JERRY JACOBS

Now that the Detroit Lions have wrapped up the 2022 season, MLive is handing out reviews for each of the team’s position groups. All three opening-day starters were benched along the way, first Mike Hughes in the slot, then Amani Oruwariye just a weeks later. No one regressed more than Oruwariye this season, and with his contract now expired, it’s hard to picture him playing another snap in Detroit. The hard-nosed cornerback came back from a blown-out ACL to play the best ball of any Lions corner down the stretch. He played through a major shoulder injury in the finale against Green Bay, and could require surgery in the offseason.

The Detroit Lions were powered by the defensive line and linebacker Alex Anzalone in their 20-16 win against the Green Bay Packers in Week 18. Related: John Cominsky, an unsung hero, wants to re-sign with Detroit LionsRelated: Lions grades: Defense shines while offense closes Week 18 win over PackersCominsky was followed by Anzalone, Isaiah Buggs, Kerby Joseph and Hutchinson in the defensive grades. Buggs’ earned the top marks of his year, with strong all-around marks, getting credit for a whopping five PFF stops. He ran 16 times for 72 yards and two scores against his former team in Week 18. And Swift caught all seven of his targets for 61 yards, adding 25 yards on the ground.

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Aidan Hutchinson is doing his best to keep this thing close. The defensive rookie of the year candidate is finishing off his first season in high style, racking up two huge sacks in the first half against Green Bay. Both came on third downs inside Detroit’s 25-yard line too, forcing Green Bay to settle for field goals. Hutchinson now has 9.5 sacks on the season, which wrestles the NFL rookie lead away from teammate James Houston (8.0). Lions rookies have accounted for 20.5 sacks overall, an NFL record since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.

Damar Hamlin University. “I didn’t realize what was happening at first (when I saw Hamlin collapse),” Jacobs told MLive after practice on Thursday. I’m going to say, ‘Damar Hamlin University’ or something like that, because I want people to know. Swift has known Hamlin going back to his days as a star running back at St. Joseph’s Preparatory School (Philadelphia). Central Catholic’s best player: Sophomore defensive back Damar Hamlin.

And the rookie’s increased role was foretold by Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell, with Williams playing it cool ahead of the game. The analytics site had the Lions with 13 missed tackles last week in Carolina, not to mention 15 missed tackles the first time they faced these Bears. Detroit’s defense was docked with six missed tackles, which is a step in the right direction. Swift graded above 90 for the first time, adding 54 yards after contact and forcing six missed tackles. Williams had 107 yards after contact, forcing five missed tackles, one of the best showings of his career.

ALLEN PARK -- William Clay Ford never spoke publicly in his final years as owner of the Detroit Lions, and Martha Firestone Ford did so only sparingly. Sheila Hamp gathered reporters around her on the indoor practice field and issued a vote of confidence in the rebuild, despite the frustrating start. “I know this is difficult, our rebuild is hard, but we really believe in our process,” Hamp said that day. Are the Vikings the team we want, or roll the dice playing a good defense but a guy named Brock at QB? — @filmchrisinMIA: My goal in life is to find someone who will look at me the way Dan Campbell looks at Isaiah Buggs.

Detroit Lions prized rookie defender Aidan Hutchinson isn’t slowing down, with his second consecutive game as the team’s highest-graded defender from Pro Football Focus. Hutchinson helped fuel Detroit’s dominant run defense, which held the Jets to only 50 rushing yards on 22 attempts and a long of 6 yards in Week 15. Hutchinson finished with five tackles, including one for loss, while generating two pressures and four PFF run stops (“tackles that constitute a ‘failure’ for the offense”). The Lions hit Jets quarterback Zach Wilson 10 times, including six tackles for loss from the front seven. -- Evan Brown was back out there with the rest of the starting offensive line for all 68 snaps.

The quarterback is kicking himself for leaving some plays on the field during New York’s final drive, trailing 20-17 in the last two minutes. I think there is going to be some of that two-minute that I’m going to want back. How can I step up and work this pocket?’ It’s going to be one that I’m going to go back and re-watch and learn from those experiences. I’m going to want some of those plays back. This is what it is because we left one on the field and didn’t play the way we wanted to.

DETROIT -- Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson added another sack to his rookie-leading total (seven), drawing the top-graded game of his career from Pro Football Focus in Week 14. “Detroit feels it, they feel we’re coming along right now,” Hutchinson said after the game. The Lions held star Vikings running back Dalvin Cook to only 23 yards on 15 rush attempts. He was kept out of practice on Wednesday and Thursday, returning in a limited capacity to end the week. Stenberg was out there for all 70 offensive snaps with Taylor Decker, Penei Sewell, Jonah Jackson and Frank Ragnow.

The Lions running back had been limited by ankle and shoulder injuries, seeing double-digit touches in only two of his nine games this season. He pushed the ball downfield and got into a dangerous rhythm with receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and DJ Chark. -- Jared Goff, DJ Chark and Amon-Ra St. Brown were lethal in Week 13. And St. Brown continues to be the engine that powers this offense. Next Gen Stats reports St. Brown leads the league with his 18.2% third-down conversion rate.

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions hosted a pair of defensive backs for tryouts, eventually signing one to their practice squad. Williams, a cornerback who spent two seasons with the New York Giants, was signed to Detroit’s practice squad. The Lions have Jeff Okudah, Jerry Jacobs, Will Harris, Mike Hughes, Chase Lucas and Amani Oruwariye at cornerback. Okudah (concussion protocol) is expected back after missing the Thanksgiving game. Wilcox had five tackles against these Lions back in the preseason, with the team also seeing him during joint practices.

The Lions (4-6) almost certainly won’t catch Minnesota (8-2), which has total command of the division. But Detroit is just 1.5 games out of the final playoff spot in the NFC, pending how San Francisco (5-4) fares tonight against Arizona (4-6) on Monday Night Football. Hutchinson joined Ndamukong Suh as the only rookie linemen to pick off a pass for the Lions since 1951. The Giants, who had lost just one game since Week 2 and had one of the best records in the league, never seriously threatened Detroit again. Detroit will be without its top cornerback too, after Jeff Okudah suffered a suspected brain injury in New York.

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions have waived second-year cornerback A.J. Parker was limited to only 23 reps in Week 8 before being inactive against the Packers last week (hip). Jeff Okudah (62), Will Harris (56), Jacobs (45) and Mike Hughes (39) saw snaps at cornerback last week. Related: Malcolm Rodriguez, Kerby Joseph questionable for Lions; D’Andre Swift full-goRelated: Dungeon of Doom: Is the Lions defense back? “But it was more the -- it was more that side of him, man, his durability,” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said during training camp.

SIT Lions RB D’Andre SwiftIt’s hard to trust the Lions and D’Andre Swift in fantasy football. START Lions RB Jamaal WilliamsOn that note, ignore those rankings for the Lions running backs, and roll with Jamaal Williams. MATCHUPS TO WATCHDetroit’s defense vs. Fields and Chicago’s rushing attackJustin Fields forced eight missed tackles last week, averaging 7.87 yards after contact per attempt (!). The Lions missed five tackles last week, with defensive lineman Alim McNeill (two), linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (two) and cornerback Will Harris accounting for those. They’re really, really good, and the thing is they break tackles, they can find the seam, so we really have to be disciplined.

ALLEN PARK -- Detroit Lions cornerback Jerry Jacobs is one of the most energizing presences on the roster around these parts. MLive’s Dungeon of Doom podcast is back, welcoming Jacobs to the show after his big-time performance against the Packers. Jacobs, who tore his ACL late last season, played 45 defensive snaps in Detroit’s 15-9 win against the Green Bay Packers in Week 9. Aaron Rodgers sent four passes toward Jacobs’ way in coverage, with the Packers quarterback failing to complete any of those looks. Subscribe to the Dungeon of Doom wherever you get your podcasts -- Acast, Spotify, Apple, Google -- Follow Benjamin Raven and Kyle Meinke on Twitter.

DETROIT -- The Lions killed their league-worst losing streak with a 15-9 win on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. Jerry Jacobs is back, baby. While the Lions tumbled out of first position in the draft, their other first-round pick continues to improve. The Los Angeles Rams just dropped their third game in five weeks, and their first-round pick has risen to 12th in the draft order. No matter what happens down the stretch, the Lions should be loaded with ammunition heading into next year’s draft.

DETROIT -- Detroit Lions cornerback Jerry Jacobs was a major part on the defense for the first time since last season. The second-year bulldog had some memorable moments against Aaron Rodgers in the team’s 15-9 win in Week 9 from Ford Field. But Jacobs logged only one defensive snap while playing 16 on special teams in his return from last season’s ACL injury. Rodgers took a shot downfield on second-and-20 at Detroit’s 31-yard line in the fourth quarter, and Jacobs was caught for the penalty. But Jacobs and the defense responded, forcing four consecutive incompletions from their own 17-yard line to clinch the victory.

Kerby Joseph, Aidan Hutchinson and James Mitchell offered helpful reminders of what could be, powering the Lions to a 15-9 win on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. But this being Aaron Rodgers and all, Green Bay kept coming until the final seconds. -- Facing a fourth-and-1 deep in Green Bay territory on the game’s first drive, Dan Campbell elected to go for it -- surprise, surprise -- rather than take the sure points. -- When the Lions didn’t score in the second half of last week’s loss against Miami, they bemoaned the penalties. The problem is they didn’t even bother to clean those up against Green Bay.

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions hosted defensive back Troy Pride and wide receiver/cornerback Rico Gafford for tryouts, per Tuesday’s transaction wire. The Lions traded tight end T.J. Hockenson and picks to the Minnesota Vikings for draft compensation. They also returned safety Brady Breeze to their practice squad and kicked the tires on Pride and Gafford. The Lions allow a league-high 7.7 net passing yards per attempt, not to mention the most points and yards. Related headlines:Detroit Lions reevaluating D’Andre Swift’s workload after return from injuriesWhat’s being said about Lions trading T.J. Hockenson to Vikings in deadline dealLions reportedly trading T.J. Hockenson to rival Vikings for draft picksReport: Ex-Lions safety traded by Falcons to Buffalo Bills

DETROIT -- As the Lions continue to tinker with their awful defense, don’t be surprised to see Jerry Jacobs become the next man inserted into the starting lineup. “We’ll be looking at everybody.”That’s what happens when you have the league’s worst defense. After all, Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill just racked up a combined 194 receiving yards and two touchdowns against that defense. “We didn’t hit (Waddle and Hill),” Campbell said. Jacobs began practicing this month after a long layoff, and the Lions have tried to ease him back into the fold slowly.

Miami’s offense converted eight-of-12 third-down plays, with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa getting into a rhythm with receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. At one point, Tagovailoa had completed all eight passing attempts for 131 yards and two touchdowns on third down. That’s just -- man, that’s a trust throw, and hit your back foot and just let it go. And let a guy who’s got a ton of speed go get it, go get under it. Okudah twice said he needed to go back and watch the film before commenting on Miami’s red-hot day in got-to-have-it spots.

Detroit Lions rookie defensive lineman Josh Paschal made his long-awaited debut against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 7. Hutchinson had a strong game with Paschal and Cominsky back, rocking 1.5 sacks while beating Dallas’ tackles more than a couple of times. Hutchinson created four quarterback pressures, getting into a disruptive groove with his fellow rookie defensive lineman. I look out there at one point and there’s Hutch, there’s Paschal, there’s Rodriguez, there’s Kerby, there’s A.J. The analytics site had Buggs ranked among the team’s three-worst defenders, with Paschal and Cominsky near the middle of the pack.

PregameLook out for CB Jerry Jacobs (season debut) and second-round DL Josh Paschal (NFL debut) today. This post will update with drive summaries, analysis, injury updates, photos, pregame updates and more. Hit refresh to keep up and follow MLive’s Detroit Lions reporters on Twitter -- @BenjaminSRaven and @kmeinke. Also, head over to MLive’s Facebook account after the game for an in-depth breakdown. 2022 TEAM STATSDVOA offensive ranking: Lions 9th | Cowboys 17thDVOA defensive ranking: Lions 32nd | Cowboys 6thNet yards gained per passing attempt: Lions 6.7 (8th) | Cowboys 5.6 (25th)Rushing yards per attempt: Lions 5.4 (2nd) | Cowboys 4.3 (19th)Points per game: Lions 28 (3rd) | Cowboys 18.3 (23rd)Points allowed per game: Lions 34 (32nd) | Cowboys 16.3 (3rd)Net yards allowed per passing attempt: Lions 7.4 (31st) | Cowboys 4.7 (3rd)Rushing yards allowed per attempt: Lions 5.5 (30th) | Cowboys 4.4 (17th)Takeaways: Lions 4 | Cowboys 7

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The hits just keep coming for the injury-riddled Detroit Lions. Star free-agent signing DJ Chark is headed to injured reserve because of more pain in his surgically-repaired left ankle. He’s already missed two games with the injury, then tried to practice through it during the bye week. There is better news on defense, where pass rusher Josh Paschal and cornerback Jerry Jacobs are finally coming off the physically unable to perform list. “I just want to play,” Jacobs told MLive.

The Lions remained hopeful an offseason of practice and strength training would help Onwuzurike get on track, and he reported to training camp in excellent shape. The club waited out the injury for weeks, hoping Onwuzurike would be ready to go early in the season. The Lions still hope he’ll play this season, although the rate of recovery is discouraging. But another pass rusher, Josh Paschal, is trending the right way in his return from sports hernia surgery. Cornerback Jerry Jacobs has also rejoined practice, and could compete for Amani Oruwariye’s spot at outside cornerback whenever he’s ready to suit up, which should happen this month.

Oruwariye was not only benched for the 29-0 loss on Sunday in New England, but didn’t dress for the game at all. Personnel changes were promised, and the Lions delivered by benching Oruwariye, safety DeShon Elliott and slot cornerback Mike Hughes -- the three most experienced defensive backs they had left. In return, they went with a decidedly young and unproven secondary, with former safety Will Harris starting for Oruwariye at cornerback, former cornerback Saivion Smith starting for Elliott at safety and A.J. But yeah, look, you just try and build a little bit of trust in that back end.”Trust has been the word de jour throughout the unraveling of the Lions’ defense. That meant players like Oruwariye, Elliott and Hughes -- all involved in costly blown assignments over the last few weeks -- opened the game on the bench.

ALLEN PARK -- Dan Campbell said the Detroit Lions would be short-handed on offense at Wednesday’s practice, and the second-year head coach wasn’t kidding. “Chark feels a little bit better today. Swift is a little bit better. I would say everybody is a little bit better. St. Brown is a little bit better.

Head coach Dan Campbell said cornerback Jerry Jacobs (knee) and rookie defensive end Josh Paschal (hernia surgery) will return to practice on Wednesday. Since both were on reserved lists to open the season, this opens the 21-day window for both to practice before counting against the 53-man roster. The Lions also signed preseason star Tom Kennedy from their practice squad. Jacobs started doing more on-field work last week, then stated his eagerness to get out there in practice when first allowed. I think he can play all up and down our defensive front,” Lions general manager Brad Holmes said after the draft.

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions could see second-round rookie defensive lineman Josh Paschal make his debut in practice this week. They are also expected to get cornerback Jerry Jacobs at practice this week, starting both defender’s clock to return from reserve lists. And while that’s the good news concerning the team’s second-round defensive linemen, head coach Dan Campbell offered a grim update on Levi Onwuzurike’s recovery. The team’s defensive coaching staff had high hopes for Onwuzurike’s second season. The Lions were hopeful to see Onwuzurike back in action sometime in the early weeks of this season.

“I feel good,” Jacobs said. “I feel good. I’m ready to go.”And how’s the knee? I’m good to go. I feel like I ain’t lose nothing, and I’m ready to show y’all.”And you’re ready to practice next week?

ALLEN PARK -- Detroit Lions cornerback Jerry Jacobs is going to open the season on the physically unable to perform list after all, according to NFL Network. The rehab is going well -- so well, the Lions didn’t move Jacobs to an injured list along with guys like Romeo Okwara, Josh Paschal and Jason Cabinda last week. So that’s another one up for debate.”In the end, that debate has led Jacobs to the PUP list after all. Okudah and Amani Oruwariye have won the outside cornerback jobs to open the season, while Will Harris will come off the bench. Mike Hughes has won the slot cornerback job, and with A.J.

PITTSBURGH -- The Detroit Lions will play most of their starters for about two quarters in the preseason finale on Sunday against the Steelers. But with cut-down day looming on Tuesday, the Lions also will be paying close attention to so many of their bubble players. Head coach Dan Campbell said this week 8-10 roster jobs remain competitive heading into the cut to 53 players. So now the Lions are giving him even more to see if he can carve out a big enough role to win a roster job. But Jackson has played his way onto the bubble, and could be threatening Jefferson’s spot on the team.

Williams is expected to add instant playmaking ability whenever he’s ready to hit the field, but that day remains weeks away. That suggests Detroit thinks Jacobs could at least practice in the first month of the season, and perhaps even see the field. And so a lot of it is not so much, ‘Hey, we’re going to have him Week 1, Week 2, Week 3. Then, hypothetically, he’s ready in Week 5, and shoot, he’s been practicing for four weeks, so he’s ready. Okudah has played better in the last week, but Detroit says those guys remain deadlocked for the starting job opposite Oruwariye.

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions have placed three players on the physically unable to perform list, with two others on the non-football injury list ahead of training camp. Rookie defensive end Josh Paschal, cornerback Jerry Jacobs and defensive end Romeo Okwara landed on PUP. These players can come off this list at any point during training camp. Veterans report early next week, so there could be more movement before training camp opens on Wednesday. Related: Detroit Lions know how they’ll use Romeo Okwara when he returns from Achilles injuryRelated: Second-round pick Josh Paschal sitting out Lions’ mandatory minicamp with lower-extremity injury

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions were starting two undrafted rookies at cornerback at one point last season. Add in the ultimate wildcard in cornerback Jeff Okudah, and it’s easy to see why the Lions are feeling good about the direction of their defensive backfield. I’ve never been afraid of a challenge,” Lions defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant said. “I think he’s been more aggressive, and I like that side of him. “I think that’s what he does best.

Detroit identified undrafted players like cornerbacks Jerry Jacobs and A.J. Detroit also signed undrafted players like tight end Brock Wright, offensive lineman Tommy Kraemer and long snapper Scott Daly who contributed to the team. He finished with 1,091 yards, averaged 4.5 yards per carry and scored nine touchdowns. With all five running backs under contract from last season, he’s going to have a tough path to the roster in Detroit. Kalil Pimpleton, WR, Central Michigan (per NFL Network): A 5-foot-7 receiver who began his career at Virginia Tech before transferring to Mount Pleasant and scoring four different ways.

Previously: Receivers | Quarterbacks | Running backs | Offensive line | Tight endsProjected starters: CB Amani Oruwariye, CB Jeff Okudah, CB A.J. Parker, S Tracy Walker, S DeShon ElliottProjected reserves: CB Jerry Jacobs, DB Will Harris, CB Ifeatu Melifonwu, S C.J. 2: S Kyle Hamilton, CB Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, CB Derek StingleyFirst-round possibilities for Detroit at No. The Lions are banking on cornerbacks Jeff Okudah and Jerry Jacobs returning from serious injuries, and then hitting another level. Will Harris is another candidate to see looks there, bouncing between safety and cornerback in his “cafety” role.

This is the sixth of a seven-part series previewing the Detroit Lions’ positional needs heading into free agency. Previously: Receivers | Running backs | Quarterbacks | Offensive linemen | LinebackersUnder contract: CB Jeff Okudah, CB Amani Oruwariye, CB Jerry Jacobs, CB Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB A.J. Parker, S Will Harris, S Brady Breeze, CB/S Bobby Price, CB Mark Gilbert, S JuJu HughesExpiring contracts: S Tracy Walker, S Dean Marlowe, S C.J. Related headlines:2022 NFL combine: Could safety Kyle Hamilton or the strong cornerback class entice the Detroit Lions? Detroit Lions 2021 review: Jeff Okudah’s future shrouded in mystery after 2 forgettable seasonsRe-signing Tracy Walker ‘absolutely’ a priority for Detroit LionsTracy Walker named Detroit Lions’ first NFC defensive player of the week since 2018

This is the sixth of an eight-part series previewing the Detroit Lions’ interests heading into the 2022 NFL combine, which kicks off next week. Will Harris is heading into the final year of his rookie deal after finishing the season at cornerback. 2 overall pick on Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton? Top prospectsS Kyle Hamilton (Notre Dame): Kyle Hamilton is such a legit prospect that he has people thinking about taking a safety within the first three picks. He allowed 20 catches on 40 targets for only 131 yards while making three interceptions in 14 games last season.

The Detroit Lions have wrapped up the 2021 season. Previous entries: Quarterbacks | Running backs | Wide receivers | Tight ends | Offensive line | Defensive line/edgeDEFENSIVE BACKSStarters: CB Amani Oruwariye, CB Jerry Jacobs, CB A.J. Parker, S Tracy Walker, S Will HarrisBackups: CB Jeff Okudah, CB Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB Bobby Price, CB Mark Gilbert, CB Parnell Motley, CB Saivion Smith, S Dean Marlowe, S C.J. The former third-round pick was among the 10 worst safeties in the league in his first two seasons according to ProFootballFocus. In fact, he was even worse, finishing as the second-worst safety in the whole league this past season per PFF.

The Detroit Lions knew they didn’t have much of a chance against the Denver Broncos.

DENVER -- Cornerback Jerry Jacobs has played more snaps than any other undrafted rookie in the league. Jacobs injured his ACL in the Detroit Lions’ 38-10 loss on Sunday against the Denver Broncos. The extent of the injury is not yet known, but he is expected to land on injured reserve this week. With that, one of the best seasons by any rookie who went undrafted is presumed over. With so much else going so wrong this season, Jacobs has stood out as one of the year’s best developments and became an unlikely fan favorite.

DENVER -- In another very bad season for the Detroit Lions, Jerry Jacobs has stood out as one of the year’s best stories. The promising rookie cornerback was carted to the locker room with a potentially serious left knee injury during the 38-10 loss on Sunday against the Denver Broncos. “But, yeah, it probably don’t look too good.”Jacobs came out of nowhere to help the Lions this season. He began his collegiate career at Arkansas State before transferring to Arkansas for his final season, then opted out after just four games and declared for this year’s draft. Then Jacobs went down on the game’s first drive, forcing practice-squad call-up Bradley Robey-Coleman to replace him.

The short-handed Detroit Lions (1-11-1) couldn’t overcome their mistakes against the Denver Broncos (7-6), losing 38-10 in Week 14 action. Detroit kept things close in the first half, but an early second-half fumble spelled disaster, with the Broncos scoring 24 unanswered points to run away. The Lions were without their top running backs in D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams, not to mention No. 1 pass-catcher T.J. Hockenson. They were also without starting safety Tracy Walker, then went on to lose starters Jerry Jacobs and Alex Anzalone to injuries in the first half.

The Denver Broncos honored the late Demaryius Thomas with a 38-10 win over Detroit and tributes including a video montage and a moment of silence.

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions added cornerbacks Mark Gilbert and Ifeatu Melifonwu to the COVID reserve list, bringing the total to six cases on the week. Gilbert and Melifonwu join center Evan Brown, safety Tracy Walker, running back Jamaal Williams and cornerback Bobby Price on the COVID list. They have cornerbacks Corey Ballentine, Parnell Motley and Nickell Robey-Coleman on the practice squad, with a handful of moves expected Saturday afternoon. Walker landing on the COVID list could lead to even more shuffling by necessity in the defensive backfield. It’s also looking bare in the offensive backfield, with Swift and Williams down, not to mention in the defensive trenches.

ALLEN PARK -- Detroit Lions cornerback Jerry Jacobs hasn’t left the starting lineup since entering it, with the undrafted rookie enduring some ups and downs through those eight starts. There have been more ups than downs in recent weeks for what it’s worth, with the Lions looking to keep Jacobs grounded and focused one day at a time. Now he’s thinking he’s the next Deion Sanders,” Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said. “Like every time they watch film they see they throw it in the flat, they gotta know 39 coming in and trying to make ‘em pay. “He celebrates at the moment but he let it go (and) put it behind him and just keep going,” Jacobs said.

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions are nowhere near full strength in their defensive backfield, but the return of rookie cornerback Ifeatu Melifonwu should provide some much-needed versatility down the stretch. Detroit has started Jerry Jacobs and Amani Oruwariye on the outside, with safety Will Harris drawing more work on the inside at nickelback in recent weeks. Jerry will stay in there and keep doing what he’s doing,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said on Wednesday. He’s built like you like them to be built,” Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said of Jacobs. Detroit Lions activate rookie cornerback Ifeatu Melifonwu from injured reserveSnap counts: S Dean Marlowe plays every defensive rep while Will Harris moves inside to slot

ALLEN PARK -- After their brief Thanksgiving break, the Detroit Lions (0-10-1) are back at home, hosting the Minnesota Vikings (5-6) in Week 13 action. He’s expected to miss the team’s next two games, pushing running back Alexander Mattison into the starting lineup. Mattison started back in Week 5 against these Lions, running 25 times for 113 yards. Series history: The Vikings lead the all-time series 79-39-2, winning eight straight games dating back to 2017. 2021 (this season) -- Vikings 19, Lions 172021 (last season) -- Vikings 37, Lions 352020 -- Vikings 34, Lions 202019 -- Vikings 20, Lions 72019 -- Vikings 42, Lions 302018 -- Vikings 27, Lions 9

ALLEN PARK -- Jerry Jacobs has taken his lumps this season but continues to show signs of development, offering the Detroit Lions a sticky cornerback that isn’t afraid to get physical. Jacobs hasn’t allowed a touchdown in coverage since the team’s Week 7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. In last week’s loss, Jacobs was all over an outside run, knocking away a third-down pass in the strong showing. “Each week, I just feel like I’m getting better,” Jacobs said. Lions coach Dan Campbell previously gave Jacobs some high praise, saying he’s at or near the top of the list of those who have shown the most improvement since arriving in Allen Park.

D’Andre Swift racked up a career-high 130 yards all by himself, while rookie Jermar Jefferson chipped in a 28-yard touchdown run off the bench. Let’s get to some instant observations:-- The Lions have done a lot of talking about cleaning up their unforced mistakes. There aren’t many facets of this team that remind of the 0-16 team in 2008, but that passing game is reaching that kind of level of ineptitude. He was really bad before the break, and the extra rest didn’t magically solve the profound talent and schematic issues in this passing game. Nelson did the same thing later in the half, and delivered the key block on Jefferson’s 28-yard touchdown run.

The club announced on Wednesday that injured cornerback Ifeatu Melifonwu and returner Corey Ballentine will also return to practice this week, along with the previously announced return of quarterback Tim Boyle. Left tackle Taylor Decker also is expected back on the practice field on Wednesday, after previously suffering a setback in his return from finger surgery. Jeff Okudah suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in the opener, which forced Melifonwu, a rookie third-round pick, into the starting lineup in Week 2. Then Melifonwu suffered a serious thigh injury in that game, which forced him to injured reserve as well. The Lions announced they’ve also re-signed receiver Tom Kennedy to the practice squad.

There were a lot of positives for Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell to take out of Sunday’s 28-19 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.