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Lions ‘took the reins off the D-line’ in five-sack win over Cowboys

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Lions ‘took the reins off the D-line’ in five-sack win over Cowboys


Detroit — Speaking to reporters Tuesday, defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard teased the potential for personnel and schematic tweaks.

The Detroit Lions were coming off an outing in which they never sacked Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love. They had four sacks in their last four games, and only 2½ of those came from the defensive line. Sheppard, asked if the lack of a pass rush was hurting his ability to run as much man coverage as he usually likes, was blunt in his assessment: “I don’t think we’ve affected the quarterback to play any style these past couple weeks.”

Changes were needed, and changes were seemingly made.

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“They kind of took the reins off the D-line a little bit this week in an effort to create more,” defensive end Aidan Hutchinson said following Detroit’s 44-30 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday. “If I had to guess, it’s how we’ll move forward.”

Took the reins off?

“How do I explain it? Just getting off the ball, even when it could be (a run), it might be (a) run. It’s just really having more of a pass mentality,” Hutchinson said. “Because where teams get us a lot is that block-it-up, (play action pass), eight-man protection, and then (the QB’s) sitting back there and hitting us. It’s getting faster on those transitions and stuff, it’s been an emphasis. I think we did that today, for sure.”

Indeed they did. The Lions sacked Dak Prescott five times, an impressive feat against a quarterback who has been so skilled at escaping danger. Heading into Thursday, opposing defenses had converted only 10.3% of their pressures against Prescott into sacks. That was the third-lowest rate in the NFL among the 42 QBs who had dropped back at least 100 times this season.

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Three of Detroit’s sacks came from defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad, who now leads the team in sacks (nine) through 13 games. Muhammad played 33 snaps against the Cowboys, his most since Week 7. The ninth-year pro said he wasn’t sure how much opportunity he’d receive Thursday, but he was prepared to make the most of whatever he was given.

“I’m just taking it one snap at a time, and then at the end of the game I realized, ‘OK, I did play a lot. I did play a little bit more than normal.’ I don’t really care about the snaps. I don’t focus on the snaps,” Muhammad said. “I let the coaches make whatever decisions they decide to make. I know they have our best interest at heart.”

Muhammad has 12 sacks in his time with the Lions, which spans 22 games over two seasons; he was signed to the practice squad last October before being brought up to the active roster one month later. Before joining the Lions, Muhammad had 12 sacks in 84 appearances, dating back to when he was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

“It wasn’t just me,” Muhammad said of his three sacks against the Cowboys. “It was a collective effort. There’s other guys out there that’s on the field rushing, as well. Shoutout to the other guys in our room, and shoutout to the defense. … When I did get some opportunties to win the one-on-ones, I won the one-on-ones. But, most importantly, it’s a collective effort.”

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rsilva@detroitnews.com

@rich_silva18



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Detroit, MI

Detroit ‘Sloppy Chops’ restaurateur\u00a0killed: What to know

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Detroit ‘Sloppy Chops’ restaurateur\u00a0killed: What to know


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Mourning continued and no suspects were in custody a week after the fatal shooting of Detroit restaurateur and nightlife figure Mikey “Mike B” Brown at the end of February.

Brown was the beloved figure behind the “Sloppy” brand of restaurants, and remembrances have been rolling in online since his death.

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Here’s what to know:

Shooting outside cocktail bar

“Mike B” Brown, 51, and two others were shot about 4:30 a.m. Feb. 28 in the area of 15789 Schaefer, police previously said.

The two others were found in front of the location, and Brown was found across the street, police said.

Police have asked those with information on the shooting to come forward.

There were no suspects in custody and no further updates in the case as of Monday, March 9, according to a statement from the Detroit Police Department.

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Updates on the conditions of the two other individuals shot were also not provided.

Who was Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown?

Brown was a husband, a father of five and a restaurateur.

He opened Sloppy Chops Restaurant, a steakhouse, in 2020 on West McNichols off the Lodge Freeway and later opened a seafood restaurant called Sloppy Crab, which was renamed the Crab Sports Bar, on East Jefferson Avenue near the Renaissance Center. Brown previously had two clubs, as well.

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His downtown dining spot served as an answer to questions on offerings for Black diners in the city’s renaissance. His other “Sloppy” location showcased successful reach beyond downtown and into the city’s neighborhoods. Brown was also a cultural figure in not only the world of dining, but in the nightlife, the Free Press reported.

When are funeral services for Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown?

A family hour was set for 9 a.m. March 13 and a funeral was set for 10 a.m. March 13, both at Triumph Church –North Campus at 15600 J.L. Hudson Drive in Southfield.

What’s been the fallout since Mike ‘Mike B’ Brown’s death?

Outside of the community hurt, there’s also been calls for a crackdown on establishments that stay open into early morning hours in residential areas, ClickOnDetroit reports.

How to report tips on Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown’s shooting

Those with information tied to the triple shooting can contact the Detroit Police Department’s homicide unit at 313-596-2260 or submit anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-Speak-Up or DetroitRewards.tv.

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Detroit Lions need backup QB as Kyle Allen to sign with Bills

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Detroit Lions need backup QB as Kyle Allen to sign with Bills


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The Detroit Lions will need to find a new backup quarterback. Kyle Allen, the 30-year-old ninth-year veteran, will reportedly sign with the Buffalo Bills for two years and $4.1 millions, according to ESPN, reuniting him with his former coordinator Joe Brady.

Allen, who came to the Motor City a year ago after inking a one-year deal, appeared in just three games and attempted two passes this past season as starter Jared Goff logged 98.5% of the team’s offensive snaps at quarterback.

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Allen’s greatest contribution came in the preseason, when he forced the organization to give up on its experiment with Hendon Hooker.

In the competition for the No. 2 job, Allen outperformed Hooker and made the former 2023 third-round pick expendable by bringing his stunted development into sharp relief. While Hooker struggled to move the offense when he was in command, Allen thrived in his four auditions, spearheading one productive drive after another for the Lions. He completed 79.5% of his attempts, throwing for 401 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions. All the while, he exhibited a good understanding of the Lions’ timing-based passing game, giving management the confidence he could – if needed – relieve Goff in a pinch.

“I feel very comfortable with him,” Campbell said last August.

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But as it turned out, the Lions were never forced to call upon Allen. Goff, who hasn’t missed a start since Week 17 of the 2021 season, remained reliably present.

The Lions hope Goff’s iron-man streak will continue.

But if it for some reason ends, Allen is no longer there to replace him.

Contact Rainer Sabin at rsabin@freepress.com. Follow him @RainerSabin on X.



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Detroit water main break snarls travel on East Jefferson Monday morning

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Detroit water main break snarls travel on East Jefferson Monday morning


Vehicles travel through water collected near water main break in Detroit. 

A water main break in Detroit is causing headaches for drivers and sending water into the streets of one of the city’s east side neighborhoods.

The break involves a 42-inch pipeline at East Jefferson and Burns Drive.

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The breakage happened on Sunday, leaving only one lane open for each direction of travel.

Local perspective:

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A day after the breakage, water was still gathering on the road of Jefferson Avenue.

Video captured of the scene Monday morning showed vehicles driving through ponds of water. Construction equipment were on site along with traffic cones.

The backstory:

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This isn’t the only major disruption to water services in the region.

This weekend, a catastrophic breakage at 14 Mile near Drake impacted several Oakland County communities and thousands of residents.

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Novi and Walled Lake were among those hardest hit by the breakage, which included dramatic scenes of waves of water washing down the road, submerging vehicles.

The Source: FOX 2’s Charlie Langton and previous reporting were cited for this story. 

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