Detroit, MI
Detroit Lions predictions vs. Rams: Will Stafford spoil Ford Field’s first playoff game?
Free Press sports writers share their predictions for the Detroit Lions’ first-round playoff game Sunday night against the Los Angeles Rams (8 p.m., NBC):
Dave Birkett
I don’t love this matchup for the Lions. In fact, of all the NFC wild-card contenders, I thought the Rams were the trickiest draw. They played some of the best football in the NFL late in the season, have one of the most dominant defensive players the game has ever seen and have a passing game with the talent at quarterback and receiver to give the Lions’ underwhelming secondary fits. But I think the Lions have a more complete roster overall, and homefield advantage has to count for something. The atmosphere Sunday will be unmatched for the Lions’ first home playoff game in 30 years, and in a game where one or two mistakes can make all the difference, that could be enough to put the Lions over the top. The Lions need to get their running game going again so not everything is on Goff’s shoulders against his old team. If that happens, and if Goff plays mistake-free football, I see the Lions advancing to a divisional round rematch with the Cowboys next week. The pick: Lions 28, Rams 27.
LIONS VS. RAMS: Dave Birkett scouting report
Carlos Monarrez
Other than the 49ers and Ravens, the Rams present the least-favorable matchup the Lions could have in the entire playoffs because they boast two elite receivers, an elite running back, a Hall of Fame defensive tackle and a savvy quarterback who is one Super Bowl ring away from being a Hall of Fame lock. The Lions’ biggest weakness is their defense, and specifically the ability to pressure the quarterback, which they’ve manufactured by blitzing. But Matthew Stafford has been great at not only beating the blitz this year, but also making defenses pay for the gamble with big-time throws. Even if Sam LaPorta plays, it’s hard to imagine him being very effective in the multiple ways the Lions need him to be. The Lions’ best chance is to control the clock and keep the ball out of Stafford’s hands. The pick: Rams 33, Lions 28.
JEFF SEIDEL: Meet 4 Lions fans who have had a front-row view of organization’s rebuild
Jeff Seidel
Of course, it had to be Stafford. Of course, it would play out like this. Everything about this game is scary for the Lions and not because Stafford played in Detroit. It’s because Stafford is still a fantastic quarterback with some fantastic, hard-to-stop weapons. The one thing that will tip this in Detroit’s favor is the Lions’ running game. The Lions will win with some complementary football, running the ball as much as possible, eating up clock and trying to keep Stafford on the sideline. Oh, and get ready for some wild Dan Campbell gambles, as he will do against good offenses, trying to steal a possession. The pick: Lions 28, Rams 24.
SHAWN WINDSOR: Lions aren’t battling curses, storylines; Stafford, Rams are legit threats
Shawn Windsor
If we knew Sam LaPorta would be fully healthy this would be a different pick — maybe. But the Rams are ballin’ and it might not matter anyway. They’ve won seven of eight, have beaten good teams in this stretch and their loss was to Baltimore … in overtime. Stanford has elite receivers and one of the best backs in football in his huddle. He’s also got experience. In the end, he makes one more play. The pick: Rams 31, Lions 28.
Every seat in the Michigan Senate is up for election this year, and eight of those districts are in Wayne County.
In the 4th, 5th and 8th Districts, only one Republican and one Democrat filed for election, meaning those candidates will automatically be nominated and move on to the November ballot. Here are The Detroit News endorsements in the five contested Senate primaries in Wayne County:
1st District (Southwest Detroit and parts of Downriver, including Taylor, Melvindale and Lincoln Park): Two Detroit Democrats are competing for this seat: Abraham Aiyash and Justin Onwenu.
Aiyash is a former state representative who is hoping to return to the Legislature after a two-year absence. He is a progressive whose policy positions align with Democratic socialists.
Onwenu is an attorney who served the Mike Duggan administration as Detroit’s first Director of Entrepreneurship and Economic Opportunity, helping small businesses get a start in the city. Before attending Columbia Law School, where he was president of the student body from 2023 to 2024, Onwenu worked to combat air and water pollution in Detroit, Ecorse and River Rouge.
In the Senate, he promises to be a supporter of legislation to strengthen neighborhoods by lowering property taxes and investing in infrastructure.
He also supports stronger transparency and ethics rules for lawmakers. Justin Onwenu gets our endorsement in the 1st District Democratic primary.
Patrick O’Connell of Ecorse is unopposed in the Republican primary.
2nd District (Northwest Detroit, Dearborn Heights and part of Dearborn): The district is currently represented by Sylvia Santana, who made an unsuccessful bid to be nominated for the Michigan State University board.
The Democratic primary features two Dearborn residents who are hoping to replace Santana: Erin Byrnes and Abbas Alawieh.
Alawieh describes himself as a political strategist, community organizer and pro-peace advocate. He is supported by the Michigan Democratic Party’s Progressive Caucus and aligns with many of its anti-growth positions.
Byrnes is currently a state representative in her second term. Like her opponent, she is well to the left of center on the political spectrum. In the Legislature, she has pushed for utility rate controls.
The two Democrats are similarly positioned. Our choice in the 2nd District is Erin Byrnes, based on her legislative experience.
Harry Sawicki of Dearborn Heights is unopposed in the Republican primary.
3rd District (Detroit, Warren and Madison Heights): The contest to replace incumbent Stephanie Chang has drawn a long list of candidates. The 3rd District starts near Downtown Detroit and stretches north through the center of the city into southern Oakland and Macomb counties.
Eleven Democrats, all from Detroit, are competing in the primary. They are: Mohammad Alam, a Bangladeshi immigrant and Army veteran; LeJuan Council, a property manager and small business owner; John Conyers III, son of the late congressman; LaTanya Garrett, a former state representative; Korey Hall, a former director of community affairs in the Whitmer administration; Adam Hollier, a former state senator; Gary Hunter, a former candidate for Detroit City Council; Kimberly Hill-Knott, former head of the Detroit Climate Action Collaborative; Toinu Reeves, an economist, Abraham Shaw, who owns an auto repair shop, and Eboni Taylor, a community advocate.
There are several interesting and impressive candidates in this race, including Conyers, who just wrote about his father. Garrett has legislative experience, as does Hollier, whom we’ve endorsed in his previous runs for public office.
But we are most impressed with Reeves, a newcomer to politics who brings top-notch credentials to the race. Reeves grew up on Detroit’s east side and is an economist who attended Wayne State University and Dartmouth College.
He serves as chair of the Economic Development Workgroup for Detroit’s District 4 Community Advisory Committee and on the Jefferson-Chalmers Community District Council. He is a former school teacher and autoworker.
Toinu Reeves offers fresh ideas and much-needed skills, and gets our endorsement in the 3rd District Democratic Primary.
Mark Ashley Price is unopposed in the Republican primary.
6th District (Redford Township, Farmington and Farmington Hills): Incumbent Mary Cavanaugh is defending her seat from a challenge from fellow Democrat Stephen Jensen, who shows no signs of a campaign. Both are from Redford.
Mary Cavanaugh, granddaughter of the late Detroit Mayor Jerome Cavanaugh, has served her district well and should be renominated for a second term.
Joi Pokerwinski of Redford Township is unopposed in the Republican Party.
12th District (Parts of Wayne, Macomb and St. Clair counties, including Algonac, the Grosse Pointes, St. Clair Shores, Harper Woods, Mount Clemens and New Baltimore): Incumbent Sen. Kevin Hertel of St. Clair Shores is unopposed in the Democratic primary. Five Republicans are competing in their primary to face him in November.
They are: Joseph Backus of St. Clair Shores, a prolific community volunteer who has run unsuccessfully for other offices; Patrick Biange of St. Clair Shores; John Goldwater of New Baltimore, an oil and gas entrepreneur; Eileen Tesch, the former mayor of Algonac who faced recall efforts, and Shelley Wright, a former general contractor and owner of a process serving company who says Donald Trump inspired her to politics.
John Goldwater has experience growing a business and creating jobs. He would also prioritize improving skilled trades training. The father of six is a conservative who describes himself as pro-life and a defender of the Second Amendment.
Our endorsement in the 12th District Republican primary goes to John Goldwater.
Photos by FOX 2 Photog Scott Federspiel
DETROIT (FOX 2) – A 16-year-old moped driver was hospitalized after a crash on Detroit’s west side on Wednesday night.
The backstory:
Detroit police say the teen disregarded a stop sign while going east on Vassar when he collided with a vehicle turning south on Outer Drive at about 9:30 p.m.
Photos by FOX 2 Photog Scott Federspiel
The boy was taken to a nearby hospital where he is listed in critical condition. The driver of the car, a woman in her 30s, was not injured.
The Source: Information for this report is from Detroit police.
Watch FOX 2 Detroit Live:
Chickens and geese that went missing from a local nonprofit’s Detroit site were found in the backyard of a nearby home, the director of operations said Wednesday.
The Full Circle Foundation, a Grosse Point Park-based nonprofit, said more than a dozen chickens and geese were believed stolen from a chicken coop on Detroit’s east side that also features the Full Circle Edible Garden.
The nonprofit provides training and job opportunities for young people with special needs.
Neighbors who learned from news reports about the missing flock found the “chickens were being held in the backyard of a vacant home not far from the Full Circle Edible Garden,” said Stephanie DiVirgil, director of operations. She said Ribbon Farm 4-H owns the flock.
“The homeowner was contacted, and she reached out to Full Circle to confirm,” said DiVirgil. “We were able to retrieve all of the chickens and geese that were found on the property, 19 in total.”
The foundation and Ribbon Farms 4-H are working to secure the site, including cameras, fencing and lights.
“We will likely start a fundraising campaign to have these items installed,” DiVirgil said. “We’ve gotten amazing support from the community, including offers to help pay for these additional security measures.”
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