The Detroit Lions are 3-2 through five weeks, sitting third in the NFC North behind the Green Bay Packers at 3-2 and the Minnesota Vikings at 5-0. That’s the backdrop for Week 6, and it comes after a win over the Cardinals that had players and coaches talking about a tougher approach behind the scenes.
Dan Campbell didn’t want to turn that into a big storyline, but he did acknowledge the way the week unfolded. “I don't want to make a big deal about all that, man.
The players did a heck of a job, man. I'd rather not talk about what I did or what we did.
The guys, they were ready to go, man," said Campbell. "They practiced.
I thought the coaches really pushed them and the players really responded and worked all week and it paid dividends and they came out. And I just thought we looked much more composed, much more energetic.
We were much more tenacious and just played as one, man. I thought those guys really bonded together.
"And look, it took a minute. It did.
But, once the second quarter hit and really led by the defense minus the very first drive, man, the defense is what kind of fed this whole machine here. And then the offense took off and here we go, man.
Now you're clicking on all levels. So, it's a credit to everybody.”
Detroit also got a little help already this week when the Broncos beat the Seahawks, 17-14, on Thursday Night Football.
According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, the Lions now have a 65.7 percent chance to make the playoffs and a 21.9 percent chance to win the division.
Here’s who Lions fans should be rooting for in Week 6 NFL games.
In Other News...
Lions Already Look Like Clear Winners In The David Montgomery Trade
When the Lions moved David Montgomery to Houston in exchange for Juice Scruggs and two draft picks, the deal looked like the kind of calculated roster shuffle Detroit has been able to make work under its current front office. Scruggs has already given the Lions real value up front, settling in along the offensive line and showing enough versatility to matter whether he ends up starting or backing up.
The larger picture has only gotten better for Detroit as the season has moved along. Montgomery has not found much traction in Houston, and his health has become part of the conversation there, while the Lions are seeing the return on a trade that helped deepen one of the strengths of their team. Even beyond the immediate fit, Scruggs gives Detroit a piece it can keep leaning on as the season wears on. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Branch Return Could Test A Different Edge For Lions
Brian Branch has spent the past several months working his way back from the Achilles injury he suffered in December, and the Lions are getting close to finding out how his return fits into the defense again. The defensive back has long been one of the more charged personalities on that side of the ball, but this recovery period has also brought a different kind of emphasis, with his edge looking a little more controlled and deliberate than it did before the injury.
Branchs comeback should arrive in the next few weeks, giving Detroit another chance to see how that revised temperament plays in real action. The interesting part is not just whether he is healthy enough to get back on the field, but how the work he has done during the layoff carries over once the speed of game day returns and the Lions start leaning on him again. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Fans Have A Week 6 Rooting Interest That Could Matter Fast
With the Lions on a Week 6 bye, the real work for Detroit fans shifts to the scoreboard, where a cluster of NFC games could shape the road ahead before the team even returns to action. The relevant matchups are all about trimming the number of live contenders in the conference and sorting out early tiebreaker angles, which is why the discussion leaves AFC vs. AFC games out of the mix entirely.
The weeks most meaningful viewing guide points Detroit supporters toward a handful of teams in the NFC and a couple of cross-conference spots that can quietly help the Lions playoff picture. There is also a Sunday night game with a particularly obvious Lions angle, one that could change the mood around Week 7 in a hurry depending on how it lands. [Read more 🡒]