ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Good morning! And greetings from Lions Country, where the injuries are piling up to epic proportions.

Dan Campbell set the tone this week on his radio show.

This is also a team that started 4-19-1 under his watch. He managed to hold everyone together to build an NFC power. With the No. 1 seed still in view, we can certainly expect to see plenty of fight.

I’ll have more from this visit through the final stretch of the season. In the meantime, take a bite out of that molded bread and enjoy this conversation with Justin Rogers of the Detroit Football Network.

Justin has covered the Lions since 2011 and made the Substack plunge himself ahead of this 2024 season. I highly encourage everyone to check out his work. He does a hell of a job.

Here on the pod, we sift through the list of injuries and gauge the Lions’ title chances.

Also, we pan out for a big-picture view. From Day 1, Campbell had his finger on the pulse of the city. Now, his latest greatest test awaits.

Thank you for listening.

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At the top, the quarterback position is being played at a ridiculously high level this 2024 season.

Josh Allen has viewers on the edge of their seat. Lamar Jackson, too.

Patrick Mahomes is gunning for a three-peat.

Jordan Love’s ascent continues.

Elsewhere, a handful of organizations continue to meander through the quarterback wilderness without a coherent map and without much hope for the future.

Absolutely nothing matters more in the NFL than this position. So here at Go Long, we’re constantly trying to figure out how a team can reach such bliss.

For this episode of “How the NFL Works,” I chat at length with three-time Pro Bowler and 2005 NFC Champion Matt Hasselbeck to get answers. He saw the position played at a high level as Brett Favre’s backup under Mike Holmgren and Andy Reid early in his career. Then, of course, he took over as the Seattle Seahawks starter for a decade. Hasselbeck threw for more than 36,000 yards with 212 touchdowns… and he probably should have a ring, too. (We previously chatted with Hasselbeck all about his own NFL life last season — here’s that pod.)

This time, we connect some of his best stories as a player with the quarterbacks of today.

On this episode…

* Why Hasselbeck loves coaching high school football today. It’s more rewarding than yapping on ESPN.

* The power of youth. Ignorance is bliss for these 2024 Packers, the youngest team in the NFL. He sees Love playing freely, a dangerous thing this time of year.

* How has Josh Allen has balanced “Clark Kent” with “Superman?” Few understood the value of a quarterback playing free like Mike Holmgren, from Montana to Young to Favre. In the Bills quarterback, Hasselbeck sees someone who knows exactly when to take over a game. And it helps when the head coach allows that to happen.

* Holmgren could be ruthless, of course. He recalls the times the coach ripped into both Favre and Reid.

* Who’s the MVP of the league? Hasselbeck tells us to hold our horses. There’s a path for Baltimore’s Jackson. He loves the part of his game that nobody talks about. He’s athletic, yes. But Jackson is also making full-field reads.

* What are the conversations like between KC’s Reid and Mahomes as the back-to-back champ nurses a high-ankle sprain? Hasselbeck knows Reid well and takes us right into what those 1-on-1 chats sound like.

* You’ll love his analysis on the rookie quarterbacks, too. Hasselbeck is (very) high on New England’s Drake Maye. As for No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams? Not so much. He says Williams needs to look himself in the mirror and ask hard questions this offseason.

Thank you for listening and sharing, everyone.

The written Q&A transcript is here if that’s preferred:

Go Long is your home for longform.

Our goal — always — is to lift up the curtain on this sport.

Past episodes of “How the NFL Works:”

* S1, E7: BLITZBURGH with Levon Kirkland

* S1 E6: The Domination of Chris Lindstrom

* S1 E5: Inside Kenny Clark's Lair

* S1 E4: 'Get a Quarterback' with Super Bowl champ and ex-NFL exec Jim Monos

* S1 E3: Resurrecting a Franchise with Ron Wolf

* S1 E2: Life After Football with Ryan Leaf

* S1 E1: Building the 2024 Quarterback with Quincy Avery

The Detroit Lions lost far more than a football game to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday at Ford Field.

Twenty-one players are now on injured reserve, and that number will likely grow to 22. It doesn’t sound good for running back David Montgomery playing again this season. In a 48-42 loss, Montgomery (MCL), Carlton Davis (jaw) and Alim McNeill (knee) all went down.

So… what now?

The Lions found ways to keep winning when their best defensive player Aidan Hutchinson — a DPOY-level talent — was lost for the season. With three regular-season games left, they’re grab-bagging like never before. McNeill (profiled here) and Montgomery (here) have been vital organs to Dan Campbell’s team. In line for the No. 1 seed, these Lions are in danger of falling. Here on the Ty & Bob Pod, your NFC North-centric show each week, we examine everything in detail. Hall of Fame scribe Bob McGinn has been closely watching the film of all Lion replacement players all season long. He believes panic is warranted.

Still, Campbell is already doing his best via an impassioned radio hit to rally his troops.

Back to eating “molded bread,” these Lions face their greatest test yet in 2024.

We’ve got a loaded episode for you. After plenty of Lions discussion/analysis, we transition into the Green Bay Packers thumping the Seattle Seahawks around the 53-minute mark. It was impressive. Jordan Love is playing mistake-free football, and his playmakers are stepping up. Defensively, the pass rush is coming alive.

McGinn believes the Packers have the best shot at making the Super Bowl out of all three NFC North clubs, and explains why.

You’ll want to stick around for his weekly “McGinn Memory” segment. One decade later, we relive the most absurd football game of a generation: Green Bay’s NFC Championship loss to the Seahawks. We all remember Brandon Bostick’s flub — an unforgivable error to many teammates — but I pointed the finger at Mike McCarthy’s passive approach then (and now) and McGinn puts that loss on the MVP Aaron Rodgers, whom he calls “the most overrated quarterback I’ve seen” on the pod.

And of course, we recap the Minnesota Vikings’ 30-12 thrashing the Bears. They’ve got an opening in the North and Brian Flores’ defense has Caleb Williams coiling on the bench.

Thank you for listening everyone.

Go Long subscribers can access the FULL two hours of NFC North talk.

We appreciate you sharing the gift of longform with a loved one this Christmas season.

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Both cities are starving for a Super Bowl.

Both head coaches built their contenders from scratch.

Without a doubt, the finest game this weekend will take place at Ford Field between the Buffalo Bills (10-3) and Detroit Lions (12-1). Sean McDermott and Dan Campbell may seem like polar opposites in their postgame speeches. One curses like a sailor, the other does not. But both knew they needed to flip their respective buildings — and did it their ways.

Here’s a podcast discussing it all with our pal Jim Monos, the Bills’ former director of personnel.

We look back at the Bills’ 44-42 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, and what McDermott could’ve done differently. His timeout at the goal-line has been debated nonstop, but that’s not what we focus on this conversation.

Big picture, this is a head coach who has unquestionably evolved for good since a particular series dropped one year ago. McDermott has mostly coached to win and seems determined to let Josh Allen be Josh Allen. Look no further than his fourth-and-2 moment against the Kansas City Chiefs. The loss to the Rams brought back some nightmares for some locals — should there be more January concern? This is the beauty of the NFL. Seven days later, another monster litmus test awaits. Both the Bills and Lions need this one.

Monos also touches on a variety of NFL topics.

Video and audio are accessible here at Go Long and inside your Apple, Spotify and YouTube feeds.

At one point on the show, I mention our past chat with ex-NFL QB Chris Simms. Here’s that link.

Go Long is your home for longform.

Thank you for subscribing and sharing with a friend.

ICYMI:

‘Kill ‘em all:’ The Sean Rhyan Code

Inside the sad case of Atlanta Falcons TE Kyle Pitts: 'absolute freak' to 'major disappointment'

Ty & Bob Pod: Dan Campbell's 'Northern Savages,' Packers-Lions (growing) hatred & Sam Darnold's future

Matthew Stafford, the L.A. Rams and separating fact from fiction

The Case for Joe Schoen

This is a game of attrition. Injuries are a fact of life.

Some teams nosedive into irrelevancy when starters go down.

Some tread water.

Then, there’s the Detroit Lions. GM Brad Holmes, head coach Dan Campbell and the entire pro scouting staff scan the veteran market better than anyone in the league. As a result, they’re 12-1 and in line for the NFC’s No. 1…

Think back to the moments that introduced you to the sport. We can all recall a play or a game that showed us why football is different. For us 90’s kids, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ belligerent “Blitzburgh” defenses were unforgettable. Greg Lloyd and Kevin Greene were wild men who set the tone — and they weren’t alone.

On this episode of “How the NFL Works,” we explore what made this group special with the (massive) inside linebacker on those teams: Levon Kirkland.

At 280, he could both tattoo running backs and run down the seam with tight ends.

As the 2024 Steelers start to resemble a legitimate contender, it felt like a good week to go back in time. As much as the sport has changed — year to year to year — the Steelers Linebacker persists. Kirkland invites listeners into the time machine to those 90s, shares more stories about his friend Lloyd and offers his thoughts on both the Steelers of today and Clemson’s football team where he works in player development.

Audio is above, and we’ll share a written Q&A later.

Thank you for subscribing and sharing Go Long with a friend.

Previous episodes of “How the NFL Works” below:

* S1 E6: The Domination of Chris Lindstrom

* S1 E5: Inside Kenny Clark's Lair

* S1 E4: 'Get a Quarterback' with Super Bowl champ and ex-NFL exec Jim Monos

* S1 E3: Resurrecting a Franchise with Ron Wolf

* S1 E2: Life After Football with Ryan Leaf

* S1 E1: Building the 2024 Quarterback with Quincy Avery

ICYMI, related stories:

After three crushing defeats, the Chicago Bears canned Matt Eberflus. It’s a move they should’ve made a long time ago. But as we discuss here on the Ty & Bob Pod, the issues run deeper in Chicago. The ownership is much stronger elsewhere in the NFC North, and it’s showing in the standings.

So, what now? Should president Kevin Warren and GM Ryan Poles hire an offensive wiz who’ll maximize Caleb Williams’ talents or an old-school type who’ll build a team capable of exchanging body blows with Dan Campbell’s crew year-in and year-out? Contrary to Warren’s sale’s pitch, this is not the most coveted job on the market. Bears talk starts around the 22-minute mark.

Sam Darnold and the Vikings were clutch. The Vikings are built the right way, and it’s showing late in games. We review their 23-22 win over Arizona at the 43-minute mark.

Bob McGinn sees a very encouraging development in Wisconsin. This Matt LaFleur-led team has the muscle that so many Packers edition past lacked. His full Packers-Dolphins film breakdown starts at 1:02:00.

And… yes. We’ve got to give McGinn the floor at the top of the pod. What a win for his Michigan Wolverines. He said he’s an “animal” during “The Game.” What does that look and sound like exactly? McGinn supplies the full play by play.

As always, we cap with a McGinn Memory. It’s hard to play in the cold and the snow, but those teams down south also have a distinct advantage each September.

All stories and all podcasts are always available to our paid subscribers. Thank you for supporting independent journalism and sharing the good word with a friend.

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ICYMI:

Russ is back... and the Pittsburgh Steelers find a new formula

Survival Mode: The Power of Ray Davis’ Pain

Black Friday Deals GALORE at Go Long!

Hey, it was a snow globe after all. Buffalo and San Francisco played in classic Western New York conditions Sunday night.

Kyle Shanahan’s team continued to show zero fight.

Buffalo rolled right along.

At halftime, I recorded another Substack Live video with Jim Monos, the former Philadelphia Eagles scout, New Orleans Saints scout and director of personnel for the Buffalo Bills. Today, he’s the GM of the Memphis Showboats in the UFL. As always, he brings some original takes to the table. We get into several topics.

* Which team in the AFC is the biggest test to Buffalo and Kansas City?

* Is this truly a different Pittsburgh Steelers offense in 2024?

* Bryce Young was excellent in overtime defeat vs. Tampa Bay. Monos said last week he’s been outplaying C.J. Stroud. That was the case again. A good lesson when it comes to rookie quarterbacks.

* What now for Caleb Williams and the Bears?

You can join our live videos any time by downloading the Substack app and flipping notifications on:

As a reminder, we’ve got a “Black Friday” offer for you.

New readers: Subscribe annually and we’ll send you a Go Long sweatshirt — hoodie or crew. (Email size and mailing address to [email protected].)

Current subscribers: Gift a sub to a friend or pledge to renew once your current term expires, and we’ll also send you a hoodie or crew. (Email size and mailing address to [email protected].)

Thanks, all.

Our Ray Davis profile is also linked here, icymi.

Big Boy Football is here. It’s almost December.

And all the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers keep doing is win. Combined, these three teams are 27-6. Sam Darnold fought through his inevitable midseason slump to look like the Vikes’ quarterback of 2024 and beyond. Green Bay caught a stammering 49ers team at the right time. The Lions smacked Indy, and let ‘em know.

While Bob McGinn and myself strongly disagree on “taunting,” we both can’t get enough of Jahmyr Gibbs.

At Lambeau, Josh Jacobs scored three touchdowns. We compare/contrast, Jacobs and Aaron Jones.

And if you had to win one game, would you rather have Darnold or Jordan Love at this moment?

We’ve got a loaded two hours for you.

Thank you for listening.

To our new readers, a paid membership gets you access to everything. Our holiday deal is live. Make the move to an annual membership, and we’ll send you a Go Long sweatshirt — hoodie or crew. This same deal applies to current subscribers who’ll be renewing or would like to gift a subscription to a loved one. Email me at [email protected].

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Have a phenomenal Thanksgiving, everyone.

Mentioned on the pod, here’s my story on the 2024 Minnesota Vikings and Darnold’s turnaround, as well as a profile of linebacker Blake Cashman and big-picture piece on Love. McGinn’s Midseason All-NFC North team is right here. As for the McGinn Memory? Bob looks back to the majestic dominance of Ronnie Lott and Jerry Rice, specifically this touchdown by Rice vs. the Packers in 1987.

The Anthony Richardson Experience continues to give viewers vertigo. This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone.

Those New York Giants have (again) entered the Tommy Cutlet stage of regret. What’s next for Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll?

Elsewhere, Jordan Love keeps winning, Bryce Young has a moment of promise and Bo Nix is everything our special guest predicted.

Here’s our latest Substack Live recording at Go Long. I’m joined by Jim Monos — the former NFL exec/scout — to make sense of Week 12 in the NFL. He lived these quarterback decisions and offers a very fresh perspective. I’ll continue to record these videos throughout the rest of the season. If you’d like to watch live and ask questions, be sure to download the Substack app and turn notifications on:

ICYMI: