Recapping Weeks 1-5 (We're 4-1???)

        As a lifelong Detroit Lions fan, you learn to be wildly pessimistic. Since the year 2000, we've had six winning seasons. Over that span, we made the playoffs three times, and lost in the wild card game each time (I'm still upset about 2014). We've never made it to a Super Bowl. We have a history of being mediocre. Actually, mediocre is being polite. We've sucked, for a long time. 

        I'm not going to lie, if you would have told me that we would be 4-1 this time last year, I would have called you crazy. This team is really challenging my negative outlook on rooting for professional sports teams. Jared Goff, Ben Johnson, Aidan Hutchinson, CJ Gardner-Johnson, Sam LaPorta, our entire offensive line, Jack Fox. Holy smokes, this team is LEGIT. I literally could mention so many other players on this Detroit Lions team that makes us special. I mean, Ben Johnson passed up on a head coaching job, just to stay with this team. That should tell you something. 

        As we dive into weeks 1-5, I think it's important to remember that this season is telling a story. One loss to a team doesn't define our season and neither does a single win. Regardless of the outcome, the narrative of what is building in the locker room, floods out onto the field as a representation of who we are as a franchise. We have something special brewing in Detroit, for the first time in a really long time.

Week One - 21-20 W @ Chiefs

        Incredible team win to open the NFL season. Only caveat is that the Chiefs were without Travis Kelce and Chris Jones. Jahmyr gibbs didn't play much, but showed glimpses of brilliance. The officiating was atrocious during the game, Jawaan Taylor either jumped early or was lined up incorrectly on almost every play. Mahomes would've carried this team to a win if he could, but his receivers couldn't catch anything.

Notable Stats from Week 1:

• Goff: 22/35 for 253 and a TD
• Montgomery: 21 carries for 74 and a TD
• Amon Ra: 6 receptions for 71 and a TD
• Branch: 1 INT
• Anzalone: 6 Solo Tackles, 1 Pass deflection

Week Two - 37-31 L vs Seahawks (OT)

        A grounding loss after shocking the world in week one. Jared Goff's interceptions-less streak of passes ended at 383 with a pick six. Defense couldn't stop Geno Smith & company after giving up 300+ passing yards, almost 100 yards on the ground, and no turnovers. CJ Gardner-Johnson played with a torn pec for the majority of the game, has not played since week 2. David Montgomery also got banged up and would miss week three because of this game. 

Notable Stats from Week 2:

• Goff: 28/35 for 323, 3 TD's, but one untimely interception
• Montgomery: 16 carries for 67 and a TD
• Amon Ra (6 Rec for 102), Josh Reynolds (5 Rec for 66 and 2 TD's), LaPorta (5 Rec for 63)
• Both Monty and Amon Ra fumbled (3 Turnovers for the Lions)
• CJGJ with 8 Tackles (7 Solo's)
• Anzalone with 7 Tackles and a sack

Week Three - 20-6 W vs Falcons

        Great bounce-back win from the Lions. Smothered the run game, held Bijan to 33 yards on 10 carries. Sacked the QB 7 times (Jack Campbell with his first!), Hutch had two sacks, and Brian Branch was EVERYWHERE on the field with 11 solo tackles. Gibbs outplayed his 1st round counterpart, Bijan, with 80 yards on 17 carries. Amon-Ra showed out (per usual) with 9 receptions for 102 yards. Although, Amon-Ra's game was potentially overshadowed by LaPorta's breakout game, as he went for 84 yards on 8 receptions, and a TD. 

Notable Stats from Week 3:

• Goff 22/33 for 243, 1 TD, 1 INT
• Gibbs: 17 carries for 80 yards
• Amon-Ra: 9 receptions for 102 yards
• Sam LaPorta: 8 receptions for 84 yards and a TD
• Brian Branch: 11 Total Tackles (all Solos)
• Jack Campbell: 6 Total Tackles, 1 Sack
• Aidan Hutchinson: 4 Total Tackles, 2 Sacks

Week Four - 34-20 W @ Packers

        This game was always in control (except for in the late third quarter/carry over into the fourth when the Packers pulled it within 10 points). David Montgomery showed us why he was worth us not bringing back Jamaal Williams. Not only did he have over 100 yards, but he added 3 TD's to his season total. Jerry Jacobs had not one, but TWO INT's on the night. Brian Branch lead the team in tackles, and despite not having a great night yardage wise, Jared Goff made some huge plays when it mattered most. A huge divisional win, against the potential #2 team in the NFC North. 

Notable Stats from Week 4:

• Goff 19/28 for 210, 1 TD, 1 INT
• Montgomery: 32 carries for 121 yards and 3 TD's
• Amon-Ra: 5 receptions for 56 yards and a TD
• Aidan Hutchinson: 2 Total Tackles, 1.5 Sacks
• Jerry Jacobs: 5 Solo Tackles, 2 INT's

Week Five - 42-24 W vs Panthers

        No Amon-Ra? No Gibbs? No CJGJ? No Problem! Granted, the Lions were projected to steamroll the Panthers, they did exactly that. Truthfully, that is what separates this Lions team from last years team. They win the games that they're supposed too. Goff balled out with four total TD's, Montgomery and Craig Reynolds added two more. LaPorta, Reynolds, and Kalif Raymond carried Amon-Ra's workload just fine. Alex Anzalone continued to show why he's not only one of my favorite Lions, but also why he's the heart of this defense. 11 Total tackles, 8 of which were solos. Aidan Hutchinson got another sack on the season and added an INT to his career total this game. 

Notable Stats from Week 5:

• Goff: 20/28 for 236, 3 Passing TD's, 1 Rushing TD
• Montgomery: 19 carries for 109 yards and a TD
• LaPorta: 3 receptions for 47 yards and 2 TD's
• Jerry Jacobs: 4 Solo tackles, 1 INT
• Aidan Hutchinson: 3 Solo Tackles, 1 Sack, 1 INT

How the NFC North Has Fared 

        Green Bay Packers: Currently 2nd in the NFC North, at 2-3 on the season. With wins over the Bears and Saints, but with losses against the Falcons, Lions, and Raiders, this Packers team is hard to pin down. Going into week four against the Lions, the Packers were 2-1 and 2 points away from being 3-0. Jordan Love looked to be the 3rd great Packers QB in a long lineage of successful QB's, with 655 yards passing, 7 TD's and only 1 INT. He played great under pressure, even with a make-shift O-Line and missing key receiver Christian Watson for most of the season. However, in his last two games he's passed for 428 yards, 1 TD, and 5 INT's. He's also been sacked 7 times and is now searching for the 'mojo' that he had in those first 3 weeks. Some other statistical notes - Rashan Gary leads the team with 4.5 sacks on the year, Quay Walker is first with 25 solo tackles, and Rudy Ford stands alone with 2 INT's for the Packers secondary. 2023 draft pick Luke Musgrave is third on the team with 159 receiving yards, but has yet to secure his first NFL TD. The biggest question for this team, is Jordan Love the answer?

        Chicago Bears: Currently tied for 3rd in the NFC North, at 1-4 on the season. With a win over the Commanders in their last game and losses against the Packers, Buccaneers, Chiefs, and Broncos, the Bears fans are crawling out from hiding and ready to tell you about how Justin Fields is the TRUTH. For as much slack as I give this team on twitter (or X?), their schedule is far more difficult that most other teams have been through 5 games. The Packers loss definitely hurts, but they're currently 2-3. The Buccaneers and Chiefs both only have 1 loss on the season. We won't talk about the Broncos being 1-4, but how about that 40-20 win over the sneaky-good Commanders? Justin Fields, much like his current team, had a rough start to the season. Through the first three games, he passed for 526 yards (not very good for his 4,000 passing yard prediction), with 3 TD's, and 4 INT's. He was sacked 13 times over that 3 game span. However, in the past two games, he has 617 yards passing, 8 TD's, and 1 INT. Although those two games were against the Broncos and Commanders, Justin Fields seems to have found his footing. The remainder of their schedule definitely bodes well for his success, but we'll see in time how everything unfolds! (That was my most genuine, politically correct way of being nice to bears fans.) Looking at the rest of the team, DJ Moore is showing why he was worth that first round pick - 27 receptions, 531 yards, and 5 TD's. Clearly Fields favorite weapon, and for good reason. Cole Kmet is second on the team with receiving yards at 231, 3 TD's, on 23 receptions. T.J. Edwards to no one's surprise has 62 total tackles and 1 sack. Yannick Ngakoue leads the team with 2 sacks (potentially why this team is not living up to the hype of Bears fans). The biggest question for this team, can Justin Fields keep up his streak of great games? The Bears currently have the first and second overall pick, so he's essentially playing for his job on this team for the remainder of the season. 

        Minnesota Vikings: Currently tied for 3rd in the NFC North, at 1-4 on the season. With a win over the Panthers and losses against the Buccaneers, Eagles, Chargers, and Chiefs, fans are wondering what's going on with the preseason NFC North favorites? Looking at their schedule, they've lost every game so far by one possession. Not only that, but the 4 teams they've lost to have a combined record of 14-4. Kirk Cousins is currently having a great season with 1,498 passing yards, 13 TD's, and 4 INT's. Alexander Mattison has had a slow start to the season, but they added former LA Ram, Cam Akers, to replace the former Viking running back, Dalvin Cook. Justin Jefferson is playing well with 36 receptions for 571 yards and 3 TD's. Hockenson has 30 receptions for 254 yards and 2 TD's, and rookie Jordan Addison is showing his worth with 19 receptions for 249 yards and 3 TD's. It's worth noting that Jefferson did sustain a strained hamstring in week five, and is now on the IR. Coach Kevin O'Connell believes that it will not be a season-ending injury, however it will be interesting to see his injury designation depending on the team's success for the rest of the season. On the defensive side of the ball, Danielle Hunter leads the team in sacks with 6. Safety Camryn Bynum has 51 total tackles, with 32 of those tackles being solo tackles. Akayleb Evans also seems to be playing well with 25 total tackles, 3 pass deflections, and 1 forced fumbled. The biggest questions for this team, with the slow start, how does this team rebound? Does Cousins get traded with him becoming a UFA next season? 

Other NFL Takeaways

        Eagles and 49ers are the only undefeated teams left. The Panthers are 0-5 and the only team without a win currently. The Colts, despite Anthony Richardson dealing with multiple injuries already through week 5, are 3-2 and leading the AFC South. Joe Burrow and the Bengals are nowhere to be found, sitting at the bottom of the AFC North at 2-3. Burrow's calf injury may be more serious than the team is leading on, but week five's bounce-back win against the Cardinals does give Bengals fans a glimmer of hope moving forward. Miami leads the AFC East at 4-1 and New England's dynasty may officially be over, with them sitting at 1-4 on the season. The Sean Payton experiment in Denver is not paying off (unsurprisingly), although Russell Wilson has been playing better this season, as he currently is tied for second in passing TD's with 11. The Giants have surprised a bunch of people this season, as they sit at 1-4. The Lions are 4-1 (I will never get used to saying that) and are dominating the NFC North (or that). Baker Mayfield is showing the Cleveland Browns why they made a mistake and are 3-1 on the season. Both the Falcons and Saints are also playing well though, being 3-2 on the season and keeping the NFC South race close. Lastly, the Arizona Cardinals may be without Kyler Murray, but Joshua Dobbs found a way to get their first win against the Cowboys. They are 1-4 on the season, but in a competitive NFC West, may be a better team than their record.

Passing Leaders so far:

• Tua Tagovailoa: 1614 Yards
• Kirk Cousins: 13 TD's
• Josh Allen: 73.1% Completion Percentage
• Brock Purdy: 83.6 QBR (according to PFR)
• Desmond Ridder: 3 Game-Winning Drives

Rushing Leaders so far: 

• Christian McCaffrey: 510 Yards, 7 TD's (Tied w/ Raheem Mostert), 99 Attempts
• De'Von Achane: 71.1% Rushing Success Rate
• Breece Hall: 83 Longest Rushing Attempt

Receiving Leaders so far: 

• Tyreek Hill: 651 Yards, 5 TD's (Tied w/ DJ Moore and Stefon Diggs)
• Puka Nacua: 46 Receptions
• Marvin Mims: 24.6 Yards per Reception
• Christian Watson: 77 Longest Reception

Defensive Leaders so far: 

• Zaire Franklin: 69 Total Tackles, 43 Solo Tackles
• T.J. Watt: 8 Sacks, 15 QB Hits
• Jessie Bates III, DaRon Bland (2 Pick Sixes), Jordan Whitehead, and Jerry Jacobs: 3 INT's

Kicking Leaders so far: (can't forget about the unsung heroes) 

• Jake Elliot: 16 Field Goals Made
• Matt Prater: 62 Yards - Longest Field Goal Made
• Brandon Aubrey: 100% FGM (14/14 - most made/attempted)
• Bryce Baringer: 30 Punts, 1318 Yards
• Michael Dickson: 53.5 Yards per Punt
• Jake Camarda: 74 Yards - Longest Punt

Power Rankings Heading Into Week Six

        The 49ers are THE team to beat, no way around it. I put the Eagles as Super Bowl Bound, but honestly I don't love them. My personal Super Bowl matchup is 49ers vs Dolphins, considering that Miami offense is just too damn good. I know Buffalo beat them, but with a number of injuries on defense, it may not be the same score a second time around if they were to play each other. 

        Kansas City is inevitable and always lingers around the Super Bowl, even on their worst years. This is probably their weakest team in awhile. With no receiver help for Mahomes, if Kelce isn't healthy this team will struggle. Buffalo, similarly to KC, is always towards the top. My completely unbiased, totally based in fact pick, I've got the Lions ahead of the Cowboys and (despite losing to them) the Seahawks. Offensively, the Lions are one of the strongest teams. Injuries will play a huge factor in whether or not them live up to the hype this season. The Buccaneers are a playoff team, you can't convince me otherwise. Baker Mayfield is actually good, the Browns were just that bad.

        Nothing really stands out from the .500 teams, aside from the fact that the Colts are better than we think. The Jets would be a playoff team with Mr. Rodgers. Truthfully, any team in this tier could be at the top (of this tier), it just depends on what day of the week you catch them on. 

        I just want to say that Vikings are a much better team than their record right now, but because of the early season struggles and the potential fire sale that may happen soon, they're towards the bottom of the fourth tier. Joe Burrow better figure out how to throw a football again ASAP or the Bengals are in trouble (p.s. Ja'Marr is in fact always open). Deshaun Watson can't stay healthy, so the curse of the Brownie doo-doo stains continues. 

        The Bears suck, don't let Bears fans tell you otherwise. I'm sure they'll climb out of this spot before the season ends, but only because the Broncos are about to ship out anyone not named Sean Payton. Joshua Dobbs deserves all of the wins he gets this season, because he is salt of the Earth. Mac Jones forgot how to throw a football and Bill Belichick is already planning on becoming a lacrosse coach in the PLL (premier lacrosse league). 

Buckle Up, It's Going To Get Bumpy

        Looking forward to week 6-10, this will be the toughest part of our season. On the road against the Buccaneers, on the road against the Ravens, at home against the Raiders, on the road against the Chargers, and at home against the Bears. Truthfully, I see us going (at the very least) 3-2.

        I think we win against the Buccaneers, Raiders, and Bears. The Ravens will be tough. They haven't looked great this season, but the game is on the road and Lamar Jackson is Lamar Jackson. It may not be a great matchup for us defensively. I also see us possibly losing to the Chargers. With injuries to CJGJ, Brian Branch, and other DB's, there's a chance we allow Justin Herbert to throw all over us. However, their biggest drawback is that they can't seem to get out of their own way. No matter how you look at this 5-game stretch, it will set the expectation for the season moving forward. 

        Let me know what you think, I'm always tweeting about Detroit Lions-related things on my twitter. It's not a safe space for Bears fans, so I apologize in advance. I'll see you guys (and gals) after week 10 for a 5-game recap of how things are going thus far.