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elaine95  
#1 Posted : Monday, May 27, 2019 7:23:15 AM(UTC)
elaine95

Rank: Advanced Member

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Joined: 5/28/2018(UTC)
Posts: 1,052
American Samoa

The Detroit Lions made some renovations in and around their locker room perhaps trying to turn some little changes into big ones that really matter under Matt Patricia .The Lions gave Patricia Teez Tabor Jersey , the former New England defensive coordinator, his first head coaching job earlier this year in the hopes he could bring some of what he learned from the Patriots to Detroit.Patricia probably picked up at least a thing or two from Bill Belichick about how to keep as much about the organization private as possible.In a hallway at the Lions' training facility, doors are closed where there used to be openings allowing people passing by to peek in on position groups while they met or watched film.Inside the locker room, an area some players relaxed in recliners or played video games out in the open is now an extension of the training room behind a door.When players leave the locker room in the other direction, they pass through another door where there wasn't one last year."Coach is keeping the inside in," Detroit tight Michael Roberts said. "And, the outside out."The Lions have been on the outside looking in for decades during the playoffs.Since winning the 1957 NFL title, Detroit has one postseason victory and that lone win was on Jan. 5, 1992.Patricia was New England's defensive coordinator the previous six years and was on Belichick's staff for 14 seasons, a stretch that included three Super Bowl victories. He was hired in Detroit to replace Jim Caldwell Kenny Golladay Jersey , who was 36-28 over four seasons and 0-2 in the playoffs.Detroit general manager Bob Quinn, in his third season with the franchise, knows Patricia well because they worked together in New England for a dozen seasons.Long before he hired him, Quinn had already been talking up Patricia to team president Rod Wood."I kind of always thought, 'You know what? If I ever get my chance, Matt and I could probably work together,'" Quinn recalled.If the Patricia-Quinn reunion pans out and produces postseason success, the duo will be hailed in Michigan for pulling off a feat. If not, they will join a long list of general managers and coaches who failed to build an NFL winner in the Motor City.Here are some other things to know about the Lions:STAFFORD SAYSDetroit drafted Matthew Stafford No. 1 overall in 2009, desperately hoping he would become the franchise quarterback with enough talent and leadership to lead the team to playoff success.It hasn't happened.Stafford is 60-65 in the regular season and 0-3 in the playoffs."I don't hear about many people talking about a running back Jalen Reeves-Maybin Jersey , or a receiver, or a defensive end's playoff career record, but it's understandable," Stafford said. "We touch the ball on every single play and make a lot of critical plays and decisions. Whether it's fair or not is not up to me to judge."RB ROTATIONThe Lions will lean on multiple running backs this season, including three-time Super Bowl winner LeGarrette Blount, who signed as a free agent. Detroit drafted Kerryon Johnson in the second round and he looks ready to get some snaps on any down. Speedy and shifty Theo Riddick still appears to be one of the NFL's best pass-catching running backs."We have so much talent in our room," Johnson said. "And there great thing is no one will have to do it all."THROUGH THE AIRPassing is Detroit's strength with Stafford throwing to veteran receivers Golden Tate, Marvin Jones and second-year pro Kenny Golladay."The sky is the limit with us because we know we are good," Tate said. "The only thing that can stop us is us."LINE PROBLEMSOn both sides of the ball, Detroit appears to have potential problems.The Lions' offensive line did not create holes in the running game or protect Stafford well last year and there's no evidence the unit will be better. Detroit ranked last in rushing offense last year and Stafford was sacked a career-high 47 times.First-round pick Frank Ragnow is being counted on to start at guard or center. Guard T.J. Lang Barry Sanders Jersey , who turns 31 early in the season, is showing signs of being a banged-up veteran and may not even be able to match the 13 games he played last season.Defensive end Ezekiel Ansah is playing with a franchise tag and seems to be slowing down because of injuries. Elsewhere on the line, Detroit appears to lack game-changing players that will command attention from opponents. GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Cardinals had hoped for the first winning streak of the season after a morale-boosting win at Green Bay in the snow last Sunday.But the Cardinals offense regressed in a 17-3 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday, which dropped Arizona to 3-10.The Cardinals gave up three sacks and struggled to deal with the Lions’ pass rush, and they ran for just 61 yards as a team, averaging 2.9 yards per rush.In the end, their worn-down defense couldn’t keep the Cardinals close in the final minutes.“We didn’t create any movement up front on the offensive side of the ball to generate some positive plays on first and second down,” Cardinals coach Steve Wilks said.“We have to do a much better job protecting the quarterback, allowing him to go through his progression. And we have to protect the football.”Wilks said he was “extremely surprised” at his team’s performance coming off the win at Lambeau Field.“Great momentum Michael Roberts Jersey , big win. We had a great week of practice,” Wilks said. “We have to learn how to finish. That’s what we didn’t do.”The Cardinals were able to avoid being blanked for the second time this season thanks to Zane Gonzalez’s field goal in the fourth quarter.The offense sputtered with only five first downs in the first half and no points from its best drive, which ended in a missed 54-yard try from Gonzalez.“Sometimes when you go three-and-out early, it’s hard to get in any kind of rhythm,” quarterback Josh Rosen said.The second half was only slightly better, but saw the Cardinals booed after a three-and-out late in the third quarter.The fans cheered loudest for the continuation of longtime wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald’s streak of games with at least one catch, which is up to 224.Fitzgerald figured to be more of a focal point with Christian Kirk out for the season because of a broken foot.But Fitzgerald — who became the NFL leader for most receptions with one team at 1,286 — had one catch through three quarters.“Obviously we had an awareness on him,” Lions coach Matt Patricia said. “We know he is going to get the ball. We know he is going to get open in critical situations. You saw that as the game was going on and they got back to him and he was able to make great plays. You just kind of hold your breath the whole time because he can change the game in a second.”Down 3-0 in the third quarter, the Cardinals had three straight first downs on their second possession of the second half. Then Rosen was intercepted by the Lions’ Darius Slay Taylor Decker Jersey , who returned the ball 67 yards for a touchdown.“It’ll be a frustrating Monday,” Rosen said, looking ahead to breaking down the offense on film, “but a Monday that needs to happen.”On the drive for the field goal, the Cardinals — looking for some way to get points — tried a direct snap to rookie running back Chase Edmonds on first and goal from the Detroit 8, but it resulted in a holding penalty that backed them up 10 yards.Arizona had to settle for Gonzalez’s 22-yard field goal with 8:14 to play. The Cardinals finished with eight penalties for 83 yards.Still trailing only 10-3, the Cardinals still had a chance. But the Lions handed the ball off to running back Zach Zenner seven times on a drive, the seventh carry was a 1-yard touchdown that sealed Detroit’s win.“We have to be able to muster up more than three points,” Fitzgerald said. “Converting more consistently on third downs and extending drives would be huge.”
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