NOTEBOOK: Flowers stepping up his game

Thursday, Nov 14, 2019 05:27 PM

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Tim Twentyman

SENIOR WRITER

Trey Flowers has been on a roll the last month, playing the kind of football the Lions expected from him when they signed him to a big free-agent deal this offseason.

He’s the only defensive end in the NFL actively on a three-game sack streak. He’s recorded eight quarterback hurries over his last three games and notched 14 tackles, seven quarterback hits and five tackles for loss over that span.

“I feel as though I’m taking better advantage of my opportunities,” Flowers said this week. “Whether it’s watching more film and just kind of doing the extra things to being more in tune with the offensive linemen and things like that.”

Flowers missed all of training camp rehabbing a shoulder injury. He didn’t play in the preseason and was admittedly trying to knock some of the rust off when the regular season began.

“Anytime you can practice with repetition and get a source of confidence going into each week it always helps you as a player,” he said. “I feel as though anytime you start off the season shaking the rust off, you just want to continue to get better week in and week out and I think I’m continuing to work and get better each week.”

That’s certainly shown itself on the stat sheet over the last month or so.

Since 2017, only Flowers and Khalil Mack have recorded at least 155 tackles, 19.0 sacks and seven forced fumbles. Flowers has been back to being that kind of productive player.

He’ll have his work cut out for him this week against Dallas trying to keep his sack streak intact, however. The Cowboys have allowed 11 sacks all season, tops in the NFL.

News & Notes: Marshal Yanda Is Having a Blast in His 13th Season

Wednesday, Nov 13, 2019 04:24 PM

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Clifton Brown

BALTIMORERAVENS.COM STAFF WRITER

Halfway through his 13th season, Marshal Yanda is having one of his best and most enjoyable years.

When the Ravens drafted Yanda, Lamar Jackson was just 10 years old. Now they are teammates and despite their age difference, Yanda and Jackson share a bond as teammates – the veteran guard who loves Jackson’s competitiveness and talent, and Jackson,[comma] who values Yanda’s presence as one of the NFL’s best offensive linemen.

After Sunday’s win over the Bengals, Yanda said Jackson is “ridiculous.” On Wednesday, Jackson returned the compliment.

“It starts with the line, I need my linemen to love me, protect me,” Jackson said. “I’d rather them not hate me. It starts with him. He’s the O.G. the G.O.A.T, future Hall of Famer. I need to send him off right. Get a Super Bowl, I’ll be set.”

The idea of winning another Super Bowl sounds good to Yanda, who made one of his seven Pro Bowls in 2012 when the Ravens won their last championship. Yanda thought about calling it quits after last season, but after entering the offseason healthy, he instead signed a one-year contract extension to keep him in Baltimore through 2020.

He’s having a blast, largely because the Ravens are having success.

“We’re winning,” Yanda said. “That’s what we’re all paid to do here. We’ve won some really big games as of late. To win those big games is something I’m relishing.”

Yanda also loves the shot of adrenaline he gets from playing with Jackson. He was totally on board with Jackson in Seattle two weeks ago, when Jackson came to the sidelines and vehemently urged Head Coach John Harbaugh to go for it on fourth down, leading to Jackson’s 8-yard touchdown run on the next play.

This past weekend in Cincinnati, Yanda got a kick out of watching Jackson wearing sunglasses on the sideline, something Yanda said he would never do.

Don't expect to see Marshal Yanda on the sidelines wearing sunglasses anytime soon. 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/KZowW9eXsk

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 13, 2019

Winning another Super Bowl would only strengthen Yanda’s resume as a potential Hall of Famer. Harbaugh is glad that the Ravens’ five-game winning streak is bringing Yanda more attention.

“Marshal, in my mind, is a Hall of Fame player,” Harbaugh said. “If you’re going to make the Hall of Fame as an offensive lineman, you’ve probably got to play your Hall of Fame level at the end when people are watching. Because for most of your career, most people, including the media believe it or not, don’t pay attention to those guys up front. I believe Marshal’s doing that at the highest level. I think he’s playing some of his best football, if not his best football, right now.”

Lions Week 10 player of the game: Trey Flowers

Sonja Greenfield 

19 hours ago

It was the first time in 136 games the Detroit Lions were without Matthew Stafford as their starting quarterback — and it showed. What started as a promising defensive showing against the Chicago Bears, ended in disappointment at the final whistle.

One player who was consistent was defensive end Trey Flowers and that’s why he is our Lions Wire player of the game.

Flowers’ is our first defensive player to win player of the game honors this season. Today, he had seven tackles, two tackles for a loss, two quarterback hits, and a sack.

Trey Flowers with a sack #OnePride #Lions #DetroitLions #NFL #NFLSunday pic.twitter.com/UDwnDtgALl

— Off The Field Podcast (@OTF___Podcast) November 10, 2019

Congrats to Flowers on taking home this week’s award!