The Lions continue to rack up weekly NFL awards.
This week it's kicker Jake Bates, who was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after he hit a 44-yard field goal with 15 seconds left to give the Lions the lead in an eventual 31-29 victory in Minnesota last week.
Bates is a perfect 10-for-10 kicking field goals this season and has only missed one extra point try all year (20-for-21). This is the first career Special Teams Player of the Week Award for Bates, becoming the fifth Lions kicker to earn the honor, joining Jason Hanson (12-time winner), Matt Prater (seven), Riley Patterson and Michael Badgley.
It's the fourth week in a row the Lions have had a player win NFC Player of the Week honors – Jack Fox (Week 3), Jared Goff (Week 4) and Brian Branch (Week 6).
DEFENDED PASSES ADDING UP
Branch has 11 passes defended in five games played this season, becoming the first player since 2011 (Brandon Browner) to record multiple passes defended in five consecutive games.
Branch's move from nickel cornerback to safety has been a brilliant one for defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Branch's instincts and ball skills are the perfect complement for the safety position in Glenn's defense.
"Well, this is something that actually started in New Orleans, my first year there, of understanding exactly the type of defense that we were trying to play, and that's a multitude of different coverages in the back end, and that requires safeties to actually communicate at a high level. That's the first thing," Glenn said.
"The second thing is it requires safeties that can play man coverage and that's across the board on our defense. And thirdly, safeties are highly instinctive that can understand where the ball is going to go make plays on the ball, and as you can see, our guys are doing a really good job of that."
Branch and fellow safety Kerby Joseph each have four interceptions on the season.
In his first 20 career games, Branch has defended 24 passes and has seven interceptions. The only players with more passes defended and interceptions than Branch in their first 20 games since 2000 are Marcus Peters (34 PD, 12 INT) and Trevon Diggs (26 PD, 10 INT).
View photos from Detroit Lions practice on Wednesday, October 23, 2024.
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jake Fromm (18), Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Khalil Dorsey (30) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaiah Williams (83) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman DJ Reader (98) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright (89) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Parker Hesse (43) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Chris Smith (90) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jermar Jefferson (28) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Pat O'Connor (95) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Shane Zylstra (84) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Mitchell Agude (50) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo (94) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker (2) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on October 23, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
TITANS TRADES
Tennessee reportedly finalized a trade Wednesday that sent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to Kansas City for a conditional fourth-round pick.
Hopkins, a 12-year veteran, was the Titans' second-leading receiver with 15 receptions for 173 yards and a touchdown in six games this season. Tennessee has struggled in the passing game, ranking 32nd and averaging just 145.8 passing yards per contest. Now they'll be down a big weapon Sunday when they travel to Detroit to play the Lions.
Tennessee is also reportedly trading linebacker Ernest Jones IV to the Seahawks for a mid-round draft pick and linebacker Jerome Baker.
