Lions News

[whatever_gong82]

The Texans game revealed the Lions’ true strength—and weakness

Pride of Detroit Direct

By Ty Schalter, exclusively for Pride of Detroit Direct


The Lions’ tremendous comeback win against the Houston Texans exposed their greatest weakness, the one thing that could prevent them from turning a season where they were the best team in the NFL into a season where they win the Super Bowl.

No, not Jared Goff. He threw five picks, and they won anyway. Not the lack of edge defenders; Detroit’s defense balled out against one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the league while the acquisition meant to help them get back to that, Za’Darius Smith, chilled on the sidelines.


No, the Lions’ greatest advantage—and, therefore, the thing they miss the most when they don’t have it—is their offensive line.

As I wrote here two weeks ago, the Lions’ outstanding run game, almost perfectly balanced run/pass playcalling (currently 51.1 percent run/48.9 percent pass) and NFL-highest play-action rate (36.9 percent, 5.4 percent ahead of No. 2) have been the foundation of their success throwing the ball. Besides the adjustments defenses have to make for the presence of a strong run game, the Lions’ EPA per pass has been +0.00 (10th) on snaps with no play action, and +0.32 (fourth) with a play fake.


The Lions finished 2023 as No. 1 in FTN Fantasy’s Adjusted Line Yards; ALY is a metric that assumes short runs are mostly the line’s fault, long runs are the running backs’ fault, and medium runs somewhere in between. So far this year, Detroit is No. 1 again. NFL Pro gives us more granular data on that, though, and it backs ALY up: Detroit’s got the fourth-lowest stuffed-run rate, and eighth-highest success rate, along with their running backs averaging the fifth-most yards before contact per carry (1.96). PFF grades them fourth in run blocking, and ESPN has them sixth in run-blocking win rate.

Consistently winning up front, and backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs consistently taking advantage of it, means the Lions’ offense has a consistently high floor. Even with Goff literally throwing multiple possessions away, the Lions were still able to get to 26 points. The final two drives, setting up the game-tying and game-winning field goals, consisted of 11 runs and just three pass attempts.


However.

The surprise loss of Taylor Decker to a late-week practice injury hurt them badly against a Texans defense that excels at doing everything Jared Goff struggles to deal with. PFF gave poor pass-block grades to Penei Sewell (53.6), Graham Glasgow (48.1), and backup tackle Dan Skipper (39.5), and PFF charted the line as allowing four hits and four hurries on 33 pass-block reps.


As a result, per NFL Pro, Goff was pressured on 38.7 percent of his throws—and though he avoided taking a sack, on those pressured snaps he went 3-for-12 for just 37 yards, no touchdowns, and two picks. His pressured completion percentage over expected was a shocking -26.8 percent, lowest in the NFL for Week 10. So basically, even given the situations on those 12 plays, you’d expect an average NFL starter in Goff’s shoes to have completed six or seven of those.

That jibes with the eye test: Goff looked shaken, especially after the strip-sack, and didn’t seem to trust his protection or his receivers. He turfed passes so frequently it was hard to figure out when, or if, it was intentional. These are classic signs of the ‘Bad Goff’ taking over, and exactly what you don’t want to see if you’re a Lions fan.


That said, Detroit’s offensive line hasn’t been quite as good as expected (or advertised) at protecting Goff this year. Their team pass-block win rate is 64 percent, ninth in the league. PFF ranks them 15th–and, as Ben Baldwin pointed out on X, their “true pass set” grade is a 16th-best 58/100 (PFF’s “true pass set” mark excludes plays with less than 4 rushers, play action, screens, short dropbacks and time-to-throws under 2 seconds). Baldwin added a little mock-whispered aside that he thinks the Lions’ line has been a little overrated.

But drill down into those true-pass-set numbers, and you’ll see the Lions tackles are averaging a 65 grade, the centers 62, and then guards…45. Drill down even further, and you’ll see it’s not the new guy’s fault.


Kevin Zeitler’s got a 71.3 overall pass-blocking grade, and 67.2 in true pass sets. Those marks are a respectable 25th and 21st in the league; when you add the run blocking back in Zeitler’s the sixth-highest graded guard in the business.

Graham Glasgow’s pass-blocking grade, though, is at 60.0 overall and a miserable 28.2 in true pass sets. Kayode Awoskia’s numbers are just as rough, 57.8 and 34.5. And on Sunday night, putting Skipper next to Glasgow made Goff’s blindside a turnstile. Glasgow and Skipper’s true-pass-set grades were an eye-watering 21.2 and 26.9, respectively. All three of the pressures allowed on true pass sets were credited to Glasgow or Skipper.


Coming into the week, 38.4 percent of the Lions’ pass plays had been charted as true pass sets. That ratio didn’t change on Sunday; 12 of the Lions’ 33 pass plays were counted as true pass sets. But offensive coordinator Ben Johnson did make other adjustments: He got Goff rolling to his right, away from the pressure, and he called 20 runs against 13 passes in the second half—more than reversing the first half’s 12/20 run/pass ratio.

The good news is that Glasgow and Skipper did fine in the run game, posting 57.9 and 65.1 run-blocking grades. They weren’t up there with Zeitler, Ragnow, and Sewell, who were all 90-plus, but they did enough to keep Detroit doing what they do against a really tough defense. That’s the floor, the foundation, the rock this offense is built on—and the reason the Lions are going to be favored in nearly every (if not every) game they play the rest of the season.


And ‘Bad Goff’ is not coming back. The Texans’ league-high pressure rate, moderate blitz rate and heavy use of zone coverage made them lab-built to make Goff struggle, and losing Decker with almost no practice reps left in the week made it very difficult to adjust for. Further, Goff’s horrible under-pressure stats on Sunday don’t look anything like what they do for the rest of the season.

In fact, Goff is No. 1 in yards per attempt, No. 2 in completion rate, fifth in CPOE, and ninth in EPA per dropback when pressured this year—Texans game included.


So another week or two of Skipper in the soft part of the Lions’ schedule won’t cause a long-term problem, and it doesn’t say anything bad about Goff (who tried very hard not to say out loud after the game that at least a couple of those picks were on his receivers, not him).

But the surprise loss of Decker in a critical moment does underscore just how crucial the line has been so far this year, and remind Lions-watchers how inconsistent the offense could be last season, when injuries all over the line forced them to shuffle through nine different starting-five combinations.


If Ragnow, Zeitler, or Sewell went down for any significant length of time—or even just missed one must-win game—it would to what it did on Sunday: put a lot more pressure on Goff, the defense, and the special teams to play at an elite level.

And as the Lions continue to secure their future by locking up their best young players to long-term deals, figuring out what the future of the interior line looks like should be very, very high on their to-do list.

 

[whatever_gong82]

Where Detroit Lions' offense is thriving and could stand to improve at 2024 season's midpoint

Justin Rogers
Nov 14


Allen Park — We’ve reached the midpoint of the 2024 regular season. Well, technically, the midpoint was halftime of last weekend’s game, but it’s hardly our fault the NFL plays an awkward 17-game schedule.

When I polled the audience this week on how they wanted the Detroit Football Network to acknowledge the landmark, proposing some of sports journalism's greatest hits such as grades or awards, there was some resistance to both concepts. Some readers pitched creative variants and alternatives.


Lacking a consensus, I threw several of those ideas in a blender and generated the format below: A position-by-position review that includes key metrics, where things are better since last season, and areas for improvement. Oh, and I tacked on grades because old habits die hard.


Is it perfect? Probably not. Do we have a year to come up with something better? You bet.


Quarterback


Key stat: 104.4 passer rating overall, 124.4 when running play-action


Jared Goff was in the midst of a historically efficient season before the Houston Texans upended his red-hot run with five interceptions last Sunday. Still, despite that hiccup, the reigning NFC Player of the Month has been everything the Lions have needed him to be in 2024.



Even with the struggles last weekend, Goff is on pace to finish with the best completion percentage and passer rating of his career. And while he’d prefer to not need another, his three fourth-quarter comebacks and three game-winning drives are both one shy of his previous bests in a season.

There’s a reason fans can’t stop chanting his name.


Improvement from 2023: Accuracy


Area for improvement: Going by the eye test, Goff’s deep ball has steadily improved during his time in Detroit. Still, only 45.5% of those attempts 20 yards or more beyond the line of scrimmage have been on target this year, which is middle of the pack and would be better.


Grade: A- (Sorry, the career-worst interception 3.7% was too much to overlook)


Running back


Key stat: 1,326 rushing yards, 4.7 yards per carry


Led by the dynamic duo of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, the Lions are on pace for their most rushing yards in a season since 1981 and best yards per carry since 1997.


After posting incredible production during their first season together in 2023, the tandem is somehow on pace to exceed it, tracking toward topping 3,000 yard per scrimmage this year.


Improvement from 2023: I’ll hit you with two. First, Gibbs has tapped more into his explosivity. After logging 27 carries of 10 or more yards last season, he’s already at 21 in 2024.

The pair have also been far more productive as pass-catching options, already nearing 90% of their combined receiving yardage from a year ago.


Area for improvement: Gibbs' pass blocking is rough. He’s allowed seven pressures the 25 times he’s been asked to stay in and protect Goff.


Grade: A


Wide receiver


Key stat(s): 2.0% drop rate


It was far from an overhaul, but no group on the offense has changed more since last season than the receiving corps. Amon-Ra St. Brown is the constant as the No. 1 target, while Jameson Williams has stepped into the No. 2 spot previously held by Josh Reynolds, with newcomer Tim Patrick rounding out the starting group.

Because the Lions have leaned so heavily on the ground game this season, St. Brown’s production has dipped significantly. He’s still efficient, with a career-best 70.1% success rate with his targets, but the wideout is tracking toward finishing with fewer than 1,000 yards after topping 1,500 as an All-Pro last year.


Williams, meanwhile, has experienced a breakout despite his recent two-game suspension. He could end up cracking 1,000 yards from scrimmage with another big game or two down the stretch.

Patrick’s production has been modest, but efficient. He’s caught 12 of the 15 throws his direction, plus he’s a willing blocker, which is critical in Detroit’s scheme.



Improvement from 2023: The Lions were one of the worst teams in the NFL with drops a year ago. They're now among the best.


Area for improvement: For a group that takes such pride in the skill, the run blocking could be more consistent. It’s slipped a bit since last year, particularly, and unexpectedly, with St. Brown.


Grade: B+


Tight end


Key stat: 22.2% per game decline in Sam LaPorta’s production


St. Brown isn’t the only player taking a hit from the increased reliance on the running backs. LaPorta, the second-year player out of Iowa who reset the franchise record books at his position as a rookie, hasn’t come close to repeating last season’s production.

That said, the underlying metrics are really good. He’s still running routes at the same rate — as opposed to being asked to block more on passing plays — he’s catching a higher percentage of the throws his direction, has a better success rate than 2023 on those targets, and is averaging 41.7% more yards per catch.


LaPorta was likely slowed by a hamstring strain early in the season, and he’s unfortunately dealing with a new injury (shoulder) coming off his best game of the season.

There’s not a lot to say about the rest of the group. Brock Wright continues to be the same player — focused more on blocking than receiving — and the team swapped out its No. 3 option a couple weeks back, dumping Parker Hesse in favor of Shane Zylstra.



Improvement from 2023: It’s unquestionably the efficiency with the limited targets. As far as Wright, he’s made modest gains as a pass protector.


Area for improvement: As it has been the past few seasons, there’s room for growth with the group’s run blocking. That was on full display against Houston last Sunday, where the collective struggled, resulting in a season-low yards per carry for the backs.


Grade: B


Offensive line


Key stat: 2.8 yards before contact, up 12% from last season


An offensive line is only as good as its weakest link, so there was understandable concern when the Lions were outbid for Jonah Jackson in free agency, losing the longtime starting guard to the Rams. But they found a hell of a stopgap replacement in Kevin Zeitler, a 2023 Pro Bowler.

After that signing, coach Dan Campbell suggested the group might be better this season and last, which has come to fruition. While there are all kinds of metrics available to evaluate the unit, it's difficult to argue the Lions aren’t among the league’s best, with Pro Football Focus ranking them No. 1 this week.


The group is unique in that they can block any style required. That’s allowed the team to shift to a more zone-heavy run scheme in 2024, helping maximize the talent of the team's running backs.

In terms of pass protection, the line has been good, not great, but there are some challenges that come with keeping the rush off one of the league’s least mobile quarterbacks. Detroit is allowing pressure on 23.3% of passing plays, which is bottom half of the league and up slightly from a year ago.


Improvement from 2023: Run blocking.


Area for improvement: The left side could certainly be better. Guard Graham Glasgow has been the group’s least consistent player in his second year back with the team. Meanwhile, blindside tackle Taylor Decker, who missed the last game with a shoulder injury, has given up six sacks, putting him on pace for a career-worst.


Grade: A-


Specialists


Key stat(s): 46.0 net punting average, 14/14 on field goals


Coordinator Dave Fipp’s groups have been remarkable this season, ranking near the top of the league in almost every meaningful category. Jack Fox remains on pace to have one of, if not the greatest net punting season of all time. His big leg has been working in conjunction with a stellar coverage group led by gunners Khalil Dorsey and Kindle Vildor.


But the true surprise has been the consistency of the kicking operation, which has a rookie long snapper and an inexperienced kicker in Jake Bates. You wouldn’t know it given the group remains perfect on field goals this year, including a 52- and 58-yarder in the closing minutes against Houston to seal the come-from-behind victory.

To top it off, the Lions are also top-five in kickoff and punt return average.


Improvement from 2023: All of it.


Area for improvement: Even on his record-breaking pace, Fox’s touchback percentage is a career-worst. If he could keep the ball out of the end zone more often, he might blow the net-punting mark out of the water.


Grade: A


Coaching

Passing up head coaching opportunities this offseason, Ben Johnson has Detroit’s offense humming again. Yes, there have been some duds, including a rough day in the red zone against Tampa Bay and the turnover-fest against Houston, but the unit is a little bit better in almost every way.


Improvement from 2023: Rushing production, up. Passing efficiency, up. Third down conversion percentage, up. Yards per play, up. Scoring, up.


Area for improvement: Well, Johnson could always scheme up a way for Penei Sewell to throw a pass. Sorry, I’m not giving up on the idea. Practically, the coordinator will tell you he’d like to trim the three-and-outs, which are happening nearly once every five possessions.


Grade: A


Email: jrogers@detroitfootball.net

X: Justin_Rogers

[whatever_gong82]

Coordinator recap: Fipp rants on PFF, Jamo and Houston draw praise and Bates' game-day demeanor

Justin Rogers
Nov 14



Allen Park — Here are the greatest hits from Thursday’s media sessions with the Detroit Lions’ three coordinators.


PFF? More like pffft


I asked special teams coordinator Dave Fipp a fairly generic question about what he’s most proud of from his groups after the first half of the season and where they need to tighten up down the stretch. I was not prepared for the 1,100-word answer that deviated pretty far from the original topic, splintering into an epic rant against DVOA and Pro Football Focus grades. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't love it for the response for its passion and authenticity.

Fipp has a tendency to give at least one lengthy answer weekly and he knows it, acknowledging he was about to filibuster his media session in the early stages of his response to my question.


I’m not posting the entire answer, because no one has time for that, but I do want to share a comedic portion about PFF.


“Well, here’s two stories for you on PFF,” Fipp said. “Number one is I get on a plane, I think I was going to the combine. This is years ago, and when I sit down, this guy sitting next to me says, ‘Hey, are you a coach for…?‘ — I think I was with Philly at the time. I’m like, ‘Yeah,’ And he’s like, ‘Ah, I’m a grader of PFF.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, OK.’

“He was a young guy, I’m like, ‘Tell me about yourself,’” Fipp said. “The guy had never coached football, never played football and he’s grading our players on who played good and who played bad. So, I’m like, ‘Wow.’


To be fair, this feels like a fairly common point made in locker rooms, but Fipp's story gets better with the second anecdote.

“The next thing on that is we play a game at the Giants and the special teams coach at the time, or assistant there at the time (who) was a good friend of mine, he came up to me before the game and he said, ‘Hey man, just so you know, this player…‘ — I can’t say his name, he’s actually in the media nowadays — but he said, ‘This player, he’s the best rated frontline blocker on kickoff return in the National Football League.’ And I was like, ‘Who said that?’ And he was like, ‘PFF.’


“I was like, ‘PFF?’” Fipp continued. “I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ I’m like, ‘Number one, this guy’s like the worst blocker on our team.’ But number two, we put him on these matchups on the backside of the return every week where he’s blocking basically a guy that doesn’t need to be blocked, but we kind of have to block him, just in case. So he wins the matchup, he got a good PFF grade, and he’s really the worst player on our team at his job description, but he’s really the best with PFF.”

I have a guess on the player, based on some quick research, but it feels like a bad idea to share that speculation. I will say, if I’m right, it honestly makes the entire story more humorous.


Jamo responds to sideline challenge


Jameson Williams has drawn praise from his teammates and coaches for his performance against the Texans. The speedy receiver didn’t put a huge stat line in the win, but he came up with timely, chain-moving grabs that carried an unusually high degree of difficulty.

“We absolutely needed him,” offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said. “The one third down early in the game was — (QB) Jared (Goff) said he put it behind him just a little bit and he was able to come down with that ball and extend that drive.


“And then, in the fourth quarter there, you saw the one where — I don’t know if I’ve seen him make that catch even in practice over the last two-and-a-half years,” Johnson said, referring to the grab over the middle where Williams absorbed two big hits and held on to the ball. “That was certainly encouraging to see. He’s really coming on and showing up.”

Earlier in the second half, prior to the tough grab across the middle, Williams had been the target on an intercepted deep throw. Johnson confirmed the receiver took a poor angle on his route, which was the primary factor in the turnover, leading to the coach challenging the player on the sideline to make up for the miscue.


“He came to me and was like, ‘Hey was my angle right?’” Johnson revealed. “I was like ‘No, it wasn’t right, it’s not what we had talked about. But the ball’s going to come to you in the fourth quarter here and we need you to make a play.’ And he responded to that call just like that. I think that happens within practice, it happens in the meeting room, and it certainly happened on game day last week for us.”

“…Our margin for error had gone down, so he needed to make that play for us at that time and he did. The level of confidence in him and his hands and his (attention to) detail continues to rise.”


Houston draws praise


I’m sure the Lions would reject the terminology, but defensive end James Houston has been in the doghouse for what has felt like two years. And he probably would have stayed there had the positional depth chart not been decimated early in the season.


But injuries create opportunities, and Houston is starting to capitalize on his, logging a little more than 20 defensive snaps in the past three games. His performance against the Texans on Sunday was notable because he recorded his first sack since his rookie year, but it was the improvement with the details of his position that caught the coaching staff’s eye.

“I don’t want to say (he’s) turned the corner, but I will say that you saw the improvement and I think he got the message of what the expectations of him needs to be, and that has to be on a week-to-week basis,” defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said. Again, like I said, the pass rush, I knew that was going to be there. The way he played the run in this game, that’s what I was excited about for that player because now it’s just going to give him the confidence to go out and do all the things that we know he can do at a better rate.”


Houston was electric as a rookie in 2022, recording 8.0 sacks in seven games after a midseason promotion off the practice squad. But the following offseason, he spent training camp repping with the third-team defense before suffering a broken ankle in Week 2 that put him on the shelf until the postseason.

This year, it was much of the same, with his positioning on the depth chart leading to some outsiders, myself among them, speculating Houston might get cut coming out of camp. Instead, he squeaked onto the roster, only to spend three of the first five games as a healthy scratch.




A ways away


Second-year defensive tackle Brodric Martin is nearing the expiration of his practice acclimation window as he works his way back from a training camp injury. Before going down, you could see the young player’s improvement. So after having him back for two weeks, I asked how much has Martin been able to pick up where he left off.

What I gathered is this was a pretty significant setback for the young lineman’s development.


“That’s a tough situation for any player, especially at that position, because of the physical nature of that position,” Glenn said. “He’s a big man with long arms, something we require here to play that position, but being able to go through the physical task of doing those things on a day-to-day basis is something that he’s got to get back to, and I would never put a guy out there that hasn’t had a chance to practice and feel that.

“…So those are things that we have to see with him as he goes through this process,” Glenn said. “Listen, we all know what type of player he is, and we knew where he had to improve to be a part of what we’re trying to do. We hate the fact that it happened because we did think that he was improving, so that clock just has to start right back over with him, and it starts with him going out there in practice.”


Trading compliments


Johnson said the offense’s first-half performance in Houston was among the worst stretch of football the unit has played since he’s been the coordinator. But it allowed the coach to praise the defense for bailing his group out.

“It’s year 13 (of my career), I say this all the time, best defense I’ve ever been around,” Johnson said. “It is a comforting thought knowing that we are putting them in some tough spots at times and they’re just powering through. They don’t blink an eye. Turnover, poor field position, a three-and-out by us, they go out there they just get us the ball right back right away. It’s a very comforting thought and the challenge for us as an offense right now is to pull our weight because we feel like those two other units are doing it on their side of the ball right now.”


Interestingly, Glenn used his opening comments on Thursday to highlight Jared Goff’s moxie before talking about his own guys.

“There’re a number of guys that stand out in that game, but the one guy that stood out more to me than anybody, and this is going to sound a little funny with me saying this, is our quarterback,” Glenn said. “For him to go through what he did, and to be able to take this team under his wing and drive the ball and score the touchdown that we needed, and make the critical plays that we needed to give us a chance to win that game, was outstanding. He didn’t blink and that’s the one thing that showed up more than anything is the leadership — the toughness, the ability to take a team on his back and go win a game was outstanding to see.”


Game day loner


Nothing about Jake Bates having ice water running through his veins in the closing minutes of the Houston contest surprised Fipp. The coach sees the kicker’s laser focus daily and shared a story about how he's come to appreciate it.


“Everybody’s got a different stroke, everybody’s got a different technique or way of going about it,” Fipp said. “I am definitely less is more with that position, in general. …So we’re going in the preseason. I’m getting to know him and we’re in the middle of a preseason game and I go up to him to say something, and man, you could tell he wanted no part of nothing at that moment. He was so locked in and focused.

“Then I kind of watched him more in his pregame,” Fipp said. “I mean, he doesn’t talk to anybody. He stays locked in. He’s obviously focusing. You’d have to ask him on whatever he does and he’s got his way about it. But the truth is, for me, on game day I stay away from him. I watch him in the warmups if there’re any pointers to give at that time, just very subtle things that I think might help, and then I say it. If not, I let him go, I stay working on other guys around him, but the rest of it’s on him.”

Thanks for reading Detroit Football Network! This post is public so feel free to share it.




Email: jrogers@detroitfootball.net

X: Justin_Rogers

[-Deborah-]

New addition to the injury list. Ugh.

image.png

[whatever_gong82]

https://x.com/insidetheNFL/status/1857163259196875030?t=x6tPX1ereyIcDipdvkZR8g&s=19

[El Axe]

New addition to the injury list. Ugh.

image.png

Yeah, CD would be a tough loss. Nice to see Moseley in full practice at least, I wonder if he's close.

Might be a good week to give Rakestraw some more reps and maybe give CD a little break.

[DanO]

LaPorta needs to sit. Let him get better. We need him for the rest of the year. I have faith in Wright and Zylstra

[whatever_gong82]

Midseason review: Where Detroit Lions' defense is thriving and can still improve

Justin Rogers
Nov 15



On Thursday, we launched our two-part midseason review with a look at the Detroit Lions’ offense. Today, we conclude the series with an exploration of the defense.


Edge

Key stat: 36 pressures, 3.0 sacks since Aidan Hutchinson’s injury


Detroit had a vision for the defensive end position this season, and in the brief window we got to see it in action, it looked pretty damn good. Hutchinson was on an early path to Defensive Player of the Year consideration, racking up sacks and pressure at an absurd rate, while Marcus Davenport was crushing pockets the way coordinator Aaron Glenn desired.

But Davenport’s longstanding durability issues reared their ugly head early in the campaign, and Hutchinson caught the injury bug for the first time in his pro career, suffering a broken leg in Week 4.


Since those two went down, it’s been tough sledding. The pass-rush production has predictably plummeted, and the run defense has also suffered, as the Lions have rotated in a couple practice squad players trying to put a band-aid over the gaping wound.

The good news? Josh Paschal looks like he’s rounding the corner into a quality contributor, and reinforcements have arrived with the trade-deadline acquisition of accomplished veteran Za’Darius Smith. The depth remains a little shaky, but that’s a starting group you can live with.


Improvement from 2023: Hutchinson had clearly taken another step toward superstardom before his injury. Unfortunately, it won’t matter the rest of this season, unless he’s able to write the storybook ending of coming back for a Super Bowl appearance.

But Paschal’s development shouldn’t be ignored. He was at or below replacement level his first two seasons, but he’s embraced his physicality in his third season and it's showing up in the run game and with his ability to condense the pocket when the quarterback drops to pass.


Area for improvement: Last week’s game in Houston was a rebound performance for the run defense, but the team still needs to generate more pressure off the edge. Smith isn’t Hutchinson, but he can definitely add some much-needed juice.


Grade: B (carried by Hutchinson’s Herculean efforts the first five games)


Defensive tackle


Key stat: Alim McNeill’s pace after nine games: 59 QB pressures, 6.5 sacks


Detroit similarly had a vision for the interior of its defensive line, but that’s come closer to matching reality.


McNeill has taken another step forward with his performance, particularly his ability to affect the quarterback. Meanwhile, fellow 2021 draft pick, Levi Onwuzurike, has been one of the best stories on the roster, not just because he’s finally healthy, but because he’s producing at a level no one could have imagined with 27 QB pressures. Finally, DJ Reader, a top addition through free agency, has been solid with absorbing double teams coming off last year’s torn quad. That's helped create more opportunities for his teammates.


The Lions could use a little more juice further down the depth chart. Rookie Mekhi Wingo plays with effort, but the adjustment to the level of competition is ongoing for the undersized lineman. Meanwhile, the contributions of veterans Kyle Peko and Pat O’Connor to round out the rotation have been replacement-level, at best, although the latter is trending up with a sack and TFL in the last game.

It would be nice if the team could squeeze anything out of Brodric Martin in his second season. He’s nearing a return from a hyperextended knee that’s sidelined him since training camp.


Improvement from 2023: McNeill and Onwuzurike have pushed the team's interior pass-rush production to another level.


Area for improvement: The Lions could use more reliability from its depth to take some of the load off the starters. McNeill and Onwuzurike have each been asked to play more than 400 defensive snaps through nine games.


Grade: A-


Linebacker


Key stat: 18 missed tackles


The best way to describe Detroit’s linebacking corps is they’ve been sound. For the first time in three seasons, someone other than Alex Anzalone is on pace to lead the team in tackles. It’s not particularly close at the halfway point as Jack Campbell has 18 more stops through nine games.


What you like to see is the overall capitalization on opportunities. The collective is on pace to miss 22% fewer tackles in 2024. They’ve also combined for 14 tackles behind the line of scrimmage after 17 a year ago.

The season-ending loss of Derrick Barnes was a devastating blow. He wasn't racking up gaudy stats, but his versatility and execution were on another level this year. The silver lining is the injury has opened the door for Malcolm Rodriguez and Trevor Nowaske to earn expanded roles and both have performed well in their opportunities.


Improvement from 2023: The missed tackles are key, especially when you consider the group is on pace for 22% more stops this season. That's a Pro Football Focus metric that constitutes causing a defensive failure.


Area for improvement: The group’s success rate when blitzing is sharply down in 2024. Anzalone racked up 30 QB pressures on 104 blitzes last year, but just six on 44 rushes in 2024. Also, we’re still waiting for Campbell to take a step forward in zone coverage. His awareness isn’t matching his more than 1,200 snaps of experience between the regular season and playoff playing time.


Grade: B+


Cornerback


Key stat: 62.3% completion percentage against


It’s difficult to overstate how big of a problem Detroit’s cornerback play was last season. But that statement does require clarity. Rookie nickel Brian Branch was excellent. The primary issue was the play of the outside options.

That led to the much-discussed offseason overhaul of the position group, headlined by a trade for Carlton Davis, the signing of Amik Robertson in free agency, and the selections of Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw in the first two rounds of the draft.


Stylistically, the man-to-man prowess of the newcomers has allowed Glenn to lean into his schematic preferences. Davis, in particular, has been a godsend. After a slow start, he’s been outstanding in recent weeks, culminating in his two-interception performance against Houston last weekend. Going back to Week 4, he’s allowed just 50% of the passes thrown his direction to be completed.


Arnold earned the starting spot opposite the veteran and has predictably battled rookie inconsistency. There have been flashes of potential, paired with unshakable confidence, but he's dealt with standard struggles related to the enhanced speed of the pro game.

Robertson, meanwhile, took over the nickel job after Branch moved to safety. The veteran isn’t nearly as dynamic in the slot, but is aggressive and effective against the run, and he's gotten his hands on a few throws.


Improvement from 2023: Not only has the coverage been stickier, but the group, led by Davis, has been better in run support than the 2023 collective.


Area for improvement: Playing a heavy dose of man coverage tends to lead to more penalties, but Arnold leads NFL defenders in flags drawn, while Davis is tied for the second most.


Grade: B


Safety


Key stat: 10 interceptions

It’s not hyperbolic to suggest Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph have been the NFL’s two best at their position. Joseph, with his outstanding range, instincts and hands, is a threat to intercept any ball in his vicinity. After snagging four picks each of his first two seasons, he’s already set a career-high and is tied for the league lead with six takeaways.

Branch is more of a do-everything playmaker with otherworldly read-and-react ability. In the same game, he’ll shoot a gap to drop a running back for a loss, break up a pass in man-to-man coverage, and disguise his intent in zone, baiting the quarterback into an interception.


The unique thing about the tandem is even though Joseph is clearly at his best patrolling center field and Branch thrives in the box, the two can seamlessly switch roles, adding an underappreciated layer of stress to a quarterback trying to get a read on the defense’s intent pre- and post-snap.


Improvement from 2023: Granting Branch an every-down role that allows him to move around the defense has unlocked the playmaking potential of Detroit’s defense. Additionally, Joseph has made under-the-radar strides as a tackler and reduced his risk-taking.


Area for improvement: No notes.


Grade: A+


Coaching


Essentially running a daycare (along with on-field assistant Alex Anzlaone) his first year on the job, Glenn’s group took a thrashing in 2021, allowing the second-most points in the league. Improvement was slow and steady the next two seasons, but all that time invested into developing young talent, paired with some key veteran additions (Davis, Robertson, Reader) has Detroit’s defense performing at its highest levels since 2014.

It’s even more impressive when you consider the team has lost so much this season, including the heartbeat of the pass rush in Hutchinson and one of the defense's most versatile pieces in Barnes.

Through nine games, the team is allowing a paltry 19.0 points per game, is No. 1 on third down, No. 1 against the pass, and top-five in turnover generation and red-zone defense. Glenn has put himself firmly in contention to earn a head coaching job this offseason with this stellar performance.


Improvement from 2023: Almost everywhere, but the improvements against the pass, especially the takeaways, stands out above the rest.


Area for improvement: Despite bringing on a defensive line coach who specializes in stopping the run, the run defense has taken a step back in 2024.


After finishing near the top of the league last season, allowing 3.7 yards per carry, the Lions are currently middle of the pack, surrendering 4.4 yards per pop. Injuries to Hutchinson, Barnes and Davenport have been a big part of the problem, but it’s something where the unit needs to adjust and overcome down the stretch.


Grade: A


Email: jrogers@detroitfootball.net

X: Justin_Rogers

[whatever_gong82]

6 thoughts to end the week: Why Lions and Jags hit diverging paths and what if Jacksonville drafted Hutchinson?


Justin Rogers
Nov 15, 2024


Allen Park — Here are six thoughts to end the week as the Detroit Lions prepare to play the Jacksonville Jaguars.


Fork in the road


The last time the Lions played the Jaguars, there was a reasonable perception the franchises were on parallel tracks. Obviously, neither team had turned a corner at that time, but there were signs.


The Jaguars came into the matchup at 4-7, but had won two of three, rallying past the Baltimore Ravens the previous week. The Lions were also showing signs of life after a 1-6 start to their campaign, winning three in a row before dropping a hard-fought contest to a very good Buffalo team on Thanksgiving.

Both teams had intriguing pieces and what looked to be the right coaches, given the Jaguars had turned the keys to Doug Pederson earlier that year. And the narrative of parallel paths was only strengthened by the way the two teams finished their seasons, with both ending above .500.


Jacksonville’s 9-8 record was good enough for the postseason berth. The Lions, with the same mark, famously just missed out despite beating the Packers, at Lambeau, in the final game of the regular season.

It wasn’t until the middle of last season the franchises started going in different directions. Despite starting 8-3, Jacksonville dropped five in a row and missed the playoffs. Detroit, also 8-3 through 11 games, would win three of their final five in the regular season, claiming their division and marching to the NFC Championship before bowing out.


The Lions have maintained their trajectory in 2024 and are among the Super Bowl favorites. The Jaguars, meanwhile, also maintained their trajectory, at least in the way they finished the previous season. They’ve been awful this year and are currently projected to pick No. 1 overall.

So what happened?


Probably the greatest divide would be how the teams have drafted the past three years. It’s not that the Jaguars have missed at every turn. Travon Walker, Devon Lloyd, Tank Bigsby and Brian Thomas Jr. are good players. But they can’t contend with the hit rate Detroit has had in the event, both quantity and quality, under general manager Brad Holmes.

Additionally, Pederson’s coordinator choices haven’t been up to snuff. Offensive coordinator Press Taylor has been more Jim Bob Cooter than Ben Johnson, starting strong and fading hard. The Jaguars were No. 7 in scoring his first season. This year, they're 26th.


The team notably made a change at defensive coordinator this offseason, which has resulted in the bottom falling out. That unit also ranks No. 26 in scoring.

Johnson has obviously been a stud since his promotion in 2022, but defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is earning his flowers this year. The reality is his group has been getting better in each of his four seasons. The quality and continuity of Detroit's coaching staff is paying huge dividends.


That does let the mind wander a bit to what it might look like when one or both of those coordinators leave. For some teams, those changes are seamless. For others, like the Eagles after losing both coordinators two offseasons ago, there’s a readjustment process.

The Lions stared down that possibility last season, but it feels ever more realistic this year. It could be the franchise’s next challenge in its pursuit of sustained excellence, something the Jaguars have been quick to remind us is one of the most difficult things to achieve in this league.


Lucky Lions


Speaking of Walker, it didn’t happen immediately, but the former No. 1 pick is developing into an excellent player.

After recording just 3.5 sacks as a rookie, he hit double-digits in his second season. This yeas, he’s on track to bring down the QB 13 times, with approximately 60 total QB pressures for the second consecutive season.


Regardless, he’s fallen well short of Aidan Hutchinson’s impact. It’s still wild to think the Jaguars went with the Georgia standout over Hutchinson in the 2022 draft, even if Walker’s measurables were slightly more intriguing.

Hutchinson has talked about it before. Even he was perplexed and expected to be taking his talents south ahead of that draft.


It’s interesting to think about what the Lions would have done if Hutchinson had gone first overall. There was a lot of talk about Kayvon Thibodeaux ahead of that draft, but my conversations with people in the organization around that time had me doubting he would been the preferred option.

My educated guess: It would have come down to Walker or cornerback Sauce Gardner, a Detroit native. Not bad consolation prizes, but everyone around these parts is thankful things went the way they did.


Eye on what’s next


On the non-football front, I’m aware of the recent migration surge from Twitter to Bluesky. I get it. Like most good things, Twitter isn’t the enjoyable space it was a few years ago, weighed down by more ads, bots and general toxicity.

Honestly, I could do without social media altogether, but recognize it's an important arm of reaching the audience and growing awareness of what we're doing here.


I’ve scoped out Bluesky and registered an account, but I’m not diving headfirst into posting on the platform like some of my colleagues. Part of that is social media fatigue, another component of my reluctance is skepticism this wave of interest isn’t another fad. Mastodon and Threads didn't go anywhere.

Like it or not, Twitter remains king. But there was a time we said the same thing about MySpace, until Facebook claimed that throne. If we are in the infancy of a real shift, I’ll inevitably end up committing some of my bandwidth to the platform. At the very least, the look and feel is appealing. It's like Twitter, only seven years ago.


Can we hit fast forward?


It’s weird how little interest I have in this upcoming game. The feeling isn’t unfamiliar. There were plenty of times in my years on the beat where a late-season matchup carried little appeal because one or both teams were eliminated from playoff contention. There were December games against Arizona and pre-Josh Allen Buffalo that were downright painful.


This is different because the opponent offers no intrigue. I don’t say that to be disrespectful, and I would never suggest there’s no way Jacksonville can win this game, but there’s a reason the spread is 14 points.

If life were a video game, I’d be simulating this week and maybe the next, which would at least bring us to a divisional matchup against a Chicago team that has upside, even if they're still figuring it out.


Weighing the value of sleep


Last week’s schedule was the most brutal since launching this site. If you’ve followed me long enough, you’ve heard me talk about how challenging it can be to cover primetime games on the road. And without the safety net of a colleague to pick me up when the schedule gets rocky, I'm left to traverse things on my own.

Last week, that meant leaving the stadium around 2:30 a.m., hopping on a flight a little after 5 a.m. and pulling an all-nighter that extended into the following afternoon, when I finally crashed around 3 p.m.


It has me weighing how I want to handle the San Francisco matchup later in the year. I haven’t booked the travel yet, and while I’m still leaning toward going, for the sake of consistency, if nothing else, there is a legitimate debate about the value of it, given content posted/recorded in the middle of the night doesn’t reach as many eyeballs.

On top of that, is it worth the sleep deprivation and jetlag with the playoffs right around the corner after that game? It’s probably a coin flip.


Wish list unicorn


This isn't a new thought, but after processing the film from the Houston game, I was reminded how frequently I’ve advocated for the idea of adding a dominant blocking tight end to the roster.

It’s not that Brock Wright and Sam LaPorta aren’t high-effort blockers, it’s simply the recurring view they struggle to consistently execute their assignments at a level that matches the effort.


But the more I've thought about it, the more I realized the opinion might be irrational. Like three-down linebackers who excel in coverage, there just aren’t many great blocking tight ends in the modern game.


And while I don’t want to give too much weight to Pro Football Focus’ grading, particularly after special teams coordinator Dave Fipp railed against the publication’s credibility this week, I do find it fascinating they only have three tight ends with a run-blocking grade above 70 on their 100-point scale.

With LaPorta and Wright under contract for a bit, Detroit's best bet is probably the strategy they've been utilizing, using an extra offensive lineman when they need the extra blocking oomph.

[El Axe]

The Ringer article on the best head coaching candidates. Ben Johnson #1, of course, but Aaron Glenn was #2

https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2024/11/15/24297349/nfl-head-coach-hiring-cycle-2025-ben-johnson-liam-coen-aaron-glenn-jesse-minter

[whatever_gong82]

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2024/11/14/michigan-kicker-dominic-zvada-detroit-lions-jake-bates/76264869007/

[whatever_gong82]

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2024/11/15/detroit-lions-jameson-williams-has-earned-coaches-ultimate-trust/76291529007/

[whatever_gong82]

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2024/11/16/detroit-lions-long-snapper-hogan-hatten-nfl/76316571007/

[whatever_gong82]

Lions' veterans extoll Aaron Glenn's wide-ranging strengths as defensive results strengthen case for top job

Justin Rogers
Nov 16, 2024


Allen Park — Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell has been prepared to lose defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn for years.

At the Senior Bowl in early 2022, Campbell openly shared concern the New Orleans Saints would lure Glenn back to the bayou just a year after he left to join Campbell in Detroit.

After that season and the next, Glenn had multiple interviews for vacancies, but an offer never came. If we're being reasonable, it’s not difficult to understand why. No matter how prepared he might have been to take the next step, or how well he interviewed, Detroit’s defensive production hadn’t been good enough to sell to a fan base on the potential hire.



Glenn took over at an exceedingly young unit when he arrived, and even though they steadily improved, it’s nearly impossible to generate enthusiasm for a hire who hadn’t finished better than 23rd in scoring in any of the past three seasons.

But in 2024, the rebuild and development of Detroit’s defense has caught up with the rest of the franchise’s turnaround. Glenn’s group is top-10 in scoring, at the top of the charts against the pass and on third down, and among the league’s best in the red zone and at generating turnovers.



The legitimate excuse the league’s franchises had to pass him over in the past has evaporated. Glenn — ranked the league’s top coordinator in an NFLPA survey last year — should finally get his long-awaited chance to lead his own team after this season ends.

The past two weeks, I sought out several veteran defensive players in Detroit’s locker room, targeting guys who had played for multiple teams and multiple head coaches, to gain perspective on what makes a good head coach to better explain why Glenn is ready for the opportunity.



The first thing that resonates with his players is the consistency of his demeanor.

“He's hard on you, but it's tough love,” cornerback Carlton Davis said. “But it's consistent. He's consistently the same guy every day, so you know what you're getting out of him, you know how he's going to react to certain things.”



Linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin, the president of the NFLPA, took Davis’ description a step further.

“With AG, of all the coaches I've had, he has the best temperament, the best approach of being demanding, getting on you without being disrespectful, without crossing the line,” Reeves-Maybin said. “He's not soft. He's going to get on your ass, he'll let you know when you f_____ up, but he never crosses the line. It always feels like he just wants me to be good and to do the job and he knows I'm capable of it.”



The other component to that is there are no favorites. Multiple veterans shared a variation of the sentiment that Glenn never wavers from his lofty standards and they're applied uniformly across the roster, regardless of internal or external expectations for a player.

“As a new dude walking through the door, he treats you the same as (Aidan Hutchinson) Hutch or someone he's been with since the beginning,” linebacker Ben Niemann said. “I think that says a lot.”



One of the hallmarks of Campbell’s tenure has been the coach’s authenticity. Sometimes he’s goofy, and he's never been afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve, but he never tries to be something he’s not. That genuineness resonates with players.

And while their personalities manifest differently, authenticity is at the heart of Glenn’s coaching personality as well.



“I feel like since he's gotten here, he's literally a mirror image of Dan,” linebacker Alex Anzalone said. “He's the same person, positive energy, not afraid to call someone out, leads, is accountable. I feel like they're one and the same.”

The value of authenticity to his current profession was learned while Glenn was still active in his previous one.



“I think the number one thing is to be yourself,” Glenn said. “I think that’s one thing that I learned as a player from a coach. Don’t try to be somebody else. Be yourself, whoever that may be, because players know a fake when they see one. And when you try to fake your way through this business, you get yourself put out of this business really quick because then the respect factor is gone.”

It’s easy to forget about the value of respect in the coach-player dynamic, but for veterans like Reeves-Maybin, it’s the most important component of the relationship.



“I think there are multiple ways to (have success as a coach),” one player said. “I think some head coaches are really good at the football aspect, understanding the game. Other head coaches are good at knowing the temperament of the locker room, being able to motivate guys, being able to hold guys accountable. I don't think there's one (successful) approach.

“For the most part, you've got to be respectful, you have to be able to get respect and that can come different ways, but there has to be a respect level where guys feel like you're all in for them. Whether you want to be the leader type or be an Xs and Os type, if you don't have that respect and trust with players — that's the top trait for me.”



Glenn checks all those boxes. As one player put it, he’s “lived a football life,” growing up in Texas, playing in the NFL for 15 seasons before rolling into a post-playing career that started in scouting before transitioning into coaching.

He has a deep understanding of X’s and O’s and schematic preferences that he reshapes to fit his talent instead of trying to smash a square peg into a round hole. And he consistently looks to grow his understanding of the game by seeing it through his on-field enenm’s lens.



“I spent a lot of time throughout the years, since 2021, going to visit offensive coordinators and just talking to them on how they see the game and how they prepare for a game,” Glenn said. “That has opened my eyes on how I should prepare for a game.”

Niemann said Glenn’s experience allows him to differentiate between what looks good on paper and what a player is actually capable of executing. And he listens to his players regarding their preferences as he shapes his defense.



“When I first got here, we had a conversation about what I wanted to do and what he wanted to do,” Davis said. “It was clear he had done his homework on me.”

That approach allows Glenn to maximize the talent of his veterans. Now that Davis has settled in after being acquired in an offseason trade, he’s having one of the best stretches of his career.



“He puts me in good positions,” Davis said. “He's playing to my strengths.”

But enhancing veteran skill sets has been just a small smart of Detroit’s defensive awakening. A much larger percentage of contributions has come from players the team has drafted and developed. Look across the unit and you’ll see steady individual improvement and role adjustments that have allowed guys to maximize their talents.



The Lions adjusted Hutchinson’s pass-rush strategy as a rookie, standing him up and moving him wider along the line, where he was more comfortable. Alim McNeill was shifted from nose tackle to 3-technique, turning him into one of the league’s better defensive tackles. Brian Branch and Derrick Barnes were brought along slowly at different levels of the defense, each transforming into versatile, playmaking chess pieces. And Kerby Joseph, a raw, former college receiver has had his ball-hawking instincts harnessed during his three seasons in Detroit.

Levi Onwuzurike, Josh Paschal and Jake Campbell have also improved and expanded their contributions. Very few players haven’t seen clear growth under Glenn’s watch.



"He's super smart, speaks clearly and he's confident," defensive tackle DJ Reader said. "I think about him as a player, the way he attacked the game, he's always shown he's confident in who he is. The way he works with the defense, he does a good job of explaining to his players exactly what he wants. And he's just got that it factor with the way he carries himself and who he is."

Accountability, authenticity, consistency, passion, respect and tangible improvements, both individually and the whole of the unit. What more could an organization want in a leader?



“You talk to anyone, ask about him as a person, him as a leader, him as a man, anyone would be ecstatic to have him leading their organization,” Reeves-Maybin said. I won't tell you he'll be the best or he'll win a Super Bowl. There are too many factors that play into something like that. But if you want someone who is going to lead your 53(-man roster) and create a culture of accountability, keeping the standard high and not making excuses, I don't think you'll find a better person.”

Campbell knows it, too.



“I savor every bit of this because you’re not guaranteed,” Campbell said. “We’re not guaranteed any more wins, as far as that’s concerned. You’ve got to earn every one of them, and you don’t know what’s going to happen the next day or the next game in front of you, but I know this, this is a special team and it’s a special staff, and it’s been that way since the beginning.

“It really has been,” Campbell said. “And so, yeah, I absolutely do (savor this). I’m fortunate, I’m blessed, I’m thankful that I have the coordinators, counting (Lions Special Teams Coordinator Dave) Fipp as well, all three of those guys are superstars. And yeah, I do, and I know, hey, when it’s over, it’s over, but we’re going to make the most of it until that time comes.”

[Iron Lion]

Not really Lions news, but...

When I was a junior high school kid in the '97-'98 school year, I made a little AOL website about football. This kid I hung out with at lunch and I talked about football all the time and I remember him saying about my Lions, "What kind of a team loses to the Saints and then beats the Packers?"

Anyway, he checks out my page and sends me an email ("You've got mail!"), pretending to be Aaron Glenn of the Jets, of all people. Except he screwed it up and called himself Glenn Aaron. I think he was talking shit ahead of the week 17 Jets game where Barry got his 2K. He made fun of me for not calling him out, he's like, "What, you actually think an NFL cornerback found your little website? And I even messed up his name."

A little while later, after the season, I make my Super Bowl pick for the next year. And I swear to the football gods I nailed it, Denver over Atlanta. It was the first time I made a Super Bowl pick, and I've never nailed it again. These days I just say whatever and default to Lions over Browns every year, because that's our thing, right? Of course he ridiculed me for picking Atlanta to go, and when it happened it didn't have shit to say about nothin'.