Detroit — Here’s what I learned bouncing around the Detroit Lions’ locker room following the team’s 20-17 win over the Green Bay Packers.

Surprise rotation results in unexpected game ball

One of the least anticipated roster adjustments the Lions made in Sunday’s victory was a cornerback rotation, which featured the return of Rock Ya-Sin to meaningful defensive work after an early-season benching, plus the first consequential snaps for Khalil Dorsey since he broke his leg during the 2024 season.

The speedy Dorsey, who is one of the best punt gunners in the league, frequently subbed into the game on third-down passing situations. And he was keenly aware that his presence was going to catch the eye of Packers quarterback Jordan Love.

“I knew I was going to be the person that they were targeting, because, you know, you see me out there, I’m the new corner,” Dorsey said. “You’re definitely going to take a shot at a new corner. So I knew I was in the hot seat.”

Sure enough, that’s what happened.

Almost immediately, the Packers tested Dorsey with a one-on-one deep shot. There was a lot of contact between the defender and the receiver down the sideline, but the pass ultimately fell incomplete.

Dorsey couldn’t lie, he expected to see a flag when he got off the ground. But that play set the tone for the officials allowing both teams to be a little more handsy in the secondary, which Detroit welcomed.

The extent of Dorsey’s defensive role, which was close to 20 snaps, wasn’t something he fully anticipated. For the past few weeks, the coaching staff had told him to be ready for his opportunity. Then, after watching Dallas rotate defensive backs against the vertically aggressive Packers, the Lions opted to deploy a similar strategy to keep their corners fresh.

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Detroit — In many ways, it was a game of blown opportunities, for the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers.

Yet the Lions survived an overly aggressive coaching decision that backfired, driving for a game-winning, 22-yard field goal as time expired to best the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field on Sunday, 20-17.

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The Lions (4-2) nearly gave the game away. With less than five minutes remaining, and the score tied at 17, coach Dan Campbell made the decision to go for it on fourth-and-1 from his own 24-yard line. But like the Packers (4-3) defense had done throughout the contest, they got penetration on the handoff, dropping running back Jahmyr Gibbs for a loss to take possession.

However, Detroit’s defense got three quick stops and Packers kicker Trey Smack sent a 35-yard field goal attempt wide right. Lions defender DJ Wonnum got a finger on the kick, altering the trajectory and earning credit for a block.

With the new life, the Lions quickly worked into Packers territory with an 18-yard pass to Sam LaPorta, plus an extra 15 yards when the visitors were flagged for roughing the passer.

Once in the the red zone, Gibbs wisely eschewed two opportunities to cross the goal line, sliding to the turf to eat the remaining clock.

Prior to Detroit’s failed fourth down in their own territory, each team turned the ball over on downs in the red zone. The Lions also coughed up a fumble inside the 20-yard line late in the first half, while the Packers missed a second, chip shot field goal.

With the rivals continually failing to capitalize on opportunities, neither team was able to open up a two-score advantage.

Detroit grabbed an early lead with a touchdown on their opening possession, but Green Bay was able to counter on the ensuing series.

The Lions added a field goal in the second quarter, taking a three-point edge into the half.

The Packers briefly grabbed the lead in the third quarter, translating a turnover into a touchdown, but the Lions responded with a score of their own to regain the narrow lead.

That lasted until the middle of the fourth quarter, when the Packers tied the contest with a Smack field goal. That led into the wild finish with Detroit ultimately pulling out the win.

Scoring summary

First quarter

● 7:00 — Taking over after a missed field goal, Detroit opened with three straight Gibbs runs before a pair of downfield strikes to Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams for a combined 52 yards.

On first-and-10 in the red zone, the Lions had Williams run a route across the formation, through the backfield. Taking the ball in the left flat, the speedy receiver raced along the sideline and dove across the goal line for the 16-yard score. LIONS 7, PACKERS 0

● 0:58 — The Packers counterpunched with a 12-play touchdown drive, converting on a third-and-3 and fourth-and-2 along their march. Forced into third-and-9 at Detroit’s 14-yard line, Jordan Love had to roll to his right to escape pressure, but the quarterback was able to find tight end Tucker Kraft in the back of the end zone after linebacker Jack Campbell fell in coverage. LIONS 7, PACKERS 7

Second quarter

● 12:36 — Detroit opened with a 40-yard play-action pass to St. Brown, followed by a 12-yard run for Gibbs, before suffering a tackle for a loss and false start infraction that put them in a second-and-20 situation. They nearly dug out of it, but another negative play on third-and-5 left them to settle for a 42-yard Jake Bates field goal. LIONS 10, PACKERS 7

Third quarter

● 12:14 — On third-and-6, Packers running back Josh Jacobs took a short pass, kept his feet through tackle attempts by Derrick Barnes and Keith Abney while walking a tightrope down the left sideline for a 25-yard touchdown to put the Packers on top. PACKERS 14, LIONS 10

● 6:33 — Detroit regained the lead with a 10-play, 80-yard scoring response. The series was buoyed by a 30-yard pass to Williams, and the receiver capped the possession with his second touchdown of the game.

Quarterback Jared Goff evaded heavy pressure and found the receiver open across the middle while on the move for the 10-yard score. LIONS 17, PACKERS 14

Fourth quarter

● 7:10 — Benefitting from an unnecessary roughness penalty against Barnes, the Packers worked into field-goal range before stalling, taking a 43-yard effort from Trey Smack to tie the contest. LIONS 17, PACKERS 17

Turnovers

● In the red zone during the closing seconds of the opening half, Gibbs lost his handle on the ball at the 6-yard line and the fumble was recovered by Packers edge defender Brenton Cox.

● In the opening minute of the second half, Goff couldn’t handle an under-center snap from Cade Mays. The Packers jumped on the loose ball, taking over at Detroit’s 42-yard line.

● On third-and-21, Love heaved up a deep shot for Christian Watson, but Brian Branch was able to settle under the throw and make a leaping interception.

Key stats

● Goff got away with a couple of errant throws, but was otherwise sharp, completing 22-of-32 for 303 yards and two touchdowns.

● Gibbs had a hard-fought 108 yards on the ground with 28 carries.

● St. Brown exploded for a season-high 153 yards on nine receptions.

● Jack Campbell paced the Lions with 11 tackles, including eight solo stops, while Aidan Hutchinson provided the defense’s long sack.

Notable

● The Packers missed a 26-yard field goal on the game’s opening possession after an initial, successful effort was negated by a delay of game infraction.

● One play after rookie Keith Abney dropped a would-be interception in the back of the end zone in the second quarter, cornerback DJ Reed came up with an open field tackle on fourth-and-4 from Detroit’s 7-yard line to force a turnover on downs.

● On the play where Williams caught his second touchdown, Penei Sewell reported as eligible and went out on a route.

● Goff nearly had his first interception of the season in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter, but the turnover was negated by a defensive pass interference penalty.

Goff had another potential interception dropped by safety Evan Williams early in the fourth quarter.

● Williams was the target on a fourth-down play in the back of the end zone in the closing seconds of the third quarter, but he was pushed out of bounds before he could get his feet down in bounds.

Injuries

● The Packers lost center Sean Rhyan to an ankle injury on the game’s opening possession.

● Ennis Rakestraw exited in the second half with an ankle injury.

Inactives

The Lions made the following players inactive for Sunday’s game: Safety Bishop Fitzgerald, defensive lineman Ahmed Hassanein, center Seth McLaughlin, tight end Jackson Meeks and defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo.

All five were healthy scratches.

Next game

The Lions stay home next week and will host the undefeated Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 1 p.m.

● What: Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers

● When: Sunday, Oct. 25, 4:25 p.m.

● Where: Ford Field, Detroit

● How to watch: FOX (Burkhardt/Brady/Andrews/Rinaldi)

● How to listen: 97.1-FM The Ticket in Metro Detroit or any number of network affiliates around the state.

● Line: Lions -3

● Injury report: Safety Brian Branch and center Cade Mays are listed as questionable for Detroit, but both are expected to make their season debuts.

The Packers, meanwhile, will be without linebacker Zaire Franklin, who suffered a midweek shin injury. It will snap a streak of 48 consecutive starts for the defender.

● Officiating assignment: Alex Moore’s crew

● Last meeting: The Packers swept the season series in 2025, dominating the season opener and holding on for a 31-24 victory on Thanksgiving. In the latter contest, Packers quarterback Jordan Love had four touchdown throws.

Three things worth watching

● This game will feature the season debuts of Branch and Mays.

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Allen Park — Welcome back to Week 8 of our 2027 NFL Draft Watch for the Detroit Lions, where we highlight three college prospects with televised matchups who overlap with the team’s projected needs for the upcoming offseason.

Let’s kick things off by looking at how the three players we highlighted last week performed in their matchups.

Jamari Sharpe, CB, Indiana

Going against the country’s best receiver, and potentially the No. 1 pick in April’s draft, Jeremiah Smith, Sharpe had an up-and-down day.

In the first half, Sharpe reached around Smith for a deflection that was intercepted by a teammate. However, Smith got the better of the defender on a deep ball in the fourth quarter that resulted in the go-ahead and game-winning touchdown for Ohio State.

Overall, Sharpe allowed three grabs for 63 yards on eight targets with a pair of pass breakups.

Kam Franklin, Edge, Ole Miss

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Allen Park — Here are six thoughts to end the week as the Detroit Lions prepare to host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

Reflecting on and relating to LaPorta’s frustrations

I didn’t immediately write about Sam LaPorta’s comments on the “Pardon My Take” podcast for a couple of reasons, none of which were a design to ignore them.

First, I didn’t feel the heart of these comments were all that different from what he had expressed to a small group of local reporters a couple weeks back, although his tone was certainly amplified a bit because of the comfort guests often feel on that let-your-hair-down platform.

We already knew he was frustrated by his contract situation, he just said it with a little more bass in his voice. If anything, his closing comment on the matter, where he somewhat flippantly said if Detroit doesn’t pay him what he’s worth, he’ll go somewhere else who will, came across in a regrettable way. That was never going to land with a healthy portion of this city’s fan base. Detroiters want their athletes to be ride-or-die.

It was clear this was going to be a talking point throughout the week. But instead of writing a headline on LaPorta’s comments, followed by his coordinator’s reaction, followed by Dan Campbell’s reaction, and ultimately LaPorta having to address the situation again, I figured there would be more value in listening to it all and recapping my sentiments in this space, which is a little more informal and allows for some opinion.

As a refresher on where I stand with the negotiations, I’m in favor of Detroit awarding LaPorta the extension I feel he deserves, even if that extension makes him the highest paid at the position.

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Allen Park — Detroit Lions coordinators Kelvin Sheppard, Drew Petzing and Dave Fipp met with the media on Thursday. Here are the highlights from those conversations.

Chess match

We’re on the third week of Petzing’s revenge tour.

OK, OK, that’s hyperbole. Still, it’s been a unique stretch for Detroit’s OC, who matched up against his brother, offensive assistant Dean Petzing, when the Lions traveled to Carolina to play the Panthers. Then, before the bye, Petzing helped orchestrate a 45-point explosion against the Arizona Cardinals, his most recent employer before Detroit.

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This week, Petzing gets former boss Jonathan Gannon, the current Packers defensive coordinator and former Cardinals head coach, who gave Petzing his first opportunity to call plays in the NFL.

The two spent three years together, schematically going head-to-head on the practice field. So what kind of dynamic does that relationship play in this week’s matchup?

“I think there’s a piece of it that helps,” Petzing said. “There’s also that game theory part of it — he knows what I know and I know what he knows. So, there’s that back and forth a little bit. But it’s ultimately about the players. It comes down to the roster and how you utilize those guys. So, I think we’re going to lean on the tape and kind of more on that aspect of things than maybe my history with him.”

Still, even though it’s a new team, with new personnel, Petzing acknowledges there’s a clear identity Gannon instills.

“He’s an unbelievable coach,” Petzing said. “I have a ton of respect for him as a coach, as a person. I think they make everything look the same, they do a lot of different things and they have their foundation. They play really hard. They run to the ball. They’re violent. They’re tough. But, I think that’s kind of their calling card is that we can do a number of different things, from similar looks. So, you can’t get a bead on what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.”

It’s unsurprising that both coaches downplay the head-to-head component of the matchup, but the chess match between the two figures to be one of the more fascinating storylines heading into Sunday’s matchup.

Next (return) man up

Fipp is usually coy about how he plans to deploy personnel, but the special teams coordinator made no effort to hide who will handle punt returns and be paired alongside Jacob Saylors on kickoffs.

"“I don’t know that it’s totally open,” Fipp said about the competition. “I mean, I think DeAndre Carter has got a lot of experience. He’ll probably step in and return punts for us and kickoffs for us in the game.”

The Lions added Carter to the practice squad to start the week, before promoting him to the active roster a little more than an hour after Fipp’s comments.

Fipp noted that the team will continue to evaluate Dominic Lovett and Lucky Jackson for those roles, but it’s Carter’s job to lose.

“None of those guys have the same type of experience that DeAndre has had.”

Carter, 33, does have a ton of experience. His next return, kickoff or punt, will be the 300th of his career after going undrafted out of Sacramento State in 2015.

That includes a brief overlap with Fipp in Philadelphia in 2018.

“I think he had gotten cut by four teams and he had bounced around and he kept on fighting, trying to make it,” Fipp said. “I think we were in Week 4 or something like that. I believe it was when Darren Sproles went down and then he came in. We were playing against Tennessee and he did what he does. He catches the ball, he competes, he gets downhill. He’s quick, very competitive. I mean, his story is the ultimate story of just overcoming all the obstacles and he plays the game that way. He loves playing football. I’ve always respected his game.”

Staying out of it

Petzing claimed he had not seen Sam LaPorta’s comments from Wednesday, when the star tight end expressed frustration with his contract situation on the “Pardon My Take” podcast.

The coordinator doesn’t feel it’s a situation where his involvement is required, and from the sounds of it, he’s grateful that’s the case.

“(I’ll) probably just do my job and move on and don’t acknowledge it, honestly,” Petzing said. “…It’s not part of my job, which is a benefit of my job, to some extent. I think his goal is just play the best football you can and let everything else take care of itself, and I think he’s done a really nice job of doing that.

“I’m sure it’s on his mind. We’re human. But, when you’re on the field or on the practice field, you don’t even notice it.”

That last part is key for Petzing, since he’d feel compelled to say something if LaPorta’s effort or production was suffering. However, the coach emphatically made it clear that’s not been the case.

“He’s been great,” Petzing said. “I mean, he’s been the same person every day since the day I got here, so I really don’t notice it.”

LaPorta has also been excellent on game days, likely fueling his frustration with the stalled talks. He’s on pace for career-bests in receptions and receiving yards, which would reset his own, single-season franchise records for the position.

“When you have a player that can do a lot of things at a high level, it becomes very difficult to defend,” Petzing said. “He’s dynamic in the run game. He can block in pass pro. He can separate against linebackers and safeties. He can be a mismatch in the red zone. He can go make contested catches. He can run away from people with the ball in his hand. And when you have someone that does so many of those things well, what are you taking away? How are you doing it? Who are you doing it with? I think it puts a lot of stress on the other side of the ball.”

Feeling things out

During his weekly radio interview with 97.1-FM on Wednesday, coach Dan Campbell quipped that the team would cap safety Brian Branch to 100 snaps in his return from a lengthy injury layoff.

Sheppard was asked something similar about whether Branch would have a hard cap on playing time and the coordinator noted there isn’t a planned number.

“We haven't given (him) a rep count or anything like that,” Sheppard said. “It's going to be more of a feel thing, as the game goes, and we'll pick and choose what's right and what's not.”

Barring the Lions playing more than 70 snaps, it’s increasingly feeling like Branch will be on the field most of the afternoon.

Taking it in stride

Petzing was hesitant when asked if he was aware of the nickname he’s picked up from fans on social media.

“I don’t know if I want to know that,” Petzing said.

When informed Lions fans have taken to calling him “Megamind,” based on the blue-skinned, alien supervillain, titular character from the Dreamworks animated franchise, Petzing took it in stride.

“I do have a big forehead, so I guess that would be my reaction,” Petzing said.

Given the skepticism the Petzing hiring generated among those same fans, the fact that he’s picked up a nickname correlating with intelligence should probably be viewed as encouraging.

The Lions are currently tied for first in the NFL, averaging 32.8 points per game. That’s only slightly behind pace of the franchise record 33.2 the team averaged during the 2024 season.

Allen Park — Perhaps you’ve heard the news: Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch is slated to return to action this Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, 325 days after he suffered a torn Achilles.

Even if it takes a minute for Branch to shake off the rust he’s accumulated during the lengthy layoff and rehab, he figures to provide a significant boost to Detroit’s secondary, which has arguably been the team’s biggest weakness more than a month into the season.

As coach Dan Campbell puts it, Branch gives the Lions flexibility. The defender can play high and help protect against some of the explosive plays that have plagued the unit. Or he can line up in the box and be a disruptive playmaker coming downhill.

Critically, Branch is someone the coaches and teammates can trust to do his job, elevating those around him.

Branch hasn’t been absent from the lineup long enough for fans to forget about what he brings to the table. Regardless, instead of relying on your memory, I thought it might be interesting to get perspectives from the teammates who have shared the field with him and are so amped for his return.

Ahead of Branch’s season debut, I asked six veteran defenders to define what he means to the defense. Below are their answers, in full:

Linebacker Jack Campbell

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Allen Park — Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell, wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery and offensive line coach Hank Fraley met with the media on Tuesday afternoon. Here are the highlights from those conversations.

Positive non-update on Joseph

Let’s start off with an injury update.

The Lions had full attendance for their first post-bye practice, including the return of cornerback Rock Ya-Sin, who missed the team’s Week 5 matchup against Arizona with a hamstring strain.

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Of note, the Lions aren’t required to release an injury report until Wednesday. They’re off tomorrow, so it will be an estimated report.

More notable than Ya-Sin was encouraging comments from Campbell on safety Kerby Joseph. Although the former All-Pro safety remains without a timeline, the coach said he anticipates Joseph will return to action this season.

“He's doing well,” Campbell said. “I'll leave it at that. He really is. He's doing a good job. I'm not going to give you a timetable, but I've been pleased with where he's at. He's in a good head space right now, which is great because that's hard. You're coming off this, you're wanting to go and you're working at it, and at some point it's time for football. We all know that and recognize it, but we'll take it one day at a time.”

Joseph has been out of action for more than a year, last appearing in a game Oct. 12, 2025.

Delivering on expectations

During the bye week, a fan-shot video from the Jets game in Week 3 made the rounds on social media, showing wide receiver Jameson Williams antagonizing 258-pound defender Kingsley Enagbare before retreating to get backup, which was provided by guard Tate Ratledge.

It’s undoubtedly a comical video, capturing Williams’ often unbridled childlike enthusiasm and Ratledge’s role as a protector, not just of the quarterback, but all his teammates.

Montgomery couldn’t stifle a laugh when the video was brought up on Tuesday.

“I did see that,” Montgomery said. “I was hoping that question was never asked. (But) kind of enjoyed it. That is how it works in life. You know, if you're surrounded by the right people, you can be protected. If you're not, then you're out there by yourself against people you shouldn't be. So for me, that was a great team moment.”

That opened the door for Montgomery to talk about Ratledge, a player he hyped up as one of the roster’s most-improved during the offseason program, which has come to fruition through the early stages of the regular season.

“His pad level from last year to this year is completely different,” Montgomery said. “Also, his confidence is completely different. And we've had different people beside him, which that's difficult for a young player to have a center beside him for a part of the training camp, switch, and still be able to continue to stay on the (upswing).”

Fraley echoed the sentiment about Ratledge’s pad level, but highlighted the guard’s mental improvement as the biggest key to his second-year growth.

“I think his mind, playing a game faster without thinking,” Fraley said. “The speed of the game has slowed down for him. “…Initially, it showed up in OTAs. He wasn't thinking out there, he was responding to looks and doing it without thinking.”

Pick you poison

This season, no quarterback has attempted more deep passes — 20 or more yards beyond the line of scrimmage — than Green Bay’s Jordan Love. It helps that he has two reliable vertical threats on the outside in Christian Watson and Matthew Golden.

Those two weapons rank fifth and sixth in receiving production this season, both topping 500 yards through Green Bay’s first six games. Campbell was asked what kind of challenge those two present this Sunday.

“It presents some big challenges because these aren't guys that can (just) track the ball down,” Campbell said. "They have got speed, now. They have got speed and they can track the ball, and the quarterback gives them a nice, pretty ball, man, lays it out there. And, really, about 50% of these are either DPI (defensive pass interference) or catches, which is — talk about explosive.

“So, that's the danger in it,” Campbell said. “Wherever you're having to use some resources, then now you have got to worry about (tight end Tucker) Kraft. If you're going to use (resources) to take the top off on some of this, well now you have got Kraft underneath, and you have got to worry about the backs. It does, it creates some issues, man, that you have got to be ready for. And some of it is you better pick your poison. You can't defend all of it, so you better pick your poison, and what you think means the most to you to stop.”

Regarding Golden, the 2025 first-round pick, he’s already blown past his rookie-year production while having to shoulder a bigger offensive load with the offseason departure of Romeo Doubs and a season-ending injury suffered by Jayden Reed.

On the hunt for a third receiver last offseason, Campbell said the Lions did a lot of homework on Golden ahead of the draft.

“He has really good ball skills, man, can track it, pluck it,” Campbell said. “And then the speed — speed, explosiveness really showed up. He's really taken a step up. He's really improved his game even from a year ago. He's taken that second-year jump and he's just, really, throughout the year, he's grown. Every game he's gotten better and better and you can tell there is a lot of trust between the quarterback and him.”

Tough to replace

Tom Kennedy is undergoing surgery on Tuesday for the season-ending knee injury he suffered against the Cardinals a little more than a week ago.

Kennedy primarily served as a return man, logging only one offensive snap prior to the injury, but few realize the veteran served as the primary backup at all three receiver spots, in case of injury.

Montgomery said that’s not easy to replace, on the practice field or on game day.

“It's more difficult than you think, because for certain instances, he is a security blanket that can actually do more than secure you,” Montgomery said. “He can play the F, he can play the X, he can play the Z.”

Montgomery said Kennedy is also a valuable set of eyes on the sideline, and in the classroom during the week, because he’s like another coach.

“I can give him exactly what I want, man, and I get that information even quicker than I can from the box sometimes, because he's right there with me on the sidelines,” Montgomery said. “So that part is difficult.

“The other part is just the competitive nature that he has inside of the room, making our guys compete in the classroom, making sure everybody, the details when it's asked, is answered the right way.”

Answering the bell

Few players on the roster were more publicly challenge, both in word and action, than guard Christian Mahogany.

Ultimately, injuries prevented anyone else from having a realistic shot of unseating Mahogany from his left guard job, but that hasn’t stopped the third-year lineman from stepping up and making the improvements the team had hoped to see.

Fraley noted while this is always going to be a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately business, he’s been impressed with the consistency of Mahogany’s effort to begin this season.

“You see that on the field, (but also) with the daily routine here, being more of a professional, doing things right on the practice field, the weight room, all that stuff,” Fraley said. “He's growing as an individual, and it's only going to pay off for him.”

As a father, Fraley said he’s always tried to instill the mindset of working hard, even when no one is looking. The assistant feels like Mahogany was able to tap into that way of thinking this offseason.

Fraley noted that Mahogany is still a rookie in some ways, given the number of starts he’s made and snaps he’s played, so there’s still so much more room to grow and develop.

Allen Park — For the first time since 2020, the Green Bay Packers swept the season series with the Detroit Lions last year.

Regardless, it was still a disappointing campaign for the NFC North rival, who had gone all in before the season, trading rock-solid defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round picks for All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons.

The move looked to be paying off when the Packers moved into first place of the division in early December. However, Parsons was lost to a season-ending ACL injury a week later, leading to four straight losses to close the regular season, followed by coughing up an 18-point halftime lead in an embarrassing Wild Card round loss to the Chicago Bears.

That nosedive led into an offseason of significant changes, starting with the departure of stabilizing defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, who was hired to be the head coach of the Miami Dolphins.

Hafley was replaced by Jonathan Gannon, who was coming off a three-year stint as the head coach in Arizona. The hire included a shift from a 4-3 base scheme back to a 3-4, which the Packers ran prior to Hafley’s arrival in 2024.

In terms of the defensive personnel, there’s been a bit of a makeover, including significant contributions from a trio of rookies.

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Allen Park — Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell met with the media on Monday afternoon, following the team’s bye week. Here are the most interesting items out of that conversation.

Workload cap planned for Branch

Coming out of the bye, everything remains on track for safety Brian Branch to make his season debut this week after a 10-month recovery from last season’s Achilles tear.

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The question then becomes, how much should we expect the defender to play against Green Bay?

“I think that’d be asking a lot to say he's gonna play 70 plays,” Campbell said “But we do feel like he can handle quite a bit here, and we're gonna push him in practice here early. That's one of the reasons why we're practicing tomorrow and not Wednesday, so we can push some of these guys a little bit, knowing they're going into a day off. I think that'll help a little bit, and then we'll have a really good idea by the time we hit the game. We already kind of have a range of what we're looking at for him.”

While it might not be a full workload, it sounds like the Lions intend to play Branch plenty on Sunday. It just might be closer to his rookie season in 2025, when he was on the field closer to three-quarters of the team’s defensive snaps vs. every play.

When defensive tackle Alim McNeill made a mid-season debut last year, he worked 44 reps, or 63.8% of the day’s potential workload. He ranged between 47-69 snaps (73.2-95.2%) the rest of the season, outside of the finale, when he suffered an in-game injury.

That suggests Branch could ramp up quickly once the team knocks off some of the initial rust.

Center rotation temporarily on the table

Center Cade Mays is also on track to return from the broken wrist bone he suffered during training camp.

But like Branch, Campbell remains hesitant to committing to full workload for the young center, especially with backup Juice Scruggs playing so well through the first month of the season.

So a rotation, at least for this week, remains a possibility.

Regardless of how things shake out on Sunday, Campbell is excited about the team’s depth up front, which he noted includes left guard Christian Mahogany performing well.

Back to Scruggs, Campbell praised general manager Brad Holmes for having the foresight to pull the lineman out of Houston as part of the return package for running back David Montgomery.

Campbell said there isn’t much Scruggs can’t do, and while the immediate plan is to keep him at center, as insurance during Mays’ re-acclimation, having Scruggs eventually compete for snaps at left guard, or plugging him into the jumbo package as an extra blocker, isn’t out of the question.

Feeling better at the bye

Campbell didn’t want to provide any insight on things he and the coaching staff identified from their self-scout during the bye, but he noted he was more encouraged about the direction of this year’s team at the break than last year’s version.

“Last year was one of those rare years where we had (our bye), really, right in the middle (of the season),” Campbell said. We went in and I don't remember what we were, but we had just won and it seemed pretty good. But there were some things that you could feel a little bit. And that, in some regards, I feel better going into this bye than even I did last year because I know we're ascending and we're young and we're growing and that's exciting.

“Sometimes you feel like you're topped off and maybe you're beginning to deteriorate because of issues — worn down, age, whatever it is,” Campbell said. ‘…I do feel like we're on the rise here a little bit. We've just got to keep getting better. We've got to keep testing ourselves.”

That might feel like hindsight commentary, but Campbell was never going to openly question the direction of his roster in real time. Regardless, the 2025 team exited the bye with a 5-2 record before trading wins and losses the next six weeks, leading into a back-breaking three-game losing streak in December that killed their postseason aspirations.

In fact, it’s been more than a year since the Lions have won back-to-back games, something Campbell quickly acknowledged as unacceptable for any good team.

“I mean, that's tough,” he said. “You don't want to do this roller coaster. It can get frustrating. And inevitably, if we really want to be the team we need to be, that we need to be, we want to be, you've got to win back-to-back games. And you’ve got to do it more than once a year. Every winning team I've been a part of, you start stacking wins and even after a loss, you'll stack a couple more. So, we've got to find that again, see if we can get these back-to-back wins. We're capable. We’ve just got to play 60 minutes of football, and we've got to play better than we did at Arizona.”

Going as planned

There are only so many ways to compare offensive linemen, but if we’re leaning on the evaluation of Pro Football Focus, All-Pro Penei Sewell has been as good as ever since moving to left tackle, the position he played in college.

Sewell is the publication’s top-ranked offensive tackle, by a wide margin, excelling as a run blocker while allowing just seven pressures (one sack) in protection.

Campbell’s been thrilled with the early results with the transition.

“It's been outstanding,” Campbell said. “…I still feel an ascending player. I feel like, in some regards, he looks even more smooth than he did at right. And I never thought he looked out of place at right or didn't look smooth. It's just, it almost feels like he's found even another little gear here, his ability to get out of his stance and anchor and punch and run off the football. It's a credit to him. He's banked a lot of reps and honestly he can go anywhere. I mean, you can put him in the left, you can put him at right. That's why we move him a little bit. Yeah, he's playing high level football right now.

Allen Park — Throughout training camp, we viewed the Detroit Lions’ return man competition as a battle between Tom Kennedy and Greg Dortch — which most of us admittedly got wrong.

The Lions went with Kennedy, and although the sample size is small, they had largely been proven right with their evaluation. After averaging 16.7 yards on punt returns during a brief audition as an injury replacement a year earlier, Kennedy was sitting at 13.2 yards per attempt to begin the 2026 campaign, before it was abruptly ended by a knee injury in the team’s Week 5 victory over Arizona.

Dortch, the undeniably more experienced returner, got scooped up by Buffalo after he was let go by Detroit. And he’s been fine for the Bills, averaging 9.3 yards per punt, which is a tick above his career average, but down nearly 20% from the previous season, the only one he would have ranked among the NFL’s top-10 in the category, had he enough returns to qualify.

Dortch has been slightly better on kickoffs, but even at 26.3 per try, he ranks 18th in the league, a fraction of a yard higher than league average.

But here’s a thought: What if the competition wasn’t supposed to just be Dortch vs. Kennedy, but Dortch vs. Kennedy vs. Kendrick Law?

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Allen Park — Welcome back to Week 7 of our 2027 NFL Draft Watch for the Detroit Lions, where we highlight three college prospects with televised matchups who overlap with the team’s projected needs for the upcoming offseason.

Let’s kick things off by looking at how the three players we highlighted last week performed in their matchups.

Vicari Swain, CB, South Carolina

Swain was kept busy in an upset win over Florida, seeing seven targets. He gave up five grabs for 51 yards, but he also snagged an interception when the game was still close in the opening half. Unfortunately, the dangerous return man didn’t get an opportunity to field a punt in the victory.

Jamari Johnson, TE, Oregon

Johnson was a non-factor in a loss to UCLA, with backup quarterback Dylan Raiola struggling much of the afternoon. The usually dynamic Johnson caught just one of his three targets for 13 yards.

KJ Bolden, S, Georgia

Bolden didn’t have a banner day, either, giving up a pair of long completions and missing two tackles. His most noteworthy snap was getting away with a pass interference before coming up with a sack on the ensuing third down to knock Alabama out of field goal range, preserving Georgia’s conference victory.

Week 7 prospects

Ohio State vs. Indiana

Sunday, Oct 17, noon (FOX)

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Allen Park — The players are off during the bye week, but the Detroit Lions front office continues to make necessary adjustments to the team’s roster.

On Friday, the Lions officially shifted three players to injured reserve — Wide receiver Tom Kennedy, linebacker Devin White and offensive lineman Ben Bartch.

Kennedy and White were anticipated moves after each suffered a serious injury in the team’s Week 5 victory over Arizona. Kennedy’s season is over with a knee injury that will require surgery.

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Meanwhile, White suffered a broken forearm, although the expectation is he’ll be able to return later this season.

Bartch’s inclusion in the day’s transactions is an acknowledgement his foot injury isn’t calming down the way the team anticipated, given he’d already missed the past three games. It’s an aggravation from playing too much, too quickly on the foot he had surgically repaired after suffering a Lisfranc break last year.

The three roster spots open room for the pending activation of center Cade Mays and safety Brian Branch, who are both expected to debut in the team’s Week 7 contest against Green Bay.

The final opening is likely earmarked for a return man to replace Kennedy, who was handling punts and kickoffs for the Lions prior to going down.

After coach Dan Campbell said on Monday that the team would explore outside options for the role, the Lions worked out receivers Steven Sims and DeAndre Carter on Thursday and are reportedly signing the latter to the practice squad, according to former NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero.

Carter, 33, brings a wealth of experience in return roles, handling 299 kickoffs and punts during his lengthy career, averaging 9.7 yards on punts and 23.6 yards on kickoffs.

He’ll enter an in-house mix that also includes practice squad receivers Dominic Lovett, Lucky Jackson and Lawrence Keys.

The Lions opened up a spot on the practice squad when they released veteran safety Jalen Mills earlier in the week.

Allen Park — For the moment, the Detroit Lions managed to calm some of the concerns surrounding the team’s defense and secondary heading into the bye.

While no one will confuse the Arizona Cardinals with the high-octane Buffalo Bills, that shouldn’t diminish Detroit’s defensive improvements on Sunday, which saw the team force five straight three-and-outs, hold the Cardinals to 3.1 yards per carry, and limit All-Pro tight end Trey McBride to 66 yards in the 45-21 victory.

Obviously, there is still plenty of room for growth and improvement. And with the NFL’s trade deadline fast approaching, that shouldn’t be limited to the current roster making on-field strides.

The Arizona matchup confirmed what we’ve known since the summer: Detroit’s cornerback depth remains its biggest deficiency. DJ Reed bounced backed, performing closer to expectations against the Cardinals, but questions remain on the opposite side.

In an effort to take away McBride and receiver Michael Wilson, the Lions put No. 2 cornerback Roger McCreary in a lot of one-on-one situations against Arizona’s other receiving weapons.

The Cardinals went after those matchups, and the defender won his fair share, matching the franchise record with six pass defenses. He also gave up nine receptions for 147 yards — 45% of the opposition’s offensive output — and a touchdown. McCreary lost multiple man-to-man reps and was responsible for a couple of busts in zone, including one that resulted in a score.

McCreary battled. No question about it. But he’s still a veteran, on a minimum contract, performing around that level. And the depth behind him is equally frightening.

Former second-round pick Ennis Rakestraw has been stellar in limited work. That can’t be denied. He probably deserves a bigger share of the workload. But the durability concerns won’t go away just because he’s strung a few good performances together.

Beyond that, Rock Ya-Sin is battling a hamstring injury and was struggling prior to suffering the strain, earning him a demotion. Special teams standout Khalil Dorsey likely isn’t an answer, and the team clearly doesn’t trust Nick Whiteside enough to elevate him off the practice squad.

The room’s setup is as concerning today as it was in June, when the team felt compelled to part with former first-round pick Terrion Arnold. Frankly, it’s more concerning now, given Ya-Sin’s struggles after being a steady hand in 2025.

So what are the Lions to do? They can’t reasonably stand pat and hope for the best with their current collective.

They already missed out on the big fish, Joey Porter Jr., who was shipped to Dallas in exchange for a pair of draft picks, including a 2028 second-rounder. The factors — whether trade comp, potential extension cost or something else — didn’t line up for Detroit.

So be it. That was always a long shot. But what else can general manager Brad Holmes do to reinforce the position?

Let’s dive deep into the market, exploring the realistic trade targets on teams that will or could end up sellers ahead of November’s deadline.

Depth chart analysis of potential sellers

Teams listed based on current draft order

Tennessee Titans (0-5)

Outside starters: Alontae Taylor, Cor’Dale Flott

Nickel: Marcus Harris

Notable depth: Micah Robinson

After shining in a versatile role for the Saints, Taylor got a lucrative three-year, $58 million deal in free agency from the Titans this offseason, which included $42 million in guarantees.

His contract is structured in a way that makes him moveable, but given how badly he’s struggled playing on the outside for the Titans, there probably won’t be a long line of interested teams wanting to take on a fully guaranteed $20.5 million base salary in 2027.

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Let’s be honest, the Detroit Lions’ offensive performance against the Arizona Cardinals was strange.

For the better part of four possessions, the Lions couldn’t get anything going. The Cardinals forced the visitors into a trio of three-and-outs in the first quarter as the Lions finished the frame with -9 yards.

There are slow starts, which have plagued the Lions all year, and there’s whatever this was.

And the team faced a worse fate than punting on their fourth possession — a turnover on downs — before finally breaking through.

Often, there’s one play that defines a drive. For today’s film review, we’re going to identify that one play from each of the team’s first 10 possessions, before the starters gave way to the backups late in the fourth quarter.

We’ll explore what went wrong early and oh so right before the seven scoring drives to follow.

Possession 1

From the opening kick until early in the second quarter, Detroit was plagued by sloppy execution, resulting in the aforementioned string of three-and-outs.

On the game’s inaugural drive, the Lions opened with back-to-back Jahmyr Gibbs runs netting 5 yards. On the first, no one got a hat on outstanding safety Budda Baker, who crashed into the lane for the stop. And on the next, it was the back who made a poor read on his lineman’s leverage, running into the tackle.

Still, it was third-and-manageable. Detroit came out in 11 personnel — one back, one tight end, three receivers. Quarterback Jared Goff aligned in shotgun with running back Sione Vaki offset to his right. The team was initially in a condensed 3x1 formation, but spread out by having Isaac TeSlaa motion wide of the numbers pre-snap.

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Allen Park — The Detroit Lions calmed some concerns with its struggling defense, particularly the secondary, heading into the bye week.

Obviously, a one-game sample size doesn’t negate what happened the first month of the season, but all the unit could do is look to make improvements against the Arizona Cardinals’ mid-tier offense, building some much-needed positive momentum heading into the break.

With some schematic and personnel tweaks, the Lions limited the Cardinals to 327 yards and 21 points, with much of that damage coming in the second half, while the Lions were protecting a big lead.

So what does the tape tell us about the impact of the adjustments? What worked and what remains a concern?

Let’s find out together. We’ll break the game down into three parts — the opening drive, a dominant stretch the remainder of the first half, and an up-and-down finish — before offering some concluding, overview thoughts.

Opening drive struggles

After the Lions quickly punted to open the contest, the Cardinals took over at their own 27-yard line and promptly drove 73 yards on 14 plays. If you thought, “Oh no, here we go again,” no one could have reasonably blamed you.

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Allen Park — Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell met with media on Monday ahead of the team’s bye week. Here are the highlights from the conversation.

Hunting for a new return man

Campbell confirmed the unfortunate news that wide receiver and return man Tom Kennedy has been lost to a season-ending knee injury that will require surgical repair.

That has the Lions on the hunt for a new returner, which includes exploring internal and external options. Campbell made it clear he would prefer All-Pro receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown not serve as the team’s full-time option on punts after filling in following Kennedy’s exit on Sunday.

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The coach did leave the door open for St. Brown to situationally handle boots in critical moments.

Campbell noted general manager Brad Holmes and his staff are already scouring the outside options. In terms of internal candidates, Campbell acknowledged 2025 seventh-round pick Dominic Lovett could be in play.

Two other practice squad options, Lawrence Keys and Lucky Jackson, also handled punts in the UFL this spring.

Kennedy was off to a strong start in his first season as Detroit’s primary punt returner, averaging 13.2 yards per attempt. He also served as one of the team’s kickoff specialists alongside Jacob Saylors.

Strong debut

Campbell was encouraged by rookie Keith Abney’s first start at safety.

“I thought he was solid,” Campbell said. “The things that popped up for him were the, hey, I haven't done this before, which is what you want for a rookie, like he's learning as he goes. But we feel very confident that he will learn from those and he won't make those mistakes again.

“I thought he played a good game,” Campbell continued. “First start, first NFL start at safety, never played safety. He's banked some reps for us (in practice). You know, we've been cross-training him. But just, man, there's meat on the bone there, and he's got room to grow, and we feel like he can continue to grow and get better.”

Campbell said the biggest challenge for a young cornerback moving to safety is learning how to retrain your eyes to see the big picture, starting with how you process opposing formations, whether it’s two-by-two or three-by-one with their receiving options, and how your responsibilities are shaped within those looks.

He said that can be too much for some players to process, but Abney is showing the ability to handle it, which makes him worthy of continued development at the position.

“He's kind of got a feel,” Campbell said. “He's got a feel for it. He's kind of crafty that way. He's a little bit of a jack of all trades and just a young, growing player. That was a step in the right direction yesterday. That was good to see. I mean, he's worth continuing to work with at safety.”

Sticking with starters

I knew Campbell had address the topic before, but since it was circling social media again after Sunday’s game, I asked him when he knows it’s the right time to pull his starters from a game.

Here’s the answer in full, because the coach added some layers of reasoning related to the current team.

“There is a fine line,” Campbell said. “I've mentioned this before. First of all, we've gotten in a couple of these games where they've — just for this season alone — to where all of a sudden, man, something doesn't go our way and now, within four or five minutes, we're back in this tight game that doesn't need to be a tight game. And so you want to make sure, you want to feel dang sure that you've got it wrapped up.

“But you also, when you feel like you're starting to play some of your best football, you want them to get that feel, that flow. Those are valuable reps to get on offense and defense. And so, look, there's an argument to have pulled some guys on defense on that last drive, but I just felt like it was important that our guys play together. You know, it's the best defensive performance we've had to date in 2026, and I wanted those guys to play together. To me, that was important in the moment.

“To go back to what you said about (when I was coaching in) Miami, what happened, we were up huge. We were up, like, three touchdowns, and I think there was eight minutes left, and I pulled the starters, and all of a sudden, man, within a matter of three minutes or whatever, they scored two touchdowns and we couldn't do anything on offense. So, I had to go and put starters back in the game.

“That's the worst scenario, because now, you hate to say it, but if you're going to do that, your mind is different. You know, I'm out of the game now, and now you've got to try to get them restarted again, and that's not fair to the players. It's not.”

Here are three observations after a second viewing and a night ponder the Detroit Lions’ 45-21 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.

Shifting secondary

Following the first month of the season, Detroit entered the week of preparation for the Arizona matchup battling a five-alarm fire in the team’s secondary.

To calm the raging inferno, the team deployed a multi-layered approach, starting with a seemingly obvious shift to more man-to-man coverage. It was dancing with the one who brought you, a return to the schematic preference established under former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and maintained by Kelvin Sheppard prior to swinging more heavily toward zone concepts this season.

Make no mistake about it, you have to be able to play both coverage variations in the modern NFL. In fact, going into the week, every team but the Cleveland Browns played more zone than man, and they sat barely above 50%. For the Lions, playing more man meant closer to the 35-40% ratio of previous seasons vs. under 20% this year.

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Glendale, Ariz. — Here’s what I learned bouncing around the Detroit Lions’ locker room following the team’s 45-21 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

Special postgame message

It was an emotional weekend surrounding the Lions following the passing of play-by-play voice Dan Miller’s wife, Cindy, over the weekend.

Jason Benetti stepped if for Miller for the radio call on Sunday, announcing the sad news to listeners before the game.

"Our thoughts are with Dan right now, all weekend, and for the future, with the loss of his wife of 33 years, Cindy, a couple of days ago," Benetti said ahead of kickoff. "Dan is one of the most remarkable people I have met in my time in Detroit. One of the most sincere human beings you can possibly dream of. A fantastic voice of the Lions for more than two decades."

Benetti shared that he received a text from Miller on Saturday: "Go call a win."

That’s exactly what Benetti did, then an emotional Dan Campbell took the podium after the game with a ball in hand.

“Let's start with this, this ball goes to Dan Miller and his family,” Campbell said, choking on his words. “It was hard to hear what they went through. I know it's been a tough road for Dan. It's for him. Salt of the Earth, man. Dan is salt of the Earth. I know this has been hard. But now I know Cindy's at peace. We love you, Dan. Appreciate you.”

Injury updates

Detroit’s victory didn’t come without some loss. The team saw two players go down with injuries that will sideline them for a significant stretch, and in the case of linebacker Devin White, potentially the remainder of the season.

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Glendale, Ariz. — Things couldn’t have started much worse for the Detroit Lions on Sunday afternoon in Arizona.

It finished considerably better for the Lions, who rattled off 31 consecutive points between the second and third quarters, coasting to a 45-21 victory over the Cardinals at State Farm Stadium.

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You couldn’t have reasonably predicted the result after one quarter. Detroit’s offense continued its trend of slow starts, going three-and-out each of their first three series, while the struggling defense allowed the Cardinals to drive the length of the field for a touchdown their first possession.

By the end of the first frame, the Lions (3-2) had negative yardage, zero first downs and faced a seven-point deficit.

But something clicked for Detroit’s defense after allowing the early touchdown. They locked Arizona (1-4) up for the remainder of the first half, forcing five consecutive three-and-outs, matching their season total through the first four games.

Meanwhile, the Lions’ offense found its footing via some fourth-down conversions, including two that resulted in touchdowns during a 24-point second quarter.

Detroit extended its lead early in the third quarter with a long touchdown pass from Jared Goff to Jameson Williams and added a second touchdown on a Goff QB sneak before the end of the quarter to take an insurmountable 24-point lead into the fourth.

Scoring summary

First quarter

● 5:06 — An ugly start for the Lions. After the offense went three-and-out to open the contest, the Cardinals methodically drove 73 yards on 14 plays for a touchdown.

Arizona converted a pair of third downs with in-breaking routes against man coverage, before successfully executing a trick play on fourth-and-1 in the red zone to set up first-and-goal at the 2-yard line. The snap saw receiver Michael Wilson take a reverse handoff and throw to quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who was wide open in the right flat.

On the next play, Brissett found tight end Teagan Quitoriano wide open in the back of the end zone out of play-action, besting the coverage of linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez. CARDINALS 7, LIONS 0

Second quarter

● 12:22 — Still looking for their first first down of the contest, Detroit opted to go for it on fourth-and-3 from the Arizona 47-yard line. With good protection, Goff threaded one to Sam LaPorta across the middle late for a tight-window, contested grab that got 15 yards tacked on after the defender hit the tight end in the head.

On the ensuing snap, Jahmyr Gibbs dragged most of Arizona’s defense for 16 yards and the back punched it across the goal line from a yard out two plays later. LIONS 7, CARDINALS 7

● 9:30 — Taking over just across midfield after a 31-yard punt return for Amon-Ra St. Brown, the Lions quickly found themselves facing third-and-12. They picked up most of it on a quick pass to LaPorta, who made a defender miss to gain 11.

Going for it on fourth down, Detroit faked a handoff to Gibbs as LaPorta came wide open for a 38-yard catch-and-run touchdown that put the Lions ahead. LIONS 14, CARDINALS 7

● 4:50 — Following a fourth consecutive stop by Detroit’s defense, the Lions quickly moved across midfield with a 23-yard screen to Gibbs, then into the red zone with an 18-yard Gibbs run.

On the cusp of stalling out, the Lions went for it on fourth-and-four where Goff found Williams on an over route for an 8-yard touchdown. LIONS 21, CARDINALS 7

● 0:53 — Back-to-back screen passes to St. Brown and Gibbs — including some misdirection trickeration on the latter — gained a combined 29 yards before Detroit’s drive stalled, leaving the offense to settle for a 46-yard Jake Bates field goal. LIONS 24, CARDINALS 7

Third quarter

● 9:42 — Following a missed field goal for the Cardinals, the Lions turned good field position into another touchdown. Goff completed all three of his throws on the short possession, punctuated by a 39-yard bomb dropped into a bucket for Williams in the end zone. LIONS 31, CARDINALS 7

● 4:22 — Moving swiftly, Brissett completed 7-of-7 for 65 yards on the 10-play drive, including five throws to tight ends. The veteran quarterback capped the series with a 13-yard touchdown to Quitoriano, his second of the game after having not caught a pass since the 2023 season. LIONS 31, CARDINALS 14

● 1:05 — Detroit’s offense kept its foot on the gas with an eight-play, 74-yard counterpunch. A 36-yard pass to St. Brown and 22-yard run for Gibbs set the Lions up with first-and-goal at the 2-yard line. However it took four tries and a Goff sneak to get it across the goal line for the score. LIONS 38, CARDINALS 14

Fourth quarter

● 5:03 — Gibbs started things with four straight runs for 36 yards, galloping through some wide lanes created by his blocking. The back finished things with another one of his field-reversing efforts, changing directions when he ran into trouble, scooting untouched around the right edge for a 3-yard touchdown. LIONS 45, CARDINALS 14

● 2:11 — Despite being smothered by linebacker Jack Campbell, Cardinals tight end Trey McBride was able to secure a 9-yard, fourth-and-goal fade into the end zone as he was falling out of bounds. LIONS 45, CARDINALS 21

Turnovers

● On the final play of the first half, Lions rookie Keith Abney, playing deep safety, undercut a deep shot intended for Wilson for the defender’s first career interception.

Key stats

● Goff completed 19-of-30 for 271 yards and three touchdowns, adding a fourth score on a 1-yard sneak. The quarterback also avoided an interception for a fifth straight game to open the season.

● Gibbs bounced back from a quiet outing against the Panthers, rushing for 151 yards and two touchdowns. He finished with more than 200 yards from scrimmage.

● LaPorta paced the Lions with five grabs for 88 yards and a touchdown. Williams had only two catches, but both for touchdowns, marking the first multi-score game of his career.

● Detroit’s defense exploded for five sacks, 12 quarterback hits and eight pass breakups.

DJ Wonnum paced the pass rush with a pair of sacks, while cornerback Roger McCreary impressively broke up five throws. On the opposite side, DJ Reed broke up one pass and secured three tackles for a loss.

Injuries

● While defending a run late in the first quarter, linebacker Devin White collided with teammate Chuck Clark, suffering an arm injury.

● Returning a punt in the second quarter, Tom Kennedy got hit high and low by two defenders. The receiver’s cleat seemed to stick in the ground, causing his leg to contort at an awkward angle. He exited with what was labeled a knee injury.

Inactives

The Lions made the following players inactive for Sunday’s game: Guard Ben Bartch, safety Bishop Fitzgerald, defensive lineman Ahmed Hassanein, tight end Jackson Meeks, defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo and cornerback Rock Ya-Sin.

Bartch (foot) and Ya-Sin (hamstring) were ruled out prior to the contest. The others were healthy scratches.

Next game

The Lions are on the bye next week, returning to action on Sunday, Oct. 25, when they host NFC North rival Green Bay at Ford Field.