, we haven’t heard it. If he has any shot at fixing this mess, we haven’t seen it. If the Lions have any way of halting their latest sad spiral, there’s no evidence
Dave Birkett Detroit Free Press Published 9:40 PM EDT Sep 20, 2020 GREEN BAY, Wis. — Thirty-four games into Matt Patricia’s tenure as head coach, the Detroit Lions still look lost on defense. They can’t stop the run, they can’t rush the passer and they don’t force enough turnovers to impact games. All three of those problems were
Justin Rogers The Detroit News Published 8:33 PM EDT Sep 20, 2020 Green Bay, Wis. — Rashan Gary has always been more potential than production. A five-star recruit at the University of Michigan, the defensive lineman was always good, but rarely great. He finished his college career with 9.5 sacks and 23.5 tackles for a loss
Dave Birkett Detroit Free Press Published 8:31 PM EDT Sep 20, 2020 GREEN BAY, Wis. — Kerryon Johnson paused for a moment of silence. The Detroit Lions’ third-year running back was demonstrating his answer to a question about what the locker room was like after Sunday’s demoralizing 42-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers, but
Justin Rogers The Detroit News Published 7:00 PM EDT Sep 20, 2020 Green Bay, Wis. — A red-hot start for the Detroit Lions ended in an even hotter seat for coach Matt Patricia. The team coughed up its second double-digit lead in as many weeks, and fourth going back to last season, getting obliterated on the
Justin Rogers The Detroit News Published 7:28 PM EDT Sep 20, 2020 Green Bay, Wis. — If you were expecting finger-pointing coming out of the Detroit Lions’ embarrassing loss to the Green Bay Packers, you’re going to be disappointed. Despite a disjointed effort on Sunday, the team continues to present a unified front publicly. In his