Futures vs stocks

Dave Birkett Detroit Free Press Published 6:00 AM EST Dec 24, 2018 Free Press sports writer Dave Birkett looks at three Detroit Lions players who helped themselves, and three who hurt their standing in Sunday's 27-9 loss to the Minnesota Vikings: Stock up RB Zach Zenner Any carries that don't go to Zenner in next week's season finale against the Green Bay Packers are wasted plays. Zenner had 45 yards on eight carries Sunday and had one  nice run called back on penalty. He wasn't perfect. He gave up a sack in pass protection. But Zenner should get first crack at being Kerryon Johnson's backup in 2019, though the Lions need to draft another running back as well. P Sam Martin Martin had an excellent day punting the ball Sunday as the Lions dominated the field-position battle early to stay in the game. Martin averaged 41.5 yards on his six punts, and netted 40.2 yards on those kicks. He dropped four punts inside the 20-yard line without a touchback, and it's worth … [Read more...] about Detroit Lions stock watch: WRs struggle bad, but not punter

By Matt Schoch Special to The Detroit News Published 2:11 PM EST Dec 18, 2018 With nothing to play for in the traditional sense, protecting the future of the franchise becomes even more important in the final two games of the Lions’ season. For Sunday’s home finale against Minnesota, that means the offense doing whatever it takes to avoid a repeat of the Nov. 4 debacle in Minneapolis where franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford was sacked 10 times and hit a total of 17 times in a 24-9 loss. It’s a sore thumb of a week for an otherwise improved area of the Lions’ offense, which has allowed 37 sacks this season, tied for 16th-fewest in the league, but would be in the top third if not for the Minnesota house of horrors after Halloween. “We know how good these guys are. They got good players all over the field, and they’re playing at a really high level right now,” offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said Tuesday of the … [Read more...] about Protecting Matthew Stafford is Lions’ top job in vs. Minnesota Vikings

Dave Birkett Detroit Free Press Published 8:01 AM EST Dec 10, 2018 Glendale, Ariz. — Free Press sports writer Dave Birkett discusses three players who helped themselves, and three who hurt their stock in the Detroit Lions win over Arizona Cardinals, 17-3, on Sunday. Stock up Darius Slay Slay hasn’t played at a Pro Bowl level most of the season, but the Lions’ No. 1 cornerback made the game’s biggest play when he returned a Josh Rosen interception 67 yards for a touchdown. That score gave the Lions the 10-0 cushion they needed in a low-scoring game. Slay also broke up a big third-down pass earlier in the game, after briefly leaving with an injury. Zach Zenner Zenner had four carries on the season entering Sunday, but with the Lions clinging to a seven-point lead late in the fourth quarter, they turned to the fourth-year running back to close the game out. Zenner delivered with 12 carries for a game-high 54 yards, and he carried on seven of eight plays … [Read more...] about Detroit Lions stock watch: Jarrad Davis continues good play

Chris Solari Detroit Free Press Published 3:28 PM EST Nov 5, 2018 Three Spartans who helped and hurt their stock in No. 24 Michigan State football’s 24-3 win at Maryland on Saturday. 3 up RB Connor Heyward It was a career day for the sophomore, with 157 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns. More importantly, it was one of the first times Heyward, who was not a full-time running back in high school, looked the part in college. The 6-foot, 229-pounder showed a powerful burst toward the line and made hard cuts, most evident on his 80-yard TD in the fourth quarter in which he flashed breakaway speed. Offensive line Credit the big guys up front for springing Heyward by creating some cavernous craters in the Maryland front seven. It was just the second time this season MSU used the same starting offensive line in back-to-back weeks, and that continuity and cohesion among LT Cole Chewins, LG Tyler Higby, C Blake Bueter, RG Luke Campbell and RT Jordan Reid, with Kevin Jarvis … [Read more...] about Michigan State football stock watch: RB Heyward, OL shine