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Jerrick Reed wears a blue face mask as he celebrates a win over the Detroit Lions.
Detroit Lions defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson wanted home fans to embrace the “villain” mentality in Sunday’s season opener, but it was the Seattle Seahawks who ended up playing the heel.
The Seahawks escaped with a 37-31 overtime victory on September 17, scoring the game-winning touchdown on a controversial play and then trolling the Lions and their fans in the locker room after the game. Seahawks safety Jerrick Reed donned the team’s new attire for fans, putting on a blue facemask as he and his teammates celebrated their win.
Jerrick Reed Turns the Tables on the Lions
Gardner-Johnson suggested the idea that fans don blue facemasks for Sunday’s home opener against the Seahawks, saying he wanted them to embrace the mentality of Lions as “villains” of the NFL.
“We villains, right?” Gardner-Johnson said on Tuesday, via The Sporting News. “It’s part of us. It’s the culture. I’m changing it.
“We taking what’s ours.”
As Brian Murphy of The Sporting News noted, fans seemed to embrace Gardner-Johnson’s idea and many wore blue face masks to the game.
“Blue ski masks have reportedly sold out on Amazon, as the Motor City fanatics quickly scooped up whatever remaining masks were available online in preparation for the home opener,” Murphy wrote.
But the Lions were unable to seize an opportunity to go 2-0, falling in the home opener despite erasing a 10-point deficit in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter to tie the game. The Seahawks took the ball first in overtime and never looked back, driving 75 yards in nine plays and ending the game on a 6-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Lockett.
The game-winning play came with some controversy, as many believed that referees missed a hold on the play as Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson pressured Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith.
Adding Injury to Insult for the Lions
The Lions may have lost more than just the game. Lead running back David Montgomery suffered a thigh bruise in the second half, and Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reported that he could be in danger of missing next week’s game against the Atlanta Falcons.
“He was hurt fighting for extra yards on a 7-yard catch late in the third quarter,” Birkett wrote. “After the play, Montgomery hobbled to the bench with the help of trainers and eventually was carted to the locker room.”
As Birkett added, Montgomery’s injury could be a tricky one for the Lions.
“Still, thigh bruises can be problematic for running backs. Last year, Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard missed a late-season game on short rest five days after suffering a thigh bruise,” Birkett wrote.
Prior to Sunday’s game, the Lions placed defensive lineman Josh Paschal and cornerback Khalil Dorsey on injured reserve. Offensive tackle Taylor Decker also missed Sunday’s game, and Justin Rogers of the Detroit News reported that the team is looking into some different options to replace him.
“On Friday, Campbell said the team was still working through options, which included moving right guard Halapoulivaati to either left or right tackle and inserting Graham Glasgow into the lineup,” Rogers wrote. “Alternatively, the team could use Matt Nelson at either tackle spot, but most likely on the right, while shifting Penei Sewell to the blindside.”
Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions for Heavy. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty
