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  • Why Brandon Joseph looks like Detroit Lions secret sauce come to life


    Jeff Seidel
    Detroit Free Press



    There was an interesting, if not revealing moment in Dan Campbell’s news conference Sunday afternoon.

    After he talked about how Detroit Lions cornerbacks Amik Robertson, Ennis Rakestraw Jr. and Terrion Arnold did in their debut against the New York Giants — clearly, he was impressed with all three — Campbell was asked a different question.

    Did anybody else stand out to him?

    “Well, I think everybody we kind of talked about,” he replied.

    But then, he singled out somebody.

    “B-Joe, I thought he really showed up,” Campbell said.

    Who is B-Joe?

    Brandon Joseph, a safety who spent last season on the practice squad after going undrafted out of Notre Dame.


    “What's really encouraging — you talk about going into the game, all right, here's where you got to be better, whoever that player is, and to see those players do what we were asking them to do,” Campbell continued. “B-Joe, man, we need you to be more physical down in the box, you got to play bigger when it comes time. And he did that, and he came away with the takeaway.”

    Joseph led the team with three solo tackles — yes, that’s being more physical in the box — and had an interception and returned it 20 yards.



    “He showed up, and I thought he tried to do that on special teams,” Campbell said. “That was encouraging. We put these guys on some of these special teams reps, he and (Lions DL) Nate Lynn and (Lions K Jake) Bates, and they fought their ass off. I mean, they were grinding, giving everything they've got. Played hard on defense. So there was a number of these guys, and it's the little things you don't always see. But when we tell them, ‘This is what we're looking for in the game and what you need to improve on,’ you could see that growth out of these players. There was a number of them. So that fires you up as a coach.”

    Actually, it should fire you up as a fan.



    Secret sauce of Lions success


    If you ask me, this is the Lions secret sauce — the reason they have turned around this franchise: How they have developed young players.

    Every team has stars. Every team has talent at the top. Just from the nature of the draft and free agency and roster turnover, it’s hard not to have at least a few good players.

    But the real trick — the thing the Lions are doing so well — is something different.


    First step: Acquire young players with the right mentality, the right character and the right determination while making sure they have a special trait or ability — that’s Brad Holmes special touch.


    Second: Coach ‘em up and give them time to improve, even if it takes an entire year. Yes, this part requires patience.


    Final step: Turn them loose in a game and find out if it’s working.

    And that’s what Joseph proved against the Giants. It's working wonderfully.



    Learning to play fast and free

    Joseph spent last season on the Lions practice squad.

    Think about what that means.


    Day after day, he had to play scout team defense against Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta and running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs.

    Which is baptism by fire for a rookie in the NFL.

    “I got so much better going up against Jared, going up against Saint and Sam and Jameer, like my tackling,” Joseph said Sunday. “I learned so much last year, being on the practice squad, going against some of the best guys in the world every day last year. So I've just tried to use that going into OTAs, going into fall camp, and to continue to get better.”


    Now, that sounds interesting on the surface.

    But there are so many layers to it.

    It’s not just facing talent.


    It’s all the little things, like learning how to take the right angle to bring down a speedy back like Gibbs.

    “I think one of the biggest things I like been I've gotten better at, is my tackling angles going against (Gibbs) and (Montgomery) every week, like my angles of approach,” he said “Obviously we're not tackling every week in practice, but just like working that angle and being in perfect position every time, I think I definitely improved on that. And just in my game overall, it's just the confidence, the confidence that comes with it, the experience."


    But he also had to learn the mental side of the game.

    Because when you are thinking, you can’t play fast.

    “It's night and day,” he said. “I understand the defense. I understand what (defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn) wants, and I know this defense, I know where I'm supposed to be, when I'm supposed to be there, how to read the quarterback, where I'm supposed to be in certain coverages.”

    Now, his instincts are coming back.




    He has always been a ball hawk — he had nine interceptions in his final two seasons at Northwestern, becoming an All-American, and then spent 2022 at Notre Dame.

    That’s the special trait he has — an ability to be in the right place at the right time and make a play — and it came out against the Giants.

    “I know I am a ball-hawking safety," he said. "I know I have the ability to get my hands on the ball and make plays for a defense, and so it felt great."


    But he can also hit.

    On practice squad last year, he wasn’t allowed to hit.


    Not real hitting.

    But he got one of those against the Giants.

    “It felt amazing," he said. "I made a tackle and I was like, 'oh my gosh, I missed this. I still got it.' The love of the game, it comes back out.”


    Get enough guys like this.

    Fill out the roster with young, talented players. Give them time to improve.

    And you can end up with something special.


    Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com or follow him @seideljeff.


    Next up: Chiefs

    Matchup: Lions (12-5 in 2023) at Kansas City Chiefs (11-6 in 2023), exhibition.

    Kickoff: 4 p.m., Saturday; GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.

    TV/radio: WJBK-TV (Fox 2 in Detroit); WXYT-FM (97.1).

    Regular-season opener: Sept. 8 vs. Rams, Ford Field, NBC.




    "I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
    My friend Ken L

    Comment





    • After recent struggles, Lions kicker Bates looking for long makes to get him back on track

      Justin Rogers
      Aug 12



      Allen Park — The waters have been choppy for Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates his first few weeks back on an NFL roster, but for the moment, he appears to have righted the ship.

      After making his lone field goal attempt in the team’s preseason opener Thursday night, a 53-yarder in soggy conditions, he turned around and buried a 64-yard effort with distance to spare to close out Sunday’s practice.

      “Yeah, it feels good,” Bates said when asked how the two kicks help with confidence. “I think we have a great operation. Regardless of who the snapper is, I know they're going to give a good snap, and Jack (Fox) is really, really good holder. So it's up to me to do my job, and each day just get better and better.”

      Despite being unproven, on both the macro and micro levels, the Lions have put uncommon belief in Bates, who signed in June, shortly after NFL teams were permitted to add players from UFL rosters.



      Remember, Bates started as a soccer player and only served as a kickoff specialist in college. It wasn’t until the UFL that he attempted a field goal in a game. But during that opportunity with the Michigan Panthers, he wowed with his leg strength and comfort level in big moments. He put himself on the map with a 64-yard game-winner in the team’s season-opener, and he maintained relevancy throughout the campaign, finishing 17-for-22 on the year, with five additional makes from 50 yards and beyond.

      Coincidentally, it was the 64-yarder to end Sunday’s practice that stabilized what must have felt like increasingly shaky ground under him nearing the end of the third week of training camp. Prior to the preseason game, he’d had a couple rough days, missing several kicks during a practice in Allen Park before continuing to battle inconsistency during a joint session with the New York Giants.

      But the Lions’ support hasn’t wavered since kicking incumbent Michael Badgley suffered a season-ending injury, leaving Bates as the only kicker on the roster.


      “We told him after the scrimmage the other day, 'Man, we're sticking with you. We're going to give you a chance to grow here. Let's see how you respond,’” Lions coach Dan Campbells said.

      Not every team gives players that kind of leash to work through their struggles, especially a young player at a critical position, but that’s been part of the cultural identity of the Lions under Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes. And while Bates is appreciative of that approach, he understands he can’t rely on it.

      “It feels good knowing the staff wants you here, but it's my job to do well and perform when I need to perform,” he said. “That's what I've been trying to hammer to myself; each day show up, each day be better than I was before, and keep taking stripes so I'm ascending, not plateauing.”


      When Bates has a down day, like he did last week, he leans on his support system. That starts with his friends and family and extends to the relationships he’s cultivated n the building, from Fipp to teammates Scott Daly, Hogan Hatten and Fox, the roster’s other specialists. From there, it boils down to having confidence in his own ability, honing in on and improving upon the mechanics he’s been refining in preparation for this opportunity.

      “It's a lot of hard work and never giving up,” Bates said. “That's all it is. There's always things to improve on, and I feel like I've always did a good job of consistently finding those things, fine tuning what I can do to become a better kicker. That's the main thing is to keep getting better and not giving up whenever the days are rough.”

      The way things are tracking, Bates will have to the end of the month to maintain his recent momentum and prove he deserves the job going into the regular season. That’s the limit of the leash. The 53-man roster needs to be established Aug. 27, and the Lions have shown a willingness to come out of cut day with zero kickers on the roster, opting to shop the waiver wire for a better option.


      Email: jrogers@detroitfootball.net

      X: Justin_Rogers


      "I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
      My friend Ken L

      Comment


      • The Lions announced the signing of quarterback Jake Fromm and linebacker Ty Summers.

        Last edited by edindetroit; August 12, 2024, 03:36 PM.
        "Your division isn't going through Green Bay it's going through Detroit for the next five years" - Rex Ryan

        Comment


        • Sounds like an open competition still at WR3, with Green out of the running



          Comment


          • Gibbs, Arnold, Rakestraw hurt in practice. Good thing season is a few weeks away.
            AAL - Glover Quinn

            Comment


            • Pressers and scrums: Lions still waiting for WR3 emerge; Barry looking slim after health scare

              Justin Rogers
              Aug 13



              Allen Park — The Lions held a night practice Monday, and things are running much later than normal, so we’re going to try and be a bit more concise with today’s edition of P’s and S’s. See what I did there?

              Let’s kick things off with a WR3 discussion, the mystery de jour all camp. Three weeks into this thing and the Lions are still waiting for someone, anyone to grab the brass ring.

              “We’re dying for somebody to step up and say, ‘Hey man, I’m the guy. I’m the guy you can depend on. I’ll be the same consistent player every day and find a way to make the plays that come my way,’” Lions coach Dan Campbell said.


              With fringe contender Antoine Green out of the mix after being waived/injured Monday, the top remaining contenders are Daurice Fountain and Donovan Peoples-Jones, with some others hanging around the outer edges, like Kaden Davis and Tre’Quan Smith.

              Fountain just can’t seem to get out of his own way. He’ll make a series of quality plays, including a deep crosser into the red zone that looked like Josh Reynolds reincarnated within the scheme, only to derail that momentum with a self-inflicted mistake. Today, it was a dropped touchdown in the end zone.

              Peoples-Jones also didn’t do much on Monday, but Campbell praised the veteran’s recent improvement before the practice.

              “DPJ I felt like has been, since the game, much better,” Campbell said. “He’s playing faster and I notice it, we all notice it. So that’s encouraging.”


              ● The Lions have added a couple linebackers to the roster the past two days. I asked Campbell the reason and he noted a number of injury issues at the position. Obviously, rookie Nate Lynn suffered a season-ender in the preseason opener, but Malcolm Rodriguez, Malik Jefferson and DaRon Gilbert are also banged up.


              ● Campbell noted he and special teams coordinator Dave Fipp recently watched tape of every kickoff from the first batch of preseason games trying to extract every morsel of information they could from the new-look play.

              “Every time you see one, you learn something new,” Campbell said. “…A team’s doing this, they’re not doing this, and you learn it on both sides of the ball. I think what it’s going to come down to is what you feel like you’re figuring out a little bit is what is the risk-reward. If you’re a kickoff team and, ultimately, feel like you want to have this advantage, that’s why you’re kicking it into play. Well, if we’re out there battling just so they get it back to the 30 or the 29 (yard line) repetitively, what are we really gaining? You want to feel like, if we’re doing this, we can get them (down) inside the 25 at least.”

              Campbell’s comments highlight the biggest fear with the redesign — teams ultimately deciding there’s no value in kicking off and reverting to sending the majority of kicks into the end zone for touchbacks. With the ball coming out to the 30-yard line now, that would still accomplish one of the league’s goals, to increase starting field position, but the play would continue to be boring and borderline unnecessary.


              ● Loren Strickland is an under-the-radar UDFA safety who has gotten some looks with the second-team defense throughout camp. Campbell was asked what the team has seen so far and the coach offered some strong praise.

              “He’s a football player and he’s one of those guys that he just won’t go away,” Campbell said. “He just won’t go away. It’s like, ‘This guy?’ One more time, ‘Can he make this play?’ Well, he made the play. ‘Can he really get over there?’ Well, he got over there. ‘Well, can he make this tackle?’ Well, he made the tackle. So, he just keeps making plays and that’s a great thing. He’s one of those players that I say it’s hard to ignore him.”

              The Lions have an absolute logjam at safety, with Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph, Ifeatu Melifonwu, Brandon Joseph, special teams standout C.J. Moore and another impressive UDFA, Morice Norris. So it’s difficult to see a roster path for Strickland, but practice squad seems likely after that hefty heaping of praise from the coach.


              ● Barry Sanders was at practice and held a little press conference for reporters in attendance. He didn’t want to answer questions about his health after a heart scare this offseason, but let me say this, the man looks fantastic. I don’t know how much weight he’s lost, but it’s the best I’ve seen the Hall of Fame running back look in years.

              If you watched my ice bath interview with Dan Skipper, you’ll understand why I’m extra inspired by Sanders’ slimming.


              Email: jrogers@detroitfootball.net

              X: Justin_Rogers

              "I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
              My friend Ken L

              Comment



              • Pride of Detroit Direct

                By Jeremy Reisman


                The big news out of Monday’s night training camp practice were the injuries to three important Lions players: first-round pick Terrion Arnold, second-round pick Ennis Rakestraw Jr., and running back Jahmyr Gibbs. In today’s video, we breakdown everything we know about their situations and what we saw from the sidelines.

                But there were a lot of other things to talk about, too. The Lions defense had a strong day overall, but the first-team offense also was great in the red zone. And it was another solid day from Jake Bates.

                Here’s an approximate timestamp for each of our discussions:


                0:25– Injury updates: The discussion of injuries on Arnold, Rakestraw, and Gibbs begins around the 3:10 mark.

                10:00 – Standout performances from OL/DL 1-on-1s

                14:00 – Best performers in 1-on-1 tackling drills

                18:25 – Best plays from 1-on1- WR vs. DB drills

                20:40 – The Lions’ WR3 problem


                24:50 – 11-on-11 play

                29:10 – Nate Sudfeld struggles continue

                32:00 – 7-on-7 and red zone work

                36:20 – Strong day from Jake Bates

                40:20 – Strong battle between offense/defense in final situational drill


                Enjoy the video, thank you for your support, and we’ll see you all on Wednesday:



                "I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
                My friend Ken L

                Comment


                • Just waiting to see the extent of the injuries...

                  Dammit. This is why we can't have nice things.
                  I feel like I am watching the destruction of our democracy while my neighbors and friends cheer it on

                  Comment


                  • If there's a positive..we are still a few weeks out from week 1. Hope none of these injuries are serious.
                    Got Kneecaps?

                    Comment


                    • Originally posted by Coop View Post
                      If there's a positive..we are still a few weeks out from week 1. Hope none of these injuries are serious.
                      I think it would have been noted if any injury was serious.
                      GO LIONS "24" !!

                      Comment


                      • Rare athleticism for position gives Hogan Hatten shot to win Lions' long snapper job

                        Justin Rogers
                        Aug 13



                        Allen Park — When I asked Hogan Hatten if he had a few minutes to talk after Sunday’s practice, the Detroit Lions rookie was caught off guard. That’s understandable. Most fans and media members don’t spend much time thinking about the long snapper position.

                        I’ve long joked the position merits one story per year, but in 2023, I squeezed out two for the Detroit News. The first was on Scott Daly meeting the challenges put forth by the team’s coaching staff, while another covered Jake McQuaide providing a top-tier fallback option when Daly suffered a season-ending knee injury.

                        Both Daly and McQuaide have been great to work with, it’s simply reality the only time people typically talk about their position is when something goes jarringly wrong — a low snap causing a missed field goal or one that sails over the punter’s head. Otherwise, respectfully, they’re background figures on Sundays, lost in the sea of runs, passes, tackles and turnovers.

                        2024 Detroit Lions training camp_1.jpg

                        Daly returns as an incumbent for the second consecutive offseason. Around these parts, he’s best known for being the man to unseat the legendary Don Muhlbach for the job in 2021. And, as mentioned with the article from last offseason, the Lions have been pleased with the job Daly has done. That said, the team tries to bring in competition for nearly every roster spot and Hatten is more intriguing than most.

                        It starts with his athleticism, rooted in genetics. He’s the son of two former basketball players. His mom played Division-I, his dad overseas. His uncle even briefly played in the NBA for the Clippers.

                        This football thing is a relatively new offshoot for the family. And it’s not just Hogan. His identical twin brother, Hayden, is currently on the Seahawks training camp roster as a receiver.



                        But sticking with Hogan, if you’re familiar with Kent Lee Platte’s Relative Athletic Score, RAS for short, it compares the athletic traits of college prospects based on their measurements recorded during the scouting combine and pro days. On a scale of 10, Hatten scored a 9.89 as a long snapper.

                        That makes him a unique weapon on special teams. Not only is he able to snap the ball on punts, he’s able to contribute in coverage of the kick.

                        “That’s a real competition,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “One of the reasons we wanted to bring Hogan in was, he was intriguing in his coverage ability. He did play linebacker in college, so he runs pretty good, and he kind of has an awareness on the football. You saw he played some defensive snaps for us, a couple. We needed him in there with where we were at at linebacker to finish the game out. So, that’s what he’s got.”


                        That ability showed up in the preseason opener, when Hatten was in on the tackle the first punt of the game, and he slowed up the returner a couple punts later, allowing his teammates to rally to the ball.

                        “That is something I know is a big advantage for me, knowing I can help out in the coverage aspect,” Hatten said. “I know I'm going to be one of the more athletic long snappers in this league, especially my straight speed. And I still weigh 245 pounds, so I can hold my own (against blockers).”


                        Like many long snappers, playing the position wasn’t Hatten’s dream. He was recruited as a three-star linebacker and hid his long-snapping ability from prospective colleges. But when Idaho’s starting long snapper struggled in the season opener against Penn State during Hatten’s freshman year, sending the coaching staff scrambling for an alternative, he realized it offered the quickest path to playing time. He went on to do it the next 53 games.

                        “I just did that so I can get on the plane,” Hatten said.



                        He readily admits he didn’t take snapping seriously until 11 months ago. That’s when he realized, just like the skill was his path to early playing time for the Vandals, it was also his best chance to play professionally. For the first time, he went to a camp dedicated to long snapping, determined to learn the ins and outs of the position, particularly the nuances at blocking. That, along with his impressive athletic profile, earned him this opportunity in Detroit.

                        On Thursday night, I spotted Hatten’s family in the stands of MetLife stadium, each wearing his No. 49 jersey. It’s an underrated aspect of the preseason; seeing families celebrating their child realizing a dream, even if it never gets beyond the preseason games. For the Hattens, they got to do it twice, flying to Los Angeles for Hayden’s preseason debut two days later.

                        Detroit Lions Hogan Hatten pre-season debut.jpg

                        It’s fitting support from parents who never missed a single one of the twins 50-plus games at Idaho, traveling there and to road games across the country from their home in Arizona.

                        “The thing I'll say about my parents, I have some of the best, most-caring parents in the entire world,” Hatten said. “They've pushed me and my brother to get here. …I really appreciate the work ethic and drive they have and it kind of inspired me and my brother to put our best foot forward to chase our dreams.”



                        Campbell said the next step for Hatten is to prove he can handle the big moments, executing a snap under pressure, in front of bigger crowds and with higher stakes than he experienced playing at Idaho.

                        And Hatten understands the only thing he can control is his own execution. He’s not wasting any energy comparing himself to Daly. That’s the job of the team’s decision-makers.

                        “At the end of the day, I'm just trying to get better,” Hatten said. “I'm not really concerned with the competition aspect. It's a me battle and I know Scott feels the same way. We're both just trying to do the best we can and we're trying to prove something to ourselves.

                        “At the end of the day, there's only 32 bones in this world and a whole lot of dogs.”


                        Email: jrogers@detroitfootball.net

                        X: Justin_Rogers

                        "I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
                        My friend Ken L

                        Comment


                        • Man there are so many injuries this preseason. Still going to be a great year!!
                          <a href="https://detroitoutfit.com/ ">Detroit Outfit</a>

                          Comment


                          • 3....2....1....
                            I feel like I am watching the destruction of our democracy while my neighbors and friends cheer it on

                            Comment


                            • Finally! (from detroitlions.com)

                              “After playing both defensive end and SAM linebacker, the Lions are going to move James Houston permanently to defensive end so he can focus on rushing the passer and setting the edge.​“

                              Comment


                              • So he's going to get 5-10 snaps a game if he is active at all

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