kdp1980
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Offensive line fixed that offense. Gurley back to being the beast he is. Goff developing heps too
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Game 4: Lions @ Vikings Thread
- Thread starter grandy
- Start date
Offensive line fixed that offense. Gurley back to being the beast he is. Goff developing heps too
kdp1980
Senior Member
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2011
- Messages
- 6,213
Wasn't aware of that. Either way, Gurley is having the season he should have every year.
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http://www.espn.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=400951724
Lions 14 - vikings 7.
Boxscore
http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/video/recent-videos.html
Webvideo Highlights and post game interviews from the Lions win over the vikings.
The Detroit Lions turned two third-quarter fumbles into 11 points, and received a huge goal-line stop from their defense in the final minutes to beat the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium, 14-7, on Sunday afternoon.
Ameer Abdullah scored his first touchdown of the season five plays later, and Matthew Stafford hit TJ Jones in the corner of the end zone for a two-point conversion.
Matthew Stafford almost single-handedly pushed the Lions into the playoffs last year. But he doesn't have to do it alone anymore.
That continues to make Detroit a scary team.
And heading into Week 5, it makes them a first-place team.
The defense turned over Minnesota twice to help the Lions take a 14-7 lead early in the third quarter, stood tall at the goal line late in the fourth quarter, then sealed the victory when Glover Quin forced a fumble with 1:20 left.
Tahir Whitehead recovered the decisive fumble, as well as another during an 11-0 run to open the third quarter. Anthony Zettel opened the half by recovering a fumble, which led to a Matt Prater field goal, and then Whitehead came up with another on the ensuing possession. That led to an Ameer Abdullah touchdown, Detroit's only trip into the end zone of the day.
That run turned a 7-3 deficit into a 14-7 lead, and on a day when Stafford played his worst game of the year, Detroit never trailed again.
The Lions improve to 3-1, and are tied with the Green Bay Packers atop the NFC North heading into a game back at Ford Field against the Carolina Panthers, which won 33-30 at New England on Sunday.
All hail, the Detroit Lions defense.
The Lions entered the game an NFL-best plus-six in turnover margin and had three takeaways and no giveaways Sunday.
They made huge tackles and got huge sacks. They swatted the ball down, over and over. And they punched the ball loose, at the most critical time, preserving a 14-7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
Late in the fourth quarter, the Vikings had a chance to tie the game.
But here came Anthony Zettel, running free. Unblocked.
He sacked quarterback Case Keenum, burying him to the ground. Now, the Vikings had one last chance. It was fourth and goal, but Keenum couldn?t find anybody. His pass sailed high, out of the back of the end zone.
It was Zettel?s second sack of the game, capping a strong performance by the Lions defense, which included limiting the Vikings to under 300 yards of offense and forcing three turnovers.
The Vikings got the ball back one more time, but there was Glover Quin, who punched the ball away from Adam Thielen after he made the catch.
The third turnover was the game-ender. The Vikings (2-2) had a little less than two minutes left to drive and tie it, but on the first play, safety Glover Quin punched the ball free from receiver Adam Thielen after a reception and linebacker Tahir Whitehead recovered.
Game over.
The game flipped on a non-contact injury in the third quarter, with the Vikings ahead 7-6.
Dalvin Cook, the Vikings talented rookie running back, came flying through a huge hole ? right through the middle of the Lions? linebacker-depleted defense.
Cook ran for 10 yards, made a quick cut and grabbed his left knee at the same time. He was in pain before he was even hit.
Lions safety Tavon Wilson came up and buried his helmet into the ball. It was a perfect tackle. And the ball popped out.
The Lions recovered and Cook stayed on the ground, writhing in pain. He had to be lifted to his feet and helped off the field.
Cook was lost for the game. There was 10:25 remaining in the third quarter. The game flipped at that moment.
The Vikings crowd at U.S. Bank Stadium went silent. And five plays later, running back Ameer Abdullah scored a touchdown, and the Lions converted the two-point conversion, taking a 14-7 lead.
The Vikings came into this game with the third-ranked rush defense in the league. But the Lions attacked Minnesota?s strength, giving the ball to Abdullah, who was fantastic.
It was a fascinating game plan. Give the ball to Abdullah, going right into the teeth of the Vikings defense. Abdullah finished with 94 yards.
Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford was lucky, more than anything. The Vikings had a chance at four interceptions, but couldn?t come down with them.
Stafford also fumbled the ball deep in Lions territory in the third quarter, but it was recovered by Zach Zenner.
To be fair, the Lions missed chances of their own. Late in the second quarter, safety Miles Killebrew had two hands on an interception, in the end zone, but dropped it. If he makes that catch, the Lions would have gotten out of the first half with a lead.
On the first play of the game, Stafford was sacked by Danielle Hunter, who blew past tackle Rick Wagner. Hunter, a 6-foot-5, 252-pound defensive end, was a one-man wrecking crew for the Vikings.
He wrecked drives. And wrecked plays and left wreckage all over the field. He had two sacks and knocked down a pass ? all in the first half.
But the Lions defense was just as outstanding.
The Lions defensive effort was all the more impressive considering their linebacker corps is beat up something awful.
Jarrad Davis missed his second straight game for the Lions because of a concussion and neck problem, and Paul Worrilow, who started the game, injured his knee on the Vikings? first possession.
The Lions? defense made plays all over the field.
On the Vikings first series, safety Tavon Wilson came free on a blitz, forcing a bad throw and ending a drive.
There was Zettel grabbing Keenum in a bear hug and throwing him down for a sack.
There was Killebrew swatting down a pass.
There was Nevin Lawson hitting Jerick McKinnon, knocking the ball loose ? and on the next play, the Vikings missed a 39-yard field goal.
And on a third-and-3, Wilson had a fantastic tackled on Stefon Diggs to kill a drive.
And in this defensive battle, it was the Lions' defense that won it.
Abdullah ran for a career-high 94 yards on 20 carries, before leaving with what appeared to be a right foot injury early in the fourth quarter.
The Lions said Abdullah, who missed most of last season with a Lisfranc injury, was cleared to return to the game, but they used Theo Riddick and Zach Zenner at running back the rest of the game.
Things didn?t go much better for the Lions? offense in the victory. The unit struggled to sustain drives and keep quarterback Matthew Stafford upright.
Stafford completed 19-for-31 passes for 209 yards for a passer rating of 81.2
and was sacked six times.
The defensive struggle was well under way before the Lions broke the scoreless tie with a 29-yard Matt Prater field goal midway through the second quarter. After the teams traded four punts, the Lions drove 82 yards on 15 plays to set up the score.
Stafford found Marvin Jones for 38 yards down the left sideline on 3rd-and-17 to extend the series, but a sack in the red zone stalled the threat.
Detroit had a 19-15 edge in first downs, a 36:27-23:33 lead in time of possession and three critical takeaways.
The Lions cashed in with 11 points off three second half Minnesota fumbles, with the third fumble sealing the victory.
Detroit is now 3-1 for the first time since 2014.
Detroit (3-1) leads the NFL in turnover margin, at plus-9.
The Lions' win Sunday is the type of victory that playoff teams come up with. Didn't play particularly well on offense. Defense had injuries and forced turnovers at opportunistic times. Not a pretty win -- but one that could be valuable in December and January. And it led the Lions to a 3-1 record to start the season, on pace with the NFC's top teams.
The Lions kept pace with Green Bay at the top of the NFC North at 3-1 and picked up their second road win of the year. More important, they showed they have the ability to bounce back after a close, controversial loss with a game in which they were good enough to win on the road. It puts Detroit in a good early position in the NFC, too, when it comes to playoff positioning. No matter what happens the rest of the weekend, the Lions will be tied for the NFC?s best record at 3-1. The question is how many teams will join them.
Ameer Abdullah came oh-so-close to becoming Detroit?s first 100-yard rusher since Reggie Bush in 2013. A fourth-quarter injury kept him at 94 yards, but the Lions had to like what they saw from him against a good Minnesota front. He continually made defenders miss and hit holes quickly when they were there. His best run was a cut where he started left, saw nothing there and split-second turned back right to get positive yardage. If the Lions can get that effort out of Abdullah consistently, Detroit?s offense has a chance to be really good.
Detroit?s offensive line was subpar Sunday. Some of that could have been expected considering Minnesota?s disruptive front seven, but Abdullah?s running day was built largely off of the running back making one or two defenders miss instead of holes created for him. Matthew Stafford was sacked six times -- and had to run to escape pressure on multiple other occasions. Not a pretty day.
Teryl Austin did a good job with what he had: Jarrad Davis was inactive for the second straight week. Paul Worrilow was out for the game after the first play. So defensive coordinator Teryl Austin was back to his mix-and-match style from the past few years. His defense held up well, including a smart hybrid package with safety Tavon Wilson lining up as a linebacker next to Tahir Whitehead. Minnesota exploited the deficiencies Detroit was working with in the fourth quarter, particularly over the middle of the field, but still held on for the win. Three turnovers -- all forced fumbles -- were a big part of that, too.
INJURY REPORT
Lions: Rookie middle linebacker Jarrad Davis, the team's leading tackler through two games, sat out for the second straight time.
He's recovering from a concussion, and he had a neck injury added on Friday. Another starter, OLB Paul Worrilow, limped off with a left knee injury on the defense's first play. Nick Bellore and Steve Longa filled in.
Question: What is the bottom-line statement the Lions made Sunday?
Answer: That they?re tough. Tough on the field. Tough minded. Committed to doing what it takes to win. If it?s running the ball better than they have in a while, they do it. If it?s the defense knocking the ball loose and recovering it in key situations, they do it.
They do what it takes to win. They?re not a perfect team, and they?ve absorbed some key injuries for so early in the season, but their mental and physical toughness cannot be denied.
As much as anything, it proves that the defense is legitimate. It hits hard, plays hard and makes opponents work for every inch and yard.
Question: Hangover: Was there one from the bitter loss to the Falcons last week?
Answer: If there was, they found the cure on the field, and that was to play hard and focus on the game and the play in front of them, not the one they just played.
Offensive game ball
The Detroit Lions offense really only had one player driving it today. The fact that it was Ameer Abdullah is a good thing, assuming his leg injury is not a lingering concern. The Minnesota Vikings defense has been getting more credit than their results deserve in 2017, but they have been relatively stout against the run.
Unfortunately, his 94 yards rushing fell just short of breaking the streak of games without a 100 yard rusher. I am not sure if you?ve heard but there has not been one since Reggie Bush in 2013. Of course you have, it gets mentioned more than Matthew Stafford?s high school chum Clayton Kershaw. Abdullah added 15 yards receiving to his total. He gained more than one third of the teams yards from scrimmage, and scored the team?s only touchdown.
For that reason, Ameer Abdullah gets this week?s offensive game ball.
Defensive game ball
The Defensive game ball goes to Anthony Zettel. He was rushing the passer, and when the team lost the ability to field a decent linebacker corp, he was also dropped in to coverage. He had two sacks on the day, which gives him the edge over his stout competition on the defensive side of the ball.
For his disruptive presence Anthony Zettel gets my defensive game ball for week four. Glover Quin and Miles Killebrew, and Tavon Austin made the case that they make up the best safety group in the NFL with four passes defended, ten tackles, and two forced fumbles between them.
Special teams game balls
On Special teams I have to give punter Jeff Locke the nod. He punted seven times today, and gave up only four total return yards. That is incredibly efficient. When The Lions lost Kasey Redfern to an ACL tear I did not like their chances of receiving good play from their punter. Locke has shown why he was a drafted player in 2013, surprising us all in a good way.
Linebacker Steve Longa gets a game ball as well. He made two of the tackles that limited the Vikings to virtually no return yardage. His play on defense was also acceptable, He limited Dalvin Cook to very little yardage after the catch. The Lions half time adjustments moved the team toward a three safety formation. Longa?s stop gap play, however, was invaluable to limiting the Vikings offense in the first half.
Longa had his best game as a Lion today and is worthy of all our respect for playing just days after the tragic death of his father.
The Lions needed to punch a division rival in the mouth, and they did just that in Minnesota. Who helped and who hurt their stock in this one?
Stock Up: Ameer Abdullah, RB.
The Lions came a play or two away from having their first 100 yard rusher since 2013. He was running with authority and agility, showing off his elite athleticism and vision. It?s unfortunate he suffered what appeared to be an ankle injury late in the game, as he was doing a great job closing out the game as the lead rusher. The team simply didn?t have that dynamic threat after he left the game and the run game grounded to a halt. We?ve been waiting for that Ameer Abdullah breakout game, and it finally came against a division rival on the road.
Stock Down: Rick Wagner, OT.
Rick Wagner has been having a strong start to the season, aside from a few untimely penalties that we?ve complained incessantly about. His blocking has been strong, especially in the pass game, but man did he fall apart completely in this one. He gave up two sacks to Danielle Hunter who totally outclassed Wagner from an athletic standpoint. Wagner would shore it up a bit later, but the team?s awful start to the game on offense and their inability to sustain long drives can easily be attributed to pressure off the edges.
Stock Up: Darren Fells, TE.
Darren Fells was a monster in training camp both as a blocker and as a receiver. Against the Vikings, we finally got to see what the latter might look like in this offense. It was only 4 catches for 40 yards, but that was good for the 2nd best game of his NFL career. Fells was stout in the blocking game as well, often assisting Greg Robinson and helping him hold off the Vikings rushers earlier in the game, even on plays he was running routes. Working both as a strong blocker and a reliable receiver allows the Lions offense to mix up their runs and passes routinely. Despite a late false start, Fells was pretty much mistake free all game.
Stock Down: Greg Robinson, OT.
The narrative before the game was how Vikings DE Everson Griffen called Greg Robinson ?lazy.? He had a lot of help early in the game, but Robinson was doing a decent job of dispelling those thoughts. Then the floodgates opened and never closed. The floodgates in this analogy is Greg Robinson as a blocker, both pass and run. Taylor Decker can?t return soon enough, and Matthew Stafford must have a calendar on his wall where he?s marking down the days until that timely return.
Stock Up: Anthony Zettel, DE.
Anthony Zettel was touted as being the best Lions pass rusher in training camp. Cornelius Washington was brought in to start and Zettel was basically an afterthought. After a two sack game against Minnesota, the league has been put on notice. If Ezekiel Ansah is ever healthy, this Detroit Lions pass rush is going to be dangerous, and the duo of Ansah and Zettel absolutely crushed a pair of offensive tackles who had been clean on the stat sheet coming into the day.
Stock Up: Glover Quin, GOAT.
Glover Quin is the best safety in the NFL in 2017. It?s only four weeks into the season, but I feel comfortable making a statement like that. After a pick-six last week and stellar play coming into the game both in run and pass defense, Quin came up with a forced fumble to end the game against a division rival on the road. The man got paid and he?s more than living up to his high price tag.
Quick Hits
Stock Up
Jared Abbrederis, WR - Abbrederis didn?t have many expectations, but he was stellar on special teams when it mattered. A great day on teams.
Jamal Agnew, CB - Agnew didn?t break off any big returns, but he did a great job as a gunner on teams. Potential pro bowl season from the rookie so far.
Ezekiel Ansah, DE - Ansah didn?t get any big splash plays and he wasn?t fantastic, but he was much better than I expected with his knee being what it is.
Nick Bellore, LB - Bellore didn?t suck, which was surprising since he did last week and was expected to against the Vikings. Good ST work as well.
Eric Ebron, TE - Only got a little bit of work, but didn?t drop anything or bust any plays. Decent bounce back.
Graham Glasgow, OG - Back at his normal spot, Glasgow did pretty well. The tackles were struggling, but the interior held up well.
TJ Jones, WR - Aside from one abysmal play where Jones had an uncalled OPI and overran his route, it was a solid follow up to the last game.
Miles Killebrew, SS - The only thing keeping Miles Killebrew from being in the consideration for top safety tandem in the NFL with Quin is time.
T.J. Lang, OG - Playing through injury is common for T.J. Lang, and he had a good one against the Vikings. Had a scare when he was hit from behind, but seemed fine.
Jeff Locke, P - A revenge game for a punter isn?t usually that notable, but Locke stuck it to the Vikings and that?s swell.
Steve Longa, LB - Longa is a monster on special teams but also had a few plays on defense where he looked good. He?s going through a rough time, but he showed up in a big way.
Glover Quin, FS - Yeah, I?m double dipping. Quin was that good, just want to make sure you all get how awesome he is if you somehow didn?t notice.
Michael Roberts, TE - Roberts got a catch in the red zone! It wasn?t a TD, but it was an important catch and a difficult one since it was low.
A?Shawn Robinson, DT - Robinson had his most impressive play of the day playing at RDE where he crushed a double team like they called his mother something mean.
Travis Swanson, OC - It?s no surprise the Lions suddenly find the balls to rush inside when Swanson gets back.
Teez Tabor, CB - He was active, though he didn?t do much if anything. Gotta start somewhere!
Tahir Whitehead, LB - Whitehead has been having a good year so far, but his second game without Davis in the middle and he was strong until a few plays late in the game.
Zach Zenner, RB - Zenner was asked to do little as a rusher and he did little. As a 3rd down pass protector he was solid, however, and like others up here was strong on special teams.
Stock Down
Emmett Cleary, OT - Low expectations, but Cleary was thrown to the fire with a T.J. Lang injury. It didn?t end well, as you?d expect.
D.J. Hayden, CB - Teez Tabor was finally active for the first time in his short NFL career and he might see some actual playing time if Hayden continues to play like this.
Marvin Jones, WR - There was that amazing 38-yard grab, but Jones was otherwise just not on point. Routes weren?t stellar and wasn?t getting separation.
Nevin Lawson, CB - Here?s the thing, Lawson was good in coverage for the most part. It?s the stupid penalties that land him here. Bet he grades well otherwise.
Jeremiah Ledbetter, DT - The more I try to watch him, the less I?ve seen him after a hot start to the season.
Matt Prater, K - Prater missed a kick from 60 yards out. Lions should cut him immediately and find someone better. I?m not good at conveying sarcasm.
Jalen Reeves-Maybin, LB - JRM has not had the start many expected, but it?s another ST penalty that lands him here. He needs more time than we thought.
Theo Riddick, RB - Riddick got a rush! It wasn?t too good, though. More notable for why he?s down here, he?s losing valuable 3rd down time since he can?t block well.
Darius Slay, CB - Slay did well, great even for most of the game, but he struggled down the stretch when he absolutely must be more disciplined. Can?t give up late penalties in one score games.
Golden Tate, WR - The Lions focused mainly on their tight ends and run game in this one, so Tate was nowhere to be found for much of the game.
Tavon Wilson, SS - Wilson had a few nice plays, but it was his coverage snaps that really highlighted his present issues. He simply cannot recover from any early mistakes on a snap.
Coaches
Jim Caldwell, Head Coach - Stock Down
The Lions played well and came up with a win in a divisional game on the road. That?s a good thing for any head coach. I don?t cop out with these, however, and I have some beef. The Lions played more aggressive than usual in stretches, but once they had the lead it became a matter of simply holding that one score lead. The margin of error is so razor thin, as the Vikings clearly showed, that it?s not even a matter of ?taking your foot off the gas? anymore, but a matter of applying the brakes. Getting too aggressive can lead to turnovers, which you rightly avoid in games like these, but get too passive and you?re staring at a comeback. Just ask any of the Lions 2016 opponents.
Jim Bob Cooter, Offensive Coordinator - Stock Up
Cooter struggles to call plays when he is leading and that bothers me like you would not believe. Still, I have been complaining about his ability to call up some actually relevant running plays and he did that very thing against a strong defensive front seven of the Vikings. He?s not where we need him to be for this offense to be a violent, viable threat every week, but we were one injury away from a 100-yard rusher for the first time in four years against a defense that usually wrecks this team and a pair of ends who were actually wrecking the Lions in this game.
Teryl Austin, Defensive Coordinator - Stock Up
Austin has been calling a heck of a season so far and the hits just keep on coming. His team went from bend all the way back but don?t break to being a punch you in your stupid face and take your lunch money kind of defense. The players are playing mean, the secondary are playing like they?re owed money by the opposing quarterbacks and plan on taking it back with pounds of flesh, and the linebackers are completely absent and yet somehow holding up. It?s like watching someone patching a hole in a rowboat with an already wet napkin and yet it is not only not sinking, but moving faster.
Joe Marciano, Special Teams Coordinator - Stock Up
I was skeptical when Joe Marciano was signed by the Lions. He was not only not good for the Texans, but quite bad. Yet here, under Jim Caldwell?s leadership, his special teams unit has been one of the best in the NFL. The man is on his third punter, has no clear starter at returner, but still puts on a show every time his unit is on the field. We saw special teams contributions from linebackers like Steve Longa and Nick Bellore, reserve rushers like Zach Zenner, reserve receivers like Jared Abbrederis, and even starting corners like Nevin Lawson on more than one occasion. His unit needs to clean up a bit on penalties, but this unit as a whole is one of the best in the NFL and this game is a great example of why.
Detroit needs to protect Stafford.
Stafford is probably the NFL?s most important player. Not only has he led the Lions to nine fourth-quarter comebacks in their last 20 games, the Lions don?t have anything resembling a decent backup. The only other quarterback on the roster, Jake Rudock, has never played the position in an NFL game. He did appear in one game earlier this season, but only as an emergency holder.
When the Lions lost left tackle Taylor Decker to an offseason shoulder injury, they knew they might have a problem with pass protection. But it has been worse than expected. The Vikings sacked Stafford six times and hit him at least 15 times. Greg Robinson, a draft bust with the Rams, has struggled badly trying to replace Decker, while both right tackle Rick Wagner and right guard T.J. Lang finished the game despite minor injuries.
The Vikings are one of the best defenses the Lions will face this season, but they have to do a better job every week of protecting Stafford.
Lions 14 - vikings 7.
Boxscore
http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/video/recent-videos.html
Webvideo Highlights and post game interviews from the Lions win over the vikings.
The Detroit Lions turned two third-quarter fumbles into 11 points, and received a huge goal-line stop from their defense in the final minutes to beat the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium, 14-7, on Sunday afternoon.
Ameer Abdullah scored his first touchdown of the season five plays later, and Matthew Stafford hit TJ Jones in the corner of the end zone for a two-point conversion.
Matthew Stafford almost single-handedly pushed the Lions into the playoffs last year. But he doesn't have to do it alone anymore.
That continues to make Detroit a scary team.
And heading into Week 5, it makes them a first-place team.
The defense turned over Minnesota twice to help the Lions take a 14-7 lead early in the third quarter, stood tall at the goal line late in the fourth quarter, then sealed the victory when Glover Quin forced a fumble with 1:20 left.
Tahir Whitehead recovered the decisive fumble, as well as another during an 11-0 run to open the third quarter. Anthony Zettel opened the half by recovering a fumble, which led to a Matt Prater field goal, and then Whitehead came up with another on the ensuing possession. That led to an Ameer Abdullah touchdown, Detroit's only trip into the end zone of the day.
That run turned a 7-3 deficit into a 14-7 lead, and on a day when Stafford played his worst game of the year, Detroit never trailed again.
The Lions improve to 3-1, and are tied with the Green Bay Packers atop the NFC North heading into a game back at Ford Field against the Carolina Panthers, which won 33-30 at New England on Sunday.
All hail, the Detroit Lions defense.
The Lions entered the game an NFL-best plus-six in turnover margin and had three takeaways and no giveaways Sunday.
They made huge tackles and got huge sacks. They swatted the ball down, over and over. And they punched the ball loose, at the most critical time, preserving a 14-7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
Late in the fourth quarter, the Vikings had a chance to tie the game.
But here came Anthony Zettel, running free. Unblocked.
He sacked quarterback Case Keenum, burying him to the ground. Now, the Vikings had one last chance. It was fourth and goal, but Keenum couldn?t find anybody. His pass sailed high, out of the back of the end zone.
It was Zettel?s second sack of the game, capping a strong performance by the Lions defense, which included limiting the Vikings to under 300 yards of offense and forcing three turnovers.
The Vikings got the ball back one more time, but there was Glover Quin, who punched the ball away from Adam Thielen after he made the catch.
The third turnover was the game-ender. The Vikings (2-2) had a little less than two minutes left to drive and tie it, but on the first play, safety Glover Quin punched the ball free from receiver Adam Thielen after a reception and linebacker Tahir Whitehead recovered.
Game over.
The game flipped on a non-contact injury in the third quarter, with the Vikings ahead 7-6.
Dalvin Cook, the Vikings talented rookie running back, came flying through a huge hole ? right through the middle of the Lions? linebacker-depleted defense.
Cook ran for 10 yards, made a quick cut and grabbed his left knee at the same time. He was in pain before he was even hit.
Lions safety Tavon Wilson came up and buried his helmet into the ball. It was a perfect tackle. And the ball popped out.
The Lions recovered and Cook stayed on the ground, writhing in pain. He had to be lifted to his feet and helped off the field.
Cook was lost for the game. There was 10:25 remaining in the third quarter. The game flipped at that moment.
The Vikings crowd at U.S. Bank Stadium went silent. And five plays later, running back Ameer Abdullah scored a touchdown, and the Lions converted the two-point conversion, taking a 14-7 lead.
The Vikings came into this game with the third-ranked rush defense in the league. But the Lions attacked Minnesota?s strength, giving the ball to Abdullah, who was fantastic.
It was a fascinating game plan. Give the ball to Abdullah, going right into the teeth of the Vikings defense. Abdullah finished with 94 yards.
Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford was lucky, more than anything. The Vikings had a chance at four interceptions, but couldn?t come down with them.
Stafford also fumbled the ball deep in Lions territory in the third quarter, but it was recovered by Zach Zenner.
To be fair, the Lions missed chances of their own. Late in the second quarter, safety Miles Killebrew had two hands on an interception, in the end zone, but dropped it. If he makes that catch, the Lions would have gotten out of the first half with a lead.
On the first play of the game, Stafford was sacked by Danielle Hunter, who blew past tackle Rick Wagner. Hunter, a 6-foot-5, 252-pound defensive end, was a one-man wrecking crew for the Vikings.
He wrecked drives. And wrecked plays and left wreckage all over the field. He had two sacks and knocked down a pass ? all in the first half.
But the Lions defense was just as outstanding.
The Lions defensive effort was all the more impressive considering their linebacker corps is beat up something awful.
Jarrad Davis missed his second straight game for the Lions because of a concussion and neck problem, and Paul Worrilow, who started the game, injured his knee on the Vikings? first possession.
The Lions? defense made plays all over the field.
On the Vikings first series, safety Tavon Wilson came free on a blitz, forcing a bad throw and ending a drive.
There was Zettel grabbing Keenum in a bear hug and throwing him down for a sack.
There was Killebrew swatting down a pass.
There was Nevin Lawson hitting Jerick McKinnon, knocking the ball loose ? and on the next play, the Vikings missed a 39-yard field goal.
And on a third-and-3, Wilson had a fantastic tackled on Stefon Diggs to kill a drive.
And in this defensive battle, it was the Lions' defense that won it.
Abdullah ran for a career-high 94 yards on 20 carries, before leaving with what appeared to be a right foot injury early in the fourth quarter.
The Lions said Abdullah, who missed most of last season with a Lisfranc injury, was cleared to return to the game, but they used Theo Riddick and Zach Zenner at running back the rest of the game.
Things didn?t go much better for the Lions? offense in the victory. The unit struggled to sustain drives and keep quarterback Matthew Stafford upright.
Stafford completed 19-for-31 passes for 209 yards for a passer rating of 81.2
and was sacked six times.
The defensive struggle was well under way before the Lions broke the scoreless tie with a 29-yard Matt Prater field goal midway through the second quarter. After the teams traded four punts, the Lions drove 82 yards on 15 plays to set up the score.
Stafford found Marvin Jones for 38 yards down the left sideline on 3rd-and-17 to extend the series, but a sack in the red zone stalled the threat.
Detroit had a 19-15 edge in first downs, a 36:27-23:33 lead in time of possession and three critical takeaways.
The Lions cashed in with 11 points off three second half Minnesota fumbles, with the third fumble sealing the victory.
Detroit is now 3-1 for the first time since 2014.
Detroit (3-1) leads the NFL in turnover margin, at plus-9.
The Lions' win Sunday is the type of victory that playoff teams come up with. Didn't play particularly well on offense. Defense had injuries and forced turnovers at opportunistic times. Not a pretty win -- but one that could be valuable in December and January. And it led the Lions to a 3-1 record to start the season, on pace with the NFC's top teams.
The Lions kept pace with Green Bay at the top of the NFC North at 3-1 and picked up their second road win of the year. More important, they showed they have the ability to bounce back after a close, controversial loss with a game in which they were good enough to win on the road. It puts Detroit in a good early position in the NFC, too, when it comes to playoff positioning. No matter what happens the rest of the weekend, the Lions will be tied for the NFC?s best record at 3-1. The question is how many teams will join them.
Ameer Abdullah came oh-so-close to becoming Detroit?s first 100-yard rusher since Reggie Bush in 2013. A fourth-quarter injury kept him at 94 yards, but the Lions had to like what they saw from him against a good Minnesota front. He continually made defenders miss and hit holes quickly when they were there. His best run was a cut where he started left, saw nothing there and split-second turned back right to get positive yardage. If the Lions can get that effort out of Abdullah consistently, Detroit?s offense has a chance to be really good.
Detroit?s offensive line was subpar Sunday. Some of that could have been expected considering Minnesota?s disruptive front seven, but Abdullah?s running day was built largely off of the running back making one or two defenders miss instead of holes created for him. Matthew Stafford was sacked six times -- and had to run to escape pressure on multiple other occasions. Not a pretty day.
Teryl Austin did a good job with what he had: Jarrad Davis was inactive for the second straight week. Paul Worrilow was out for the game after the first play. So defensive coordinator Teryl Austin was back to his mix-and-match style from the past few years. His defense held up well, including a smart hybrid package with safety Tavon Wilson lining up as a linebacker next to Tahir Whitehead. Minnesota exploited the deficiencies Detroit was working with in the fourth quarter, particularly over the middle of the field, but still held on for the win. Three turnovers -- all forced fumbles -- were a big part of that, too.
INJURY REPORT
Lions: Rookie middle linebacker Jarrad Davis, the team's leading tackler through two games, sat out for the second straight time.
He's recovering from a concussion, and he had a neck injury added on Friday. Another starter, OLB Paul Worrilow, limped off with a left knee injury on the defense's first play. Nick Bellore and Steve Longa filled in.
Question: What is the bottom-line statement the Lions made Sunday?
Answer: That they?re tough. Tough on the field. Tough minded. Committed to doing what it takes to win. If it?s running the ball better than they have in a while, they do it. If it?s the defense knocking the ball loose and recovering it in key situations, they do it.
They do what it takes to win. They?re not a perfect team, and they?ve absorbed some key injuries for so early in the season, but their mental and physical toughness cannot be denied.
As much as anything, it proves that the defense is legitimate. It hits hard, plays hard and makes opponents work for every inch and yard.
Question: Hangover: Was there one from the bitter loss to the Falcons last week?
Answer: If there was, they found the cure on the field, and that was to play hard and focus on the game and the play in front of them, not the one they just played.
Offensive game ball
The Detroit Lions offense really only had one player driving it today. The fact that it was Ameer Abdullah is a good thing, assuming his leg injury is not a lingering concern. The Minnesota Vikings defense has been getting more credit than their results deserve in 2017, but they have been relatively stout against the run.
Unfortunately, his 94 yards rushing fell just short of breaking the streak of games without a 100 yard rusher. I am not sure if you?ve heard but there has not been one since Reggie Bush in 2013. Of course you have, it gets mentioned more than Matthew Stafford?s high school chum Clayton Kershaw. Abdullah added 15 yards receiving to his total. He gained more than one third of the teams yards from scrimmage, and scored the team?s only touchdown.
For that reason, Ameer Abdullah gets this week?s offensive game ball.
Defensive game ball
The Defensive game ball goes to Anthony Zettel. He was rushing the passer, and when the team lost the ability to field a decent linebacker corp, he was also dropped in to coverage. He had two sacks on the day, which gives him the edge over his stout competition on the defensive side of the ball.
For his disruptive presence Anthony Zettel gets my defensive game ball for week four. Glover Quin and Miles Killebrew, and Tavon Austin made the case that they make up the best safety group in the NFL with four passes defended, ten tackles, and two forced fumbles between them.
Special teams game balls
On Special teams I have to give punter Jeff Locke the nod. He punted seven times today, and gave up only four total return yards. That is incredibly efficient. When The Lions lost Kasey Redfern to an ACL tear I did not like their chances of receiving good play from their punter. Locke has shown why he was a drafted player in 2013, surprising us all in a good way.
Linebacker Steve Longa gets a game ball as well. He made two of the tackles that limited the Vikings to virtually no return yardage. His play on defense was also acceptable, He limited Dalvin Cook to very little yardage after the catch. The Lions half time adjustments moved the team toward a three safety formation. Longa?s stop gap play, however, was invaluable to limiting the Vikings offense in the first half.
Longa had his best game as a Lion today and is worthy of all our respect for playing just days after the tragic death of his father.
The Lions needed to punch a division rival in the mouth, and they did just that in Minnesota. Who helped and who hurt their stock in this one?
Stock Up: Ameer Abdullah, RB.
The Lions came a play or two away from having their first 100 yard rusher since 2013. He was running with authority and agility, showing off his elite athleticism and vision. It?s unfortunate he suffered what appeared to be an ankle injury late in the game, as he was doing a great job closing out the game as the lead rusher. The team simply didn?t have that dynamic threat after he left the game and the run game grounded to a halt. We?ve been waiting for that Ameer Abdullah breakout game, and it finally came against a division rival on the road.
Stock Down: Rick Wagner, OT.
Rick Wagner has been having a strong start to the season, aside from a few untimely penalties that we?ve complained incessantly about. His blocking has been strong, especially in the pass game, but man did he fall apart completely in this one. He gave up two sacks to Danielle Hunter who totally outclassed Wagner from an athletic standpoint. Wagner would shore it up a bit later, but the team?s awful start to the game on offense and their inability to sustain long drives can easily be attributed to pressure off the edges.
Stock Up: Darren Fells, TE.
Darren Fells was a monster in training camp both as a blocker and as a receiver. Against the Vikings, we finally got to see what the latter might look like in this offense. It was only 4 catches for 40 yards, but that was good for the 2nd best game of his NFL career. Fells was stout in the blocking game as well, often assisting Greg Robinson and helping him hold off the Vikings rushers earlier in the game, even on plays he was running routes. Working both as a strong blocker and a reliable receiver allows the Lions offense to mix up their runs and passes routinely. Despite a late false start, Fells was pretty much mistake free all game.
Stock Down: Greg Robinson, OT.
The narrative before the game was how Vikings DE Everson Griffen called Greg Robinson ?lazy.? He had a lot of help early in the game, but Robinson was doing a decent job of dispelling those thoughts. Then the floodgates opened and never closed. The floodgates in this analogy is Greg Robinson as a blocker, both pass and run. Taylor Decker can?t return soon enough, and Matthew Stafford must have a calendar on his wall where he?s marking down the days until that timely return.
Stock Up: Anthony Zettel, DE.
Anthony Zettel was touted as being the best Lions pass rusher in training camp. Cornelius Washington was brought in to start and Zettel was basically an afterthought. After a two sack game against Minnesota, the league has been put on notice. If Ezekiel Ansah is ever healthy, this Detroit Lions pass rush is going to be dangerous, and the duo of Ansah and Zettel absolutely crushed a pair of offensive tackles who had been clean on the stat sheet coming into the day.
Stock Up: Glover Quin, GOAT.
Glover Quin is the best safety in the NFL in 2017. It?s only four weeks into the season, but I feel comfortable making a statement like that. After a pick-six last week and stellar play coming into the game both in run and pass defense, Quin came up with a forced fumble to end the game against a division rival on the road. The man got paid and he?s more than living up to his high price tag.
Quick Hits
Stock Up
Jared Abbrederis, WR - Abbrederis didn?t have many expectations, but he was stellar on special teams when it mattered. A great day on teams.
Jamal Agnew, CB - Agnew didn?t break off any big returns, but he did a great job as a gunner on teams. Potential pro bowl season from the rookie so far.
Ezekiel Ansah, DE - Ansah didn?t get any big splash plays and he wasn?t fantastic, but he was much better than I expected with his knee being what it is.
Nick Bellore, LB - Bellore didn?t suck, which was surprising since he did last week and was expected to against the Vikings. Good ST work as well.
Eric Ebron, TE - Only got a little bit of work, but didn?t drop anything or bust any plays. Decent bounce back.
Graham Glasgow, OG - Back at his normal spot, Glasgow did pretty well. The tackles were struggling, but the interior held up well.
TJ Jones, WR - Aside from one abysmal play where Jones had an uncalled OPI and overran his route, it was a solid follow up to the last game.
Miles Killebrew, SS - The only thing keeping Miles Killebrew from being in the consideration for top safety tandem in the NFL with Quin is time.
T.J. Lang, OG - Playing through injury is common for T.J. Lang, and he had a good one against the Vikings. Had a scare when he was hit from behind, but seemed fine.
Jeff Locke, P - A revenge game for a punter isn?t usually that notable, but Locke stuck it to the Vikings and that?s swell.
Steve Longa, LB - Longa is a monster on special teams but also had a few plays on defense where he looked good. He?s going through a rough time, but he showed up in a big way.
Glover Quin, FS - Yeah, I?m double dipping. Quin was that good, just want to make sure you all get how awesome he is if you somehow didn?t notice.
Michael Roberts, TE - Roberts got a catch in the red zone! It wasn?t a TD, but it was an important catch and a difficult one since it was low.
A?Shawn Robinson, DT - Robinson had his most impressive play of the day playing at RDE where he crushed a double team like they called his mother something mean.
Travis Swanson, OC - It?s no surprise the Lions suddenly find the balls to rush inside when Swanson gets back.
Teez Tabor, CB - He was active, though he didn?t do much if anything. Gotta start somewhere!
Tahir Whitehead, LB - Whitehead has been having a good year so far, but his second game without Davis in the middle and he was strong until a few plays late in the game.
Zach Zenner, RB - Zenner was asked to do little as a rusher and he did little. As a 3rd down pass protector he was solid, however, and like others up here was strong on special teams.
Stock Down
Emmett Cleary, OT - Low expectations, but Cleary was thrown to the fire with a T.J. Lang injury. It didn?t end well, as you?d expect.
D.J. Hayden, CB - Teez Tabor was finally active for the first time in his short NFL career and he might see some actual playing time if Hayden continues to play like this.
Marvin Jones, WR - There was that amazing 38-yard grab, but Jones was otherwise just not on point. Routes weren?t stellar and wasn?t getting separation.
Nevin Lawson, CB - Here?s the thing, Lawson was good in coverage for the most part. It?s the stupid penalties that land him here. Bet he grades well otherwise.
Jeremiah Ledbetter, DT - The more I try to watch him, the less I?ve seen him after a hot start to the season.
Matt Prater, K - Prater missed a kick from 60 yards out. Lions should cut him immediately and find someone better. I?m not good at conveying sarcasm.
Jalen Reeves-Maybin, LB - JRM has not had the start many expected, but it?s another ST penalty that lands him here. He needs more time than we thought.
Theo Riddick, RB - Riddick got a rush! It wasn?t too good, though. More notable for why he?s down here, he?s losing valuable 3rd down time since he can?t block well.
Darius Slay, CB - Slay did well, great even for most of the game, but he struggled down the stretch when he absolutely must be more disciplined. Can?t give up late penalties in one score games.
Golden Tate, WR - The Lions focused mainly on their tight ends and run game in this one, so Tate was nowhere to be found for much of the game.
Tavon Wilson, SS - Wilson had a few nice plays, but it was his coverage snaps that really highlighted his present issues. He simply cannot recover from any early mistakes on a snap.
Coaches
Jim Caldwell, Head Coach - Stock Down
The Lions played well and came up with a win in a divisional game on the road. That?s a good thing for any head coach. I don?t cop out with these, however, and I have some beef. The Lions played more aggressive than usual in stretches, but once they had the lead it became a matter of simply holding that one score lead. The margin of error is so razor thin, as the Vikings clearly showed, that it?s not even a matter of ?taking your foot off the gas? anymore, but a matter of applying the brakes. Getting too aggressive can lead to turnovers, which you rightly avoid in games like these, but get too passive and you?re staring at a comeback. Just ask any of the Lions 2016 opponents.
Jim Bob Cooter, Offensive Coordinator - Stock Up
Cooter struggles to call plays when he is leading and that bothers me like you would not believe. Still, I have been complaining about his ability to call up some actually relevant running plays and he did that very thing against a strong defensive front seven of the Vikings. He?s not where we need him to be for this offense to be a violent, viable threat every week, but we were one injury away from a 100-yard rusher for the first time in four years against a defense that usually wrecks this team and a pair of ends who were actually wrecking the Lions in this game.
Teryl Austin, Defensive Coordinator - Stock Up
Austin has been calling a heck of a season so far and the hits just keep on coming. His team went from bend all the way back but don?t break to being a punch you in your stupid face and take your lunch money kind of defense. The players are playing mean, the secondary are playing like they?re owed money by the opposing quarterbacks and plan on taking it back with pounds of flesh, and the linebackers are completely absent and yet somehow holding up. It?s like watching someone patching a hole in a rowboat with an already wet napkin and yet it is not only not sinking, but moving faster.
Joe Marciano, Special Teams Coordinator - Stock Up
I was skeptical when Joe Marciano was signed by the Lions. He was not only not good for the Texans, but quite bad. Yet here, under Jim Caldwell?s leadership, his special teams unit has been one of the best in the NFL. The man is on his third punter, has no clear starter at returner, but still puts on a show every time his unit is on the field. We saw special teams contributions from linebackers like Steve Longa and Nick Bellore, reserve rushers like Zach Zenner, reserve receivers like Jared Abbrederis, and even starting corners like Nevin Lawson on more than one occasion. His unit needs to clean up a bit on penalties, but this unit as a whole is one of the best in the NFL and this game is a great example of why.
Detroit needs to protect Stafford.
Stafford is probably the NFL?s most important player. Not only has he led the Lions to nine fourth-quarter comebacks in their last 20 games, the Lions don?t have anything resembling a decent backup. The only other quarterback on the roster, Jake Rudock, has never played the position in an NFL game. He did appear in one game earlier this season, but only as an emergency holder.
When the Lions lost left tackle Taylor Decker to an offseason shoulder injury, they knew they might have a problem with pass protection. But it has been worse than expected. The Vikings sacked Stafford six times and hit him at least 15 times. Greg Robinson, a draft bust with the Rams, has struggled badly trying to replace Decker, while both right tackle Rick Wagner and right guard T.J. Lang finished the game despite minor injuries.
The Vikings are one of the best defenses the Lions will face this season, but they have to do a better job every week of protecting Stafford.
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https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-refocused-detroit-lions-14-minnesota-vikings-7
Refocused: Detroit Lions 14 - Minnesota Vikings 7.
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https://audioboom.com/posts/6352374...oct-1-postgame-edition-lions-14-7-winners?t=0
LOCKED ON DETROIT LIONS PODCAST VOLUME 266. OCTOBER 1. 25 minutes.
POSTGAME edition. #Lions 14-7 winners.
Here's a quick look at what people were saying in the locker rooms after the game, including some insight on that key play:
Lions DE Anthony Zettel: "Everybody threw us under the bus at the beginning of the year because they don't live the life we live. You guys aren't in the locker room. You guys aren't on the practice field with us. So I think you guys are slowly starting to realize we got a tough group and we play hard."
Lions coach Jim Caldwell on Zettel: "He is a high-motor guy who just never stops. He battles through single and sometimes double blocks, if he has to. He is always coming. I love the way he plays."
Vikings QB Case Keenum, on why Zettel came free for a sack in the fourth quarter: "That was totally on me. I thought I saw something and got fooled. Changed the protection to the wrong protection. I got fooled. That is a huge play in the game, obviously, and that is one I want back."
Lions DE Cornelius Washington, on Zettel going unblocked on the goal line: "I was like, 'Boy I hope he sees this doggone eat call right here.' The whole line just (moved out of the way), and I'm like, 'Lord, Zettel, please just run.' And he did. I gave him a little criticism when he came back to the sideline though. I was like, 'Yo, I don't know if you saw that or not, but, uh, you kind of took a roundabout way. If it was me, I'd just have been skinning his ass. But he made the play."
Lions QB Matthew Stafford, on whether he thinks he'll be hurting from the six sacks he took: "A little bit."
Stafford: "I obviously didn't play my best. We didn't play our best on offense. I think we handed the ball off and ran it well, but in the pass game we weren't as good as we can be. But our team played really well, and it was a great team win."
Lions G T.J. Lang, on how long it takes before the pain from a game sets in: "It depends on how many drinks you have."
Lions RB Ameer Abdullah, on his 94-yard day: "I got into every game thinking I am in for a big day. I can't really nail down and say at (what) point in the game I thought it was going to be a big day. I still don't even think it was that big of a day."
Abdullah, on what is a big game to him: "I'll tell you when it happens. But you got to shoot for the stars."
Caldwell, on why they dialed up so many runs against a good run defense: "When you have pass rushers that you face like that, then you better spend some time running the ball because they can create some problems for you. That was one of the things we wanted to be certain we did, was find some cracks in the defense."
Lions S Miles Killebrew, on the defense's 11 takeaways this season: "I wouldn't say we are surprised, because that implies that we weren't expecting them to happen."
Abdullah ankle injury not serious, Worrilow questionable after win.
Caldwell confirmed Abdullah was cleared to return, even though he was held out.
“I rolled my ankle up a little bit,” Abdullah said. “I was ready to go back in, but circumstances kind of changed a little bit when they got the ball back only two mins left and we’re flopping on the ball. Maybe it was a good thing.”
It looks less promising for linebacker Paul Worrilow, who left the game early in the first quarter with a knee injury. Initially ruled questionable to return, he was eventually ruled out, after being carted from the sideline to the locker room.
The team didn’t have an update after the game.
“We will have to wait and see what the final prognosis is,” Caldwell said.
If the Detroit Lions proved one thing Sunday in Minnesota, it’s that their defense is legit.
The Vikings came into Sunday’s contest as the No. 2 offense in the league, and the Lions shut them down. Minnesota had under 300 yards of total offense, managed to get into the end zone just once, and turned the ball over three times.
Last week it was three interceptions by the Lions' defense. This week it was three forced fumbles. In all, this Lions defense now has 11 takeaways in four games. Detroit had 14 takeaways all last year.
Caldwell said after Sunday’s classic NFC North showdown that he’s beginning to learn a few things about his team.
“Our guys are going to fight you,” he said. “If they’re close in the fourth quarter, we’re going to have a chance with our quarterback, offense, defense and kicking game. I think we have a solid group of guys, but we still have a long way to go.”
Whitehead said he’s also learned this team has some fight to it after a quarter of the season.
“That we’re going to fight you,” he said. “We’re going to scrap you tooth and nail all the way to the end of the game. We’re going to find a way to win.
Offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter obviously came into Sunday with the game plan to run the football and attack Minnesota’s defense in the short and intermediate passing game, particularly with his tight ends.
Veteran Darren Fells, who’s really just been a blocking tight end up to this point, led the Lions with four catches for 40 yards on five targets. All of his catches came in the first half and all were for big first downs.
Eric Ebron made a couple catches for 27 yards, including a 15-yard catch and run down the sideline that set up a Matt Prater field goal.
Even rookie tight end Michael Roberts got into the action. His 15-yard reception in the third quarter set up Detroit’s only touchdown of the game, a three-yard run by Ameer Abdullah.
Detroit running the football 31 times Sunday was more out of necessity than anything else.
“When you have pass rushers that you face like that, you better spend some time running the ball because they can create some problems for you,” Caldwell said. “So that was one of the things we wanted to make certain we did is make sure we could find some cracks in that defense.”
Thanks to Abdullah, the Lions did find some cracks. Abdullah recorded career highs in carries (20) and yards (94), and scored the team’s first rushing touchdown of the season. He left early in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury, but could have returned if the Lions needed him to.
“It’s good. Obviously, rolled it up in the game a little bit, but came off, was thinking about going back in, the circumstances kind of changed from when I was going to go back in, we kind of got back into more of a two-minute mood, so offensively things kind of shifted for us, but I’ll be good,” he said.
Abdullah finished just six yards short of snapping Detroit’s 55-consecutive game streak without a 100-yard rusher. Had he not rolled his ankle, there’s little question he would have got to the century mark.
“We moved the line of scrimmage,” Abdullah said after the game. “It’s something that we always preach when we go into our run game meetings is establish a new line of scrimmage from where it started. Those guys did that consistently all night. You create creases, we got guys who can hit the hole and make things happen.
“I go into every game thinking up for a big day. So, I can’t really nail down which point of the game I thought I was in for a big day. I still don’t think it was that big of a day, but it was solid enough to get us a win.”
Detroit ran the ball pretty well in the second half of the Atlanta game, so that’s now six straight quarters they’ve been able to make moves on the ground. That’s a good sign moving forward.
It was good to see that position become a much-needed weapon Sunday.
Lions coach Jim Caldwell on another grind-it-out victory: “You know if it’s close in the fourth quarter, we are going to have a chance with our quarterback and our offense and our defense and our kicking game.”
Cornerback Darius Slay on Sunday's gameplan: “We just knew we had to stop their run because they’ve got a talented back, so you stop the run, then put the pressure on (Case) Keenum and that was our game plan today.”
Quarterback Matthew Stafford on defense leading the way: “Our defense played outstanding. Their defense played pretty darn good too. Our guys were getting turnovers and guys on our team were doing a great job of not turning it over. I had a couple today that were close.”
Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs on facing Lions defense: “I actually feel like we moved the ball really well. Of course they got a good defense, but it’s a new team. We don’t play the same team twice.”
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer on difference in the game: “We turned the ball over three times and they had zero. Part of the deal was, I felt like we had to win the turnover battle today going into the football game and we didn’t do that.”
Lions running back Ameer Abdullah on success running football: “We just moved the line of scrimmage. It’s something that we always preach when we go into our run-game meetings is establishing a new line of scrimmage from where it started. Those guys did that consistently all night. When you create creases, we have backs that can hit the hole and make things happen.”
Safety Miles Killebrew on mentality entering game: “This was definitely a game where we had to come out and bring our ‘A’ game. The Vikings have a very powerful offense. Their receiving corps is phenomenal and we took that into account when we were practicing this week.”
Refocused: Detroit Lions 14 - Minnesota Vikings 7.
PFF
https://audioboom.com/posts/6352374...oct-1-postgame-edition-lions-14-7-winners?t=0
LOCKED ON DETROIT LIONS PODCAST VOLUME 266. OCTOBER 1. 25 minutes.
POSTGAME edition. #Lions 14-7 winners.
Here's a quick look at what people were saying in the locker rooms after the game, including some insight on that key play:
Lions DE Anthony Zettel: "Everybody threw us under the bus at the beginning of the year because they don't live the life we live. You guys aren't in the locker room. You guys aren't on the practice field with us. So I think you guys are slowly starting to realize we got a tough group and we play hard."
Lions coach Jim Caldwell on Zettel: "He is a high-motor guy who just never stops. He battles through single and sometimes double blocks, if he has to. He is always coming. I love the way he plays."
Vikings QB Case Keenum, on why Zettel came free for a sack in the fourth quarter: "That was totally on me. I thought I saw something and got fooled. Changed the protection to the wrong protection. I got fooled. That is a huge play in the game, obviously, and that is one I want back."
Lions DE Cornelius Washington, on Zettel going unblocked on the goal line: "I was like, 'Boy I hope he sees this doggone eat call right here.' The whole line just (moved out of the way), and I'm like, 'Lord, Zettel, please just run.' And he did. I gave him a little criticism when he came back to the sideline though. I was like, 'Yo, I don't know if you saw that or not, but, uh, you kind of took a roundabout way. If it was me, I'd just have been skinning his ass. But he made the play."
Lions QB Matthew Stafford, on whether he thinks he'll be hurting from the six sacks he took: "A little bit."
Stafford: "I obviously didn't play my best. We didn't play our best on offense. I think we handed the ball off and ran it well, but in the pass game we weren't as good as we can be. But our team played really well, and it was a great team win."
Lions G T.J. Lang, on how long it takes before the pain from a game sets in: "It depends on how many drinks you have."
Lions RB Ameer Abdullah, on his 94-yard day: "I got into every game thinking I am in for a big day. I can't really nail down and say at (what) point in the game I thought it was going to be a big day. I still don't even think it was that big of a day."
Abdullah, on what is a big game to him: "I'll tell you when it happens. But you got to shoot for the stars."
Caldwell, on why they dialed up so many runs against a good run defense: "When you have pass rushers that you face like that, then you better spend some time running the ball because they can create some problems for you. That was one of the things we wanted to be certain we did, was find some cracks in the defense."
Lions S Miles Killebrew, on the defense's 11 takeaways this season: "I wouldn't say we are surprised, because that implies that we weren't expecting them to happen."
Abdullah ankle injury not serious, Worrilow questionable after win.
Caldwell confirmed Abdullah was cleared to return, even though he was held out.
“I rolled my ankle up a little bit,” Abdullah said. “I was ready to go back in, but circumstances kind of changed a little bit when they got the ball back only two mins left and we’re flopping on the ball. Maybe it was a good thing.”
It looks less promising for linebacker Paul Worrilow, who left the game early in the first quarter with a knee injury. Initially ruled questionable to return, he was eventually ruled out, after being carted from the sideline to the locker room.
The team didn’t have an update after the game.
“We will have to wait and see what the final prognosis is,” Caldwell said.
If the Detroit Lions proved one thing Sunday in Minnesota, it’s that their defense is legit.
The Vikings came into Sunday’s contest as the No. 2 offense in the league, and the Lions shut them down. Minnesota had under 300 yards of total offense, managed to get into the end zone just once, and turned the ball over three times.
Last week it was three interceptions by the Lions' defense. This week it was three forced fumbles. In all, this Lions defense now has 11 takeaways in four games. Detroit had 14 takeaways all last year.
Caldwell said after Sunday’s classic NFC North showdown that he’s beginning to learn a few things about his team.
“Our guys are going to fight you,” he said. “If they’re close in the fourth quarter, we’re going to have a chance with our quarterback, offense, defense and kicking game. I think we have a solid group of guys, but we still have a long way to go.”
Whitehead said he’s also learned this team has some fight to it after a quarter of the season.
“That we’re going to fight you,” he said. “We’re going to scrap you tooth and nail all the way to the end of the game. We’re going to find a way to win.
Offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter obviously came into Sunday with the game plan to run the football and attack Minnesota’s defense in the short and intermediate passing game, particularly with his tight ends.
Veteran Darren Fells, who’s really just been a blocking tight end up to this point, led the Lions with four catches for 40 yards on five targets. All of his catches came in the first half and all were for big first downs.
Eric Ebron made a couple catches for 27 yards, including a 15-yard catch and run down the sideline that set up a Matt Prater field goal.
Even rookie tight end Michael Roberts got into the action. His 15-yard reception in the third quarter set up Detroit’s only touchdown of the game, a three-yard run by Ameer Abdullah.
Detroit running the football 31 times Sunday was more out of necessity than anything else.
“When you have pass rushers that you face like that, you better spend some time running the ball because they can create some problems for you,” Caldwell said. “So that was one of the things we wanted to make certain we did is make sure we could find some cracks in that defense.”
Thanks to Abdullah, the Lions did find some cracks. Abdullah recorded career highs in carries (20) and yards (94), and scored the team’s first rushing touchdown of the season. He left early in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury, but could have returned if the Lions needed him to.
“It’s good. Obviously, rolled it up in the game a little bit, but came off, was thinking about going back in, the circumstances kind of changed from when I was going to go back in, we kind of got back into more of a two-minute mood, so offensively things kind of shifted for us, but I’ll be good,” he said.
Abdullah finished just six yards short of snapping Detroit’s 55-consecutive game streak without a 100-yard rusher. Had he not rolled his ankle, there’s little question he would have got to the century mark.
“We moved the line of scrimmage,” Abdullah said after the game. “It’s something that we always preach when we go into our run game meetings is establish a new line of scrimmage from where it started. Those guys did that consistently all night. You create creases, we got guys who can hit the hole and make things happen.
“I go into every game thinking up for a big day. So, I can’t really nail down which point of the game I thought I was in for a big day. I still don’t think it was that big of a day, but it was solid enough to get us a win.”
Detroit ran the ball pretty well in the second half of the Atlanta game, so that’s now six straight quarters they’ve been able to make moves on the ground. That’s a good sign moving forward.
It was good to see that position become a much-needed weapon Sunday.
Lions coach Jim Caldwell on another grind-it-out victory: “You know if it’s close in the fourth quarter, we are going to have a chance with our quarterback and our offense and our defense and our kicking game.”
Cornerback Darius Slay on Sunday's gameplan: “We just knew we had to stop their run because they’ve got a talented back, so you stop the run, then put the pressure on (Case) Keenum and that was our game plan today.”
Quarterback Matthew Stafford on defense leading the way: “Our defense played outstanding. Their defense played pretty darn good too. Our guys were getting turnovers and guys on our team were doing a great job of not turning it over. I had a couple today that were close.”
Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs on facing Lions defense: “I actually feel like we moved the ball really well. Of course they got a good defense, but it’s a new team. We don’t play the same team twice.”
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer on difference in the game: “We turned the ball over three times and they had zero. Part of the deal was, I felt like we had to win the turnover battle today going into the football game and we didn’t do that.”
Lions running back Ameer Abdullah on success running football: “We just moved the line of scrimmage. It’s something that we always preach when we go into our run-game meetings is establishing a new line of scrimmage from where it started. Those guys did that consistently all night. When you create creases, we have backs that can hit the hole and make things happen.”
Safety Miles Killebrew on mentality entering game: “This was definitely a game where we had to come out and bring our ‘A’ game. The Vikings have a very powerful offense. Their receiving corps is phenomenal and we took that into account when we were practicing this week.”
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Now 39-71-2 alltime . Man I remember how bad the 1970's but this is terrible. Heck the lions won the first 5 in the series and we're 9-3-2 after 14 games . Then 1968 happened ( yeah tigers won the series but lions )and I started watching lions around this time . 1970 and beyond I remember just about every game lol..
Lions lost 13 in a row to the vikings and were 3-22 the next 25 years verses Minnesota. So many long freaking losing streaks verses Minnesota!!! Sure would be nice if we could dail up a long one !! Much better in recent seasons 8-5.
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/game_query.cgi?tm1=det&tm2=min&yr=all
I HATED Minnesota then and now.
But hey at 3 we just tied our second longest winning streak verses them !!!!!!
Lions lost 13 in a row to the vikings and were 3-22 the next 25 years verses Minnesota. So many long freaking losing streaks verses Minnesota!!! Sure would be nice if we could dail up a long one !! Much better in recent seasons 8-5.
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/game_query.cgi?tm1=det&tm2=min&yr=all
I HATED Minnesota then and now.
But hey at 3 we just tied our second longest winning streak verses them !!!!!!
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sggatecl
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Keep TJ away from Prater!
kmd47
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If I was HC of teams about to play us, I'd limit my star RB's usage.... We've already knocked out DJ and Cook in 4 weeks. Usually don't feel bad for injured guys of other teams but damn injuries suck.
kmd47
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The guy gets sacked 6 times makes timely throws when needed while under constant pressure and he wasn't really asked to do that much. But yeah the dude sucks worst QB in the league.......................................................
Tonyballs2
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Lmao
Pressure can make a QB play poorly. Especially a lot of it. He made some plays though and avoided turnovers (luckily)
Great job defense. The last two were forced. The first one was a wildcat dumb move by the Vikings. Zettel capitalized.
Great job defense. The last two were forced. The first one was a wildcat dumb move by the Vikings. Zettel capitalized.
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grandy
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The Lions got a bit lucky on the Cook fumble, immediately grabbed his knee and left the ball exposed. Good on the Lions for capitalizing on it, but it’s one of those situations that won’t come up very often.
Regardless, the D played well again. Definitely going to be tested even more with NO, PIT and GB coming up.
Regardless, the D played well again. Definitely going to be tested even more with NO, PIT and GB coming up.
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Wilson put his helmet perfectly to the football on the Cook fumble.
The D is the reason why we are 3-1. You could easily argue the Defense/Special teams is responsible for 8 of our 11 TDs. They've scored 3 themselves and 5 of the 8 offensive TDs have come on drives starting on their own side of the field.
In fact the offense on average is only contributing 31 Yards per TD.
Only thing the offense seems to be doing well is not turning over the ball. Which we have seemed to be a bit lucky with a few dropped INTs. Eventually we will need something from or offense. Our offense is a not to lose offense, which so far has been good enough. I just hope we don't need to count on them to get us a win, not looking promising.
In fact the offense on average is only contributing 31 Yards per TD.
Only thing the offense seems to be doing well is not turning over the ball. Which we have seemed to be a bit lucky with a few dropped INTs. Eventually we will need something from or offense. Our offense is a not to lose offense, which so far has been good enough. I just hope we don't need to count on them to get us a win, not looking promising.
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Our offense has to get it going . Hopfully it will soon . Matt was super lucky on a few throws we all know that and the d bailed us out big time .
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grandy
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It looked like Cook was much more concerned with the pain shooting through his knee during the end of that run.
Don't think he was referring to recovering his fumble. Thinking he means he most likely wouldn't have fumbled to begin with if not for the injury.
Which I agree with, knee going out caused him to turn his body into the hit and drop his arm, allowing the ball to be fully exposed.
Agreed the offense needs to pick it up. The turnover rate is unsustainable long term, and that has been a major factor in our record.
The 2016 Vikings started 5-0 on a similar style of play. They caused 16 turnovers in their first six games or something, and then only had 6 more the rest of the season (excluding week 17 against the Bears when they had 5 alone in that game). They finished on a 2-7 streak.
The 2016 Vikings started 5-0 on a similar style of play. They caused 16 turnovers in their first six games or something, and then only had 6 more the rest of the season (excluding week 17 against the Bears when they had 5 alone in that game). They finished on a 2-7 streak.
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