Lions Rival’s Difficulties Are Piling Up Ahead of Detroit Game
The Detroit Lions have enjoyed a happy bye week, because let’s face it: Any team that wins going into a bye week has a much more enjoyable time than any team that loses before their week off. So, the Lions had some time to bask in the glow of their 24-9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Ford Field on Sunday, October 19, and now, it’s back to work.
The Detroit Lions enter their Week 9 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings with a record of 5-2, while the Vikings are 3-4. The last time these two played each other, the Vikings were under quarterback Sam Darnold, and the Lions came out of the game with a definitive 31-9 victory on January 5 of this year. That win also made the Detroit Lions clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.
This time around, the Vikings have been dealing with troubling quarterback issues. They started the season with their 2024 draft pick, J.J. McCarthy, as their starting quarterback, following a year of McCarthy being benched due to an injury. But, McCarthy was injured again this season during a game against the Atlanta Falcons on September 14, and he’s been out ever since. But, that’s about to change.
Good News for the Detroit Lions
First of all, the Minnesota Vikings’ injuries are piling up, which will only help the Lions in this weekend’s game. According to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, Vikings tight end Josh Oliver and edge rusher Jonathan Greenard were not at the team’s practice on Monday, October 27. Now, maybe the Vikings are just resting Oliver and Greenard, but when players skip practice, it more than often means that those players are injured.
Oliver has notched five catches for 61 yards and two touchdowns over his first seven games, according to Pro Football Focus. Greenard, meanwhile, has recorded 30 pressures and two sacks this season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Vikings Quarterback J.J. McCarthy is Back
According to NFL analyst and commentator Ian Rapoport, the Minnesota Vikings will start McCarthy against the Lions. Rapoport adds that the Vikings were waiting until now because they wanted to make sure that McCarthy was totally healthy before putting him back on the field.
There’s also the reality that they don’t really have a choice. Minnesota has been playing quarterback Carson Wentz, who has been playing through a dislocated shoulder, and he also just suffered a season-ending injury. “Wentz will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a left shoulder injury he originally suffered Oct. 5 while playing in place of injured starter J.J. McCarthy,” ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reports in a Monday, October 27 feature.
So, with Wentz out, the Vikings’ only other quarterback on their roster right now besides McCarthy is undrafted rookie Max Brosmer, and they’re not going to want to start him. Nothing against Brosmer, but he’s not a starting quarterback yet.
As Candace Pedraza of SideLion Report points out in a story on Monday, October 27, “Minnesota clearly has a ton of faith in their young quarterback, but it’s going to be tough to imagine that he bounces back right away against a defense like the Lions.”
So, McCarthy will be pitted against the likes of Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeill and an A-list crew. Meanwhile, the Vikings’ pass block win rate is 59%, which is 22nd in the NFL, according to team research. Do the math, and it’s looking good for the Detroit Lions.
Analyst Calls Browns Key Offseason Move ‘A Massive Mistake’
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Analyst reveals massive Browns mistake
The Cleveland Browns made a major move this offseason, but one analyst isn’t a fan of it.
After another disappointing season, Cleveland made a big move to re-sign star pass rusher Myles Garrett. Garrett has requested a trade, but the Browns ended up giving him a four-year, $160 million contract with over $123 million guaranteed.
Although Garrett is one of the top pass rushers in the NFL, Browns analyst Daryl Ruiter called the extension a massive mistake.
“I think the biggest mistake the Browns made was extending Myles,” Ruiter said on 92.3 The Fan. “I think that was a massive mistake on their end, I understand why they did it. You don’t want to be the organization that trades a future Hall of Famer, I get that. How competitive are you with Myles right now? You have a future Hall of Famer that’s doing record-breaking things, and you’re non-competitive. That’s why it was a bad decision for them to extend Myles. They should’ve traded him.”
As Ruiter points out, despite Garrett being dominant, the Browns still aren’t winning games, so he thought general manager Andrew Berry should have traded Garrett.
Had the Browns traded Garrett, Cleveland likely would’ve been able to acquire multiple draft picks, including first-rounders and perhaps some impact NFL players, which is why Ruiter called the extension a massive mistake.
Browns Send Message to Garrett After Outburst
During Cleveland’s blowout loss to the New England Patriots in Week 8, Garrett had another dominant game.
The star pass rusher recorded 5 sacks and a forced fumble in a dominant game. But, despite his performance, the Browns were getting blown out when Garrett slammed his helmet on the sideline in frustration.
Following the loss, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski responded to Garrett’s frustration.
“We’re all frustrated,” Stefanski said postgame. “Obviously, in those moments, we want to make sure it doesn’t get the best of us. But with that frustration comes a resolve, and I know Myles and I know him as a leader, I know the leaders in this football team will show that mental, will show that resolve.”
Garrett, meanwhile, said he was frustrated that he wasn’t on the field at that point in the game, regardless of the score.
“Frustrated,” he said. “I want to win. No matter how much time is on the clock, they got their starters in, there’s a chance we can win, I want to be a part of that. I don’t care how dire the situation looks. I want to try to make something happen, so I hate coming out in a situation, I hate that kind of inevitability. And not being able to do anything about it.”
Stefanski Hopeful Team Turns it Around
Heading into the Browns’ bye week, Stefanski said the goal is to start winning.
The head coach is also frustrated as Garrett is, but he’s confident the team can turn it around.
“I think it’s really so specific to all of us. We know we have a job to do – the fun in this business is winning, so, there’s the frustration that comes with losing a game, is very real. But how you channel that and how you, like you said, use it as fuel moving forward, I think is really important,” Stefanski concluded.
The Browns will go on the road to play the New York Jets in Week 10 after their bye.
