Detroit, MI

Friday notes: Detroit's skyline is about to change

Published

2 years ago

July 5, 2024

Friday notes: Detroit's skyline is about to change

Hey friends,

Detroit’s skyline is about the change again. This time, with a new 600-room hotel where Joe Louis Arena used to be, as av JW Marriott is coming. [Urbanize Detroit]

Immediately, I thought of when I took the Chicago architecture boat tour. This rendering gives me that vibe right away, and I think that’s a good thing. Opening up the lower floors allows the riverfront to be better utilized, and helps connect it.

I remember passing by wedding parties and more; and it looked really cool. Because look, I LOVE Detroit’s riverfront. But as far as constant buzz, with restaurants, activities, residents, and ship activity, there’s notes we could take from them to make ours even better.

I think the progress we’ve made is great, but there’s way more we could do with activations along the way.

Rendering from land-side for the JW Marriott

This hotel will be directly connected to the largest convention center in the region, Huntington Place. That’ll be a benefit for us getting better (and more) conventions and visitors in town.

There will also be 50,000 square feet of other programming, as a “instant neighborhood” rises tying this, The Residences at Water Square, nearby residential towers, and soon Ralph C. Wilson Centennial Park.

Listen to the podcast on YouTube [or Apple Podcasts]

On the most recent edition of the podcast, I was joined by Devon O’Reilly and Norris Howard for a discussion on this project, predictions for the next six months in the city (we think we’re about the hit the accelerator with more money coming on the table), and a spirited discussion on the usefulness (and possibilities!) of the Detroit People Mover.

Come say hi! We’re throwing a Happy Hour at The Royce Detroit by Grand Circus Park this Thursday, July 11! There’s been so much interest we had to open up more spots.

Stop by from 4p-7p, we’ll be on the second level. Enjoy wine (or your drink of choice) and let’s chat. Learning what you all want to talk about is one of the fun parts of doing this. [Sign up on Eventbrite]

🗳️ Your voice counts! Our annual survey is out, and closes on Sunday. We’d love to hear from you about what you want more of with Daily Detroit. The response has been great (and constructive) and the more, the merrier.

🗞️ What to know

🛢️ Friends of the Rouge are urging Northville’s mayor to investigate a June 21 oil spill at Northville Downs, where up to 85 gallons leaked into the Rouge River. [Detroit News]

Cleanup is ongoing, but FotR have concerns around the ecological impacts on fish and habitat projects. EGLE, who oversees the situation, says they saw no evidence of impacts on the river during recent heavy rains. Northville Downs is being demolished as part of a $300 million, 443 unit development.

🎨 Part of Detroit’s arts scene, created by Olayami Dabls, faces demolition after more than two decades due to structural issues. Located at Grand River and West Grand Boulevard, the building is a landmark part of Dabls African Bead Museum. Dabls has been seeking $400K for repairs and community support to save it; the city says it’s structurally unsound. [ClickOnDetroit] [Metro Times] [GoFundMe]

🏗️ The Gilbert Family Foundation is moving forward with a modular housing project in Detroit’s North Corktown, despite resident concerns about build quality and costs. Nine parcels were purchased for the initiative, aiming to showcase manufactured housing as a viable, affordable option. [Crain’s Detroit]

Me interviewing Darnell Adams at our studio in TechTown.

We had an in-depth conversation on this with Darnell Adams from the Gilbert Family Foundation on this project back in February, getting into ways to create affordable housing as building and land costs skyrocket. [Daily Detroit podcast]

⚡️ Eminem’s new album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), comes out July 12. Two singles have been released, “Houdini” and “Tobey.” Tobey includes a collab with Big Sean and Babytron. [Billboard] [Pitchfork]

p.s. – I’m looking for someone who has good insight (and is into) the music to talk to on the podcast after the album drops to get into it on the show. Email me, jer – at – dailydetroit – dot – com.

☕️ The MOCAD Cafe — inside the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit — is reopening this week. This was a great place to enjoy art, get caffeinated, and it was magical on days they opened their big garage door. You’ll find it on Woodward in Detroit’s Midtown. The hours mirror that of the museum. [Instagram] [MOCAD]

🍑 The long-teased Peach Cobbler Factory in downtown Detroit is having their grand opening tomorrow (Saturday). They’ve been doing soft service for awhile, as many restaurants do, to figure out processes and improve things – but this is the start of real operations. [Instagram]

It feels like I’ve seen the sign up at Broadway and Gratiot for forever and a day.

🪟 A new breakfast window is coming to and old favorite. The Old Shillelagh’s window on Brush in Greektown will be open Wednesdays through Sundays from 8a-2p, serving breakfast bowls, smoothies, and booze. [Freep] [Metro Times]

I love walk-up windows, and the idea they’re going to do a bit of cleaner eating is attractive and kind of unique is a sea of coneys and burgers. It was the walk-up coffee window at Milwaukee Cafe that kept me (and my dog) sane during the pandemic. So I’ll definitely give this a spin.

Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed what I did here, there are three ways to support.

1) Tell a friend about Daily Detroit! Word of mouth is the number one way people learn about us.

2) Buy us a coffee! One time support is valuable and sends the message that you want more all-local coverage. We also know a lot of people prefer to do a one-time thing.

3) Our monthly Patreon members get extra benefits like swag and access to our member-only Discord, where we often post ahead of what we post publicly – and you get direct access to ask your questions and share with our community.

I hope you have a great holiday weekend. We’ll be back next week, and I’ll have new episodes of the podcast on Monday.

Remember that you are somebody,

-Jer

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Detroit, MI

Studs and Duds: Lions’ Stars Deliver Strong Effort

Published

5 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

Studs and Duds: Lions’ Stars Deliver Strong Effort

On Sunday, the Detroit Lions suited up for the final time during the 2025 NFL season. It was a much shorter season than Lions fans expected, while Ben Johnson and the upstart Chicago Bears had already secured the NFC North divisional crown and were looking to capture the No. 2 seed in the playoffs.

In what looked like a microcosm of Detroit’s season, the Lions surged early, before struggling in the final half. However, on this occasion, the Lions were able to finish, forcing a Chicago punt before Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jake Bates iced it.

With nothing but pride to play for, here are the studs and duds from the Lions’ final contest of the ‘25 campaign.

STUD: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown

Amon-Ra St. Brown did not have much to play for, with the receiver suffering multiple injuries as the season wound down. However, he was a shining example of leading the Lions, with the star surpassing 100 yards, with his longest catch of the evening going for 30 yards.

The USC product was the go-to guy on third down, with the receiver besting former Lions defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson multiple times in coverage.

St. Brown also called ballgame, with a huge catch and run after a Gardner-Johnson injury forced a Chicago timeout. The pass-catcher’s 11th reception of the game gave him 139 yards, with that final one setting Jake Bates up for a game-winning field goal.

DUD: IOL Christian Mahogany

Yet again, Mahogany suffered through growing pains as he worked his way back into the lineup for the Lions. The aggressive Chicago Bears front got the best of the second-year player, with the guard surrendering a sack early in the game after being completely blown off the line of scrimmage.

Mahogany was also responsible for a few missed blocks in the run game when Detroit stalled in the third quarter. Every time Goff dropped back, there seemed to be a Bears defender ready to drop him for a loss. Mahogany, along with all the other Lions linemen, appeared ready for the offseason at multiple times on Sunday.

STUD: WR Kalif Raymond

In what might be his last game in Honolulu Blue, Kalif Raymond shined. The returner and receiver was able to flip the field with his catches, along with setting Detroit up with good field position on its final drive.

Raymond came alive in the second half, when most of Detroit seemed content to settle after going up by two scores. Raymond pushed the ball up for Detroit, and was one of the shining examples of players competing for pride.

DUD: OT Chris Hubbard

Hubbard was the replacement for Penei Sewell, who was missing his first career game. Unfortunately, Sewell’s presence was sorely missed. Hubbard was the right tackle on a line that let Jared Goff run for his life, particularly in the first and third quarters.

Hubbard was responsible for part of a sack on Goff, where the quarterback got met by Montez Sweat and Grady Jarrett. Overall, the line surrendered two sacks to Chicago, along with quite a few pressures.

STUD: K Jake Bates

Bates kept Detroit in contention on Sunday, nailing four of his five field goals, including the walk-off winner as time expired. With his lone miss being a 53-yard field goal to end the first half, it is easy to overlook that when the Lions kicker accounted for all the points besides Jahmyr Gibbs’ final touchdown of the season.

Bates, despite the fans turning against him at points, showed resilience and consistency on a night when the Lions sorely needed it.

DUD: OG Tate Ratledge

Ratledge was another Lions lineman who struggled in the final contest of the year. Detroit finally had a push against the Bears’ front, but Ratledge was part of a unit that allowed multiple Goff pressures. Additionally, he added a penalty in the middle of the game to hamper Detroit’s field position, getting busted for a hold.

Ratledge offered promise in his first season, and there is reason to believe in him for next year. This year, however, it was “baptism by fire” in multiple games: Sunday included.

STUD: LB Jack Campbell

Campbell was another one of the Lions stars who played for pride, leading Detroit’s defense by example. To the surprise of none, he led the Lions in tackles, and set the tone by nearly intercepting Caleb Williams as Detroit shut out Chicago in the first half.

Campbell made plays and shifted momentum just enough in the first half for Chicago’s second-half rally to come up short.

STUD: DB Avonte Maddox

Maddox filled in admirably with Detroit down three of its top four safeties on Sunday, and added his own Kerby Joseph-esque centerfield interception, picking off Caleb Williams on a deep shot to the end zone. Maddox bodied out the receiver, then had enough awareness to run the ball out of the end zone, instead of trying to tiptoe up the sideline.

Without this crucial takeaway, it is likely that Detroit either goes to overtime or outright loses to the Bears and falls to 1-5 in the division. Maddox played for pride, and certainly gave the staff much to think about with the offseason looming.

Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears: How to watch today’s NFL game, kickoff time, TV channel and more

Published

17 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears: How to watch today’s NFL game, kickoff time, TV channel and more

The Chicago Bears have already made it into the NFC playoffs, but a Week 18 win against the Detroit Lions will determine their seed in the postseason and what happens next in the wild card round. The Lions are out of playoff contention, but they face a tricky situation themselves; while a win would be great for morale in the short term, a loss ultimately gives them a better draft position.

The Lions vs. Bears game will kick off at 4:25 p.m. ET this Sunday on Fox. Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch this Sunday’s game and get the full Week 18 schedule for the rest of the league.

How to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears:

Date: Sunday, Jan. 4

Time: 4:25 p.m. ET

TV channel: FOX

Streaming: DirecTV, FOX One, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo + more

Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears game time:

The Lions vs. Bears game kicks off at 4:25 p.m. ET/1:25 p.m. PT this Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026.

Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears game channel:

The game between the Lions and the Bears will air on FOX.

How to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears game without cable:

You can stream FOX on platforms like DirecTV and Fubo, and the game will also be available on FOX’s streaming platform FOX One. You can also tune in on NFL+ for mobile viewing.

DirecTV is currently offering its Entertainment tier package for just $49.99 for your first month – a $40 savings over the regular rate.

DirecTV’s Entertainment tier gets you access to loads of channels where you can tune in to college and pro sports, including ESPN, TNT, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, and, depending on where you live, local affiliates for ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC.

Whichever package you choose, you’ll get unlimited Cloud DVR storage and access to ESPN+’s new streaming tier, ESPN Unlimited.

The best part is that you can currently try all this out for free for 5 days. If you’re interested in trying out a live-TV streaming service for football season but aren’t ready to commit, we recommend starting with DirecTV.

Try free at DirecTV

FOX One is a streaming service from FOX that launched in August. With a subscription to FOX One, you can tune in to all your favorite FOX channels like FOX News, FOX Sports, FOX Weather, FS1, FS2, FOX Business, FOX Deportes, Big Ten Network (B1G), and local FOX stations all in one place.

FOX One offers live programming, as well as on-demand shows and movies. At launch, the base price for FOX One will cost $19.99 a month, or you can save with an annual subscription for $199.99. FOX Nation fans can even bundle it with FOX One for $24.99 a month, or opt for an annual subscription, which nets out to $19.99/month.

You can also bundle FOX One with ESPN’s newly revamped streaming service for $39.99/month.

$19.99/month at FOX

NFL Week 18 schedule:

All times Eastern.

Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026

Panthers vs. Buccaneers: 4:30 p.m. (ESPN/ABC)
Seahawks vs. 49ers: 8:00 p.m. (ESPN/ABC)

Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026

Colts vs. Texans: 1:00 p.m.(CBS)
Chargers vs. Broncos: 1:00 p.m. (CBS)
Browns vs. Bengals: 1:00 p.m. (CBS)
Packers vs. Vikings: 1:00 p.m. (CBS)
Jets vs. Bills: 4:25 p.m. (CBS)
Commanders vs. Eagles: 4:25 p.m. (CBS)
Saints vs. Falcons: 1:00 p.m. (FOX)
Titans vs. Jaguars: 1:00 p.m. (FOX)
Cowboys vs. Giants: 1:00 p.m. (FOX)
Lions vs. Bears: 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
Cardinals vs. Rams: 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
Dolphins vs. Patriots: 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
Ravens vs. Steelers: 8:20 p.m. (NBC)

How to watch NFL games in 2025:

Many NFL games are broadcast on local channels, so if you’re looking to catch an in-market game, it may be as simple as turning on your TV (or setting up a digital TV antenna) or finding a live TV streaming service that carries the correct RSN (Regional Sports Network). If you want to watch out-of-market games, a $7 monthly subscription to NFL+ will let you watch every out-of-market-game local and primetime game in the season on your phone — but only a select few regular season games on your TV. You could also spring for the uber-expensive NFL Sunday Ticket package to get every out-of-market Sunday game of the season.

When it comes to nationally broadcast games, NFL games typically air across ESPN, NBC, CBS, Fox, ABC and NFL Network. Thursday Night Football games stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, select football games will stream exclusively on Peacock, games on CBS will stream live on Paramount+, and Monday Night Football games will air on ESPN or ABC and stream on the newly revamped ESPN+ this season. That’s six channels and four streaming platforms to keep up with this season — and that’s not counting your local RSN’s for in-market games and an NFL+ or NFL Sunday Ticket subscription for out-of-market games. Plus, Netflix is once again hosting at least two Christmas Day matches, so add that subscription into the mix. And we can’t forget about Fox One, Fox’s first streaming service, a place where you can also stream games airing on FOX (if you don’t already have access to it).

Confused? You’re not alone. Here’s a breakdown of the platforms we recommend checking out ahead of the 2025 NFL season, so that come game time, tuning into your favorite team’s games will be as easy as simply turning on the TV.

DirecTV is currently offering its Choice tier (typically $108+/month with fees) for just $79.98 (after fees) for your first month.

DirecTV’s Choice tier gets you access to all the usual football suspects: NFL Network, ESPN, ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox, plus ACC Network, Big Ten Network, SEC Network and plenty more local Regional Sports Networks. (If you want to avoid paying the RSN fees, the Entertainment Tier has plenty of channels you can catch NFL games on, too.)

Whichever package you choose, you’ll get unlimited Cloud DVR storage and access to ESPN’s new streaming tier, ESPN Unlimited.

The best part is, currently, you can try all this out free for 5 days. So if you’re interested in trying out a live TV streaming service for football season, but aren’t ready to commit, we recommend starting with DirecTV.

Pros

Full package free trial available
Many local RSNs included
Free ESPN unlimited
Unlimited Cloud DVR

Cons

Cost
Regional Sports Network fee

$79.98 for your first month at DirecTV

Fubo’s new skinny sports bundle, Fubo Sports, includes local broadcast stations owned-and-operated by ABC, CBS and FOX, plus additional affiliates in select markets, as well as ACC Network, Big 10 Network, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, Fox News, FS1, FS2, Fubo Sports Network, ION, NFL Network, SEC Network and Tennis Channel. It also includes free access to ESPN’s new ESPN+ unlimited plan. Fubo subscribers also get unlimited cloud DVR storage.

You can get $10 off your first month of the Fubo Sports package, which brings the cost to $45.99. After your first month it goes up to $55.99/month.

This new Fubo package has you covered for most nationally broadcast or in-market NFL games, and still leaves you with major savings compared to a traditional cable package.

The platform offers a free trial period, so you can check it out for a few days of the 2025 NFL season and decide if it’s right for you this year.

Pros

Free trial available
Unlimited cloud DVR storage
Free ESPN unlimited

Cons

Entirely sports-focused
Doesn’t include NBC

$45.99 for your first month at Fubo

Amazon Prime Video is the exclusive home for the NFL’s Thursday Night Football games. On top of Amazon Prime Video, an Amazon Prime subscription includes free shipping, exclusive deals, access to the Prime Day 2025 sale event, Amazon Music, a year of free GrubHub+ and more. A standard Amazon Prime subscription is $15 monthly or $139 annually, but discounts are available for students and those on qualified government assistance. You can try Amazon Prime free for 30 days.

Pros

You probably already have access to Prime Video

Cons

Only Thursday Night Football games

$15 at Amazon

A basic $6.99 per month (or $40 annually) NFL+ subscription will get you live local and primetime regular and preseason NFL games exclusively on your phone or tablet, plus live audio for every game of the season across supported devices and access to NFL Network. NFL+ Premium, while a little pricier at $14.99 per month (or $80 annually) also includes access to NFL RedZone, plus full and condensed replays of every game across supported devices.

Cons

Can only watch MOST live games on your phone

$6.99/month at NFL

ESPN’s revamped streaming platform offers thousands of exclusive live events, original studio shows and acclaimed series that air across ESPN’s suite of 7 linear channels, as well as exclusive content on ESPN+, ABC on ESPN, SEC+, ACCNX and some content from NFL Network and NFL RedZone. The new tier costs $29.99/month or $299.99/year.

Also of note, for its first year in existence, ESPN unlimited includes “bundle” access to Disney+ and Hulu at no extra cost!

And starting September 3, for an extra $10/month, you can bundle ESPN unlimited with NFL+ Premium, which includes full access to NFL Network and NFL Redzone, plus out-of-market NFL games on mobile.

Pros

All ESPN content in one place
Content from NFL Network and NFL RedZone
Bundle option with NFL+

Cons

Only ESPN games available with the base service

$29.99/month at ESPN

FOX One offers live programming, as well as shows and movies on demand. At launch, the base price for FOX One will cost $19.99 a month, or you can save with an annual subscription for $199.99. FOX Nation fans can even bundle it with FOX One for $24.99 a month, or opt for an annual subscription which nets out to $19.99/month – that’s like getting a year of FOX Nation free.

$19.99/month at FOX

Paramount+ offers subscribers access to loads of sports, including loads of weekly NFL games all season long, plus great shows like Survivor, The Challenge and more.

Unlike a lot of other streaming services these days, Paramount+ still offers a free trial — so new subscribers can sign up to watch Week 1 of the NFL season and all the other great programming on the platform. Once the trial ends, you can choose the ad-supported Essential plan or their ad-free Premium plan with Showtime for access which also gives you ad-free streaming of on-demand content, live access to your local CBS station, and full streaming access to Showtime. Paramount+ Essential plan costs $7.99/month, while Paramount+ Premium plans cost $12.99/month.

Try it free at Paramount+