Day 1 Training camp thread

[tbone413]

Anwar Richardson*‏ @ AnwarRichardson
# Lions*CB Dwight Bentley's cover skills are impressive so far



Anwar Richardson*‏ @ AnwarRichardson
# Lions*RB Kevin Smith receiving first team reps in practice. Makes sense with Best injury and Leshoure suspension


Mike Mady*‏ @ lionsreport
Leshoure is here and running as hard as one can in individual drills.

Anwar Richardson*‏ @ AnwarRichardson
# Lions*CB Alphonso Smith running with the first team in individual drills

Tim Twentyman*‏*@*ttwentyman
Rookie CB Bill Bentley the first to come in as 3rd CB in nickel. This is only drills, though.

Tim Twentyman*‏*@*ttwentyman
S Erik Coleman and CB Alphonso Smith running with S Louis Delmas and CB Chris Houston in drills. Lions are likely to move guys all around.


Tim Twentyman*‏*@*ttwentyman
Looks good. Hasn't lost step. ?*@*aj_kenaya:**@*ttwentyman*how does Leshoure look? Please respond quickly before I have a breakdown.?

Chris McCosky*‏*@*cmccosky
Jason Fox has knee wrapped but no sign of the limp he had in minicamp. Been working at RT


Dave Birkett*‏*@*davebirkett
Lions in 7 on 7 now, Bill Bentley took 1st nickel rep. Played inside with Houston and Smith outside

Dan Miller*‏*@*DanMillerFox2
We're reporting from Lions Camp tonight. Dominic Raiola joins us around 5:45 and Tom Lewand @ six with the word on Open Practice.*#*Fox2News


Tim Twentyman*‏*@*ttwentyman
I don't think Matthew Stafford has thrown an incomplete pass all practice. He's working like a surgeon.

Tim Twentyman*‏*@*ttwentyman
He's looking good. He's carried it over right from minicamp when he looked good ?*@*CBell313:**@*ttwentyman*how is Titus looking??


Lions RapidReports*‏*@*CBSSportsNFLDET
Matthew Stafford picking up where he left off last season. Pinpoint control in drills. He and CJ appear to be of 1 mind

Lions RapidReports*‏*@*CBSSportsNFLDET
For his next trick, Calvin Johnson burns Chris Houston. No Lions DB has stopped him yet


Lions RapidReports*‏*@*CBSSportsNFLDET
DC Gunther Cunningham not happy with DBs. Wants them to be sharper.

Lions RapidReports*‏*@*CBSSportsNFLDET
Alphonso Smith back with 1st team. He's the leader in the clubhouse for the no. 2 CB slot. Erik Coleman continuing at S

This Lions rapid report is worth a follow if you don't have them on twitter..


Mike O'Hara*‏*@*MikeOHaraNFL
Sitter Willie Young is the only Lion in shoulder pads or he's gotten bigger. My vote is bigger.


Paula Pasche*‏*@*paulapasche
#*Lions*On D-line Corey Williams & Suh at DT w/ Lojack & KVB at DE; 2nd group W Young&Everette Brown at DE and Fairley & Hill at DT w/ 2s.
Mike Mady*‏ @ lionsreport
Stafford showing off the arm today... Connecting on everything... Several bombs too - last two bombs werent even to Calvin...

Anwar Richardson*‏ @ AnwarRichardson
About to state the obvious.* # Lions*QB Matthew Stafford is so accurate and Calvin Johnson is ridiculous. Carry on.


Lions RapidReports*‏ @ CBSSportsNFLDET
Titus young had a solid opening practice. His first step off the line is a much more confident one.
Lions RapidReports*‏ @ CBSSportsNFLDET
Like other rookies, Riley Reiff taking part in final Young Gun practice period


Tim Twentyman*‏ @ ttwentyman
Jahvid Best said he's not too worried about PUP. Thinks he'll be back during camp. Thinks team being extra careful.


Anwar Richardson*‏ @ AnwarRichardson
# Lions*coach Jim Schwartz said Stefan Logan will receive playing time at running back due to Best's injury

Lions RapidReports*‏ @ CBSSportsNFLDET

 

[tbone413]

I wonder who is going to step up and be the #2 CB.. Smith seems to be getting 1st team reps but unless he changes his mentality to stop going for the big plays he will be the nickel back.

I have a feeling that Mayhew will trade for the #2 CB. If not, there are going to be a lot of shootouts this year.

 

[mhughes0021]

#Calvin blows out his knee on final play of practice. Madden Curse remains true.






...gotcha ^^

 

[tonyballs]

My God the RB situation frightens me.

 

[mhughes0021]

My God the RB situation frightens me.

why bro?....were gonna pass it 100 times a game. All we need is Best to be healthy enough to catch 40 balls out of the backfield and he will be a huge addition to the offense. Every single running play should go to Leshoure or Sir Trips A Lot and thats just to keep teams honest with our shitty run oline. Expect less than 20 carries a game and about 3.5 ypc like we always do lol.

If anything is scary its the DBs

 

[tonyballs]

why bro?....were gonna pass it 100 times a game. All we need is Best to be healthy enough to catch 40 balls out of the backfield and he will be a huge addition to the offense. Every single running play should go to Leshoure or Sir Trips A Lot and thats just to keep teams honest with our shitty run oline. Expect less than 20 carries a game and about 3.5 ypc like we always do lol.

If anything is scary its the DBs

That's the problem right there. I have no faith in Best staying healthy and Leshoure is coming off a huge foot injury. Kevin Smith is a joke as well.

I love our passing game. I just hope the OLine can keep Stafford somewhat upright during the season..they did last year. I just want a healthy Staff and a decent running game.

 

[Mitchrapp]

That's the problem right there. I have no faith in Best staying healthy and Leshoure is coming off a huge foot injury. Kevin Smith is a joke as well.

I love our passing game. I just hope the OLine can keep Stafford somewhat upright during the season..they did last year. I just want a healthy Staff and a decent running game.

The one thing I know from last season was Staff grew eyes in the back of his head and if anyone came close he'd toss it away. What a QB needs to do.

 

[wheels002]

I wish we had a running game but the way the NFL game is these days dominate run teams are a thing of the past. You have to be able to throw to win. I will still hold my breath when Staff gets hit but not as bad as the start of last year. This team has the weapons on offense to give any team fits and could score 30+ a game.

 

[Mitchrapp]

I wish we had a running game but the way the NFL game is these days dominate run teams are a thing of the past. You have to be able to throw to win. I will still hold my breath when Staff gets hit but not as bad as the start of last year. This team has the weapons on offense to give any team fits and could score 30+ a game.

I agree but it'd be nice to run down the clock the old fashion way at times. Maybe a big 3rd and 2 and have someone deliver.

 

[tbone413]

I agree but it'd be nice to run down the clock the old fashion way at times. Maybe a big 3rd and 2 and have someone deliver.

I think Leshore will be that guy. I have big expectations for him this year.

 

[Mitchrapp]

I think Leshore will be that guy. I have big expectations for him this year.

I know he's running well but coming off an injury people usually don't come back from, haven't been hit by a big LB in 18 months and Raiola. It won't be easy.

 

[ruff]

I think Logan will surprise people at RB this year. Everytime we used him as a RB, and not sending him up the middle, he has produced. He is quick rounding the ends. In 2 years for us, rushing wise, he is 24 for 127. Of the 24 att, 7 are for 1st downs.
He just sucks at returning kicks.

 

[Mitchrapp]

I think Logan will surprise people at RB this year. Everytime we used him as a RB, and not sending him up the middle, he has produced. He is quick rounding the ends. In 2 years for us, rushing wise, he is 24 for 127. Of the 24 att, 7 are for 1st downs.
He just sucks at returning kicks.

He was fine two years ago. It just can't be easy returning kicks once a week or every two weeks with the way the rules changed. Some can do it, some can't. Must be hard to get into a rhythm.

 

[wheels002]

I think Logan will surprise people at RB this year. Everytime we used him as a RB, and not sending him up the middle, he has produced. He is quick rounding the ends. In 2 years for us, rushing wise, he is 24 for 127. Of the 24 att, 7 are for 1st downs.
He just sucks at returning kicks.

I will be shocked if Logan makes the team. I just dont see it happening. They will give him a chance but in the end we have younger and faster players that can do what he can.

 

[ruff]

I will be shocked if Logan makes the team. I just dont see it happening. They will give him a chance but in the end we have younger and faster players that can do what he can.

Logan will make the team, Kevin Smith won't last half a season and Best will have to medically retire by Thanksgiving......

He has only been in the league for going on 4 years, and he is one of the fastest guys on the team even at 31, so I think he will be there come 1st game. And I think they keep him around for special teams still.

 

[wheels002]

Logan will make the team, Kevin Smith won't last half a season and Best will have to medically retire by Thanksgiving......

He has only been in the league for going on 4 years, and he is one of the fastest guys on the team even at 31, so I think he will be there come 1st game. And I think they keep him around for special teams still.

Are you trying to say that Logan is going to start at RB? lol good one if you are.

 

[ruff]

Are you trying to say that Logan is going to start at RB? lol good one if you are.

eh sounded like it didn't it, but no, pretty much meant, he knows the system, he is a decent back (in the limited carries he's had), and with our RB's injury histories, you keep him around. Hope that clears it up a little, sorry for the confusion.

 

[Mitchrapp]

Logan will be an emergency emergency back. Kind of like a backup to the backup to the backup.

 

[lionsFTW]

In a lot of ways because we throw so much teams have to adjust and play off the line of scrimmage. Because of this Pettigrew gets a lot of looks in the 4-7 yard range and last second dump off passes that he kind of works like an extension of our run game.

Our run/pass balance will be similar to last year. Our per carry average wasn't that bad last year (4.3 ypc average as a team on ~350 attempts) but that's in part because we were so unbalanced in our run vs pass ratio (almost 2:1 pass>run) that teams are always sitting back against us.




Lions made prime use of Brandon Pettigrew

By Kevin Seifert

On several occasions during his tenure, Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz has emphasized the importance of drafting players with a specific role in mind for the team's scheme. In researching our 2011 All-NFC North team, it became clear that tight end Brandon Pettigrew is a prime example of that philosophy.

I chose Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley over Pettigrew for the 1st team NFC North, but that shouldn't diminish Pettigrew's fundamental importance to the Lions' offense. The Lions drafted Pettigrew with the No. 20 overall pick in 2009, the highest selection for a tight end in the past five years. In 2011, we found out explicitly why a rebuilding team had prioritized what is normally a complementary position.

Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan has a long history of utilizing tight ends in the passing game, and one of his primary philosophies is to use the same personnel in various sets to limit the ability of defenses to match up. Pettigrew has ably filled the role of a reliable, if unspectacular, workhorse under those parameters.

The Lions used Pettigrew in 2011 as much as any team in the NFL used their top tight end. He was on the field for 1,043 snaps -- more than every tight end except the New England Patriots' Rob Gronkowski -- and played the fifth-highest percentage of his team's snaps (94.5).

The Lions targeted Pettigrew on 115 passes, tied for the third-highest total among NFL tight ends, and his 83 receptions also ranked third.

In choosing Finley, I noted that he was used in a lower-percentage scheme that featured more downfield passes. Pettigrew, on the other hand, was in many ways an extension of the Lions' running game.

But that's the point, isn't it? Pettigrew demonstrated the diversity required in the Lions' scheme. It requires a level of pass-catching skill to haul in 83 passes, no matter how short they are. And because he is more than an adequate blocker, there was never a reason to take him off the field. As a result, Pettigrew's presence never tips off a defense about an upcoming play call.

On another team or in a different scheme, drafting Pettigrew in the first round would have been a luxury. But the Lions insisted he would be an integral part of their approach, and in 2011 he was.

 

[tbone413]

In a lot of ways because we throw so much teams have to adjust and play off the line of scrimmage. Because of this Pettigrew gets a lot of looks in the 4-7 yard range and last second dump off passes that he kind of works like an extension of our run game.

Our run/pass balance will be similar to last year. Our per carry average wasn't that bad last year (4.3 ypc average as a team on ~350 attempts) but that's in part because we were so unbalanced in our run vs pass ratio (almost 2:1 pass>run) that teams are always sitting back against us.




Lions made prime use of Brandon Pettigrew

By Kevin Seifert

On several occasions during his tenure, Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz has emphasized the importance of drafting players with a specific role in mind for the team's scheme. In researching our 2011 All-NFC North team, it became clear that tight end Brandon Pettigrew is a prime example of that philosophy.

I chose Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley over Pettigrew for the 1st team NFC North, but that shouldn't diminish Pettigrew's fundamental importance to the Lions' offense. The Lions drafted Pettigrew with the No. 20 overall pick in 2009, the highest selection for a tight end in the past five years. In 2011, we found out explicitly why a rebuilding team had prioritized what is normally a complementary position.

Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan has a long history of utilizing tight ends in the passing game, and one of his primary philosophies is to use the same personnel in various sets to limit the ability of defenses to match up. Pettigrew has ably filled the role of a reliable, if unspectacular, workhorse under those parameters.

The Lions used Pettigrew in 2011 as much as any team in the NFL used their top tight end. He was on the field for 1,043 snaps -- more than every tight end except the New England Patriots' Rob Gronkowski -- and played the fifth-highest percentage of his team's snaps (94.5).

The Lions targeted Pettigrew on 115 passes, tied for the third-highest total among NFL tight ends, and his 83 receptions also ranked third.

In choosing Finley, I noted that he was used in a lower-percentage scheme that featured more downfield passes. Pettigrew, on the other hand, was in many ways an extension of the Lions' running game.

But that's the point, isn't it? Pettigrew demonstrated the diversity required in the Lions' scheme. It requires a level of pass-catching skill to haul in 83 passes, no matter how short they are. And because he is more than an adequate blocker, there was never a reason to take him off the field. As a result, Pettigrew's presence never tips off a defense about an upcoming play call.

On another team or in a different scheme, drafting Pettigrew in the first round would have been a luxury. But the Lions insisted he would be an integral part of their approach, and in 2011 he was.

I agree with you that Pettigrew is basically an extension of the running game. I lost track of the amount of times he did a 5 yard curl and stafford hit him for a first down. He is a very good tight end - you dont get 83 catches by luck. If he can cut down the amount of drops then I see no reason why he couldn't overtake Finley as the #1 TE in the NFCN. I know Finely is a good TE, but I think Pettigrew is more valuable.