3. Morton said tight end Sam LaPorta going on IR has been a big loss for this offense. LaPorta is one of the best all-around tight ends in the league and they certainly missed him Sunday, which was the first game of at least four that he’ll miss. Morton said someone else must step up whether that’s tight end Brock Wright or a third wide receiver like Isaac TeSlaa or Kalif Raymond having a bigger impact offensively.
4. Sheppard is preparing to play a healthy Jaxson Dart at quarterback for the Giants Sunday. There’s been a lot of talk in New York this week about Dart protecting himself as a runner coming off a concussion. Sheppard said studying Dart and his play style, he thinks it will be tough for him to adapt. The Lions are expecting him to run and be physical, and they are preparing for such a matchup.
5. What has been Detroit’s biggest issue on third down? The Lions rank 27th in the NFL converting just 36 percent of the time. Morton said the biggest issue has been their own doing, and a lot of times it’s the breakdowns in their technique. Morton said he challenged his players on offense to do more this week to improve on the little things, technique and details, especially on third down.