Tim Twentyman - Senior Writer at DetroitLions.com

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Offer valid for a limited time, $10 minimum per order. Additional terms apply. It's a place where friendships are forged, football is revered, and food is enjoyed. Solo Stove, the perfect flame for the big game. Michigan in a prominent space in football right now. As we also know, the Detroit Lions are going to be in action. NFC Championship game, a chance to go to their first Super Bowl on the line. A lot to discuss from the injury report and their defense and their offense and what they need to do to go ahead and get past those 49ers. Joining us right now is Tim Twentiman. Detroit Lions senior writer and insider knows everything about the Lions in a D. Tim, thank you for taking the time to hop on. Yeah, no problem. Anytime. Appreciate it. So I guess first things first, out of the box. Are there any injury concerns that we need to pay attention to with the Detroit Lions?

Yeah, a couple. Left guard Jonah Jackson suffered a knee injury last game in the division round in the first half. He's not going to be able to go. They're hopeful if they advance past this and can get to the Super Bowl, he'll be back. But they're not going to have the starting left guard. And so, you know, that's been the strength of Detroit all year long is their offensive line.

So we'll kind of have to see how that shakes out. San Francisco's got a really nice trio of defensive tackles in there, so something to watch. And then Kalief Raymond, their punt returner, he's been out the last couple games. But Donovan Peoples-Jones, a player that they traded for at the trade deadline, has handled that the last couple weeks, done a good job.

So all in all, Detroit's pretty healthy for this point in season. When you think about what the team needs to do moving forward on Sunday against the 49ers, what are some of the real points of emphasis? We know, as you just mentioned, the offensive line is a strength. Their past offense was one of the best in the NFL last year. What adjustments do they need to make, if any, to try to get past these Niners? Yeah, you know, I think they want to establish a run, which they've been really good at. You know, they threw for 4,000 yards this year. They rushed for 2,000 yards. They were top five in the NFL in both passing and rushing. So they've been really balanced.

And so I think they obviously want to continue that. You know, get David Montgomery, get Jameer Gibbs rolling a little bit early. I don't think it's a good plan to be one-dimensional against this 49ers defense, especially with the guys that they have on the edges and their defensive line. And then the other thing, I think defensively, the big emphasis has been tackle, right? You've got to be good at tackling the San Francisco 49er team. When you're talking about guys like Deebo Samuels and Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Iuch and George Kittle, I mean, they're so good at making guys miss in space and turning those short little plays, those quick wide receiver screens, a lot of the stuff that San Francisco does, they're so good at taking those small plays and turning them into big ones. And so that's really been the emphasis for Aaron Glenn, the defensive coordinator, and all those guys on defenses. They've got to rally to the football and they've got to tackle really well in this game. 10, 20 minutes here with us covers the Detroit Lions, knows everything about them. When you talk about the weapons that the 49ers have, you just went through the weapons.

Yes, Deebo Samuel, he will be available. We know about McCaffrey and Iuch and Kittle and the list goes on and on. Why has the Detroit Lions, why has their past defense been so poor this year? Well, you know, they've shaped some stuff up in the secondary. They've suffered some injuries. You know, they played most of the year without C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

He's just come back, you know, late in the season and for the playoffs. And this has, you know, been a good move for them because now they've got three safeties that they really like. And Kirby Joseph, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and Efatu Melafonwu really came out strong at the end of the season. They can throw some different packages, but look, they've suffered some injuries at cornerback. And, you know, they've given up some plays and they've given up some yards.

You go back to, I think, all the way back to week 16 when they played Justin Jefferson. I mean, they've given up a 140-yard receiver in every game since week 16, but they're 5-1 over that stretch. And they're 5-1 because, yeah, they give up some yards, they give up some plays, but they've been really good in the red zone. You know, they're forcing teams to kick field goals. You know, they've been opportunistic with some takeaways. You know, they're top five in the league over the last five games and takeaways.

So, yeah, they've given up yards, they've given up plays, but when it really matters when they needed a play in the red zone or get that key takeaway, like we saw to end the game in the divisional round versus Tampa Bay with Derek Barnes' interception, they've been able to find a way to make those plays, and that's been the biggest difference on defense. Detroit Lions senior writer Tim 20min is joining us as the JR Sportbree Show on CBS Sports Radio. We know that Dan Campbell is the face of this organization, from his quotes to his press conferences. And you can obviously look at the talent that the Lions have brought in over the past few years, whether it's trading or a golf or drafting a Gibbs or a Laporta, with the trade, we can look at all of that. Does Brad Holmes get the credit that he deserves, knowing that he's a little bit more in the background? Yeah, well, you know, he was just named the Pro Football Writers of America Executive of the Year.

So I think we're starting to see, you know, some of that credit roll in. And, yeah, you look at some of the moves he's made, you just look at the draft classes that he's had over the last three years. I mean, guys like Pené Sewell, guys like Amman, Raf, St. Brown, Aiden Hutchinson, and the list goes on and on. Gibbs, Laporta, you mentioned those guys. And even some guys they took later in rounds, like Derek Barnes, like Ephatu Melafonu, now guys that are stepping to the forefront and being key contributors. And then, you know, for agency this year, a guy like C.J.

Gardner-Johnson, even though he missed a lot of the year, now he's back and making plays. You know, getting to David Montgomery, who's just a perfect complement to Jameer Gibbs. So, you know, he's a really savvy executive. He's really, you know, pulled all the right strings in terms of the draft and for agency. And he is a big, big reason why this team is in this spot.

Both him and Dan Campbell, they're on the same page. When your GM and your coach are on the same page, you get talented guys in here, and then you have a coaching staff that can develop them. That's why Detroit is where they're at right now and have been able to turn this thing around in three quick years. Well, Tim, we know everybody in Detroit certainly appreciates the turnaround.

You could feel the energy when you hear interviews or watch some of the videos. And I can feel the energy that has been surrounding Ford Field. What is the overall vibe heading into this game? Is there cautious optimism from the fan base in Detroit?

Is there David versus Goliath? We have the little ones. What is the overall vibe from the fan base? You know, the vibe I get and I give Detroit fans a lot of credit is critical to San Francisco where it went.

I mean, that's a vibe that I get. I mean, Ford Field was completely electric. I'm sure if you watched football games over the last two weeks when they played the Rams and Bucks and the playoffs and won, I'm sure you could hear it off the TV.

I'm sure you could feel the energy just off the TV. And look, this is a franchise that hadn't won a division in 30 years. They did that. This is a franchise that hadn't won a playoff game in 32 years. They did that.

And so you never know when your window is going to, you know, appear. And you are one of the four teams left. They can punch their first ticket to the Super Bowl. And I think Detroit is behind this team. You know, yeah, sure, they're underdogs are going on the road and they got nine Pro Bowlers in San Francisco. This is number one seed and as they should. But this is very, very confident Detroit Lions football team. It's very confident city who's really behind this squad.

Let me ask you this in finality, Tim. Yeah, they're going into San Francisco. They are the underdogs when it's all said and done. Do you see the Detroit Lions moving on to the Super Bowl this year? Wow.

Hit me with that one right to end, huh? You know, I think it's going to be a great game. I think it's going to be a close game. And I think the biggest difference between these two teams, obviously, you know what San Francisco brings defensively. That's the better unit than Detroit's. But offensively, these teams are very similar if you look at the weapons.

And the one advantage to me is the offensive line and then the quarterback. You know, Jared Goff has been in this game. He's won this game.

This isn't going to be too big for him. When you have a little bit of an advantage at quarterback, which I think the Lions do, I think that gives you an edge in a game like this, even on the road. I like Detroit in a really close game. And this kind of Cinderella story continues on for two weeks. That would be absolutely amazing. And I know we got a lot of fans in Michigan and Detroit right now who love what you just said.

Sam, I want to thank you so much for taking the time to hop on. Where can people follow you in your work? Yeah. You know, Detroit Lions dot com senior writer there. And then you can follow me on Twitter at at T20, man. And I do the 21 in the huddle podcast.

And I got a great episode up this week previewing everything. Championship game in San Francisco on Sunday. It should be a fun one. Do you have your bags packed for Vegas already, Tim? What's going on?

Not quite yet. You know, I get to buy in between there to kind of get things straight. But look, I think it's going to be fun. I'm just going to enjoy the atmosphere. I'm going to enjoy them being in the first NFC championship game since 1991.

I know everyone in Detroit is, too. And that will just we'll we'll we'll see what comes next on Monday. OK, one step at a time. OK, I got you. Thank you so much. Enjoy the game. Have a wonderful week. And I appreciate you taking the time to join us, OK? Yeah, no problem. Anytime, guys.

Thank you so much to 10 20 men. That is the Detroit Lions senior writer and insider. A peanut butter M&M's production in a world where Super Bowl winners get the world's admiration and a fancy ring.

But the runners up get nothing. One retired cop return. That's one retired quarterback. Read the script.

Oh, sorry. One retired quarterback returns to claim what's his. That's claim a ring with diamonds made from M&M's peanut butter.

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