Category: Film Room

Film review: Jahmyr Gibbs has turned into the total package for the Lions offense

Film review: Jahmyr Gibbs has turned into the total package for the Lions offense, on full display in the Week 18 win over the Vikings

When the Detroit Lions selected running back Jahmry Gibbs in the 2023 NFL Draft, there was a lot of uncertainty around what he was going to be for them. Much of that was due to the Lions already having D’Andre Swift and David Montgomery. At the time, Montgomery had just signed a contract with Detroit and it felt like the running back room would be crowded.

On the second day of the 2023 NFL Draft, the vision of the running back room in Detroit became clearer. The Lions traded D’Andre Swift to the Philadelphia Eagles and from there, the rest is history.

Over the last two seasons, we’ve seen Gibbs and Montgomery split time in the Lions backfield. It’s led to some tremendous results as the backs compliment each other so well. Since becoming teammates and earning the nicknames “Sonic” and “Knuckles”, they’ve combined for over 4,400 scrimmage yards and 56 touchdowns. This has helped the Lions compile a 27-7 record during that span (best in the NFL).

Earlier this year when David Montgomery went down with an MCL injury, there were concerns about the Lions offense. Could Jahmyr Gibbs show that he could be the lead back for the Lions? He showed it during the 2023 season when Montgomery went down with an injury, however, it was a small sample size (two games).

In those two games, he had 51 touches for 315 yards and two touchdowns. Some terrific numbers but could he handle a full workload for the reminder of the season? There was speculation that Montgomery wouldn’t play again this year. That’s changed as he’s expected back for the Lions playoff game next week.

That said, Gibbs has been spectacular as the Lions lead back. Since Montgomery got hurt in the Bills game, Gibbs has recorded the following stats:

  • Week 16 vs. Chicago | 27 touches for 154 yards and two touchdowns
  • Week 17 vs. San Francisco | 22 touches for 163 yards and one touchdown
  • Week 18 vs. Minnesota | 28 touches for 170 yards and four touchdowns

Over these last three weeks, Gibbs is 3rd in the NFL in rushing yards with 365 rushing yards. His six total touchdowns are tied for 1st at the running back position during that span. Let’s dive into some film to see what Jahmyr Gibbs has been providing for the Lions offense!

 

Starting with the play that I used to highlight Gibbs as the total package. It’s a run that showcases his vision and burst. Looking at the play above, the Lions come out under center with their ’12’ personnel (one running back and two tight ends).

Aligned tight to the line of scrimmage, you’ll see Amon-Ra St. Brown and prior to the snap, you’ll see Brock Wright go in motion to the left. Once the ball is snapped, you’ll see double teams between the guards and tackles on both sides of the center. This is a Duo concept and as the play develops, you can see both guards climb to the second level to the linebackers.

Tremendous blocks across the board for the Lions offensive line, especially right tackle Penei Sewell and center Frank Ragnow. They win both of their blocks with ease and it helps keep Gibbs free so he can read the linebackers. Once he sees the opening, he takes over from there and puts his foot on the gas.

Using terrific burst to get through the second level, Gibbs is off to the races. He begins to run out of room as the defender takes a good angle downfield to force him to slow down along the sideline and get tackled. Ultimately, this was a gain of 47 yards.

 

Moving to the next play, it was the first touchdown scored from Jahmyr Gibbs against the Vikings on Sunday night. Looking at that play above, the Lions come out under center with their ’12’ personnel (one running back and two tight ends). They’re aligned in an offset I-formation and tight end Brock Wright lead blocks through the hole to the middle linebacker.

Once the ball is snapped, it looks like Gibbs gets shot out of a cannon. With a massive opening, he’s able to get through that opening with ease and all that’s meeting him at the second level is a safety that is buzzing down.

Gibbs hits another gear as he shakes that safety. With help from Amon-Ra St. Brown picking up a key block on the perimeter, Gibbs is able to use his speed to run free to the end zone.

 

It’s not all about loading the stat sheet for Gibbs either. Looking at the play above, the Lions will come out in a condensed 2×2 set with their ’11’ personnel (one running back and one tight end). Prior to the snap, Jared Goff will put Jameson Williams in motion to the left of the formation and it puts the Lions in a trips left formation.

Once the ball is snapped, Goff will take the ball and fake the handoff to Gibbs. In the process, Gibbs immediately notices a blitz off the edge. Staying square with low pad level, Gibbs is able to stay under control and pick the blitz up. Despite putting his head down, he does just enough to slow the defender down. This gives Goff enough time to throw this ball to Amon-Ra St. Brown.

 

Lastly, I want to focus on Gibbs catching passes out of the backfield. He was able to record 52 receptions in each season of his career so far. Much of his production as a pass catcher is due to his ability to use his quickness to create separation from defenders.

Looking at the play above, you’ll see just that from him. Faced was 4th and 1, the Lions came out in a trips left formation with their ’11’ personnel (one running back and one tight end). Prior to the snap, Goff will put Sam LaPorta in motion to the right of the formation.

Once the ball is snapped, Goff is faced with a six-man pressure from the Vikings defense. Coming out of the backfield is Gibbs and due to the blitz, he’s one-on-one with an outside linebacker that gets too far upfield. Using his speed to break free from the defender, Gibbs is able to get vertical quickly and runs a Texas route. With good protection, Goff is able to fire this pass to him and it leads to another touchdown for Detroit.

Since Montgomery went down with injury, Gibbs has recorded 13 receptions during that span (best in the NFL). Not having Montgomery has forced the Lions to get creative on key downs with shorter distances but it’s clear that Jahmyr Gibbs is one of the best running backs in the league.

Overall, he’s used this past month to show that he can be the number-one running back in this league. Most importantly, he showed that the Lions have no regrets for selecting him with the 12th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. It’s clear through two seasons in the NFL that Jahmry Gibbs has turned into the total package for the Detroit Lions offense.

Film room: Detroit Lions defense made plays despite some struggles and miscues

Film room: Detroit Lions defense made plays despite some struggles and miscues against the 49ers

At this point in the year, it’s been well documented that the Detroit Lions defense has been shredded due to injuries. Whether it be a season-ending injury in the summer to John Cominsky or during the season with Aidan Hutchinson, the list of injuries is a long one for Detroit.

Since we saw linebacker Alex Anzalone go down with a broken forearm in week 11 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, we’ve seen the Lions defense regress. They’ve allowed 30+ points in 3 out of their last 4 games and now have the 31st-ranked pass defense in the NFL.

On Monday night against the 49ers, we saw those struggles continue as 49ers QB Brock Purdy was able to go 27-for-35 with 377 yards and three touchdowns. Purdy did end up throwing two interceptions to Kerby Joseph but overall, he was able to shred the Lions defense through the air.

Contributing to that, we saw the Lions linebackers struggle against the pass.  The group of Ben Niemann, Jack Campbell and Jalen Reeves-Maybin gave up 10 receptions on 10 targets in coverage for 162 yards and one touchdown vs. the 49ers. Despite some of the struggles, the Lions defense was able to make the plays that they needed to make. Let’s dive into some tape to look at the good and the bad of this Detroit defense from Monday night against the 49ers.

 

Staying on topic with the Lions linebackers, we’ll take a look at this play above, where linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin gets beat on a wheel route from 49ers RB Isaac Guerendo.

On this play, the Lions come out in their nickel package on defense against a trips right formation from the 49ers offense. Once the ball is snapped, the Lions will have one safety rotate back to the middle of the field and another will buzz down.

As the play develops, it appears that the Lions are playing in man coverage and in the process, Reeves-Maybin gets flat-footed, then turns his body back to the quarterback. This gives Guerendo plenty of separation. As Reeves-Maybin tries to gain ground and get back to the running back, the ball is already thrown and the pass is completed.

 

This next play is an interesting one from the Lions defense because I think there’s miscues across the board. Looking at the play above, the Lions come out with a single high safety on defense and it’s a clear indication that they’re running a Cover-1 man look on defense.

Prior to the snap, the 49ers put a tight end in motion. Once the ball is snapped, you can see that both linebackers (Jack Campbell and Ben Niemann) flow down towards the running back and tight end. However, the downside is that defensive back Brian Branch also flows down with them. This puts three defenders on two potential pass catchers and it leaves the middle of the field wide open.

This gives 49ers QB Brock Purdy a clear passing lane on the spot route that’s run in the middle of the field. It leads to a first down and helps keep the 49ers offense in rhythm. Cleaning up these types of miscues will be very important for the Lions defense as they get ready for their playoff push.

 

Adding to what I mentioned earlier, the Detroit defense has gotten statistically worse since linebacker Alex Anzalone went down with an injury. Looking at the Lions defensive DVOA, it hasn’t been pretty for the last four or five games.

Looking at the chart above, the Lions have had five straight games with defense worse than average. Specifically, the last three games have been a season-worst for the Detroit defense.

 

All of this said, the Lions were able to force two turnovers when it mattered most on Monday night. Looking at the play above, the Lions come out with a single-high safety again on defense. That safety is Kerby Joseph, and with how far off the ball he is, it’s a clear indication that some type of man coverage is going to be run on defense.

Once the ball is snapped, the receiver at the bottom of the screen is running a slant and despite 6 or 7 yards of separation between the safety and receiver, this ball is intercepted. Joseph does a great job reading this play the entire way and despite the separation, he’s able to trigger downhill fast enough to pick this pass off.

Getting this ball back to the Lions offense allowed them to chew up over four minutes of clock but most importantly, it put the Lions up 12 points with just under three minutes left in the game.

Overall, the Lions defense is doing just well enough but forcing two interceptions on Monday night really made the difference. They’re slowly getting players back on offense, defense and special teams so that’ll make a difference.

However, the key thing for the Lions moving forward is cleaning up some of these miscues that keep occurring on passing downs. Furthermore, the Lions defense is starting to become predictable with the alignment of their safeties. Single high safeties tend to mean Cover 3 or Cover 1 and with how they like to run man coverage, teams really start to key on that.

Some adjustments moving forward should be more two-high safety looks from the defense. This will allow the Lions defense to better disguise their Cover 1 or Cover 3 defense and it’ll make it easier for them whenever they run a Cover 2 defense.

Lions film review: Ifeatu Melifonwu returns with a strong season debut

Lions film review: Ifeatu Melifonwu returns with a strong season debut in Week 16 against the Bears

It’s been a long time coming but last Sunday against the Chicago Bears, the Detroit Lions finally saw defensive back Ifeatu Melifonwu return to the field. Fortunately for the Melifonwu and the Lions, he didn’t disappoint with his performance either.

One season ago, the Lions saw Melifonwu have the best season of his career. He finished with 33 tackles, three sacks, four tackles for loss, two interceptions and 8 pass deflections. Last year, much of his success came from week 13 through the end of the season.

Now the hope for the Lions defense is that Melifonwu has the same late season impact he did from a year ago. Let’s dive into some tape to look at where he will impact the Lions the most on defense.

 

By having Melifonwu on the field, it provides the Lions defense some versatility it didn’t have a few weeks ago. This allows the Lions to place Melifonwu as one of the safeties in a two-high shell or they could play him closer to the box.

Either way, I’d expect him to play interchangeable roles with Brian Branch. Ultimately, we should see the Lions have three safeties (Joseph, Branch and Melifonwu) on the field at the same time.

Looking at the play above, we get exactly that. The Lions come out with an inverted Cover-2 look on defense. Prior to the snap, you’ll see the Chicago Bears in a 2×2 bunch set on offense. In the process, you’ll see Melifonwu (No. 6) in a press alignment on the left side of the defense (bottom of the screen).

Once the ball is snapped, you’ll see the Lions send a 6-man pressure and the first player in the backfield is Melifonwu. Unfortunately, he isn’t able to stay square or keep his feet and he ends up on the ground rather than the quarterback. That said, it doesn’t give Bears quarterback Caleb Williams a clean pocket and forces him out, and he ends up having to throw the football away.

 

Moving onto the next play, we get into the later part of the game but Melifonwu is able to record his first sack of the season. Looking at the play above, we’ll see a similar type of blitz from Melifonwu and the Lions defense.

Sending a 6-man pressure with the point of emphasis coming from the middle, the Bears max protect with the running back to prevent any pressure coming from that area. That said, the speed and pursuit from Melifonwu is too much and it leads to the sack.

Overall, it was a strong season debut for Melifonwu. He registered four total tackles, two total pressures and a sack. In coverage, he was only targeted once and no reception was recorded, per Pro Football Reference.

According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Melifonwu earned a 64.5 run defense grade, 67.0 coverage grade and a 66.5 overall grade. Not bad for a player that hasn’t been healthy enough to play in the preseason or regular season this year. It’s worth noting that he led all safeties last season with a 47.4% pressure rate.

Having Melifonwu back is important for the Lions defense. We see the pressure he brings and he’s able to help consistently in coverage for the defensive backfield. That said, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn knows exactly how and when to use Melifonwu. Especially when it’s time to get the quarterback.

Lions film review: Breaking down Christian Mahogany’s first start

Lions film review: Breaking down rookie OG Christian Mahogany’s first start against the Chicago Bears

Lions rookie offensive lineman Christian Mahogany got his first NFL start in Week 16. Filling in at left guard for the injured Graham Glasgow, it was the first real extended action for Mahogany, Detroit’s sixth-round pick out of Boston College.

After missing months with mono, Mahogany had played on just three offensive snaps prior to the Week 16 matchup with the Bears. Playing at left guard was another curveball for Mahogany, who had been exclusively a right guard in his final two years at BC after his first college year on the left side.

Focusing on Mahogany wound up being one of the most fun film studies of the season. He had a very solid starting debut in Chicago, with No. 73 earning far more wins than losses after watching every play from the sideline and end zone All-22 angles.

I try to be transparent with my evaluation methodology. A win on a play earns a plus; a loss earns a minus. Not every play earns a mark, nor is it supposed to — especially for the interior linemen on both sides of the ball.

First half

Mahogany wasted little time in announcing his presence with authority. He earned four plusses on the Lions opening drive. Three of those came in the run game, where Mahogany’s powerful burst with excellent balance really shone. His ability to engage in space and stay connected without holding is something special, something the injury-limited Glasgow hasn’t been able to do recently. It showed in the runs from Jahmyr Gibbs, too.

The first minus came up in run blocking as well. Mahogany couldn’t get to No. 91 on a zone block to his right. It’s a complicated ask of a lineman to get that block, having to effectively beat a DT lined up to his inside across the formation to get in front of him, but it still counts as a minus.

Nothing gets offensive line coaches more excited than “look for work” blocks in pass protection. Mahogany quickly got back on the positive side of the ledger with a fantastic one. With no Bears in his zone of responsibility, Mahogany exploded into the defender trying to get past center Frank Ragnow. He had no idea he was about to get hit by a cement truck.

Two minuses came in the red zone on Detroit’s second drive, both in run blocking. Mahogany whiffed on a dive at feet on one, then ran into Penei Sewell on the next and knocked the right tackle off his block, leading to Gibbs being stuffed. Mahogany did make the block on his guy but was responsible for Sewell’s miss, and that’s a minus for 73.

First half tally:
8 plusses (4 each in run and pass), 4 minuses (3 run, 1 pass)

Second half

The second half for Mahogany was a little less dominant in the run game overall but still very impressive for a greenhorn playing away from his normal position. The Bears continued to align their defensive interior such that Mahogany rarely had anyone heads-up on his left guard spot.

One play that stood out was a screen to Gibbs off a play-fake to Gibbs. That’s a slow-developing play that required Mahogany to strafe along the line of scrimmage in space and not get too far down the field before the throw. That takes discipline and patience, and 73 wound up helping Gibbs squeeze out an extra yard or two at the end of a play the Bears defended pretty well.

Two plays later, Mahogany earned another plus with a “look for work” pass protection. Once again, you do not want to be the player Mahogany finds work against.

There were a handful of plays, including two minuses in the run game, where veteran linemates Taylor Decker and Kevin Zeitler were quick to get with Mahogany on why he didn’t succeed or didn’t see on a play. To the credit of the line, it did not appear that Mahogany made the same mistake twice–a very positive sign.

Arguably Mahogany’s best play of the second half wound up being a play where Gibbs got slammed in the backfield. Don’t blame the rookie LG, who drove-block his mark some 15 yards backwards into the Bears end zone. Big plus for Mahogany on a net minus play, which happens more often than you might think.

A false start penalty earned a minus, as did falling off a run block to his outside that was spared nicely by Decker peeling and rescuing his young mate.

Second half tally: 

9 plusses (5 pass, 4 run), 4 minuses (2 run, 1 pass, 1 penalty)

Overall

Mahogany earned 17 plusses and eight minuses in his starting debut for the Lions. He showed quickness, power and vision in both run and pass blocking. Mahogany’s willingness to engage and effectiveness in engaging in space in the run game was a real boon for the Lions line.

He looked very much like a capable future NFL starter, especially considering he was playing on the left side after not aligning at left guard for three years. There’s a whole lot to work with for OL coach Hank Fraley going forward here.

Film review: Lions Graham Glasgow played his worst game of the season against the Bills

Film review: Lions Graham Glasgow played his worst game of the season against the Bills

Coming off the best season of his career, it looked like Graham Glasgow really found his groove as he returned to Detroit. He played so well last season that the Lions gave him a three-year contract extension worth $20 million dollars, that included $9.5 million guaranteed.

Last season, he played almost 1200 snaps (highest in his career) and his performance earned an overall grade of 75.1 from Pro Football Focus (PFF). In pass protection, Glasgow allowed 46 pressures, 35 hurries, eight QB hits, and three sacks in 2023.

Moving onto 2024, the Lions signed guard Kevin Zeitler and that forced Glasgow to move to left guard. Unfortunately, this move has been less than ideal for Glasgow. Up to this point in the season, his blocking grades are way down from where they were a season ago.

According to PFF, Glasgow has earned a run blocking grade of 56.2, pass blocking grade of 54.5 and a 55.9 overall grade. Through 941 offensive snaps played, he’s already given up 33 pressures, seven QB hits and four sacks. Meanwhile, he earned the lowest offensive grade for any Lions player on offense against the Bills. His 34.3 overall grade against Buffalo was his lowest grade on the season. Let’s dive into some film and see what some of the issues were for Glasgow in week 15!

 

Starting with the first play that stands out on tape is this one between Graham Glasgow and Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver. Looking at the play above, you’ll see the Lions coming out of an empty formation. Once the ball is snapped, you’ll see Glasgow getting out of his stance at left guard.

Right out of his stance, his base looks a bit wide but furthermore, his pad level is far too high. Especially when playing against a defensive lineman with the blend and power that Ed Oliver possesses. Revealing too much of his chest, Glasgow starts getting blown off the ball.

From there, he’s never able to regain control or anchor against this bullrush from Oliver. This forces Goff to get sacked and ultimately, he fumbles the football in the process. The more I look at this rep, the more concerned I get with the right knee of Glasgow especially when seeing him sit out of practice all week with a knee injury.

 

Moving to a more positive play, there’s still plenty of good technical work from Glasgow on tape. Looking at the play above, the Lions throw out of a shotgun formation that features TE Sam LaPorta being sent on an exit motion prior to the snap.

Once the ball is snapped, you’ll see Goff spin out of some pressure before resetting his feet and throwing a pass to WR Allen Robinson. Despite the pass being broken up, one thing worth watching is LG Graham Glasgow. You’ll see him slide to his right and in the process, he picks up the defensive tackle that is aligned as a zero shade over the center.

In the process, Glasgow hits the defender and as he looks to reset his hands, he executes a snatch-trap technique. This pulls the defender to the ground and it helps keep an additional defender away from the quarterback.

Bills DT Ed Oliver generated a season-high 10 pressures on 42 pass rush snaps against the Lions. That’s the most pressures in a game by a defensive tackle this season, per Next Gen Stats. Additionally, Oliver generated 7 of those pressures against Glasgow.

Overall, there’s no need to hit the panic button with Glasgow, but I would proceed with caution, especially since he’s popped up on the injury report with a knee injury this week. Certainly, he’s allowed a bad day at the office but his performance against the Bills is concerning.

Meanwhile, there’s been growing concern over the last month as Glasgow has been playing his worst football of the season. That’s significant as the Lions enter the most important 3-game stretch of their season. With him being a veteran player, there are reasons to believe he can turn it around. Unfortunately, if there aren’t improvements soon, the Lions could be turning to a new left guard sooner rather than later.

 

Lions film review: Breaking down Brodric Martin and Pat O’Connor vs. the Packers

Lions film review: Breaking down defensive linemen Brodric Martin and Pat O’Connor vs. the Packers in Week 14

Thursday night’s thrilling win over the Green Bay Packers is one the Detroit Lions will remember for a long time, something head coach Dan Campbell emphasized in his postgame locker room speech. One of the reasons is because of how well a defensive front missing five of its seven starters held up well in the critical division win in Week 14.

For this week’s film review, I chose to focus on two of the prominent replacements for that Lions front, defensive linemen Pat O’Connor and Brodric Martin. They’ve both been with the team all year, raising expectations for their play more than the guys who just walked through the door in Allen Park.

I watched every play from O’Connor and Martin, focusing specifically on them in both the sideline and end zone angles via the All-22 tape.

I try to be transparent with my evaluation methodology. A win on a play earns a plus; a loss earns a minus. Not every play earns a mark, nor is it supposed to–especially for the interior linemen on both sides of the ball.

Here’s what I saw in watching the All-22 vs. the Packers and focusing on O’Connor and Martin in the middle of the Lions defensive line.

Pat O’Connor

O’Connor earned the lowest Pro Football Focus grade of the entire Lions defense for the game. And while there is some variance to his performance across the 43 snaps he played against Green Bay, I came away from the focused rewatch expecting him to be among the top five Lions defenders in Week 14.

One great example of O’Connor making a play that doesn’t get rewarded by Pro Football Focus came in the second quarter. Lined up as a shaded nose to the center’s right, O’Connor latched on and rode with the center, clearing out an attack hole for Alim McNeill to fill behind him and Brian Branch crashing around the outside on a run blitz.

O’Connor gave himself up on the play so his defensive mates could make the tackle. That McNeill slipped and Branch (in a rare bad game) took a poor angle was not O’Connor’s fault. No. 95 earned a plus from me on this play because if he tried to anchor, it would’ve disrupted McNeill and Branch’s roles. That they didn’t complete them shouldn’t downgrade O’Connor.

Later on that drive, O’Connor forced Love to throw later than he wanted and it resulted in a deflected INT in the back of the end zone. Detroit was (legitimately) guilty of pass interference on the play, negating the takeaway. Again, that doesn’t take away from O’Connor’s up-the-gut pressure helping create chaos for Green Bay’s offense.

In between those plusses, O’Connor earned a minus for an encroachment penalty. He also earned a minus on the touchdown, a play where pretty much every Lions defender involuntarily wound up on the ground.

Total tally for O’Connor:

12 plusses
5 minuses

The pass rush was where O’Connor thrived, earning 10 of his 12 plusses and just one of his minuses.

Brodric Martin

Martin primarily played heads-up nose tackle (0 tech) in place of injured DJ Reader. This is a role that requires Martin to be an immovable object in run defense and a bulldozer in the interior pass rush. Playing in just his second game of his second season after missing several weeks with a knee injury, Martin did not fare all that well in either capacity.

I think the first Packers drive of the second half was a good comparative spot for O’Connor and Martin. They were on the field together for the first four plays. O’Connor earned a plus on one play, while Martin earned two minuses as a pass rusher. Martin didn’t broach beyond the line of scrimmage on either pass-rush attempt, with one rep as a 3-tech (the rush tackle role) finding the Packers blocker winning a little too easily.

The biggest issue for Martin is that he doesn’t move his feet well, if at all. His initial thrust off the snap is nice, with both arms firing out and generally striking where DL Terrell Williams wants Martin’s hands to land. But too often, his feet don’t follow, leaving Martin overextended and easy to stand up or push aside for the blocker. His hands just aren’t active after that initial punch, either. In this game, he still looked very raw technically and lacked any follow-up plan beyond his initial movement.

Total tally for Martin:

2 plusses
8 minuses

Both plusses came in run defense, with the minuses split evenly between run defense and pass rush.

Quick hit thoughts on the new Lions DL

Myles Adams and Jonah Williams are keepers, based on their first game in Detroit. Adams was very effective with his technique and lateral quickness off the initial move. Williams plays to the stalemate well, something Martin could stand to learn from.

Mitchell Agude, playing as a practice squad elevation, didn’t use his hands well or have a Plan B as a pass rusher. His burst remains very nice, something that made many (myself included) expect Agude to make the 53-man roster over James Houston based on training camp and preseason. Lack of NFL reps showed more than a lack of ability.

 

Terrion Arnold’s performance against the Bears is a beautiful problem for the Lions defense

Terrion Arnold’s performance against the Bears is a beautiful problem for the Lions defense

Whenever looking at the analytics for a player after a game, I never take it at face value. The data that gets charted on a player’s performance is a nice tool to have, but it doesn’t always tell the real story. That happens to be the case for Lions rookie cornerback Terrion Arnold after playing the Bears last week.

Looking at the data pulled from Pro Football Focus (PFF), Arnold was rated as one of the bottom-5 defenders for the Lions defense last week. He earned a 46.1 overall grade and has an overall grade of 49.5 this season.

However, when studying the tape against the Bears, it tells a different story about Terrion Arnold and his performance. Meanwhile, the Lions are faced with a beautiful problem with Arnold and his importance to the Lions’ defense. Let’s dive into some tape to look at what went right and what went wrong for Arnold on Thanksgiving!

 

Starting with what could have been the first career interception for Terrion Arnold, we go with the play above. Looking at that play, you’ll see see the Bears come out under center with their ’12’ personnel (one running back and two tight ends).

Playing with outside leverage on the bottom of the screen, you’ll see Arnold. Once the ball is snapped and the receiver releases up the field, you’ll see Arnold right behind the receiver. Using a trail technique, Arnold is in a great position to undercut a pass vertically down the field but he’s also in a good position to jump any route that breaks in, out or back to the quarterback.

In this instance, the wide receiver appears to be running some type of comeback or curl route. However, Arnold is in great position and is all over the route. Unfortunately, the ball is thrown somewhat lower than expected and Arnold isn’t able to get a hold of the ball for the interception. The good news is that Arnold was there and he made a great play on 2nd down.

 

Next, I want to focus on what could have been for Terrion Arnold. The play above could have been a huge play that would have prevented the Bears from scoring a touchdown on the following play.

Looking at the play above, you can see Arnold at the bottom of the screen and he’s playing with outside leverage. By playing with outside leverage, he forces Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze to release inside. This is good for Arnold because he’s got safety Kerby Joseph playing over the top and inside with potentially some expectation of jumping an inside route such as a post, dig or slant.

The unfortunate reality is that Arnold bites on the head fake to the inside and this gives Bears quarterback Caleb Williams a passing window to the outside. Despite being right there, the ball is completed for the first down and the Bears get the ball inside the Lions 10-yard line for first-and-goal. Had Arnold been able to break this pass up, it would have been a huge stop for the Lions on 3rd down.

As you can see, the data will paint one picture but the film paints another. There was a lot of good to come from Terrion Arnold in this game against the Bears. Personally, I think it was his best game as a rookie and that’s promising for a Lions defense that has been depleted by injuries and is currently dealing with a knee and thumb injury for the cornerback opposite of Arnold in Carlton Davis.

Against the Bears, Arnold was credited with giving up 2 receptions for 6 yards despite being targeted 6 times. He did record one tackle and a pass deflection in this game. Overall, it was a good bounce back performance for Arnold after missing the Colts game with a groin injury.

For us fans, we need to remain patient with Terrion Arnold. Meanwhile, he needs to continue to stay patient and disciplined when dropping into coverage. If he does, good things will turn into great things for him and the Lions defense.

Film Room: What’s been going on with Lions TE Sam LaPorta this season

LaPorta isn’t coming close to his record-setting rookie performance, and there are a few indicators as to why

One year ago, Detroit Lions TE Sam LaPorta was having a historic rookie season. Through 10 games of that rookie season, he recorded 50 receptions for 492 yards and four touchdowns. Ultimately, he ended up with 86 receptions for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2023.

This season, things have changed and the sophomore slump seems apparent. Through 10 games this season, LaPorta only has 28 receptions for 385 yards and three touchdowns. Certainly, it’s not the worst stat line but the expectations for LaPorta were going to be high due to what he did last season as a rookie.

Put the production aside and it’s evident that LaPorta looks “off” this season. While he’s struggled with staying healthy, he’s played through injuries but just doesn’t look as sharp as he did a season ago. Let’s dive into some film and see if we can spot the differences.

https://x.com/RussNFLDraft/status/1861395481974448197

Starting with LaPorta blocking, there will always be ups and downs for tight ends in this area. Much of that is due to alignment, blocking in space or who they have to block. Sometimes there are just mismatches for the position. However, the play above is a positive from LaPorta.

Looking at the play above, you can see LaPorta aligned next to Taylor Decker (LT 68). Once the ball is snapped, he comes off the line with a jab step using his left foot. This forces the defensive end to take an extra step out and away from the ball and most importantly, it gives Decker a better chance or angle to seal the defensive end.

As for LaPorta, he begins to climb to the second level. From there, his aiming point is the outside shoulder of Colts cornerback (40) Jaylon Jones. Once LaPorta gets close, he throttles down with good pad level and begins to buzz his feet as he approaches the defender. Within striking distance, he hits with his hands and follows through with his feet. From there, he keeps his feet chopping and clears the defender 10 or 15 yards downfield.

https://x.com/RussNFLDraft/status/1720269409875320894

Going back to last season, there was obvious trust between Jared Goff and Sam LaPorta. Using the play above as an example, we go back to the Monday Night game between the Lions and Raiders.

Looking at the play above, the Lions use pre-snap motion to get into a 2×2 set. Once the ball is snapped, you’ll see LaPorta running a post route but it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s running an option route. That route would change depending on the depth and direction of the middle linebacker for the Raiders defense.

Reading the safeties, Goff knows there’s a potential mismatch and opening for LaPorta to score a touchdown. Meanwhile, there’s some obvious trust for Goff to throw the ball in a tighter window due to the linebacker’s coverage drop.

https://x.com/RussNFLDraft/status/1861397242906603542

All of that said, it just feels like there’s a disconnect between Goff and LaPorta this season. Moving back to last week against the Colts, the Lions are faced with a 3rd and short on their opening drive of the game. These down and distances tend to be very manageable for the Lions but this one ended up being a negative play.

Looking at the play above, the Lions use pre-snap motion to get into a condensed 3×1 set with their ’12’ personnel (one running back and two tight ends). Rather than running the ball, the Lions drop back to pass and coming off an exit motion is Sam LaPorta.

As LaPorta starts to get upfield, he breaks to the middle of the field on what appears to be a snag route at 5 or 6 yards. Rather than throttling down, sinking his hips and sitting in the passing window, LaPorta runs with high pad level and drifts towards the middle of the field. Despite very good coverage from Colts LB (44) Zaire Franklin, it felt like Goff would have tried to fit this pass into this window last season. Additionally, it feels and looks like LaPorta would have ran this route a lot cleaner a season ago.

Overall, we should all be very pleased to have Sam LaPorta as the starting tight end for the Lions. He’s an asset to the offense due to the fact that at any point, he could produce a big game. Meanwhile, defenses have to honor him whenever he’s on the field. If not, the Lions offense could really stay hot like they’ve been for most of this season.

Despite it looking evident of some type of disconnect between Goff and LaPorta, we’re starting to see increased targets for the second year tight end. Over the last four weeks, LaPorta has seen 21 targets and it’s led to 14 receptions for 161 yards and two touchdowns. The four weeks prior to that, he had only seen 9 targets.

As the Lions reach the final month of the season, it wouldn’t be surprising for their offense to start featuring more of LaPorta in the passing game. Especially now that we’re starting to see injuries to some of their playmakers such as Kalif Raymond, David Montgomery and Amon-Ra St. Brown. There’s no reason to hit the panic button but through this point of the season, there’s been some concern with Sam LaPorta. This Thanksgiving against the Chicago Bears

 

David Long: What the Lions are getting in their new LB

Breaking down the game film and scouting report on new Lions LB David Long, signed to the practice squad to help replace Alex Anzalone

Despite demolishing the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, the Detroit Lions did receive some bad news regarding linebacker Alex Anzalone. It was confirmed yesterday that Anzalone will miss the remainder of the regular season with a broken forearm.

The injury occurred while Anzalone was making a tackle on Jaguars running back Travis Etienne with 2:32 left in the second quarter. As Etienne was getting near the sidelines, his left arm got caught between the running back and his teammate Brian Branch.

Fortunately, it does sound like Anzalone could return for the playoffs as he’s expected to only miss 6 – 8 weeks. To fill the void, the Lions will need players such as Malcolm Rodriguez and Jack Campbell to step up for the defense. In addition to that, the Lions signed linebacker David Long to their practice squad.

Rated as one of the best linebackers in football in 2023, Long being available was somewhat surprising last week. However, Long had lost his starting job on the Dolphins defense and he ended up being released on November 13, 2024.

Prior to playing a season and a half with the Dolphins, he had spent four seasons with the Tennessee Titans. Originally, he was drafted by the Titans in the 6th round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of West Virginia. Let’s dive into some film to see what the Lions are getting with linebacker David Long!

 

Starting with where I think Long could be best suited for Detroit and that would be whenever blitzing. As we know, the Lions have had to get creative in generating pressure with the loss of Aidan Hutchinson. Using different blitzes and line stunts, the Lions could get creative to get Long in the backfield.

Looking at the play above, you can see a clear blitz from Long (LB 11). He times the snap well and blitzes through the B-gap. In the process, he slips under the right tackle, who is trying to pull and kick him out. However, Long does a great job ripping underneath and making a tackle in the backfield.

Through the first four weeks of the season, Long was ranked 3rd in PFF’s tackle-for-loss rate database. In 65 run-defense snaps, he had earned a 6.15% tackle-for-loss rate. The hope for Detroit is that they can tap into some of what he was doing so well to start the season.

 

Staying with Long’s performance against the Bills from earlier this season, we go to my favorite play from him on tape. Through the four games that I watched, there were certainly some head scratching reads and plays from Long. However, the play above is a perfect example of Long playing with conviction and violence.

Looking at the play above, Long (LB 11) is aligned in a ’10’ (between guard and center) and he makes a great read. As he begins to trigger downhill, he’s met by Bills LT 73 Dion Dawkins. Rather than waiting for Dawkins to get square and seal him off, Long shocks and sheds the blocker.

As he creates separation, he’s able to see on either side of the blocker. Once he sees the running back make his cut, he slips underneath and makes a terrific tackle at the hole. This was textbook from Long, and the hope is the Lions can get him back to playing like that.

 

While the previous play was a great highlight, I do want to reiterate that it’s not all sunshine and rainbows when watching Long play. There are times that he looks hesitant, plays too slow or too fast or he simply just makes the wrong read.

When you’re a younger player, you can get away with that. However, when you’re a 6-year veteran and ranked as one of the top run defenders in the league over a period of time, it’s hard to justify bad performances when they stack up. That happens to be the case for David Long.

For example, when you look at the two clips posted above, we’ll start with the first one against Arizona. Long reads the zone blocks being executed by the Cardinals offensive line but as the play continues, he gets impatient and gets burned. Assuming that the running back is going to cut back, Long would have looked like a stud.

Instead, he looks somewhat foolish for trying to get around 3 players. He then goes for the tackle but instead of a good form tackle, he arm tackles and the running back continues up field from there.

Lastly, the second clip is against Jacksonville. Aligned in a ’20’ (head up over the guard), you can see Long’s initial steps go to his right. Much of that is due to him falling for the “eye candy” that is the pulling right guard. Fortunately, he recovers nicely due to his ability to change direction, get over the top and meet the running back in the C-gap.

So as you can see, there’s some pretty good play from Long and then there’s some head scratching plays. That tends to be the case for any player who ends up getting released during the middle of the season.

Early in the year against the Jaguars and Bills, it’s evident that Long was playing like his old self. However, he suffered a hamstring injury against the Seattle Seahawks in week 3 and he hasn’t looked right ever since. That could be causing him to play with that hesitation or that could be why he just looks slow on tape at times.

Fortunately, Long comes to a place like Detroit where they just get the best out of their players. They made it work with Charles Harris for two years. Defensive lineman John Cominsky looked like he was on his way out of the league but he’s been with the Lions for three seasons. It’s just how this team is coached and you better believe that David Long will be held to a high standard.

The Lions play the Indianapolis Colts this week and then have a quick turnaround to play the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving. If I had to guess, it’s unlikely that we’ll see Long play for the Lions during those two games. However, we could see him suit up against the Green Bay Packers in three weeks or potentially the Buffalo Bills the game after that. Regardless, it’ll take some time for him to get adjusted to the Lions defensive scheme.

While the Lions continue to battle through injuries on defense, they still push forward to the best record in the NFL and NFC. By adding David Long, the Lions could certainly use him for that late season push.

Lions first-down defense deserves credit in the Week 10 comeback win in Houston

Lions first-down defense deserves credit in the Week 10 comeback win against the Texans, notably in the second half

In watching Sunday night’s amazing comeback win by the Lions in Houston, one of the things that stood out in real-time was how well the Detroit defense handled business on first downs. It sure felt that way in the second half, when Aaron Glenn’s defense pitched a shutout against C.J. Stroud and the Texans.

That led me to do a little research into if my real-time perception was accurate. I went back and looked at every 1st-and-10 play the Texans ran in the second half:

1- Carlton Davis INT on a short out route from Stroud

2- Joe Mixon inside run for 1 yard

3- Mixon inside run for 1 yard, same play as the last one

4- Mixon outside run for 6 yards (Davis snagged another INT on the next play)

5- Mixon outside left run for 5 yards, with Carlton Davis getting shaken up on the tackle

6- Mixon outside run for 4 yards, negated by a very obvious holding penalty (creating 1st-and-20)

7- Stroud incomplete pass deep right to TE Cade Stover, tight coverage by Jack Campbell

8- Stroud to TE Dalton Schultz for 17 yards over the middle, a busted zone coverage by the Lions LBs

9- Mixon outside run for no gain, hit in the backfield

10- Mixon inside run for 4 yards, though he was hit in the backfield on the play

11- Mixon off right tackle for 2 yards

12- Mixon inside run for 4 yards on a draw play

Tallying it all up, the Texans ran the ball on 1st-and-10 nine times in the second half. Those nine carries by Joe Mixon gained 27 yards, but the penalty on LG Juice Scruggs knocked the net down to 17 yards on those nine attempts. Stroud completed 1-of-3 passes for 17 yards, with another of those being picked off.

That’s 12 plays for Houston on 1st-and-10 netting a total of 34 yards and a takeaway by the Lions defense. If you’re looking for a reason why the Lions were able to come back, the impressive work on first downs against a predictable Texans offense after halftime is a big one.

[lawrence-related id=114971]