Lions Grey Manes: A Detroit Lions Podcast

Lions Grey Manes
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Football
  • Updated Weekly

Chris Stone, Mike Terry, Dan Keener, and Dr. Brent Crider have watched the Lions for over 100 combined years, and they're not here to scream into the void. Instead, they dig into what actually happened and why it matters. You'll get historical comparisons that put today's team in context, personnel breakdowns using Brad Holmes' proven methods, and game analysis that goes deeper than the obvious. They examine draft decisions with real numbers, challenge tired narratives about the franchise, and explain how Detroit stacks up against real competition. From the Matt Millen era disasters to today's transformation, these conversations connect the dots between past and present. If you're tired of empty hot takes and want Lions talk that respects your intelligence, this is your podcast.

  1. 4d ago

    Secondary Shuffle: Will Keith Abney and Brian Branch Be the Lions' Safety Duo? - EP 056

    Five weeks into the season, the Lions' secondary has gone from a five-alarm fire to a cautious sense of optimism, and the biggest reason is a position change nobody predicted. Fifth-round rookie Keith Abney, who has moved from outside corner to nickel to free safety, made his first NFL start at safety against the Cardinals and held up better than anyone had a right to expect. With Brian Branch due back from his 10-month Achilles recovery after the bye, the Grey Manes look ahead at what could and should happen next. Is Branch and Abney the long-term pairing? Where does that leave Chuck Clark and Christian Izien? And should fans expect an immediate fix, or be patient with a Branch who may not be at full strength right away? The conversation then widens to the questions that will shape the Green Bay game. Did Kelvin Sheppard do enough with the shift back to more man coverage to keep his job, and could the bye week bring changes to the staff or the scheme? The Grey Manes also look at the hole Tom Kennedy's season-ending knee injury leaves at punt returner, and revisit the 2024 draft class to ask whether it deserves a better grade now that Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Giovanni Manu-style late contributors, and the Mahogany and Vaki selections are making real impact. Come ready to debate, because this episode is about what comes next. 🦁Join The Grey Manes Community🦁 ✅ Official: https://www.thegreymanes.com/   ✅ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGreyManes/   ✅ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GreyManes  ✅ X/Twitter: https://x.com/TheGreyManes   ✅ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@LionsGreyManes   Lions Grey Manes is produced by Chris Stone at https://CastAhead.net

    Secondary Shuffle: Will Keith Abney and Brian Branch Be the Lions' Safety Duo? - EP 056

  2. Oct 7

    Fire Sheppard Now? What’s Next For The Lions Defense - EP 055

    We all know by now that your Detroit Lions own the league's worst defense, and the question is no longer what went wrong. It's what comes next. Kelvin Sheppard's unit is dead last in points, yards, and third-down stops, and his man-coverage rate has fallen to 15.6% on a roster built to play man. We look at whether this is a talent problem or a scheme problem, and whether Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell share the blame. If Sheppard goes, who calls the plays? Jim O'Neil is the only in-house coordinator candidate, while outside names like Schwartz and McDermott raise the question of whether anyone would come this early in the season. Then we look at the road ahead. Is a trade possible, will the young corners finally get snaps, and can Brian Branch's return help stabilize things? We preview Arizona and Trey McBride, then look at the bye week and ask whether the Lions could show up in Green Bay with a different staff. Tell us in the comments who you want calling this defense in Week 7. 🦁Join The Grey Manes Community🦁 ✅ Official: https://www.thegreymanes.com/   ✅ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGreyManes/   ✅ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GreyManes  ✅ X/Twitter: https://x.com/TheGreyManes   ✅ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@LionsGreyManes   Lions Grey Manes is produced by Chris Stone at https://CastAhead.net

    Fire Sheppard Now? What’s Next For The Lions Defense - EP 055

  3. Sep 30

    The Lions Strip Sack That Bought Sheppard Another Week in Carolina - EP 054

    The Lions beat the Jets 31–24 and sit at 2–1. The offense has scored 31 in each of its first three games, and Jahmyr Gibbs was the engine again with three touchdowns. Still, Geno Smith completed 31 of 37 for 321 yards against a secondary that has been reshuffled and re-reshuffled. In this live episode, we go through the Jets film for context only. We ask whether the new look in the back end improved coverage, or whether the pass rush and a Chuck Clark blitz call simply bailed out Kelvin Sheppard's unit when it counted. Kelvin isn't off the hook, but we'll tell you how much rope we think he has left. Then it's on to the Panthers on Sunday night. Bryce Young has 939 passing yards through three weeks, Tetairoa McMillan and Darren Waller are getting the targets, and Carolina's top corner Jaycee Horn looks to be out for a while. We break down what Detroit has to do to make Carolina earn its yards on the ground, how to handle the tight end matchups that burned them last week, and how aggressive Goff can be against a banged-up cornerback room. What would the secondary have to show you to make you believe in this team's ceiling? 🦁Join The Grey Manes Community🦁 ✅ Official: https://www.thegreymanes.com/   ✅ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGreyManes/   ✅ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GreyManes  ✅ X/Twitter: https://x.com/TheGreyManes   ✅ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@LionsGreyManes   Lions Grey Manes is produced by Chris Stone at https://CastAhead.net

    The Lions Strip Sack That Bought Sheppard Another Week in Carolina - EP 054

  4. Sep 23

    The Man Who Built Detroit's Defense Now Wants to Break It - EP 053

    Aaron Glenn comes back to Ford Field on Sunday, but this time on the other sideline. We’ve burned the Bills tape and decided to break down how to apply the learnings to how the Lions will hopefully bounce back vs. The New York Jets. In 2024, Glenn kept an injury-wrecked Lions defense in the top 10 in scoring. Then he went back to the Jets, the team that drafted him in 1994, and went 3-14 in his first year after an 0-7 start. His rebuild looks a lot like Dan Campbell's early years in Detroit. He fired both coordinators, including former Lions assistant Tanner Engstrand, and hired Frank Reich to run the offense. He also brought in Brian Duker, who coached under him in Detroit, as defensive coordinator. On the roster side, he added Geno Smith, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Demario Davis and No. 2 overall pick David Bailey. We go past the headlines and into the numbers behind the 7.5-point spread. The Jets beat Tennessee 23-10 in Week 1, then blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead to Green Bay. The Jets also haven't intercepted a pass in 19 straight games. We ask whether a struggling Lions defense can steady itself after the Week 2 loss, and whether Glenn's inside knowledge of this roster gives him a real edge or just a good storyline. Is this a trap game, a statement game, or just a homecoming? Intro and Outro Song: Adaboy! "Uncaged" Used by license from Adaboy, LLC https://adaboymusic.com/ Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/uncaged-single/1835839359 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/1Yag6tH67SJ82LG7tBHWk9?si=68119e8be75d4394 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yNdkTkUoaA 🦁Join The Grey Manes Community🦁 ✅ Official: https://www.thegreymanes.com/   ✅ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGreyManes/   ✅ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GreyManes  ✅ X/Twitter: https://x.com/TheGreyManes   ✅ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@LionsGreyManes   Lions Grey Manes is produced by Chris Stone at https://CastAhead.net

    The Man Who Built Detroit's Defense Now Wants to Break It - EP 053

  5. Sep 16

    Lions Overtime Survival: Grading the Cracks Before Buffalo - EP 052

    Detroit survived the Saints, but survival exposed real fault lines heading into a brutal short week at Buffalo's brand-new Highmark Stadium. We break down Kelvin Sheppard's aggressive blitz packages that rattled Tyler Shough early, and why the coverage behind those blitzes — 14 different defensive backs, zero tight end answer, fundamental tackling misses — has to tighten up fast against Josh Allen and a Joe Brady offense that just hung 36 on Houston. The offensive line gets its flowers for an encouraging debut, Blake Miller surviving his Hutchinson-hardened trial by fire, but Christian Mahogany's injury leaves real questions about interior depth against a retooled Bills front featuring Bradley Chubb. At running back, Jahmyr Gibbs' 34-touch workload is unsustainable, and with Isiah Pacheco now facing 12 weeks post-surgery and Sione Vaki still fixing pass-protection issues, the hosts debate whether the Lions need outside help immediately or wait it out. Add in the Joey Porter Jr. trade buzz gaining real traction out of Pittsburgh, and this is a full checkup on a 1-0 team that knows exactly what it needs to clean up before Thursday night. 🦁Join The Grey Manes Community🦁 ✅ Official: https://www.thegreymanes.com/   ✅ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGreyManes/   ✅ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GreyManes  ✅ X/Twitter: https://x.com/TheGreyManes   ✅ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@LionsGreyManes   Lions Grey Manes is produced by Chris Stone at https://CastAhead.net

    Lions Overtime Survival: Grading the Cracks Before Buffalo - EP 052

  6. Sep 9

    One Bold Lions Prediction We're Willing to Bet On (And the Proof Behind It) - EP 051

    With the 2026 season kicking off, DBC, DK, and Chris put their analytical reputations on the line with their bold individual predictions for this year's Detroit Lions. Each host brings their own case — grounded in training camp observations, roster construction, and the Brad Holmes standard of asset management — to defend calls that range from roster battles and breakout candidates to coaching trajectories and postseason outcomes. Time to bring yours to the chat. No spoilers here — you'll have to tune in to hear exactly what Brent, Dan, and Chris are calling for 2026. Drop your own bold prediction in the comments or live in the chat and let us know whose take you're riding with. 🦁Join The Grey Manes Community🦁 ✅ Official: https://www.thegreymanes.com/   ✅ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGreyManes/   ✅ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GreyManes  ✅ X/Twitter: https://x.com/TheGreyManes   ✅ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@LionsGreyManes   Lions Grey Manes is produced by Chris Stone at https://CastAhead.net

    One Bold Lions Prediction We're Willing to Bet On (And the Proof Behind It) - EP 051

  7. Sep 2

    Detroit's Most Confusing Cutdown Day: Inside the Roster Nobody Predicted - EP 050

    The Lions finally set their 53-man roster, and it wasn't the roster most analysts projected. Greg Dortch? Gone — but the reasoning behind each cut reveals more about Brad Holmes' roster-building philosophy than the moves themselves suggest at first glance. We start at quarterback, where Josh Dobbs' clean preseason finale settled a debate that was never really close, before moving into the running back room, where the surprise retention of both Jacob Saylors and Jabari Small(?)l has fueled a compelling roster-gymnastics theory tied to injury settlement rules and Cade Mays' eventual return. This episode of Lions Grey Manes dissects the surprises, the head-scratchers, and the strategic bets buried in Detroit's initial 53, separating reactionary takes from what the data, the depth chart, and the fine print actually tell us. 🦁Join The Grey Manes Community🦁 ✅ Official: https://www.thegreymanes.com/   ✅ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGreyManes/   ✅ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GreyManes  ✅ X/Twitter: https://x.com/TheGreyManes   ✅ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@LionsGreyManes   Lions Grey Manes is produced by Chris Stone at https://CastAhead.net

    Detroit's Most Confusing Cutdown Day: Inside the Roster Nobody Predicted - EP 050

  8. Aug 26

    Lions Cutdown Day Preview: 5 Decisions That Actually Define This Roster - EP 049

    With Detroit's roster cut to 53 landing this Saturday, Chris, DBC and Mike work through the real bubble decisions shaping this year's team, grounded in preseason film and practice reports rather than reactionary takes. The crew starts with the backup quarterback math: Josh Dobbs' turnover-heavy outing against a steady, mistake-free performance from Altmyer, and why current projections don't have Detroit keeping three quarterbacks behind Jared Goff. From there they move to the interior line, where Juice Scruggs has locked down the center job, Ben Bartch is dealing with a concussion, and the backup Guards’ rough game has the front office reportedly checking in on veterans like Laken Tomlinson and Will Hernandez. They also cover the tight end room, where Jackson Meeks has surged into TE4 contention thanks to a strong preseason and Detroit's heavy use of 12 and 13 personnel, plus a receiver group thrown off balance by Cedrick Wilson's injury and Tay Martin's rise. The episode closes on the cornerback logjam, with Rakestraw, McCreary and Whiteside fighting for limited spots while Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph's PUP status looms over the entire secondary picture. 🦁Join The Grey Manes Community🦁 ✅ Official: https://www.thegreymanes.com/   ✅ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGreyManes/   ✅ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GreyManes  ✅ X/Twitter: https://x.com/TheGreyManes   ✅ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@LionsGreyManes   Lions Grey Manes is produced by Chris Stone at https://CastAhead.net https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UlvtZQ_DqM

    Lions Cutdown Day Preview: 5 Decisions That Actually Define This Roster - EP 049
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Chris Stone, Mike Terry, Dan Keener, and Dr. Brent Crider have watched the Lions for over 100 combined years, and they're not here to scream into the void. Instead, they dig into what actually happened and why it matters. You'll get historical comparisons that put today's team in context, personnel breakdowns using Brad Holmes' proven methods, and game analysis that goes deeper than the obvious. They examine draft decisions with real numbers, challenge tired narratives about the franchise, and explain how Detroit stacks up against real competition. From the Matt Millen era disasters to today's transformation, these conversations connect the dots between past and present. If you're tired of empty hot takes and want Lions talk that respects your intelligence, this is your podcast.

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