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Lions coach Matt Patricia comes from a defensive background, and he’s known for being a teacher of his defensive pupils. His Lions dedicate a lot of practice time to proper tackling techniques. Those get field-tested in preseason games and joint practices a lot more than just the “thud” drills permitted for most of the summer practices.
Those opportunities to apply the techniques learned in practice into actual game situations have been absent in 2020. No Lions player has made a full-speed NFL tackle since Week 17 of last year. Between the latest CBA restrictions on contact in practices and the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s been impossible to replicate actual live tackling for the Lions and all their NFL brethren.
Patricia was asked if tackling was a big concern for him and his team early in the season.
“A hundred percent,” Patricia quickly responded. “It’s something we really put a big stress and an emphasis on, fundamentals. We call them ‘the lost arts’ sometimes. I think a lot of times we don’t spend enough time on those fundamentals, and I would put tackling at the top of that list.”
And the lack of practicing them definitely concerns the defensive-minded head coach. Patricia envisions some good tackling and some, well…
“…early in the season we see that kind of adjustment to game speed, adjustment to the angles, adjustment to being able to drive and finish through on a tackle. A lot of times in practice we might be in a tag-off situation where guys might be just getting into that fit position and maybe thudding up, but not necessarily driving through, wrapping the arms and trying to finish the tackle. It is definitely something that I think we will see for the first month of football here – all different levels of really good and really maybe some not so good.”
The Lions had some tackling issues in 2019. Per Pro Football Reference, Detroit’s 125 missed tackles in 16 games was the fifth-most in the league. Their PFF tackling grade ranked 17th overall.