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"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
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Lions-49ers doesn’t have the same spark, but Detroit is ‘bringing everything’ Monday
By Colton Pouncy
Dec 27, 2024
They were right there. A commanding lead in the NFC Championship. A Super Bowl within reach. Flights from Detroit to Las Vegas booked. Then canceled.
The Detroit Lions’ loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Jan. 28, some 11 months ago, remains a sore subject for those on this year’s team. They watched a 24-7 lead evaporate. A series of unfortunate events — dropped passes, a fumble, some balls bouncing the wrong way and an inability to stop the bleeding — led to a comeback that propelled the 49ers into the Super Bowl, and sent the Lions home.
Ahead of a rematch on Monday evening that will undoubtedly lack the same feel, there’s still a desire for closure — even though the Lions can’t undo what happened back then.
“I would say that game was probably up there with one of the worst L’s that I’ve had in my life, in my football career,” wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown said. “So, just the way everything played out was just … it was like a horror movie.”
The villain of that movie, the 49ers (6-9), used to represent everything the Lions hoped to become. Sustained success. A regular in the playoffs. Multiple conference championships and Super Bowl appearances with members of the core currently in place. It’s a hard feat — being good enough to give yourself several bites at the apple. The 49ers under Kyle Shanahan have certainly accomplished that much.
But these days, San Francisco is a reminder of how quickly things can change in this league, with the team already eliminated from playoff contention.
“This is a regular season game — one we need to win, one we want to win,” QB Jared Goff said. “They’re a good team. I don’t care that they’re eliminated, they have a lot of great players on that team that have played in big games and they’re going to want to beat us, so we have to come out ready to go.”
On the surface, San Francisco remains a difficult out. The Niners rank among the top 10 in yards per game (ninth) and yards allowed (second). They’ve lost five one-score games, so they’ve remained competitive through turbulence. And that’s all while playing without key players such as Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, Dre Greenlaw and others for much of the season — perhaps the only team that can rival Detroit as far as injuries go.
It helps explain how their nightmare season — losing the Super Bowl in overtime one year, guaranteed to finish with a losing record the next — has unfolded.
They aren’t used to this.
“All of us get into this because we wanna make that tournament and have a chance to get to a Super Bowl,” Shanahan said Thursday when asked about his team not playing for something this time of the year — an unusual feeling for them given their success. “A lot of our guys haven’t been in that situation before, so they’re not used to it, but teams all over the league are in this situation. You still gotta go out there and perform the same way because once you start thinking that there’s not a reason to go out there and play your best, that’s when you’re usually closer to the end than the beginning.”
Getting up for games has rarely — if ever — been a problem for Dan Campbell’s Lions. Particularly this week, against this team. While it’s no longer the highly anticipated, marquee matchup we thought it would be when the 2024 schedule was released in May, players and coaches are still treating it like one. The Lions didn’t have to feed into the narrative that this game was different for them. It would be easy to overlook a team eliminated from playoff contention, or perhaps peek ahead to a massive Week 18 contest. But the way these guys are talking, don’t expect it.
That they’re embracing it shows where their heads are.
“I think, for me personally, I want to win,” St. Brown said. “I remember that feeling walking off that field last year. Didn’t feel good. So, going in there, we obviously all want to win, but I think there is going to be — I mean, I don’t know if it’s gonna be brought up or not, but I feel like each player that was here last year knows the feeling that we had last year and we want to go in there and hopefully come out with a dub.”
“I think we know exactly where we’re at and we also know the team that we’re getting ready to go face,” Campbell said earlier this week. “I know they’ve had injuries, but I also know that this head coach over there is an outstanding coach. They’ve been running their system offensively and defensively for a long time. This defense is a top-notch defense, they always have been, it doesn’t matter where they’re at, they can get after the quarterback, they can get after your O-line, they run, they hit, they cause takeaways, and offensively, this scheme and this system, they’re going to find your weaknesses and try to exploit them. … So, we have our work cut out for us. This is not going to be some — this is going to be a tough game. So, we know what we’re getting ready to walk into and we know that we have to win.”
Beyond their reasons for wanting this one, the Lions know what’s on the line. Detroit’s win over the Bears on Sunday got them back on track after a difficult loss to the Bills in Week 15. Unfortunately for Detroit, the Minnesota Vikings continue to win, too, setting up what could be a photo finish in Week 18.
The Vikings will host the Green Bay Packers Sunday afternoon in a game that, one way or another, could have a huge impact on seeding in the NFC. If the Packers beat the Vikings, the Lions would be able to clinch both the NFC North and the conference with a win over the 49ers the next day. Should the Vikings win, Week 18 would become the biggest game of the regular season for both teams.
The winner would earn a division title and a first-round bye. The loser would become the first 14-win team in NFL history to lose its division, falling to the No. 5 seed as it begins the playoffs on the road. No pressure or anything.
“To me, this is why you want to coach and play in this league,” Campbell said Sunday. “This is when your eyes get opened, when competition is at its highest, people are breathing down your neck or you’re chasing somebody and you’re at the top. It just doesn’t get any better than this. This is what it’s all about. Can it get frustrating? Can it get stressful? Yeah, it gets all those. But also it’s the drug. It’s the drug. This is what you live for. Look, some can’t. Some can’t handle this. It’s too much for them. Players, coaches, teams, it’s just too much. But not our group. This is the good stuff, man, and we’re in the middle of it right now.”
This isn’t the same 49ers team the Lions lined up against 11 months ago in Santa Clara, Calif. This game won’t erase the lingering feelings in the Lions’ locker room about how that game unfolded. That much is clear. Only a Super Bowl would.
But the fact of the matter is, the 49ers remain an obstacle in Detroit’s way, just like last year. They want things to be different this time.
“We’re bringing everything that we have to this game,” Campbell said. “I don’t care what it looks like, and where it’s at or who’s this, who’s that — we’re going out to play and win this game out on the West Coast.”
Colton Pouncy is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Detroit Lions. He previously covered Michigan State football and basketball for the company, and covered sports for The Tennessean in Nashville prior to joining The Athletic. Follow Colton on Twitter @colton_pouncy
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Coordinator recap: Source of Lions' creativity, development of Goff/Jamo chemistry and Sewell's stealing souls
Justin Rogers
Dec 27
Allen Park — Here are the most interesting items to come out of Thursday's media sessions with the Detroit Lions three coordinators.
The unsung heroes of creativity
Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has been showered with praise this week, both locally and nationally, for another creative play call that saw quarterback Jared Goff fake a stumble after taking the snap to set up a long touchdown strike to open the third quarter against the Chicago Bears. But Johnson downplayed the creativity of that particular call, at least compared to some of the others the Lions have run this season.
“Yeah, I mean, you’re watching tape and you see things happen and, listen, that one, honestly, I think the Penei (Sewell) pass is a little bit more special than that one, personally,” Johnson said. “That one, that’s a play that every team runs, and we just happened to put a little hot sauce on the ball-handling. That was really how we kind of viewed that going into it.
“We saw it on tape, and we saw they had some veteran linebackers, that particular crew, that could sniff things out pretty quickly and diagnose,” Johnson said. “So we wanted to try to get their eyes away from what we were really trying to do, and so that was the magic behind that one.”
Johnson highlighted three young coaches on the team’s staff for being the driving force behind some of the creative play designs the Lions have deployed this season.
“I think we’ve got position coaches that are future coordinators and future head coaches, and I think we’ve got some really good young coaches that are going to be ready to be position coaches sooner rather than later,” Johnson said. “…Seth Ryan, Steve Oliver and J.T. Barrett, they’ve been in charge of our specials for not just this year, but for the last few years, and there’s a reason why we have probably a little higher success rate for those special plays, and they’re a big reason why. They have a ton of creativity. They bring a lot of ideas to the table, so I really wanted to start off here today by giving them a shoutout. They’ve been doing a great job here for the last three years, and they’re certainly deserving of more responsibility, not only here, but maybe elsewhere as well, wherever that opportunity unfolds.”
It’s easy to read into any or all of those three potentially following Johnson if the OC decides to take a head-coaching job this offseason.
Seth Ryan, son of former Jets coach Rex Ryan, has been an assistant receivers coach for the Lions since 2021. Steve Oliver also joined the Lions in 2021, initially as a quality control coach before being named an assistant offensive line coach. Notably, he played under Fraley at the University of San Diego in 2012.
Finally, Barrett came to Detroit a year later than the other two, taking Oliver’s route of working as a quality control coach until he was promoted to assistant quarterbacks coach, the position he played at Ohio State.
Back on the bike
After playing the slot all season, Amik Robertson kicked outside to replace injured starter Carlton Davis III. It proved a successful switch as he allowed just two receptions for 41 yards and was a force in run support as the Lions rolled over the Bears in Chicago.
“Amik did a really good job for us,” defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said. “Listen, I know it was different because he’s usually playing inside for us, but the thing is, throughout his career, he’s played on the outside. So to him, it was like riding a bike. He went out there, he competed.
"Man, I’ll tell you what, he went after the ball quite a bit," Glenn continued. "I think he had two or three PBUs. The punchouts that he showed in that game were outstanding, and that’s what we try to do as a defense. We talked about that all week, making sure we hunt the football, and he was one of the guys that did a really good job of that.”
With the Raiders last season, Roberson played five times as many snaps as an outside corner as he did at nickel. At 5-foot-8, 183 pounds, he is one of the smallest players on Detroit’s roster, but as he explained after the game, he takes on the mindset of being the biggest man on the field when between the lines.
“He’s had that coming out of college when you talk about the mentality,” Glenn said. “He’s a pit bull, he’s tough, he has a swagger about himself, he believes in himself no matter what the situation is — get beat, don’t get beat, I mean, he believes he can cover anybody out there, and you like that within a corner.”
Bright future revealed
Even though the tape showed everything you could want to know about guard Christian Mahogany’s first start, it felt appropriate to get Johnson’s take on the rookie's performance against Chicago.
“Yeah, he did a great job,” Johnson said. “He did. We know he’s got an excellent first step, he beats the opponent off the ball, and then what showed up is what you saw at Boston College, which is the cleaning of the pocket and playing with a little nasty to him, which we certainly embrace.
“(Offensive line coach) Hank Fraley likes to think it reminds him of himself,” Johnson continued. “I don’t know about that necessarily, but Christian, I think, showed a glimpse of what a bright future he has.”
I followed up by asking about Mahogany’s contributions in the screen game, where the execution seemed advanced contrasted against the level of experience.
“That’s a great point that you make because that’s been something that’s taken us a little while,” Johnson said. “I feel like, almost over the last — second half of the season here, we’ve really caught onto our screen landmarks and trusting those with the backs, the receivers, the O-line, and to see a guy that missed training camp show up and in his first start be as in tune and detailed as the rest of the group, I thought that was extremely encouraging.”
Revisiting record-long attempt
At the end of the first half against Chicago, the Lions lined up Jake Bates to kick a 60-yard field goal, but long snapper Hogan Hatten was flagged for a false start, pushing the try for a new franchise record back 5 additional yards.
Special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said it was a good call by the officials and explained the breakdown for his group.
“We got into our stance so early and Jake hadn’t even approached the ball yet or started his walk off,” Fipp said. “So we were down there forever. Then Hogan was standing up higher than normal, and then as he went to get down and really get set, which it looked like we were already set, but he lowered his hips to sink down to get ready to snap the ball and they moved. So then it was on us.”
Bates’ 65-yard effort ended up sailing wide right and was a little short. Still, Fipp liked what he saw with the mechanics of the attempt.
“I thought Bates hit a great ball (after the false start) and gave us a chance,” Fipp said. “…He did get a hold of that thing, which was impressive in those conditions. He might have had a touch of a wind behind him, but with cold weather and all that, it probably really wasn’t much.”
After the game, Bates shared he kicks every attempt, regardless of distance, with the same power. I asked Fipp if this was a common approach and something he coached.
“If you can hit one kick, you have a chance to get very good at that one kick,” Fipp said. “…If you’re hitting that same kick every single time, then you have a good chance at getting better and better at that. The more things that you do — one guy said it to me a long time ago, ‘If you were a juggler and I had you juggle three balls, you would probably be better at juggling three than juggling eight.’ So, if you’re a kicker and you can hit one kick, I guarantee you’re better off hitting one kick than you’re going to be hitting three different kicks.”
More to come
In his season debut, defensive back Ifeatu Melifonwu played more than 50 defensive snaps. Glenn said the workload expanded as he got an in-game feel for what the defender could handle.
“Just talking to him throughout the game, he was saying, ‘Coach, I’m ready to go, I’m good,’” Glenn explained. “When he tells me that, I’m going to continue to push as far as I can.”
Despite lining up Melifonwu at multiple spots in the contest — from the box to the slot to deep — Glenn said there are plans to expand the safety’s usage.
“Iffy’s a guy that we can utilize in a number of packages,” Glenn said. “He can play the dime for us, he can play safety, he can play nickel, and we utilized him as a safety only in this game. There are other ways we want to utilize that player, but for him to come back and be able to use his blitz ability, his ability to cover, was really good for us. I’m looking forward to utilizing that player going forward.”
Reaper of souls
Penei Sewell made his NFL debut against the San Francisco 49ers in the 2021 season opener. He played a staggering 92 offensive snaps in that contest, highlighting everything to come as the future of Detroit’s offensive line.
Nearly four years later, Sewell is an All-Pro who earned a massive contract extension this offseason. Johnson was asked how far the ultra-talented 24-year-old lineman has come since that first appearance in a Lions uniform.
“I think that first year, what I immediately flash back to was less the San Fran game, it was more the Rams game,” Johnson said. “He had a couple times where he went one-on-one with Aaron Donald and he did not back down. In fact, they were toeing the line right through the edge of the whistle, going back and forth.
“So you saw the demeanor, you saw the attitude, you saw the intensity, everything that you thought you were getting with him coming out of Oregon,” Johnson said. “And from the rookie year until now, all he’s done is polish up his game, in terms of technique, in terms of the fundamentals, and honestly, I think it’s the leadership portion that stands out more to me than any. He really is a tone-setter for on offense, we know what we’re going to get each and every week. He’s going to drive guys off the ball. He’s looking to take souls out there.”
Teddy the irritant
Bringing back veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater for the playoff push will have an impact across the roster, including the preparation of the defense, according to Glenn.
“I was with Teddy in New Orleans and Teddy is one of the most vocal noise-talkers that you will ever have as a quarterback and I’m excited about that,” Glenn said. “I really am because it really brings value to your defense, as far as pissing your defensive guys off, especially when he’s out there throwing the ball around. It was the same thing in New Orleans; he brought that mentality here.
“Everybody loves him,” Glenn said. “He’s one of the best leaders I’ve ever seen, and it’s something to where you’re not starting, but guys look at you as a leader of our team. You don’t get many guys like that because it’s usually your play is really what some people look at, as far as leadership. But man, just the way that he carries himself, just the way that he can talk to everybody on the team, from O-line, D-line, linebackers, DBs, running backs, it doesn’t matter, he has a relationship with everybody on this team, and that’s a special person. So I’m excited to have that player back. Yes, he’s going to help us in all phases of the game, and I’m just looking forward to going against him in practice.”
Still chugging
Despite a revolving door in their backfield this season, the 49ers have continued to run the ball effectively, averaging a healthy 4.7 yards per carry.
It doesn’t seem to matter who is lining up behind quarterback Brock Purdy, whether it’s a superstar like Christian McCaffrey or a fourth-round draft pick such as Isaac Guerendo, they’ve been tough to slow down on the ground. I asked Glenn about the secret sauce to the upcoming opponent’s rushing attack.
“I think it first starts off with the mentality of how they go about doing things,” Glenn said. “Listen, we know they’re going to run it, they know they’re going to run it, and their mentality is, ‘Listen, you’re going to have to stop it.’ So, it’s a tough, tough system, which requires tough men, which you have to be on your assignment to be able to stop it. And we know that.
“If you look at the game from last year, I thought our guys did a really good job early, and then some of their guys started to will themselves into making some plays,” Glenn said. “That’s what we really have to do this game. Our top guys have to out-will their top guys, and I’m looking forward to seeing our guys do that.”
At the half of last year’s NFC Championship, San Francisco had mustered just 29 yards on 13 carries. They finished with 33 carries for 155 yards and three touchdowns in the come-from-behind win.
Chemistry finally clicking
In the past two games, Goff has dropped a rainbow into Jameson Williams’ bucket with a deep throw.
The speedy receiver dropped the first — which would have been negated by a penalty, regardless — while the one against the Bears resulted in an 82-yard touchdown, the longest completion of Goff’s career.
The chemistry on those bombs has seemingly turned a corner after some early struggles to get on the same page with the duo. I asked Johnson how long he thought it took for things to click.
“Two-and-a-half years,” Johnson said. “I mean, shoot, we struggled there that first year, when (Williams) got healthy, to truly get on the same page. As coaches, we saw the potential, and with Jared, he’s a timing, he’s a rhythm quarterback. He needs reps, just like the great ones do. I mean, he’s no different. So it was just a matter of time, and we knew it was going to click, and when it does click, man, what’s better than a two-play drive?
“That’s the potential that Jameson has to this offense and it’s a beautiful thing to see a post versus single-high (safety) like that,” Johnson continued. “I know this -- it does our offense wonders going into the end of the season here and into the postseason to put that type of stuff on tape.”
Williams is rapidly closing in on a 1,000-yard season, despite missing two games due to a suspension and being held to negative yardage in a third. It raises questions about what the young receiver’s ceiling could be.
"Shoot, I don’t know if you can put a number on the limit, but I know he’s surrounded by some really good players, and so when you get a bunch of talented guys together, they can do some really special things,” Johnson said.
That tracks. The Lions have already reset the franchise record for most points in a season.
Email: jrogers@detroitfootball.net
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"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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Lions' Jameson Williams believes he can run a 4.1-second 40-yard dash
Nolan Bianchi
The Detroit News
Paywall article.
Allen Park — From the moment he was drafted 12th overall by the Lions during the 2022 NFL Draft, wide receiver Jameson Williams has been one of the fastest players in the league.
He surely would have torn up the NFL combine with his speed, had he gotten the opportunity to go, but Williams’ severe knee injury suffered in his final college game deprived him of that opportunity.
Fast-forward to earlier this week when Williams, who was appearing on the podcast of fellow Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (the St. Brown Brothers podcast), claimed that he would’ve recorded an earth-shattering 4.1-second 40-yard dash at the event.
“I do love Jamo, but I don’t think he’s touching 4.1,” St. Brown said Thursday. “That’s crazy.”
For as much as the NFL makes a spectacle of the 40-yard dash, pro days and the combine are really the only two times in a player’s life that he’ll be asked to run one. Unfortunately for Williams and all those who would love to see this record-setting performance on display, he said he’s never actually ran a 40-yard dash.
But for context, Kansas City Chiefs receiver Xavier Worthy set the combine on fire earlier this year when he broke the record with a time of 4.21 seconds. Still, Williams doubled down on the claim Friday.
“I think I can for sure. I probably could run faster,” Williams said. “I seen (St. Brown) say he don’t believe in 4.1 — I believe in it. People who know me know I can do that, though.”
Williams was a track star in high school and comes from a family of blazing-fast runners. His physical gifts allowed him to be selected with the 12th pick despite the fact he never put them on display in the NFL’s biggest draft event of the year. And without even seeing the field, Williams was given what he said is the ultimate sign of respect: A 98 speed rating in "Madden" as a rookie.
“I never ran a 40. That’s what I’m saying, like, I never even had to do that and 'Madden' respects me enough to (give me) a 98 speed out of the gate,” Williams said. “That’s a 4.1. No 40(-yard dash) and a 98 speed? If I was a 99, it would be like a 3.9 or a 4.0.”
All of this 40-yard dash talk comes after Williams recorded the longest touchdown of his NFL career. He raced past Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens and went untouched for an 82-yard touchdown once Lions quarterback Jared Goff put the ball in his hands.
Williams is one of the best big-play weapons in the league. Among qualified receivers, his 18.9 yards per catch ranks third. Out of his 10 career receiving touchdowns, only two of them have been fewer than 20 yards. He has touchdowns of 82, 70, 64 and 52 yards this season.
Goff showed a little more belief in Williams than St. Brown — but would also like to see Williams attempt the 40-yard dash.
“Yeah, I guess if he says so,” Goff said when asked if he believed Williams could record the time. “I don’t know. We’ll have to go measure it sometime. He’s hard to track down if we want to measure his 40, but he says 4.1, we have to hold him accountable.”
nbianchi@detroitnews.com
@nolanbianchi
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Where does Ben Johnson get all these trick plays? These three Lions assistants play a role
Richard Silva
The Detroit News
Paywall article.
Allen Park — No matter how hard Ben Johnson wants it, it's impossible for him to be the all-knowing football expert he strives to be.
The Detroit Lions offensive coordinator peruses hours of film weekly, looking for weaknesses in his upcoming opponent to exploit. But there's only so much time in the day, and Johnson has to rely on those under him to take some of the weight off.
Every coach on Detroit's offensive staff has an area of expertise to focus on throughout the season, with the goal of being able to give Johnson a lay of the land weekly before he delves into the tape himself. Offensive line coach Hank Fraley has an emphasis on the run game, for example. Others are particularly tapped into the red zone, while some have their attention pointed toward third downs.
For trick plays, it's a three-man crew of assistant quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett, assistant offensive line coach Steve Oliver and assistant receivers coach Seth Ryan.
After running "stumble bum" in a win over the Chicago Bears last Sunday — Jared Goff and Jahmyr Gibbs simulated a fake fumble before Goff turned and fired a touchdown to Sam LaPorta — Johnson felt it was necessary to shine some light on the unsung trio who's partially responsible for Detroit's creative success.
"They've been in charge of our specials for not just this year, but for the last few years," Johnson said Thursday. "There's a reason why we have probably a little higher of a success rate for those special plays, and they're a big reason why.
"They have a ton of creativity (and) they bring a lot of ideas to the table, so I really wanted to start off here today by giving them a shoutout. They've been doing a great job here for the last three years, and they're certainly deserving of more responsibility not only here, but maybe elsewhere as well, wherever that opportunity unfolds."
Barrett, who won a national championship with Ohio State in 2014, joined the Lions staff in 2022. Oliver and Ryan have collegiate experience, too, with the latter playing at San Diego (2011-15) and the former originally walking on at Clemson before he was put on scholarship in 2016.
Johnson admitted he may not be as intentional about it during the season because he's so wrapped up in the week-to-week grind, but he tries his best each offseason to develop his subordinates. Whether it means quarterbacks coach Mark Brunell spending time with Fraley or Barrett hanging around running backs coach Scottie Montgomery, Johnson tries to make those on staff as well-rounded as possible.
"There's a lot of that that does go on," Johnson said. "Not maybe during the year, but in the offseason that professional development is a huge part of what we do."
This may be hard to believe when thinking back to some of the calls Johnson has gotten off his play sheet this season — a designed pass play for Penei Sewell and a receiving touchdown for Dan Skipper, to name a few — but even he thinks some of the ideas submitted by Barrett, Oliver and Ryan are a little too far out there.
But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Johnson appreciates the outside-the-box thinking, and he credited head coach Dan Campbell for cultivating an environment where those with lofty ideas aren't in fear of getting laughed out of the room.
If Campbell is bold — fourth-down attempts come to mind — why can't the assistants be, as well?
Current team executive and former linebacker Chris Spielman has even gotten in on the fun, putting his football brain to use and presenting potential trick plays.
How does Johnson turn Spielman, a franchise legend, down?
"Very gently," the coordinator joked.
With two games left in the regular season, plus whatever comes in the playoffs, Barrett, Oliver and Ryan — and maybe Spielman — hope some of their submissions can make it from the film room during the week to the field on game day.
"When you have guys that it seems like any time they touch the ball, they understand the concept of a play and they can make things work, you can dabble on the edges and see how far you can take some things," Johnson said. "Here's what I know: The game has been around for a long time; 10-20 years from now, they're going to be running plays that we haven't even seen yet.
"(There's) millions of plays in this world. Sometimes, you cycle back to old-school things, and sometimes, you try to find what's new and has yet to be done."
rsilva@detroitnews.com
@rich_silva18
"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
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"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
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Pride of Detroit Direct
by Jeremy Reisman
Forgive the abridged version of this week’s preview newsletter. I’ve been trying to maximize my time with family this week. Still, there’s plenty to enjoy in this week’s version. We’re going to dig deep on the 49ers and their own injury-ravished roster. And we’ve got a First Byte I promised you’re going to love–especially if you want to hear a 49ers fan convinced the Lions are going to win handily this week.
So cozy up in your slippers, pull this article up on your new iPad, and enjoy your weekend.
The 49ers show not every team can survive injuries
Note: I’m away from the facility this week to be with family, so no 1-on-1 interview with a player this week. Instead, a deep dive into the 49ers’ recent struggles
I would never openly accuse a team or individual players of giving up. I tend to think that’s an overstated narrative, and a very, very high majority of players in this league love the game and competition so much that even “meaningless” games mean a lot to them. In my time of covering horrible Lions teams, I have certainly witnessed some who have checked out, but so many more considered themselves blessed to have another opportunity to play the game they adore, and understand the professionalism required to stay in this league.
When I look at the 49ers and their roster, I imagine it’s the same in San Francisco. I don’t imagine competitors like George Kittle, Fred Warner, Nick Bosa, or Talanoa Hufanga are focused on tee times now that the 49ers have been eliminated from playoff contention.
However, it is also very clear that the 49ers are currently a shell of themselves. If you look at some season-long stats, San Francisco is arguably performing like a top-10 team despite their 6-9 record. They’re 11th in DVOA–top 10 in both offense (10th) and defense (seventh)–although they’re 31st in special teams. In EPA, they’re 12th on offense and 16th on defense. These are hardly the markings of a team that was never really in the playoff race after Thanksgiving.
But the last month has been a slog. With mounting injuries and a seven-game stretch against six teams who are still in the playoff race, the 49ers look much, much worse. Not only have they gone 2-5 over that stretch, but all of those solid team rankings have fallen off a cliff. Over those last seven games, the 49ers rank:
Offense:
18th in pass EPA
18th in pass success rate
19th in rush EPA
24th in rush success rate
Defense:
19th in pass defense EPA
16th in pass defense success rate
25th in run defense EPA
28th in run defense success rate
And those DVOA numbers? Here’s what they looked like before this seven game stretch:
Total DVOA: 5th
Offense: 3rd (passing: 3rd, rushing: 10th)
Defense: 5th (passing: 2nd, rushing: 20th)
Now their DVOA rankings just for Weeks 10-16:
Total DVOA: 17th
Offense: 16th (passing: 13th, rushing: 18th)
Defense: 16th (passing: 15th, rushing: 20th)
They have turned into an average team in just about every facet of the game.
No one wants to blame injuries, but the 49ers certainly have a case. They may be playing their fourth-string left tackle on Monday, who will be playing next to a third-string left guard, who may be a couple spots away from a backup right tackle. Brock Purdy will be handing off to, at best, a fourth-string running back. If you look at this composite collection of injury data from the 2024 season, the 49ers’ blue line–indicating the impact of their injuries on offense–is almost as long as the Lions’ comically-large red line (defensive injuries).
They’re an important reminder that teams as injured as the Detroit Lions don’t typically stay afloat. Look at the other teams who are most injured this season: Saints, Browns, Buccaneers, Raiders, Panthers. None of those teams are currently in a playoff spot, and only the Buccaneers haven’t been mathematically eliminated.
What Detroit is doing right now isn’t normal. They survived the early onslaught of injuries to Derrick Barnes, Aidan Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport, John Cominsky, and Kyle Peko–and still managed to have a top-five defense during that stretch. It’s yet to be seen whether Detroit can survive this second wave (Alim McNeill, Alex Anzalone, Malcolm Rodriguez, Carlton Davis). While the early returns haven’t been great, Detroit is still winning football games, and having the highest-scoring offense in football should help, as well.
And if they can just hang on long enough to earn a first-round bye, the reinforcements are coming. Ifeatu Melifonwu returned last week. Jalen Reeves-Maybin is expected back Monday. Alex Anzalone is expected back for the playoffs, and maybe–just maybe–Aidan Hutchinson will be waiting for the Lions in New Orleans.
Regardless, everything that the Lions have accomplished this year–particularly in the second half of the season–has been nothing short of a miracle, and the Lions coaching and personnel staff deserve even more credit than they’re getting.
VIDEO: First Byte Lions vs. 49ers preview with Rob “Stats” Guerrera
"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
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DFN Mailbag: Late-season roster moves, ideal playoff paths, Bridgewater's coaching future and more
Justin Rogers
Dec 28
Allen Park — Mail’s in
Question: With injured players returning, what is the feeling around the locker room about saying goodbye to the players who helped out? — Michael Murphy
Justin: It sounds callous, but it’s part of the business. Any player who has been in the league for more than a couple of seasons is accustomed to guys coming and going during the season. At the very least, given what I’ve experienced in more than a decade covering this team, it has to be reassuring these Lions tend to only churn the roster when necessary.
It doesn’t mean it doesn’t suck, and there isn’t empathy from locker mates for the revolving door the team’s injury situation has created, but you have no choice but to move forward.
I asked coach Dan Campbell about it Friday afternoon.
“Yeah, it’s hard," Campbell said. "That’s the hard, cold, truth of this league and that’s the hard stuff because it’s what you just said. You’re relying on these guys to come in and help you and then you get some guys that get healthy and then you have to make a move. So, no, that’s not easy. We have a lot of respect for those guys."
Question: I don’t want to put the cart before the horse, but how do teams handle playoff bye weeks? Are they still in the building? — Adam Gladwish
Justin: The team will almost certainly conduct a typical week of practice, Wednesday-Friday, but won’t invest much time in opponent-specific game-planning. That will keep their minds and bodies on schedule for the week of prep once an opponent is determined.
Question: What's the life of a practice squad player? What do they get paid if they are elevated? What's their role in practice? Do they travel with the team on game day? How do other teams scout them to poach them? — Aaron Sturgill
Justin: A practice squad player has the same schedule as the rest of the roster with meetings, practice, weight lifting and treatment, if necessary.
When they practice, they typically work on the scout team, helping the offense and defense prepare for the upcoming opponent. That means they’ll run the opposing schemes with some imitating a specific player. The exception is when a practice squader knows, early in the week, they’ll be promoted to the active roster and have a role. In those instances, they’ll practice with the rest of the projected game-day roster.
Practice squad players don’t typically travel. They regularly watch the road games at the team’s practice facility together.
If promoted as a temporary elevation, they get veteran minimum pay for the game. That's a significant bump to their weekly salary.
In terms of opposing teams scouting them, they are limited to using tape from the preseason. And it's worth noting, the act of poaching a player is a two-way street. A practice squad player doesn’t have to sign with another team, but it’s difficult to pass up the pay bump and opportunity to contribute on a 53-man roster.
Question: What’s with the Lions players covering their mouths and waving? — JW
Justin: Despite my best efforts (read: five minutes of Googling) to discover the meaning of the celebration, I fell short. What I did learn is it started at Western Kentucky in 2022, the celebration is nicknamed Zombieland, and it’s caught fire through the college ranks, most notably with Miami quarterback Cam Ward.
Ward previously played at Washington State, where his offensive coordinator there, Ben Arbuckle, came from Western Kentucky. Dots connected.
Like most of Detroit’s celebrations, they probably saw it popping on TikTok.
Question: I expected Jamal Adams to make some sort of positive impact. Did he even play the last couple of weeks? — Andrew Fronk
Justin: Adams remains on the practice squad, but wasn’t elevated for last week’s game. The biggest reason is the massive overlap between the schematic usage for him and Ifeatu Melifonwu.
And while Adams has an impressive resume, there’s no question Melfonwu has the massive edge in schematic understanding, allowing him to play a much larger and more versatile role.
Question: It seems like Tim Patrick’s usage in the passing game has gone down in the last couple of weeks. From your tape review is that situational, who they were playing, or a schematic shift on the Lions' part? — Mark Roden
Justin: The dip was only one week. He had back-to-back games with season-high targets against Green Bay and Buffalo.
Last week, it was one target and zero catches. Obviously, so many things can go into a single-game anomaly, but at the top of the list is the Lions have a massive arsenal. Generally speaking, Patrick sits behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs on the priority chart when it comes to touches.
Patrick has been targeted two or fewer times in seven games this season. He ran 24 routes against the Bears, which isn't even in the bottom half of his single-game season ranks. He's just more susceptible to games like this because of the talent surrounding him.
Question: If you were a Lions-benevolent super being, how would you architect the NFC playoff bracket? Who should we root for this weekend? — Patrick
Justin: It starts with the one seed and the bye. From there, a Divisional Round game against the No. 4 seed Atlanta Falcons is probably the best-case scenario. That would require an upset over the Vikings, but a home playoff game against an inexperienced rookie quarterback would be welcomed.
In the NFC Championship, the NFC West champ would be a much better draw than the Eagles. The rosters are different than last season, or even this year’s opener, but there’s no question the Rams are inferior opponents.
Question: I’m thinking about coaching trees this morning. The Shanahan, McVey, LaFleur, O’Connell branches get the most love and attention from the national media. Why do you think that is?
I think I read Campbell is part of Parcells' lineage. Is there anyone similar to him in that line or is he one of one? In other words, do you think he’s doing something completely unique? — Jacob Schans
Justin: Mike Shanahan’s coaching tree is ridiculous and gets attention because there are many active branches that are highly successful.
His son, Kyle, has led the 49ers to two Super Bowl appearances. Sean McVay has won at least nine games in seven of eight seasons, has a Super Bowl win and a second appearance. LaFleur has a top-10 winning percentage all-time. Even Mike McDaniel and Raheem Morris have also had above-average success.
But Parcells' tree might be better. Hell, it spawned Bill Belichick and Nick Saban (as a branch of Belichick), two of the greatest to ever do it at the pro and college levels.
Additionally, you’ve got Super Bowl winners in Sean Payton and Tom Coughlin, and a Super Bowl participant in Jim Fassel from that tree.
Campbell is kind of a branch of a branch with Parcells, playing for the coach and then working under two coaches who were his assistants, Tony Sparano and Payton.
Question: Can we expect to see more touches for Sione Vaki this week? — @DetroitDenPod
Justin: I wouldn’t expect that. There are situations where he’s a good fit, like the two-minute drill as we saw last week. Still, I firmly believe the Lions trust Craig Reynolds and Jermar Jefferson to handle the full array of backfield responsibilities more than the rookie at this stage in his development.
Question: Any concern about LaPorta’s development? — Jason Pevitt
Justin: Nope.
This goes back to the answer about Patrick. The Lions have too many weapons for us to have expected the young tight end to have repeated the record-breaking production of his rookie season. That’s not even factoring in a soft tissue issue from training camp contributing to a slow start.
LaPorta is averaging around 10 yards fewer per game than 2023, but more per reception. In terms of where the production has gone, much went to the running back tandem of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, but also Jameson Williams, who is on the cusp of topping 1,000 yards on the season.
But back to the backs, it has to be acknowledged that Goff hasn’t had to throw as much this season. He’s on pace for 70 fewer completions despite completing a career-best percentage of his throws.
Question: If the Lions clinch the No. 1 seed on Monday night, will the team rest the starters for the final game against Minnesota? — Chris Knight
Justin: It’s a valid question that’s difficult to answer without a sample size, but my guess would be no. You don’t have the depth with a 53-man roster to hold 10-15 guys from playing.
Could I see a select few such as Goff or Gibbs having a truncated day? Absolutely. But not dressing them doesn’t strike me as to how Dan Campbell would approach things.
Question: Could Ben Johnson really leave for Chicago? — @DirtyJerzFinest
Justin: Johnson has always played his future close to the vest, but I’ve long gotten the sense he values control. So when you hear some national reporters talk about him wanting the “right situation,” that's the lens I view that generic analysis.
More than not wanting to compete against Campbell, or Caleb Williams not being the timing passer Johnson covets as others have suggested, Chicago’s instability at the top of the organization, particularly negative perceptions of team president Kevin Warren, would be the No. 1 factor I could see dissuading Johnson from that job.
Question: Do you think Teddy Bridgewater is coming back to be more than a security blanket/mentor? Wonder if he has aspirations to coach at the NFL level, especially if Ben leaves this offseason. — @JamisonB56
Is Teddy a potential OC for the Lions if Ben Johnson leaves? — @johnrumery.bsky.social
Justin: Yeah, no.
But don’t take my word for it. Here’s what he said when asked about it in the locker room on Friday.
"Nah, I love my sleep,” Bridgewater said. “In the NFL, these coaches be here at four in the morning and leave at one in the morning.”
Question: Are there any concerns about Alex Anzalone since his clock didn’t start this week? — @stevejbrown23
Justin: No, despite what Twitter analysts might be saying. Earlier this month, Campbell said the recovery timetable was the last week of the regular season on the early end and early stages of the playoffs on the longer side.
Anzalone’s recovery remains on track.
Question: Earlier this week, you mentioned coaches who could potentially leave with Johnson. Who do you think could leave with Aaron Glenn? — @bendarke97
Justin: Among the lower-level assistants who could be ready to take the next step and take over a room, assistant linebacker coach Shaun Dion Hamilton and assistant defensive line coach Cam Davis would be at the top of the list. And with veteran coaches who couldn’t be blocked, you have David Corrao and Jim O’Neil. Those are four off the top of my head, with Davis topping the list.
I’m less certain whether Glenn would look to take an assistant to be his defensive coordinator. Maybe Kelvin Sheppard if the Lions pass him over to backfill Glenn.
Question: Why hasn’t our offense drawn more defensive pass inferences penalties this year? — @tmantrev3
Justin: According to the NFL’s tracking data, Goff is one of the least aggressive quarterbacks, meaning he’s less likely than his peers to force a ball into tight coverage. And his top, non-backfield options — St. Brown, Williams and LaPorta — all have above-average separation on their targets.
Question: What is going on with Emmanuel Moseley? He’s been physically available for weeks and hasn’t been able to get on the field. — @oldbk.bsky.social
Justin: To be fair, he’s playing special teams.
The answer to why Moseley isn’t seeing defensive snaps points to the team feeling more comfortable with Amik Robertson, Ifeatu Melifonwu and Kindle Vildor. The accumulation of rust from a 2.5-season layoff is tough to shake.
Question: I noticed the 49ers have gained a lot of third-round comp picks for developing minority hires in the last few years. If Glenn becomes a head coach or Ray Agnew becomes a general manager, what would the Lions gain and when would they get those picks? — Erik J Maassen
Justin: For those who don’t know, the NFL implemented a system that rewards franchises for developing minority candidates who get hired to top-level positions.
If either Glenn or Agnew were to be hired for those respective positions, the Lions would receive a pair of third-round picks at the end of the third round in the next two drafts. If both were hired in the same offseason, the Lions would be a third third-round pick in 2027.
Question: With all of the injuries to the defensive line, I’m really surprised Broderic Martin hasn’t been able to crack the game-day roster. Has he been that bad? Is it too early to call him a “miss” by Brad Holmes? — Michael Martini
Justin: Martin’s game-day status is tied to the nose tackle alignments. It’s why when DJ Reader was out for a game with a shoulder injury, Martin earned the start and the biggest workload of his career.
When Reader is healthy, the team generally doesn’t need Martin. And given he offers almost no special teams value, it’s better to keep a more versatile option active.
As for labeling Martin a “miss” or a “bust,” yes, it’s probably premature. His rookie season was exactly what the team said it would be. On top of that, there’s a sentiment former defensive line coach John Scott didn’t maximize Martin’s first-year development.
Enter Terrell Williams, who seemingly had Martin on a better track this offseason before a hyperextended knee shelved the young lineman for the first half of the regular season. By the time he was healthy, he had lost some of his gains, while being passed by a veteran Pat O'Connor on the depth. Notably, he does contribute to special teams.
Talk to me closer to the end of the 2025 season before I’m willing to provide a more fair assessment of the Martin pick.
Email: jrogers@detroitfootball.net
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"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
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"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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Establishing the locker room's Ping-Pong hierarchy through eyes of Detroit Lions who play (and Jared Goff)
Justin Rogers
Dec 29
Allen Park — You often hear the familiar sound of fierce locker room competition before you round the corner into the inner sanctum of the Detroit Lions practice facility.
In the center of the expansive space is a Ping-Pong table, occupied almost daily by a small contingent of the roster. The most active group is the offensive line, with a couple linebackers and defensive backs added to the mix for good measure. And it should be noted that the consensus is the young cornerbacks are a tier (or three) below the others.
There are rumors quarterback Jared Goff is as deadly with a paddle in his hands as a football, but only a handful have seen his backhand in action. Once the season starts, his laser focus doesn't permit the distraction.
“I just don't have time right now,” Goff said.
Fair enough. There are more pressing matters for a quarterback pursuing his and the franchise’s first Super Bowl. But for the other guys, the table provides a midday reprieve between practice, film study, weight lifting and treatment. For them, it’s a needed decompression, even if the intensity is dialed up to 11 for every serve, volley and smash.
Any reporter who's spent more than two weeks in the room could reasonably rank the regulars. Instead, I decided to poll the participants, to see how they sized up themselves and their competition.
It’s the first, and probably only ranking that will ever be produced on the topic. We polled 10 players, Goff included, asking them to rank their top five in order.
Here are the results (first-place votes in parentheses):
Kayode Awosika — 44 (5)
Graham Glasgow — 34 (1)
Jared Goff — 26 (4)
Alex Anzalone — 26
Ben Niemann — 14
Others receiving votes: Dan Skipper — 3, Penei Sewell — 3
It's not surprising Awosika was the runaway winner. He’s clearly the room’s most dominant player among those who play consistently. What’s interesting is he’s only been playing a short time, drawn into the game by a former Eagles teammate.
“Jordan Mailata introduced me to a place called Spin when I was going back and forth between Philly and here,” Awosika said. “They have pros there and they taught me the professional way to play. Once that happened, I learned how to bend my knees and all that kind of stuff, but I'm not trying to do that stuff during the season, before practice every day.”
So according to Awosika, we’re not even seeing him at his best.
Interestingly, he’s one of the few players who has not only seen Goff play, but has battled the quarterback.
“It was very chill and he won, 11-9,” Awosika said. “If we're including him, then it's a tie between me and him (for No. 1). But that was before I went and learned how to play.”
Given ties weren’t permitted on individual ballots, Awosika settled on giving Goff the slight edge, given the head-to-head result.
Glasgow wasn’t so kind, ranking Goff fourth. The veteran lineman even poked fun at the quarterback for claiming he was too busy to enjoy a little downtime with his teammates.
“He's not as whimsical as people say he is,” Glasgow chirped. “He doesn't play with us. …I see him sitting around his locker every now and again for 20 minutes.”
Once the offseason arrives, Glasgow will probably find out.
“If I'm playing and playing every day, I don't think it's close,” Goff said.
For others, like linebacker Ben Niemann, the legend of Goff’s skills was enough to earn a No. 1 vote, even though the defender acknowledged he’d never seen the QB so much as pick up a paddle.
“He'll be the first to tell you he hasn't played in a while,” Niemann said. “You have to have confidence as the QB.”
Niemann is the rare exception of a player in Detroit's locker room who grew up with a table at home. Anzalone, like Awosika, didn’t start playing until the past few years.
“People have their own paddles, I play with the broken one over there,” Anzalone said.
Still, Anzalone’s left-handed swing has proved problematic for his teammates and earned him several third-place votes behind Awosika and Glasgow.
“There are weeks where Alex will just beat my ass,” Glasgow said. “He's different because he's a lefty. Everything is reversed. Whatever way you think the ball will tail off, it's the opposite.”
While many participants offered little commentary with their polling, Glasgow was the most analytical, self-aware, and, frankly, humorous.
“Half the time, when I play the game, I'm just leaning on trick shots,” Glasgow said. “I get to the point where I think I should win and I try to be fancy. If I don’t do something cool to win, I don't want to win.
"That's probably not the best way to go about things.”
Glasgow noted his Ping-Pong style is the opposite of his approach to football, where he’s honed in on his fundamentals and details when protecting Goff. When blocking a 315-pound defensive tackle, no one is trying to be fancy.
If there’s an up-and-comer in the locker room, it’s Skipper, who has been playing as much as anybody and had hoped to crack the top five.
“Skipper, if he played consistently, he has the natural talent to do it,” Awosika said.
In recent weeks, Skipper has forged a rivalry with another unranked player, rookie center Kingsley Eguakun. The veteran has a running win-loss tally at his locker because he no longer trusts Eguakun.
"Well, he lies," Skipper said, laughing.
Ping-Pong is just one of the things in the locker room that keeps things light. There’s also a regularly used pool table, a cornhole set, and a disc golf basket, brought in by defensive end Aidan Hutchinson after his interest in the sport ramped up during the offseason.
“I would say it all helps bring guys closer together,” Skipper said. “We're all ultra-competitive and it's a good way to connect with guys in a different space than on the field.”
Email: jrogers@detroitfootball.net
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Teddy Bridgewater's return to Lions made possible by relationships with Campbell, Glenn
Paywall article from yesterday.
Richard Silva
The Detroit News
Allen Park — Teddy Bridgewater was celebrating Christmas with his family on Wednesday.
By the time Thursday morning hit, he was on a flight north, ready to re-join the Detroit Lions after leading his alma mater, Miami Northwestern High School, to a Class 3A Florida state championship. Under Bridgewater's guidance, Miami Northwestern outscored opponents 262-12 in five playoff games.
"I really haven't put it into perspective yet," Bridgewater said Saturday. "It happened so fast."
Bridgewater, now in his second stint with the Lions after backing up Jared Goff last season, was welcomed back into the locker room with "all smiles" from his former teammates: "I enjoyed that part of it," the 32-year-old quarterback said. "Seeing the familiar faces, the smiles on their faces, I couldn't do nothing but smile, as well."
Lions head coach Dan Campbell and Bridgewater kept in close contact following the latter's now-rescinded retirement. Bridgewater didn't want to get into details about the talks he and Campbell had about returning to the team, but he did discuss his relationship with the coach and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.
Bridgewater, Campbell and Glenn (and linebacker Alex Anzalone) were all together with the New Orleans Saints from 2018-19. Bridgewater went 5-1 in his six starts, and he completed 67.1% of his passes for 1,502 yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions in 14 appearances.
Campbell coached tight ends with the Saints, and Glenn led the defensive backs.
"A lot of people don't understand the relationship that Dan and I have, and AG and I have," Bridgewater said. "It goes back to our New Orleans days, and it goes beyond football. I watched those two — the way Dan prepared the tight end room when we were in New Orleans, the way AG was with defensive backs. I watched the way those guys grew in the system, the tight ends and defensive backs.
"I'm talking about Marcus Williams, who's in Baltimore. Von Bell, Marshon Lattimore and those guys. Just following those guys' journeys and knowing the impact that AG and Dan had on those guys, it's like, man, these are two men who I can look up to. I'm 32 years old; I'm not too old to look up to someone."
Bridgwater said he didn't ask Campbell for coaching tips while at Miami Northwestern, "because I knew the high school level was a little easier than this level." Bridgewater shared he has no desire to coach anywhere beyond high school, citing how in college nowadays, you've "gotta have deep pockets," and in the NFL, "you can't love sleep."
Giving back to the community that raised him quenched his coaching desires enough.
"Just seeing the glow in their eyes was like food for my soul, knowing that I'm able to be a stepping stool in their journey," Bridgewater said of his players. "I always talk about winning the game of football, but also trying to prepare them to win for life because in the area that I coach at my high school, in that area, in the Liberty City area, not many successful people make it out.
"If you are, you have a little bit of luck or you had a strong foundation. So, I just try to provide them with the right foundation and have them ready for once they graduate from Northwestern."
Bridgewater's last pass attempt in an NFL game was on New Year's Day in 2023, nearly two years ago, and he's spent the past year patrolling sidelines instead of playing between them. It's more than reasonable to assume he had some rust to shake off in his first few practices back in Detroit.
Fair assessment?
"Ask the defense that," Bridgewater said with a smirk.
rsilva@detroitnews.com
@rich_silva18
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Lions CB Amik Robertson nearly signed with 49ers in free agency. Now he's out to beat them
Dave Birkett
Detroit Free Press
Paywall article.
Amik Robertson sat at home in January, rooting for the Detroit Lions to beat the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC championship game, having no idea his free-agent choice a few months later would come down largely to those two Super Bowl contenders.
Robertson, whose rooting interest in the Lions stemmed from his friendship with cornerback Kindle Vildor, told the Free Press this week the Lions reached out to him on the first day of free agency. When he and the team didn’t reach an immediate deal, he fielded other offers — including one potentially more lucrative from the 49ers.
Robertson told his agent he wasn’t ready to sign with the 49ers that first night, he preferred to be in Detroit, and by the next morning the two sides had agreed to a two-year, $9.25 million contract.
“That’s where my heart was,” Robertson said. “I wanted to be here. The style, when I watched this team play, the style that Dan (Campbell), that he plays with, this don’t-give-a-(expletive) attitude, I fit in perfect. And first day they reached out, we couldn’t really — whatever. They called again the second day, I was like, ‘This is where I’m going.’ Like, ‘This is where my heart (is).’ Other teams was calling the first day, I’m like, ‘I’m going to wait out for the Lions.’ ”
Robertson said he likely would have ended up in San Francisco had the Lions not been in the picture, and Monday he’ll make his second straight start at outside cornerback against the 49ers as part of a revamped secondary that has the Lions on the verge of claiming the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.
Robertson, who played primarily slot cornerback for the season’s first 14 weeks, moved outside for last week’s win over the Bears as an injury replacement for Carlton Davis III.
He tied his season-highs with eight tackles and two pass breakups, and gave the team confidence its secondary will be just fine if Davis doesn’t return from his broken jaw in the playoffs.
Rookie Terrion Arnold starts at the second outside cornerback spot, safety Brian Branch moved to slot corner in sub packages last week, and Ifeatu Melifonwu played as the third safety.
“I feel very good playing outside,” Robertson said after the Bears game. “I know I'm a football player. Wherever they put me on the field, I try to be the best version of myself, the best player on the field. But I think on the outside I (get) more opportunity, cause certain guys, they see a 5-8 guy, a 5-9 guy, they think (expletive)'s sweet. It ain't. It ain't sweet, man. And I want those opportunities. I like — what people don't know is I like tackling. I like those things. I like tackling more than I like covering. So overall it feel good out there.”
Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said he feels good about having Robertson out there, too.
Robertson played primarily outside cornerback during his first four NFL seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders and has seen the most extensive action of his career in the slot this fall.
According to Pro Football Reference, he has allowed 45 completions on 70 targets this season and has two forced fumbles to go with six passes defensed.
“He’s a pit bull,” Glenn said. “He’s tough, he has a swagger about himself. He believes in himself no matter what the situation is. Get beat, don’t get beat, I mean, he believes he can cover anybody out there, and you like that within a corner. So, he’s had so many reps on the outside from his previous teams he’s played for. Playing inside was something, I don’t want to say new for him, but for our defense it was new because of the way we use our nickel, so for him to go back outside, again, it was easy for him.”
Robertson said he’s looking forward to Monday’s game against the 49ers, when the Lions could have a chance to lock up their second straight NFC North title if the Minnesota Vikings lose to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
And while he wasn’t part of the Lions’ loss to 49ers in January, he feels a sense of obligation to help avenge that loss on the way to bigger and better things.
“After I signed here, I sat in the house and watched the come up and I watched the season highlights and it kind of documented everything that happened and the loss and I felt it for them,” Robertson said. “I’m part of this team now, so I feel what they feel. One game away from being in the Super Bowl, that (expletive) got to sting. And I’m not going to sit up here and say guys, it don’t sting them and they out to get them, but we’re thinking bigger.”
Dave Birkett is the author of the new book, "Detroit Lions: An Illustrated Timeline.” Order your copy here. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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