Connect with us

Detroit, MI

Detroit Red Wings’ Moritz Seider: ‘No one is happy in the locker room. Why should we?’

Published

on

Detroit Red Wings’ Moritz Seider: ‘No one is happy in the locker room. Why should we?’


play

Detroit Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde had a suggestion for the reporters who cover his team daily.

“You can all save yourself some time and just copy and paste the same writeup you’ve had the last five games,” he said after the Wings lost Saturday at Little Caesars Arena, 2-1, to the Colorado Avalanche. “Some positives. We’ll probably take our five-on-five game tonight against a team like that. Hold them to two goals. Probably outchanced them fairly good. Just got to do more to flip some of these games.”

Advertisement

The Wings (10–13–4) have lost five straight games by one goal, and their past seven losses have been by that margin. They sit second from the bottom in the Eastern Conference, and the frustration is evident.

“I mean, no one is happy in the locker room. Why should we?” defenseman Moritz Seider said. “We’re losing games that are winnable and we just can’t find ways to get it done. That’s really frustrating. We shouldn’t be lying to ourselves. We need to be better. It shouldn’t drag us down, though. We come to the rink with a big smile tomorrow, get ready to work, play two opponents that are really close and hopefully get four points and get back with a little bit of swagger.”

One game at a time: First, the Wings head back on the road Monday to take on the Sabres in Buffalo, New York. They do so with just two points banked in their past five outings. They had a chance to win in Ottawa but lost, 2-1; they had a chance to win in Boston, but lost, 3-2 in overtime. They had a chance to win Saturday, getting a boost with Lucas Raymond’s goal late in the second period that made it 2-1, only to come out in the third and register only one shot on net the first 15 or so minutes, while the Avs racked up 10.

Advertisement

“The last 10 minutes in the second, we found another gear,” Seider said. “We kept the Iines rolling and scored a great goal. But then we just couldn’t really capitalize in the third. Got away from the game a little bit. Not good enough on the breakouts, a lot of bad decisions.

“Very frustrating once again. You do a lot of good things but not over a span of 60 minutes, and that will cost you against a really good team. We came out in the third with not nearly enough jump as we had before. Couldn’t really sustain any kind of O-zone time, get not dangerous chances, didn’t really force them into uncomfortable situations.”

Pullling goalie Ville Husso with 2:30 to play helped the Wings enough to get eight shots on net the final few minutes, but it was too little, too late.

“We had some wall turnovers and we had some breakouts where we couldn’t get our game going,” Lalonde said. “That’s the point where, if we could have rolled our second into our third, I think we find that goal. But we had some wall battles lost, they’re heavy on some sticks, we had some turnovers. It hurt us in zone time and getting push.

Advertisement

“Our margin of effort is extremely thin right now. We can’t lose moments in the game and there were some moments in the third we just lost some shifts and we couldn’t get things rolling.”

J.T. Compher, a second-line player who has three goals on the season and none since Oct. 27, said the Wings “have to stick together. A lot of frustrated guys in the room and it’s got to be our group of guys to find our way out of it.”

Seider said the Wings maybe need to “cheer each other on. Work a little bit harder in practice. Find a little bit of confidence and just find a good reason why we want to beat teams and be on the winning side. That has to come from us. Nobody else can do that for us.”

Lalonde pointed to the stretch last season when the Wings lost seven straight games in regulation from Feb. 29-March 14, during which they were outscored, 36-12. This stretch hasn’t been like that: Going back 10 games, they’ve been outscored, 28-25.

Advertisement

“We had that stretch last year, and we were bad,” Lalonde said. “We earned that losing streak. This feels a little different, but the bottom line is, we have to do more to flip these games. I think they’re playing some pretty responsible hockey. But we have to do a little more offensively. Just a little frustration that it’s not going on our way.”



Source link

Detroit, MI

Detroit Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown dealing with knee injury

Published

on

Detroit Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown dealing with knee injury


play

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is dealing with a knee injury, though Lions coach Dan Campbell indicated he does not believe it’s serious.

St. Brown was listed as a non-participant on the Lions’ estimated practice report Monday, Dec. 22.

Advertisement

The Lions held a walk-through Monday in advance of this week’s game against the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday (4:30 p.m., Netflix). Campbell said St. Brown showed up to the practice facility after the team’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and reported the injury.

“We’ll know more a little bit later but this is just something that just popped up when he came in today,” Campbell said. “So hopeful this is something [that’s] just some type of irritation from the game. That’s what I’m hoping.”

St. Brown leads the Lions with 98 catches, 1,194 yards and 11 touchdowns and needs two catches over the Lions’ final two games for his fourth straight 100-catch season.

Advertisement

Taylor Decker (shoulder) and Avonte Maddox (back) also were listed as non-participants on Monday’s practice report, and the Lions listed nine others as limited participants including starters Marcus Davenport (shoulder), Graham Glasgow (knee), Christian Mahogany (fibula), Alim McNeill (abdomen) and Amik Robertson (hand).

The Lions (8-7) must win their final two games and have the Green Bay Packers (9-5-1) lose their final two games to make the playoffs.

Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on BlueskyX and Instagram at @davebirkett.

Advertisement





Source link

Continue Reading

Detroit, MI

Everything Dan Campbell Said After Detroit Lions Loss to Steelers

Published

on

Everything Dan Campbell Said After Detroit Lions Loss to Steelers


Here is everything head coach Dan Campbell said postgame, following the Detroit Lions 29-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Advertisement

Opening Statement: “Credit to those guys, (Steelers Head Coach Mike) Coach Tomlin, you know, they won that game, so. You know, look, it’s frustrating. I was proud of the way the guys fought, we fought our way back in that. We had an opportunity to win the game, which is ultimately what you want. But we weren’t able to close it out. At the end of the day, that’s on us. We did that. We’re the ones who put ourselves in that position where we had to try to score on the last play. But some of the efforts were outstanding, and it was just too little too late. A lot of – we just didn’t make enough plays.”

Advertisement

On the offensive pass interference penalty on the final play: “I mean, I don’t even want to get into it. Because it’s not going to change anything, we still lost. It’s – I mean look, you think you score, you don’t score, and then you think you’re going to have another play. Replay it or back it up, one more shot. And it doesn’t. And that’s just, I guess that’s the way it’s written in the rulebook. So that’s frustrating. But there again, it should never come to that. We had our opportunities. We weren’t able to put it in before that play.”

On why it was difficult to get the run game going: “Yeah, just couldn’t quite get it going, man. You know, made some hay in the pass game, (Lions QB Jared) Goff was in a good place, our receivers were making plays, that’s kind of where our explosives were showing up, and so, you know, went that route. And then we come out, and really in the third quarter we only had those three plays. And that was it for the third, and then we were down two scores. So, now you’re definitely throwing it. So, just didn’t make enough – certainly, I wish we could have run it more, I would love to run the ball a little bit more than that. A lot more than that. It just wasn’t one of those days.”

On the Steelers playing better today: “I can’t argue with that. Look, the ground game says it. I mean, they’re rushing. They rushed it, they had a lot more carries. And some of that was, you know, our defense was on the field for a while. And when you’re able to convert and stay on the field a while then you can kind of bounce from run to run to run, to play-pass, to – it just opens your offense up. And that’s what they’re able to do. And they can. You run a play, you get the look. You run the opposite of that and see how they respond, and then you get a look. And we just weren’t able to do it and they were. I can’t, they got after us. I mean, they rushed for over 200 yards. And only 15 for us.”

On if he agreed with the penalty on Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown on the final play: “I didn’t see it. I couldn’t even see. Man, I was looking at the protection, and (Lions QB Jared) Goff, and then I saw the catch.”

Advertisement

On St. Brown deciding to pitch the ball to Lions QB Jared Goff on the final play: “Yeah, it was a headsy play, man. He wasn’t down, and just to stay alive for the last play, man. That’s what (Lions WR Amon-Ra) Saint (Brown) is, he’s a freaking smart, instinctive player. Gave us one more shot, we thought, but it didn’t work out.”

Advertisement

On the explanation for the offensive pass interference call on Lions WR Isaac TeSlaa: “Just that. They said he, it was, you know, that it was OPI. He ran into the defensive back, or whoever it was. Which, I mean, there’s nothing you can do. They see what they see. And I didn’t see that one either, so I have no idea.”

On if he regrets not kicking a field goal early: “No.”

On how the substitutions on both sides of the ball have taken a toll on the team: “Well, I don’t – you know what, here’s the – you love having guys that are there every week, of course. Because you get used to it, and you build a rapport, and you’re all on the same page. But that’s – man, we’ve lived this for three years. We should be better than that, you know. We’ve got to get our guys ready. We can do better. Every team’s got injuries in this league. Most of them have some type of injuries. You’ve got an injury bug somewhere. And as coaches we’re charged with having those guys ready, make sure we’re on point. The substitutions, the whole thing, that’s what we’ve got to do. And I know this guy, (Steelers QB Aaron) Rodgers, is really good about messing with you on third downs and stuff. You know, they roll out, and see if you’re substituting, then he gets back on the ball. And we talked about it, we worked it this week, and they got us a couple times. But, you know, you’ve just got to have those guys ready, that are going to play for you, and then you try to help them with the call. As much as you can reduce the burden on them, and make calls that help them too, that’s what you’re trying to do.”

On where the team stands right now: “I mean, look. It’s frustrating. We just lost two in a row, you know. That’s the worst – I don’t know. I don’t know what all of this is or isn’t. I know we’ve got two left. And I just want to see us finish. I just want to finish, our style of football, with two to go, man. You know, and try to play four straight quarters of good football. Clean football. Efficient football. That’s what I want to do. And we’ve got a short week now. We’ve got Minnesota, we’re back in tomorrow. I’ve got to have a game plan ready for these guys and we’ve got to be ready to go out to Minneapolis and put it all together and execute.”

Advertisement

On how the diminishing playoff hopes will affect his message to the team: “Yeah, I mean kind of what I just said is what I told them. We’ve got two to go. I just, I want to see us play with our identity. With what we are and what we’re about. We’re big boys in this league, man. You pull your pants up and you go to work. And you can’t feel sorry for yourself. It doesn’t mean it doesn’t sting, it doesn’t feel bad. But we have nobody to blame but ourselves. It’s on us, and it’s also on us to finish. We’ve got two to go.”

Advertisement

On the lack of consistency in being able to string together four good quarters: “There’s a lot of errors, man, that have popped up. We’ve got some mental errors here or there, or a lack of self-discipline. And look, ultimately, I put that stuff on me, man. That’s on me. There’s no other way to cut it, other than it’s the head coach. So, you know. It’s on me, man.”

More from Detroit Lions OnSI



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Detroit, MI

Lions fan says DK Metcalf swung at him after he used star’s full name

Published

on

Lions fan says DK Metcalf swung at him after he used star’s full name


play

Pittsburgh Steelers star wide receiver DK Metcalf took a swing at a Detroit Lions fan at the game at Ford Field on Sunday, Dec. 21.

In the second quarter, CBS cameras caught Metcalf getting into an altercation with a Lions fan holding some Steelers attire while hanging over the ledge.

Advertisement

It’s not clear what led up to the incident, but Metcalf eventually threw a punch in the direction of the Lions fan. It wasn’t a direct hit, but there was some contact.

The Free Press tracked down the fan in the stands, who said he was “a little shocked. Like everyone’s talking to me. I’m a little rattled, but I just want the Lions to win, baby.”

“My words don’t matter because it was on camera,” they added.

Advertisement

When initially asked what his name was, the fan said, “My name is ‘Biggest Detroit Lions Fan Ever that got attacked by DeKaylin Zecharius Metcalf.’”

After getting further pressed, the fan said his name was Ryan Kennedy and that he’s from Pinckney, Michigan.

“What, my full name isn’t is DeKaylin Zecharius Metcalf,” Kennedy said. “He doesn’t like his government name. I called him that and then he grabbed me and ripped my shirt. I’m a little shocked. Like everyone’s talking to me. I’m a little rattled, but I just want the Lions to win, baby.”

Advertisement

The fan was not thrown out of the game, per the Lions. Lions officials talked to him about the incident.

The NFL said in a statement it cannot intervene for an ejection of Metcalf.

“There was no flag on the field, so New York cannot weigh in with regard to a potential disqualification,” the NFL said in the statement.

CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson was watching the area when the incident happened.

“He came over because the fan in the stands was holding a ‘4’ Pittsburgh jersey, he went over and the fan said something to him,” Wolfson said on the broadcast. “Obviously, Metcalf did not like what he said and you saw the swipe there. No Steelers came over to him and mentioned anything, we’ll see if the league takes action, guys.”

Advertisement

After the Lions scored a touchdown in the second quarter, CBS rules official Gene Steratore said referees can’t do anything to remove Metcalf from the game or penalize him.

It’ll be “delivered to compliance,” which could potentially suspend or fine him in the future.

Free Press Lions reporter Dave Birkett contributed to this reporting.

Andrew Birkle is an assistant sports editor for the Free Press. Contact him via email at abirkle@freepress.com.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending