Kyler Murray is one of the most dangerous running quarterbacks in the NFL. His legs are a weapon that the Arizona Cardinals use to help make their offense more dynamic, and that presents a serious challenge to all defenses.
The Detroit Lions are no exception. In fact, the Lions might be more vulnerable than most NFL defenses to Murray’s running ability. Quarterbacks who can run have been a chronic sore point for Detroit’s defenses under coordinator Aaron Glenn, who are otherwise among the NFL’s elite at stopping the run.
Glenn typically eschews using a “quarterback spy,” typically a safety or fleet-footed linebacker whose role is to keep the mobile quarterbacks from running. Whether it’s Justin Fields, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson — even Baker Mayfield in the Week 2 loss to the Buccaneers, Glenn’s defenses have been quite vulnerable to quarterbacks who tuck and run by design.
It’s safe to say Glenn isn’t going to add the QB spy role to the gameplan against Muttay and the Cardinals this week, either. When asked about the idea in his weekly press conference, Glenn took issue.
“Why do you guys always ask that?” an agitated Glenn responded tersely. “Did you see Buffalo do it? What happened? I’m asking. We have to do a really good job keeping him contained. That could be quarterback spy, that could be rushing five, that can be rushing six. The fact of the matter is, you have to keep him contained, and I know that’s the in-vogue thing that everyone talks about – it’s quarterback spy, quarterback spy. I wish you guys would actually look at the film and see what happens when that happens, for the most part.”
The Buffalo game Glenn referred to was in Week 1, a 34-28 Bills win where Murray ran five times for 57 yards. On the season, Murray has 110 yards on just 10 carries, including three runs of more than 20 yards.
Aside from Glenn’s schematic aversion to a QB spy, the two Lions defenders who are the best candidates for the role are injured. Linebacker Alex Anzalone (concussion) was limited in Thursday’s practice as he attempts to return from a concussion. Safety Ifeatu Melifonwu has been out for over a month with an ankle injury and is not expected to play in Arizona.
Glenn did acknowledge that the Lions will present some different looks to Murray and the Cardinals in an effort to slow down the Arizona offense.
“Well, I will tell you this, each week we try to be different. Either that’s five-down (DL), like you say we are, or four-down (DL), like we can be, or make it look like five-down, but we’re actually in four-down because we’re dropping a guy out. So anytime you can give an offense different looks like that, I think it gives them a little hesitation on how they have to block and how they have to target these blocks.”