JIM SCHWARTZ:
On his level of concern after four games this season: “The first quarter of the season is done; we’re 1-3. We didn’t start off the way we wanted to. There is nothing to say that we can’t get it back and that’s our challenge right now is to dig our way out of this. We’re not going to sit here for a half-hour and tell you all the circumstances of teams that have done it and everything else. But none of that matters. Doesn’t matter if other people have done it, doesn’t matter that people have gone to the playoffs and everything else, have lost three in a row during the season or started off bad; I mean everybody has those experiences. None of those matter to this team. What matters to this team is we need to put these mistakes behind us and we need to play better. When we do we’ll win. There is a reason we’re 1-3 and it hasn’t been bad luck. We’ve made ourselves have to overcome way too much. Even going back to the opener, we won, we were -3 in turnovers. We were lucky to win that game. Last week, today, like I said, five non-defensive scores and today we weren’t able to overcome in scoring enough on offense.”
On what he makes of all the boos of the fans: “They’re voicing their same displeasures as is their right to do. We need to play better. I thought the fans were excellent today. At the end, they were loud as can be, got the ball back, nobody was leaving. I thought our fans were fantastic today. We need to play better if we don’t want to hear boos.”
HANSON MOVES UP
K Jason Hanson, scored 7 points in today’s game as he made field goals of 40 and 31 yards along with a PAT. In doing so he moved past K John Carney (2,062) for third place on the NFL’s all-time scoring list. He now trails K Gary Anderson (2,434) for second place and K Morten Andersen (2,544) for first place on the NFL career scoring list.
One of Hanson’s two field goals made was a 40-yarder in the first quarter. It was his 127th career field goal from 40-49 yards, and he now trails K Matt Stover (128) for third-most field goals from 40-49 yards in NFL history.
Hanson (475 FGs, 635 PATs) now needs four field goals to surpass K John Carney (478) for third place for most career field goals in NFL history and four PATs to pass K Norm Johnson (638) for sixth place for most career PATs.
HANSON'S FOUR-GAME STRETCH
Through the first four games of the season, Hanson has scored 44 points, connected on 12-of-13 field goals (92.3 pct), and has made 7 field goals from 40-49 yards His 44 points through the first four games are the second highest tally of his career to start the season. In 2011, he registered 45 points in the first four games of the season.
Hanson’s 44 points in the past four games are tied for the third-most over a four-game stretch during his 21-year career. Besides the 45 to begin last season, he also tallied 45-points over a four-game stretch in October-November 1993 and 44 points over four games in October-November 1999.
DEFENDING THE PASS
The Lions pass defense allowed just 100 net passing yards today against the Minnesota Vikings. It was the lowest team passing output the Lions allowed since they yielded just 56 yards at Cleveland October 23, 2005.
JOHNSON’S 4-GAME START
With 54 yards receiving today, WR Calvin Johnson increased his tally of receiving yards on the season to 423 yards. It is only the third time in team history that a Lions receiver has gained 400 yards in the month of September and the first to do so while playing just four games. WR Herman Moore did it twice in his career (507 in 1997 and 480 in 1996) with both times occurring in 5 games played during the month.
PETTIGREW AMONG LIONS TIGHT ENDS
TE Brandon Pettigrew caught 7 passes for 67 yards the Minnesota Vikings today. Now with 2,068 receiving yards, Pettigrew passed TE David Sloan (2,024) for fourth on the Lions career receiving yards list by tight ends.
SUH’S PRESSURE
DT Ndamukong Suh was credited with a half-a-sack (.5) today vs. the Vikings. He now is tied with DT Henry Thomas for seventh among Lions defensive tackles for career sacks (since 1982).
HARRIS’ DROP INS
P Nick Harris, who returned this past week as the franchise’s all-time leader in punts, net punting average and punts inside the 20, had four of his five punts downed inside the 20-yard line. It is the most by a Lions punter since Harris had 4 at Minnesota October 12, 2008. This was his eighth game with the Lions with 4+ punts inside the 20-yard line, which is the most in franchise history.
Overall, Harris now has 193 punts downed inside the 20-yard line during his career with the Lions.
