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[Detroit Lions]

Madden 26 simulation: Predicting the Detroit Lions’ 2025 season

The Detroit Lions certainly hope their 2025 season goes better than 2024. While the record last year (15-2) will be difficult to improve upon or repeat, they’re hoping their roster doesn’t have much turnover due to injuries. Not only that, they want to improve from last year’s postseason finish. Despite being the top seed in the NFC, the Lions were upset by the Washington Commanders in the Divisional Round of the playoffs in 2024.

The defending back-to-back NFC North champions are again favorites to win the division, but that doesn’t mean it’s automatic. The Green Bay Packers are behind them in odds, and with more weapons on their offense, they could surprise people. The Minnesota Vikings are in third, despite having a new starting quarterback in J.J. McCarthy. The Chicago Bears are the long shot this year. Even with former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson now taking over, they have an uphill climb.

The preseason is still young with just two games under wraps, so season predictions aren’t common this early in August. That doesn’t stop the video game Madden NFL 26 from working, though! Last year, the prediction did have the Lions going back to the NFC title game, losing to the Philadelphia Eagles, who they had losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. So while Madden correctly picked the title game matchup, it missed the winner. Can the simulation get it right this year?

Before reading the prediction, here is how I laid out this Lions franchise:

• Difficulty: All-Madden
• Quarter Length: 15 minutes
• Pre-existing injuries: ON
• Final depth chart and roster were my predictions and close to what I believe the team will do

Get your guesses in now, the season is about to start!

First half (Weeks 1-11)​

The Lions disappointingly began the year losing to the Green Bay Packers. They rebounded by giving Johnson the feeling of what it’s like to go up against this high-powered offense to improve to 1-1. In a nice early-season surprise, the Lions defeated the Baltimore Ravens before beating the Cleveland Browns and improving to 3-1. The streak came to a halt, though, as the Lions lost to the Cincinnati Bengals. The good news is the Lions’ streak of not losing two games in a row continued, as they not just rebounded and won, they demolished the Kansas City Chiefs 40-17.

Before going into the bye week on “Monday Night Football,” they defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A record of 5-2 before the bye week is not what I expected and Lions fans would be very happy with those results. After the Lions returned from the bye week, they came out hot in a 27-point smack down in their first game against the Minnesota Vikings.

They then got their revenge against the Washington Commanders on the road. Finally, in Week 11, in a matchup many wanted to see in the NFC Championship game last year, the Lions went into Philadelphia and defeated the defending Super Bowl champions, 30-28. So in the first half of the year, the Lions went 8-2, a big surprise looking at their schedule. I’m not saying this is impossible, but I don’t believe this will happen.

Second half (Weeks 12-18)​

After 11 weeks, the Lions finally got bit by the injury bug, as defensive tackle Alim McNeill would be limited, and the Lions’ second-round pick, right guard Tate Ratledge, joined him on the sidelines. Thankfully, both would only miss a month, but in those four games, the Lions slipped up. They defeated the New York Giants, but Thanksgiving turned sour as they get swept by the Packers. They would rebound and defeat the Dallas Cowboys to improve to 10-3.

In Week 15, McNeill and Ratledge returned, but running back Jahmyr Gibbs got injured and was out until the playoffs. The Lions lost to the Los Angeles Rams, and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers defeated the Lions in his final game against Detroit, giving the Lions their first losing streak since October 2022.

The Lions didn’t let the losing streak bother them, though, as they beat both the Vikings and Bears, finishing the season 12-5 and winning the NFC North for a third-straight season. They also clinched the No. 1 seed again, but the bad news was that left guard Christian Mahogany would get injured and be out for the playoffs.

Postseason​

Here is what Madden NFL 26 thinks the playoff field will look like this season. The top seeds don’t come as a surprise, as both teams are going to be among the best teams in their conferences. For the NFC, the Arizona Cardinals sneaking in is interesting, but I wouldn’t be too surprised by it. The Atlanta Falcons coming in as a Wild Card team is more of a surprise, as I am unsure if they can have an above .500 record.

For the AFC, we have lots of surprises. First, the Steelers earning the 2 seed is not what I had on my bingo card. Then you had the Jacksonville Jaguars winning the AFC South over the Houston Texans. Finally, the Las Vegas Raiders made the playoffs for the first time since the 2021 season.

In his revenge game against the Lions, quarterback Matthew Stafford would pull off the upset and send the Lions out of the playoffs. So for the second year in a row, the Lions would lose as the top seed in the Divisional Round. Like last season’s simulation, whoever the Lions lost to in the playoffs would go on to the Super Bowl. Unlike last year, the Lions’ opponent won, as the Rams demolished the Raiders 33-7 with Stafford getting his second ring. The game also thinks he will retire after this season, so what a way to go out.

Final results and reaction​

Seeing the Lions once again get the top seed and lose in the first game would be a horrible result for this team. Out of all of the seasons this coaching staff and front office have had, it would be the first one that feels like a step back. While they did do worse, postseason-wise, in 2024, it was understandable given how many injuries they suffered. With this simulation, though, the Lions weren’t down too many players, and in the playoffs, they were only down one starter, and they couldn’t defeat the Rams, who Madden had beating them in the regular season, too.

If the Lions can’t win a playoff game as the top seed, fans might want them to tank a few games in 2026 so they can be the second seed instead. For this season to be successful, winning the Super Bowl is the main goal, but if the team at least appears in the big game, it’s a positive year for them. Appearing in the NFC Championship game is an upgrade from 2024, but Lions fans don’t want the same heartbreak they had in 2023.

When it comes to the stats, quarterback Jared Goff has another solid season, throwing for over 3,000 yards with 30 touchdowns and nine interceptions. The running game was taken over by Gibbs, as he ran for 1,251 yards and nine touchdowns, getting 60+ more carries than David Montgomery, who still led the team in rushing touchdowns with 10 and 747 yards.

The receiving game saw wide receiver Jameson Williams truly take over in this offense, becoming the top option for Goff, leading the team with 1,044 yards and 11 touchdowns. Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown finished with 895 yards and nine touchdowns as he regressed with a down year. Tight end Sam LaPorta was similar to 2024, getting 458 yards and five touchdowns.

On defense, EDGE Hutchinson had a monster season, tying T.J. Watt and Michael Strahan for most sacks in a season with 22.5 sacks. Despite that, he still didn’t win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. That went to Watt, who blew the sack record out of the water with 28 sacks! Another notable thing for the defense was seeing EDGE Marcus Davenport finish with 9.5 sacks. If that happens, phew, this defensive line will be scary.

For the turnovers, we saw a huge drop off in interceptions as three players tied for most on the team. Jack Campbell, D.J. Reed, and Terrion Arnold all had two.

In conclusion, I would be very disappointed if this is how the Lions’ 2025 season ended. To finish the regular season on top, only to be knocked off in the first postseason game, would leave a bad taste in your mouth. This team should improve from last year, even if it isn’t record-wise, just because of how many players they will have back and healthy. Do you think the Lions will have a similar fate as in 2024, or could the Lions go further in 2025?

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...lar-fate-detroit-lions-2025-season-simulation

 

[Detroit Lions]

Discussion: Which Dolphins player do you want to see the Lions beat in joint practices?

On Wednesday morning, the Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins will kick off the first of two joint practices at Allen Park. It figures to be a couple of day of intense practices, good work for the first stringers, with a lot of opinions and takes about both teams.

While the Lions are coming off a league-best 15-2 season, the Dolphins are coming off a bit of a down year. Last season, they finished 8-9 and didn’t make the playoff for the first time under Mike McDaniels. It certainly didn’t help that starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa missed six games with an injury (Dolphins went 2-4 in those games), but, overall, the offense took a bit of a step back.

Regardless, they still have a bunch of talented players who will give Detroit a great challenge in practice this week.

So today’s Question of the Day is:

Which Dolphins player do you want to see the Lions neutralize this week in joint practices?​

My answer: My mind immediately goes to two places: the Dolphins interior defensive line, and their receiving corps.

The Lions secondary has had their hands full all of training camp with the likes of Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Kalif Raymond, and Sam LaPorta. But the Dolphins bring a little bit of a different threat with the speedy Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Now both receivers are considered day-to-day, and it’s unclear if they’ll practice this week, but if they do and Detroit’s secondary holds up nicely, the hype around Detroit’s defensive backs will be rightfully out of control.

I’d also like to see if the Lions interior offensive line can handle what could be one of the best defensive tackle groups in football. Not only are they returning Zach Sieler, who tallied 10 sacks last season, but the Dolphins’ first-round pick—former Wolverine Kenneth Grant—is reportedly have a very strong preseason. I would love to see Detroit’s newly-formed interior offensive line hold those guys in check when it comes to both the run game and pass rush. The Lions offensive line remains one of their biggest question marks, but if they can handle Miami this week, it could be a very good sign.

Which Dolphins player are you hoping to hear struggles against the Lions this week?

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/nfl-...want-to-see-the-lions-beat-in-joint-practices

 

[Detroit Lions]

VIDEO: A full minute of Amon-Ra St. Brown TOASTING the Dolphins defense

One of the benefits of the Detroit Lions holding joint practices is that there is a sharp increase in on-field action and media coverage. The Lions’ award-winning video team was out in full force on Wednesday, and they’re cutting up highlights and dropping videos all over social media.

One of the biggest storylines of Detroit’s first joint practice with the Miami Dolphins was the dominance of Amon-Ra St. Brown, and the Lions’ video team was ready for it.

Here’s a one-minute video montage of St. Brown hauling in 11 receptions against the Dolphins in both one-on-one and team drills, including a sick end zone fade where St. Brown used the cornerback’s helmet to secure a one-handed touchdown catch (third catch in the sequence, showing up at the 14-second mark of the video).

“Yeah, it was a good day,” St. Brown told the media following practice. “Finally get to go against someone else. So that was a lot of fun. You know, you go against the same guys every day in camp, you feel like they start to know the routes that we’re running, the concepts, what we like to run on one-on-ones. So to go against someone new, it felt good. Just feels like they don’t really know all the time what’s coming, so that’s the fun part.”

Enjoy:

Amon-Ra St. Highlight pic.twitter.com/VYc0jmZNKm

— Detroit Lions (@Lions) August 13, 2025

For full observations on how the Lions defense performed against the Dolphins, check out our Day 1 joint practice observations here. Later on Wednesday night, we’ll have news and notes about the offense from Al Karsten.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...mon-ra-st-brown-toasting-the-dolphins-defense

 

[Detroit Lions]

Lions, Dolphins joint practice Day 2 observations: OL chemistry building

The Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins were back at it on Thursday for the second, and final, joint practice between the two. As with Wednesday, most of the work was given to the first teamers, leaving limited opportunities for the reserves. However, they’ll get their chance on Saturday afternoon when the two teams meet for the Ford Field preseason opener at 1 p.m. ET.

After offering my observations of the Lions defense on Day 1, I shifted my focus entirely to the offense on Day 2. Here’s what I noticed from practice.

Offensive line 1-on-1 standouts​

• Much like Al Karsten noted in his Day 1 observations, it was a near perfect series for the starting offensive line. I had them with wins in seven of their 10 reps, with pushes in two, and the only loss coming to Graham Glasgow, who let Benito Jones slip by him, but still managed to stick with him.
• Penei Sewell absolutely stonewalled Chop Robinson in both of their reps
• Taylor Decker was even more impressive in his two reps against Bradley Chubb. On the first, Chubb had nowhere to go. On the second, Decker showed he’s still got plenty of athleticism with him, shuffling to match Chubb’s speed to the outside.
• Tate Ratledge had one of the more dominant wins of the group, barely giving up an inch to Matthew Butler
• It wasn’t a great series for Kingsley Eguakun, who got blown several yards back by Jordan Phillips, but he did come back with a draw against Zeek Biggers.
• The most surprising standout was relatively-new offensive tackle Gunner Britton, who absolutely handled Cameron Goode. He faced off in a draw the next rep, but it’s also worth noting he repped at both left and right tackle. More on him later.

Physical day running the ball​

The Lions opened team activities with a drill meant to dig themselves out of their own zone. Starting at their own 1-yard line, Detroit fed Montgomery for gains of 3 and 6. On third-and-1, it appeared he got stuffed by crashing linebacker Jordyn Brooks after Ratledge was late to pull, but Montgomery bounced off the tackle anyway and was awarded a first down.

Then the Lions flipped the field and ran red zone drills with the first and second teams. Sione Vaki got a lot of looks with the second team and ran with power. He found the end zone on a 5-yard run, but on a two-point conversion, the Dolphins swarmed him in the backfield. Eguakun and Zach Horton blew their blocks on the play. In a later series, Vaki found the end zone again, running behind center Michael Niese, who walled off the defender nicely. Britton was working in with the second-team offense at right tackle—splitting time with Mason Miller—and he had a very strong run to spring one of Vaki’s touchdowns.

Hendon Hooker only attempted a single pass during red zone drills. On a play-action boot, he had Horton wide open, but missed him badly.

The first-team offense was a little more pass-heavy in their initial red zone series. After a Jahmyr Gibbs run went for just 3 yards, the Lions scored touchdowns on three straight plays—all passes in which the Lions receiver definitively won their coverage. Amon-Ra St won an out-route, Jameson Williams got wide open for a 2-yard score, and Detroit used tempo at the line—a Ben Johnson staple—to catch the Dolphins off guard for an easy touchdown pass to David Montgomery.

Kick return/coverage teams​

I didn’t pay all that much attention to the results of plays on kickoff, because with no live tackling, it gives the deceiving look that every return is for a touchdown. However, I did take note of the personnel for the “starters.” At this point in camp, the Lions are likely making some decisions on who they want to be on these critical special teams plays, so these players are likely in good shape to make the 53-man roster right now.

Kick return “starters”: Rock Ya-Sin, Derrick Barnes, Isaac TeSlaa, Trevor Nowaske, Brock Wright, Ian Kennelly, Nate Lynn, Shane Zylstra, Zach Cunningham, Sione Vaki (returner), and Grant Stuard (returner).

Kick coverage “starters” (missing one player): Rock Ya-Sin, Trevor Nowaske, Grant Stuard, Craig Reynolds, Sione Vaki, Derrick Barnes, Pat O’Connor, Avonte Maddox, Isaac TeSlaa, and Jake Bates.

Explosive plays from the offense​

The Lions had a simulated drive start from the 50-yard line, and that’s when the offense really started to open it up again. The very first play was a play-action deep shot to Jameson Williams for an easy score. Jared Goff had perfect protection and laid a perfect ball to Williams, who had a few steps of separation.

They opted to run it back from the 50, and that’s when Montgomery found a huge hole behind Ratledge and Sewell for a 20-yard gain. Williams was also doing a great job blocking downfield. Overall, the Lions opted to run behind Ratledge and Sewell several times on Thursday, and mostly had success. After practice, Ratledge commented on the budding chemistry between him and Sewell.

“I think he knows how I’m going to fit up on double teams, I know how he’s going to fit up on double teams,” Ratledge said. “So kinda just playing off each other has gotten more cleaner and smoother. Instead of just playing football, we’re reacting off each other, knowing what each other are going to do.”

Detroit ran into some trouble late in the drive after St. Brown couldn’t come down with a one-handed grab, and pressure forced a checkdown to Gibbs. However, after an offsides penalty turned a fourth-and-7 into a fourth-and-2, the Lions ran Montgomery behind the right side of the line again for an easy pickup of 7 yards. They opted to call the drill there.

“It makes life pretty easy,” Ratledge continued on Sewell. “A lot of the times, you get help when you’re not expecting it from him, so playing next to him—and also that mentor aspect of it. I can lean on him whenever I have questions in the film room, on the field.”

Watching Jahmyr Gibbs through Barry Sanders’ eyes​

To step out of reporter mode for a second and into fan mode, I was geeking out a bit toward the end of practice when I had unknowingly parked myself right next to Lions legend Barry Sanders during some red zone work. As luck would have it, this series featured a lot of Jahmyr Gibbs, and I got to watch Barry watch Gibbs.

On the first play on the drive, they pitched it out to Gibbs, who had to beat Bradley Chubb one-on-one in the open field. While there was no live tackling, it’s pretty safe to say Chubb would’ve ended up whiffing, and the grin on Sanders’ face told me he agreed. Later in the drive, Gibbs fought through traffic to find a lane for a 5-yard touchdown, and Sanders erupted in applause.

Lions draw with Dolphins in situation drill​

Like on Wednesday, both teams ended with an end-of-game scenario. The scenario on Thursday:

Down 4 points, starting from their own 48-yard line with 59 seconds left and 1 timeout

The Lions offense started with a quick curl to Shane Zylstra, but Goff was nearly intercepted after Kalif Raymond appeared to cut his post route short, and Storm Duck nearly picked it off. Detroit moved the sticks on third down after Goff threw an impromptu shove pass to Zylstra on a scramble play. However, the drive was derailed when Matthew Butler broke free and sacked Goff, who appeared to be looking for a deep shot.

That left the offense still near midfield and without a timeout. Gof was able to get them into the red zone with a nice deepshot to St. Brown for 20 and a quick out to Jameson Williams to stop the clock. But with only time for one pass from the 19-yard line, there was too much traffic for St. Brown to get his hands on an in-breaking pass, and the Dolphins defense won.

However, when Tua Tagovailoa took the field for the Dolphins’ shot at the drill, he would not stay out there long. Amik Robertson broke up the first pass on a quick curl to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. Miami probably got away with a should-be sack from Aidan Hutchinson, but just turned it into a few yards on a dump play. Tight end Hayden Rucci dropped a pass after likely feeling a Lions defender closing in on him. And on fourth down, Brian Branch had perfect coverage and knocked away a pass intended for Tarik Black. Four-and-out. Of note: Nick Whiteside was with the first-team offense that drive, giving Terrion Arnold a break.

Other notes:​

• It was another very strong day from Amon-Ra St. Brown. His best play was when the Lions were backed into a third-and-7. St. Brown fought through clear pass interference from Mike Hilton (it drew a flag), still caught the pass, and then had the wherewithal to fight through the tackle to dive forward for the conversion. Gibbs would score on the next play.
• Speaking of… while watching OL/DL drills, I missed out on 7-on-7s. After sharing notes with the Detroit News’ Rich Silva, he pointed out some standouts from those drills. The first team managed just a couple of checkdowns in their first four reps, but in their second series of plays, Goff went 4-for-4, including a pair of touchdowns to St. Brown. With the twos, Isaac TeSlaa scored a touchdown on a bit of a scramble drill.
• Jake Bates was perfect on the day, with consecutive makes from 34, 38, 43, 49, and 53 yards during a special teams period.
• Dan Skipper nearly started a fight—a fairly common occurrence during joint practices. During an 11-on-11 red zone drill, he absolutely crushed K.J. Britt and essentially jumped on top of him after Britt was face-first in the dirt. Britt got up swinging at Skipper after the play, but the two were separated from each other.
• After being limited on Wednesday with cramps, Kalif Raymond was back with the first-team offense for nearly the entire practice.
• After throwing punches on Wednesday, Jameson Williams and Ifeatu Melifonwu were getting in each other’s faces several times, regardless of whether they were lined up opposite each other or not. Both made a few plays on Thursday and immediately let the other know about it.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...tice-day-2-observations-ol-chemistry-building

 

[Detroit Lions]

What is your biggest takeaway after joint practices with the Dolphins?

After an eventful two days of joint practices with the Miami Dolphins in Allen Park, the Detroit Lions are gearing up for what will be their third preseason game of the year against the team on Saturday. For most of the early days of training camp, there were some concerns around whether or not the Lions offense had taken a step back under new offensive coordinator John Morton. While the personnel had not changed much over the course of the offseason, most reports coming out of practices had the defense ahead of the offense by a comfortable margin. At least that is what some people thought prior to Miami coming to town.

Now, after two good days of work against units other than their own, I think most of those worries have been addressed. By most accounts, Wednesday’s session was one of the more lopsided joint practices in sometime. After that, it appeared as though Miami found their footing a bit, making for a more well-rounded practice on Thursday.

There were plenty of standouts to choose from over the two days, and I am sure Lions coach Dan Campbell has to be generally pleased with the work they got in.

What is your biggest takeaway after two days of joint practice with the Dolphins?

It might be a simple one to a lot of people, but Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is a really special player. And I know what you are thinking: “No kidding, Morgan. He is a First Team All-Pro.” And listen, I hear you, but I think because he is so consistent in his approach to the game, sometimes we forget just how amazing he is.

In basketball terms, I would compare St. Brown to a player that is going to get his, night in and night out. The kind of player where at the end of the game, you are going to look up and he will have at minimum 25 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. It’s just the kind of player he is.

To give more context to the situation, I don’t think the Dolphins’ secondary is among the best in the game, but, simply put, it doesn’t matter when it comes to St. Brown. Star corner, Pro Bowler, it doesn’t matter. He is going to get his. For me personally, it was a nice reminder of how lucky we are as Lions fans right now, and players like St. Brown are at the center of it all.

What about you? What was your biggest takeaway from the joint practices with the Dolphins? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/nfl-...eaway-after-joint-practices-with-the-dolphins

 

[Detroit Lions]

How to watch Lions vs. Dolphins preseason: TV, time, online streaming

The Detroit Lions are back at home within the confines of Ford Field for the first time since [REDACTED]. On Saturday, fans will pile into the stands to watch the Lions take on the Miami Dolphins in the first preseason home game of 2025.

The Lions took it to the Dolphins pretty hard this week in a pair of joint practices, but Miami looked a little more competitive in the second session. With those practices in the books, we likely won’t see many—if any—starters in this week’s preseason game, but there will still be plenty to watch for Saturday afternoon. Jobs will be on the line, and if I’m being completely honest, I just need football back in my life.

So if you want to partake in some Lions vs. Dolphins preseason football, here’s everything you need to know to watch Saturday afternoon’s matchup.

When is the Lions vs. Dolphins? ​

The game is on Saturday, August 16, 2025, and kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.

Where is the game being played? ​

It’s technically a home opener for the Detroit Lions, as it will be the first time the Lions play in Ford Field since last year’s playoff loss.

How can I watch Lions vs. Dolphins live? ​

This game will not be nationally televised. It is available locally on FOX 2 Detroit or any of the other local Lions affiliates, which you can view here.

Is it being replayed nationally?​

Yes, but you’re going to have to wait awhile. NFL Network is replaying the game early on Monday, August 18 at 5 a.m. ET.

Can I stream the game? ​

Yes! If you are not a local Lions fan, you can watch the game on NFL+ with a subscription. Local fans can watch the game on DetroitLions.com or via the official Lions app for free!

Who is playing in the Lions vs. Dolphins?​

After a pair of joint practices between the two teams, don’t expect many starters in this game for either team. Lions coach Dan Campbell has not revealed his plans yet, but Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said as recently as Thursday that they weren’t planning on playing their first stringers.

Who are the TV announcers for Lions vs. Dolphins?​

The Lions’ local TV broadcast consists of Jason Benetti, T.J. Lang, and Dannie Rogers.

Radio options for Lions vs. Dolphins game? ​

Same as always. Get your fix of Dan Miller and Lomas Brown over on 97.1 The Ticket or whatever Lions Radio Network affiliate is available in your area.

Or, if you want all of that information condensed:

Lions vs. Dolphins game information: ​

When: Saturday, August 16, 2025 — 1 p.m. ET
Where: Ford Field — Detroit, MI
TV: FOX 2 Detroit (or other local Lions affiliates)
Online streaming: NFL+ (national), Lions team app (local)
Announcers: Jason Benetti, T.J. Lang, Dannie Rogers
Local Radio: 97.1 The Ticket (Local affiliates here)
Local radio announcers: Dan Miller, Lomas Brown
National replay: Monday, Aug. 18 — 5 a.m. ET — NFL Network

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...s-dolphins-preseason-tv-time-online-streaming

 

[Detroit Lions]

Dan Campbell clearly declares leader in Lions’ backup QB battle

Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell has never been afraid to say things like it is, and that certainly applies for his post-game press conference after the Lions’ 24-17 preseason loss to the Miami Dolphins. When asked if the backup quarterback job is now Kyle Allen’s to lose over Hendon Hooker, Campbell didn’t mince words.

“Yeah, I mean, he’s playing better, he’s playing better,” Campbell said.“ So I would say that right now, if you’re saying—if you had to go in with the (QB) two right now, ‘Who would you trust more?’ Yeah, I would trust Kyle more because he’s proven more after these two games.

“But I’m still—we’re still going to coach Hooker up. We’re still going to see what’s there and see if we can get him better. I mean, we still got a little bit here.”

While that leaves just enough space for Hooker to work his way back into the conversation, it will be a tough climb for the third-year quarterback. Hooker has yet to lead the Lions on a touchdown drive in the preseason, and his only scoring drive came after a Dolphins muffed punt that had Detroit start on Miami’s 27-yard line. It ended in a 33-yard field goal.

Hooker’s best opportunity on Saturday came at the end of the game. He had a chance to run a two-minute drill and successfully moved the Lions into the red zone. But on a bubble screen, blitzing cornerback Ethan Robinson got in the passing lane and made an incredible leaping catch for the interception.

“It’s frustrating,” Hooker said of his lack of rhythm Saturday afternoon. “I mean, me just as a competitor, I want to jump right in there and get into my flow. It’s different coming out. As soon as you come out of halftime, it’s a kickoff, so I get like 10 balls to really get into that motion that I was in a groove during warmups, trying to get that back. But actually, finally getting into my groove and pushing the ball down the field is something that I wanted to show.”

Despite how Hooker’s final drive ended, Campbell was pleased with how he ran the two-minute drill.

“I thought that was good. Took him awhile to get going, but once we got in an end-of-game setting, I appreciated the fact that—yes, we got to score, yes we’re under two minutes, but the ball went where it was supposed to by coverage,” Campbell said. “He didn’t try to force anything. He was in it. He’s calmed everything down enough to know that, man, we don’t have to force it, just take what’s there, let the players do the rest of the work for you.

“And then that’s—it’s just one of those things that happened at the end of the game and that’s tough. He’s going to throw it and then the kid makes the play over there and it’s tough circumstances.”

But the real story from the past two weeks has been how Allen has been playing. He’s had total command of the offense whether it was with the third team (vs. Falcons) or second team (vs. Dolphins). Combined, Allen has completed 21-of-25 for 244 yards and four touchdowns for a passer rating of 146.9.

“He’s got really good command of the offense, he communicates very clearly, he doesn’t get frazzled, he doesn’t worry about anything,” Campbell said. “If he does something that didn’t (go) quite right or he makes a mistake, like, he doesn’t get frazzled. He’s onto the next play, which all of us appreciate that. So, he’s done a good job, I do have faith in him.”

Allen, too, is starting to fell that confidence in the offense and chemistry with the players around him. He’s now thrown two touchdowns to both Isaac TeSlaa and Jackson Meeks in the past two weeks.

“I feel like I have answers on every play, I know where to go with the ball versus any coverage, and I just feel confident that whatever play is called, that whatever they’re driving, I’m going to know what to get to,” Allen said. “It’s a dense offense like we talk about. There’s a lot of stuff they do a good job of coaching, knowing where to go with the ball and getting guys in the right spot.”

There’s still time for Hooker to turn things around, and Campbell admitted they want to increase his opportunities this upcoming week—the final week of the preseason. Still, time is quickly running out for Hooker.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...rly-declares-leader-in-lions-backup-qb-battle

 

[Detroit Lions]

Detroit Lions stock report: Risers, fallers at every position vs. Dolphins

The Detroit Lions’ third preseason game of the 2025 season is in the books, and it’s time to check back in on the players who helped or hurt their stock against the Miami Dolphins.

Attendance​

For injury or rest purposes, the Lions did not play 30 players in this preseason game of the 2025 season, with another six still sitting out due to being on an injury list (PUP/NFI).

Let’s take a quick look at an overview of the roster with our game day depth chart, noting that the players without a position color did not play in this game. Additionally, if a player’s name is written in red, they came into the game with an injury, but if they were injured in the game, their name is boxed in red.

Note: Players with an asterisk (*) are rookies

Quarterback​

• Stock up: Kyle Allen (14 of 17 for 124 yards, 2 TDs, 136.3 RTG)
• Stock down: Hendon Hooker (6 of 13 for 61 yards, 1 INT, 28.0 RTG)
• Did not play: Jared Goff

It’s been building for two weeks now, but after this game, it should be obvious to everyone that Allen is the clear leader for the QB2 job.

“I would trust Kyle (Allen) more because he’s proven more after these two games,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said of the battle for the QB2 role. “We’re still going to coach Hooker up. We’re still going to see what’s there and see if we can get him better. I mean, we still got a little bit here.”

Allen’s last four quarters (and change) of preseason play have resulted in some impressive stats: 21 of 25 for 244 yards, four TDs, zero INT, and a 146.9 passer rating. He attributes his recent uptick in play to his ability to be consistent and his understanding of a playbook that gives him lots of positive options to choose from

“It’s a good offense, it’s a really complete offense. I feel like I have answers on every play,” Allen said post-game. “I know where to go with the ball versus any coverage, and I just feel confident that whatever play is called, that whatever they’re driving, I’m going to know what to get to.”

Hooker had a difficult task in front of him versus the Dolphins. He was playing with a makeshift offensive line that consisted of a left tackle dealing with injury (Giovanni Manu), a brand new left guard (Zack Johnson) and a right tackle (Gunner Britton), and his right guard (Mason Miller) was an undrafted rookie who had previously spent the majority of his time at tackle. As a result, he consistently dealt with a collapsing pocket and his decision making was rushed—which has been Hooker’s achilles heel.

At this stage of the competition, I’m not sure Hooker can overtake Allen. But that doesn’t mean Hooker has lost his opportunity—as Campbell mentioned earlier. His time is dwindling, but he still has an opportunity to convince coaches he’s worth keeping as a potential third quarterback option.

Running back​

• Stock up: Sione Vaki
• Stock neutral: Craig Reynolds, Jacob Saylors, Deon Jackson
• Did not play: Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery

Reynolds got the start and looked his typical self. He did have multiple big runs not count due to penalties, but he’s comfortably in the RB3 spot. Vaki was next up, and while he averaged an impressive 6.0 yards per carry, most of his damage came in the Lions’ two-minute offense, where his skill set really thrives. He still has some work to do before he can challenge Reynolds, but the upside is noticeable and his special teams work is in mid-season form.

On a punt coverage rep, Vaki explodes from his wing position and gets a free look at the returner. He squares up the ball carrier, and with textbook precision, forces a fumble that the Lions recover.

Awesome to see my guy @sione_vaki back on the field and forcing fumbles on special teams! #DetroitLions #OnePride @TheStandard_Co T’z up! pic.twitter.com/iJuDu6RvCI

— deen agustin (@deen_agustin) August 16, 2025

“Super important,” Vaki said of forcing a fumble on punt coverage. “That’s what we want to do. To cause turnovers, whether it be on special teams or defense. It was good to get the ball out today.”

As for Saylors and Jackson, they ran hard and flashed at times, but this running backs room is nearly impossible to crack, and they’re likely fighting for a spot on the practice squad.

Wide receiver​

• Stock up: Isaac TeSlaa*, Jackson Meeks*
• Stock neutral: Dominic Lovett*, Ronnie Bell
• Stock down: Tom Kennedy, Jakobie Keeney-James*
• Did not play: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Tim Patrick (undisclosed), Kalif Raymond
• Injured: Malik Taylor (undisclosed)

Through three games, Meeks leads the Lions’ offensive production with 11 receptions (on 13 targets) for 176 yards and two touchdowns. Fellow rookie TeSlaa is right behind him with eight receptions (11 targets) for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Another rookie, Lovett, lands third on the list, who, despite missing the Lions’ second preseason game, has seven receptions (on 12 targets) for 45 yards. All three have also contributed on special teams, mainly as gunners.

TeSlaa is a lock for the roster and is quickly earning the trust of coaches, which gives him a clear path to opportunities in the regular season.

“TeSlaa is just continuing to grow and get more comfortable,” Campbell said. “He’s getting more confident, and he’s making more plays. You know, I bring this up every time those happen, you gain trust in those players. […] We’re going to need to use him this year, he’s going to have to help us, on special teams and on offense, so that’s encouraging.”

Meeks has consistently improved throughout the preseason games, and the coaching staff has taken notice of this.

“He’s somebody that we feel like has improved every day, every week,” Campbell said of Meeks. “So, you’re always going to take notice of those guys. He’s going to be somebody that we talk about tomorrow. He’s going to come up because he’s elevated his play, and he is noticed.”

Meeks and Lovett appear to be in competition for a WR6 role, but their contributions have been significant enough to make it an almost too close to call battle. Add in the fact both have clear paths to snaps in upcoming seasons, and it’s fair to contemplate if the Lions would consider keeping seven receivers on the depth chart.

Tight end​

• Stock neutral: Shane Zylstra, Zach Horton*
• Stock down: Steven Stilianos, Gunnar Oakes
• Did not play: Sam LaPorta (undisclosed), Brock Wright

Not a lot is happening amongst the tight ends this week. For the first time this season, Zylstra was held out of the stat sheet, and Horton showed up with two catches for 15 yards. Both players end up in the stock neutral this week, because Zylstra offset his lack of production by showing the positional range to play fullback, while Horton’s production was offset by being flagged for a critical holding penalty on a Craig Reynolds explosive.

Stilianos was mainly used as a blocker and didn’t have any truly notable plays beyond a holding penalty. Oakes didn’t make an appearance on offense and was limited to just two special teams snaps.

Offensive line​

• Stock up: Kingsley Eguakun, Netane Muti, Mason Miller*
• Stock Neutral: Dan Skipper, Kayode Awosika, Michael Niese, Gunner Britton
• Stock down: Jamarco Jones, Giovanni Manu, Zack Johnson
• Did not play: Taylor Decker, Christian Mahogany, Graham Glasgow, Penei Sewell, Tate Ratledge*
• Injured: Miles Frazier* (Active/PUP), Trystan Colon (elbow)

It’s tough for offensive linemen to stand out during live viewings (except for negative reasons), but Eguakun showed really nice movement in the run game, while Muti showed the ability to recover after being beaten, and had a punishing look-for-work block on TeSlaa’s touchdown. It was a good game for a couple of players fighting for reserve roles.

Miller has had a rough camp, but it’s important to give him his flowers when he stands out for positive reasons. At guard, he seems to be playing with a bit more confidence and was firing off the ball. These types of plays will get him on the practice squad for more development.

Jones, Manu, and Johnson end up in the stock down category simply because they allowed obvious sacks combined with another negative trait, such as giving up multiple pressures or committing a penalty.

Defensive end​

• Stock up: Al-Quadin Muhammad, Nate Lynn, Isaac Ukwu
• Stock down: Mitchell Agude
• Did not play: Aidan Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport
• Injured: Josh Paschal (Active/NFI), Ahmad Hassanein

Muhammad has almost locked up a roster spot, yet he’s still playing with tremendous hustle. On a screen play that went away from his side of the line, Muhammad crashed from the opposite end position, needed to cross the entire field, and tracked the ball carrier 30+ yards downfield to make the solo tackle. Coaches love that tenacity.

Lynn continues to look sharp and will once again have the coaches considering him for a pass rushing specialist role. Ukwu was the only defender to secure a sack, and probably should’ve had a second, but it was called back due to a penalty. Ukwu isn’t going away.

The big news out of the edge group was the injury to Hassanein, who appeared to suffer an upper body injury that required trainers and an immediate exit to the locker room.

“Out of the (injuries) we had today, he might be the one that could be a little bit,” Campbell said of Hassanein. “So, we’ll know more in the morning.”

Defensive tackle​

• Stock up: 4i/3T Keith Cooper*, Pat O’Connor
• Stock neutral: NT Chris Smith, 3T Myles Adams
• Stock down: NT Brodric Martin
• Did not play: DJ Reader, Roy Lopez, Tyleik Williams*
• Injured: Alim McNeill (Active/PUP), Mekhi Wingo (Active/PUP)

Cooper continues to start off games in the 4i role (the Lions like to start games in their base defense with the SAM), but he also took reps at the 3-technique, as well as nose tackle on third down passing plays. His positional range is expanding, his run stuffing is solid, and he’s surely making roster decisions harder for coaches.

O’Connor was able to get some game action in after only getting in one practice following a return from injury. That’s a big win for a player who could be feeling the heat from Cooper, as they have very similar positional range.

Martin has shown some flash as a pass rusher the last two games, but he’s still getting moved off his spot too easily as a run defender, and was twice flagged for a neutral zone infraction.

Linebacker​

• Stock up: MIKE Zach Cunningham, WILL Grant Stuard, WILL Ezekiel Turner
• Stock neutral: SAM/MIKE Trevor Nowaske
• Stock down: MIKE Anthony Pittman, WILL DaRon Gilbert
• Did not play: Jack Campbell, Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes
• Injured: Malcolm Rodriguez (Active/PUP)

Not much has changed at linebacker. Cunningham, Stuard, and Nowaske look like LBs 4, 5, and 6, but we are seeing a late push from Ezekiel Turner to jump into the mix. Turner led the team with nine tackles—more than double any other defender—and was a starter on multiple phases of special teams.

Cornerback​

• Stock up: Erick Hallett, Nick Whiteside
• Stock neutral: D.J. Miller, Luq Barcoo
• Stock down: Tyson Russell, Allan George
• Did not play: D.J. Reed, Terrion Arnold (hamstring), Amik Robertson
• Injured: Khalil Dorsey (Active/PUP)

Hallett and Whiteside got the start in this game, and if the Lions plan on keeping any of the six reserves that played in this game, they figure to be the corners with the best shots at a roster spot. Whiteside’s coverage has been sharp, and he had a textbook pass breakup (PBU) in the second half that illustrates his potential. Meanwhile, Hallett led the team with three PBUs and played on the outside, in the slot, and at safety—illustrating his value.

“He’s a guy that can play all the positions. So, you need a corner, you need a nickel, you need a safety; he can do them all,” Campbell said of Hallett. “Mentally, he knows them all. […] he’s kind of our get-us-out-of-trouble (guy).”

Miller and Barcoo each had two PBUs, while Russell and George each allowed touchdowns to be completed to their coverage responsibility.

Safety​

• Stock up: Rock Ya-Sin, Ian Kennelly*
• Stock neutral: Avonte Maddox,
• Stock down: Loren Strickland
• Did not play: Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph
• Injured: Morice Norris (concussion)

Ya-Sin and Kennelly got the start for the second consecutive preseason game, an honor that’s awarded to the safeties playing their best ball leading into the game.

“I just show up every day and put the work in, and that’s the coach’s call to put me out there first,” Kennelly told Pride of Detroit after the game. “But I would just say, showing up and putting the work in, and trying to make improvements each time I’m out there.”

Kennelly has gotten to a point in camp that he looks very comfortable with the defensive playbook and is cycling through all three safety spots (deep, two-high, and slot) with ease. And while his defensive production is being rewarded, Kennelly also knows his path to the roster will be what he does on special teams—where he is also starting in all four phases.

“That’s where I’m going to have to excel in order to make this football team,” Kennelly said. “So, that’s everything for me right now. They see me as a more physical guy, and I can run too, so I can be versatile out there. But I know, as a backup safety, I’m going to have to be a special teams guy, and I take pride in that.”

Versatility was a theme amongst the safeties this week, as Ya-Sin also spoke with Pride of Detroit about his desires to make himself more valuable by being position adaptable.

“It’s something that I’ve always wanted to be, is adaptable to whatever my team needs me to do,” Ya-Sin told Pride of Detroit after the game. “I want to be able to contribute on special teams, defense, corner, nickel, safety, whatever it is, just be adaptable.”

As Kennelly and Ya-Sin have started to separate themselves from the pack, Strickland needs to elevate his game if he hopes to make the roster again this season. Unfortunately, he was one of only two dressed Lions defenders (linebacker DaRon Gilbert) to not play a single snap in the first half.

Specialists​

• Stock neutral: Jake Bates, Jack Fox, Hogan Hatten

No competition, no sweat. They’ve been solid, as expected.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...-risers-fallers-at-every-position-vs-dolphins

 

[Detroit Lions]

Lions Bubble Watch, Week 5: Predicting camp battle winners on offense

Over the past two preseason games, there have been some significant changes to the Detroit Lions’ roster bubble. The quarterback battle has been turned on its head, the wide receiver room is getting complicated, and there are a lot of moving parts when it comes to the depth on this offensive line.

Let’s take a look at which “bubble” players our staff thinks are going to make or miss the roster when it comes to the Lions offense. It’s Week 5 of Bubble Watch.

Quarterback:​

• Assumed in: Jared Goff
• Kyle Allen: 11 “IN” votes (up 2)
• Hendon Hooker: 0 votes (down 3)

After another very solid performance, Kyle Allen has taken a commanding lead for the backup quarterback job. Dan Campbell bluntly admitted as much Saturday night.

The question now turns to whether Hendon Hooker has warranted a spot on the roster as QB3. If the Lions still believe there’s enough to be developed there, they may not have a choice but to keep him. A quarterback with as much raw talent will likely attract a team searching the waiver wire. However, our staff has apparently seen enough. Not a single one is keeping a third quarterback, which likely means the Lions may have to search the wire to add a new quarterback to the practice squad, as they typically like having three players in their QB room during the season.

Running back:​

• Assumed in: Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, Craig Reynolds, Sione Vaki

With Vaki returning to action and looking solid on both offense and special teams, this is the most straightforward position on the team.

Wide receiver:​

• Assumed in: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Kalif Raymond, Isaac TeSlaa
• Tim Patrick (11 votes)
• Jackson Meeks: 8 votes (up 8)
• Dominic Lovett: 6 votes (down 5)
• Ronnie Bell: 0 votes (no change)
• Tom Kennedy: 0 votes (no change)
• Jakobie Keeney-James: 0 votes (no change)

Jackson Meeks has now produced two strong preseason games in a row, while also consistently making plays in training camp. Combining the Falcons and Dolphins game, Meeks has 10 catches for 171 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Dominic Lovett is just coming back from an injury that sidelined him for about two weeks. In the game, he had another drop, clearly making some on staff concerned about his spot on the roster.

Of course, it doesn’t have to be an “either-or” situation with the two receivers. Three people on staff have the Lions keeping seven receivers—a high number considering they only kept four on the initial 53-man roster last year, but certainly not unheard of for an NFL team. Detroit’s roster at wide receiver is far more young and talented than it was last year, so it makes sense to keep more.

Tight end:​

• Assumed in: Sam LaPorta, Brock Wright
• Shane Zylstra: 10 votes (down 1)
• Zach Horton: 2 votes (up 1)

Zylstra remains the favorite to maintain the TE3 job, but after playing a ton in the preseason game against the Dolphins, Horton is making some headway. Horton remains the better option as a fullback, but Zylstra has some experience there and is certainly the more experienced receiver. Some local reporters have played around with the idea of keeping just two tight ends to help create room for a QB3, WR7, or depth at another position, but the POD staff isn’t going in that direction.

Offensive tackle:​

• Assumed in: Taylor Decker, Penei Sewell, Giovanni Manu
• Dan Skipper: 11 votes (no change)
• Jamarco Jones: 0 votes (down 1)

After more struggles for Jamarco Jones in Saturday’s preseason game (three pressures, one sack allowed; 29.5 pass blocking grade), our staff is fully in on Dan Skipper winning the OT3 job. Skipper looked somewhat steady against the Dolphins.

Interior offensive line:​

• Assumed in: Graham Glasgow, Tate Ratledge, Christian Mahogany
• Kayode Awosika: 11 votes (no change)
• Kingsley Eguakun: 10 votes (up 6)
• Trystan Colon: 0 votes (down 5)
• Miles Frazier: 0 votes (down 2)
• Netane Muti: 0 votes (no change)
• Michael Niese: 0 votes (no change)

After learning that Trystan Colon’s injury from the second preseason game is expected to sideline him for “a while,” the backup center job is now a two-man race. Kingsley Eguakun has a strong lead according to our staff, and it makes sense since he’s been repping earlier regularly. However, I personally think Michael Niese is a bit closer than our votes suggest. He has versatility at the guard position and has been rotating with Eguakun fairly regularly. I thought both players had strong showings against the Dolphins.

The other battle that is seemingly going on is Kayode Awosika vs. Netane Muti for the top reserve guard position. Awosika has been holding the lead in Bubble Watch all camp, but this, too, feels pretty close.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...k-5-predicting-camp-battle-winners-on-offense