Tag: Aaron Glenn

New report raises concerns on Saints’ head coach search

A new report suggests the New Orleans Saints are targeting Aaron Glenn to be their coach, but for all the wrong reasons. Mickey Loomis is too deep in denial:

There’s been one name consistently popping up as the New Orleans Saints  gear up for another head coach search: Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. That’s nothing new. But this recent report about the forces at work in the Saints’ latest head coach search is concerning.

Longtime NFL insider Tony Pauline reports for Sportskeeda that observers around the league expect Glenn to the get the job, given his relationship with the team and a perceived willingness to accept conditions forced on him by management:

People tell me longtime Saints general manager Mickey Loomis, who has been with the organization since 2000, isn’t going anywhere anytime soon despite the lack of recent success. Loomis doesn’t want a lot of upheaval in the organization and would prefer to keep several of the existing coaches on the staff.

The belief is Glenn would be open to keeping the coaches Loomis wants retained, given his relationship with the organization and general manager, which makes him a perfect fit for the job.

That’s very troubling, if accurate. A new head coach should get to hire his own coaching staff, not accept the holdovers from a team that just lost 11 or 12 games. But Glenn is hoping for his big break as a head coach, and he may be willing to accept demands like this if it means getting the job.

Glenn does have a long history with the Saints. As Pauline said, he finished his playing career with New Orleans in 2008 and returned to the team as defensive backs coach in 2016, a position he held until 2020 when he joined Dan Campbell on the Detroit Lions. He’s also worked as a personnel scout with the New York Jets (the team that drafted him, and who have also expressed interest in him for their head coach opening) for a couple of years, so he has plenty of experience in different roles.

He could be the right man for the job. If Loomis intends on retaining Klint Kubiak and his staff to try and replicate their success from the first two weeks of 2024, and maybe Darren Rizzi and his crew on special teams, Glenn could run the defense. But that’s a flawed strategy. It’s just rehashing the approach that got Dennis Allen fired. They don’t have a quarterback they can win because of, their defense is worn out, and the offensive depth chart is paper-thin. Bigger changes are needed than hiring someone with such a similar resume to the coach they just dismissed.

At some point Loomis needs to accept his window closed when Sean Payton left town. He’s 49-66 without Payton coaching his team. If Loomis can’t come up with better material than this, then team owner Gayle Benson needs to overrule him again like she did when firing Allen. It might be time for Loomis to step down, too.

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B/R has an ideal candidate in mind for the Saints head coach search

This Bleacher Report writer gives a reason other than shared history to suggest Aaron Glenn and the Saints are a perfect pairing:

Aaron Glenn is a name you’ll hear frequently connected to the New Orleans Saints The Saints have moved on from Dennis Allen and Darren Rizzi’s replacement bid loses steam by the week. Glenn just feels like the most obvious candidate. Beyond being the most obvious, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox sees Glenn as the ideal fit for New Orleans.

The reason you’ll see Glenn-to-New Orleans so frequently is his coaching history in New Orleans. Though a valid take, it’s so easy that it can come off as lazy at times.

Knox avoided that pitfall, took it a step further and articulated what makes Glenn an attractive coaching candidate.

“Although the team has lost multiple starters, he keeps rolling out a squad capable of winning games,” Knox wrote about Glenn’s job with the Detroit defense. The most notable injury is to Aidan Hutchinson. He’s been gone since Week 5. Detroit has been without him and Alim McNeil for portions of the year. Glenn’s operating under similar circumstances he’d inherit in New Orleans is one of the more creative reasons to pair the Saints and Glenn.

The Saints should be headed into a rebuild that includes tearing down the roster. Glenn has gained experience getting the most out of a depleted roster this season, and now his Lions team is preparing for the playoffs. Maybe that makes a difference.

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A surprising name was just linked to the Saints head coach search

A surprising name was just linked to the Saints head coach search. If the Cowboys fire Mike McCarthy, he might be an option:

By now we have a good idea of the names on top of the list in the New Orleans Saints head coach search. Possible replacements for Dennis Allen include Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, both former Sean Payton assistants who general manager Mickey Loomis knows well. Interim head coach Darren Rizzi is a candidate to win the job, too, given his support in the building.

See a pattern developing? This report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is continuing that narrative, but he included a fascinating nugget about one new name. If he becomes available, Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy (and his impressive 174-110-2 record) could be someone to watch. Here’s what Rapoport shared on the Saints head coach search:

The feeling in league circles is that general manager Mickey Loomis will lean towards someone he knows, with Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn — who narrowly lost out to Allen last time around — a frequent name mentioned. Interim coach Darren Rizzi is beloved in the building and expected to be a candidate, especially with the way a locker room decimated by injuries has continued to fight for him. Mike McCarthy and Bills OC Joe Brady have Saints roots, too. But the team is looking into all the top candidates.

It would be a bit of a surprise to see the Cowboys fire McCarthy even after their 7-8 slump this season, which was derailed by an injury to star quarterback Dak Prescott. He led them to a 12-5 record in each of the last three years and has continued to receive public backing from team ownership. But if he does become available, he fits the mold Loomis has been using to find head coaches.

If Loomis is allowed to pick the next coach for the Saints (which is expected to be the case, even if it shouldn’t be given his poor decisions as of late), McCarthy looks like an easy pick.

And he does have New Orleans roots — McCarthy’s first opportunity calling plays in the NFL came in New Orleans when he worked as Jim Haslett’s offensive coordinator from 2000 to 2004. Like Sean Payton, McCarthy has a Super Bowl win on his resume, but he’s earned a reputation for being a great regular season coach who can’t seal the deal in the postseason. His 1-3 playoff record with the Cowboys hasn’t helped that perception.

Still, he’d be a better hire than Dennis Allen was back in 2021, and for fans hoping to see an offensive-minded coach leading the team, he’d be a great pickup. But he isn’t even available right now. So let’s just tap the brakes and see how this situation develops in the weeks ahead.

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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.

Detroit’s stunning turnaround in pass coverage keys defensive improvement

The Detroit Lions invested heavily in upgrading the pass coverage and it’s paying off, with the Lions D allowing the lowest QB rating in 2024

The Detroit Lions have allowed the lowest opposing QB passer rating through the first 14 weeks of the 2024 NFL season. That is perhaps the most startling statistic you’ll see all week.

The Lions are allowing a cumulative passer rating of 76.5 en route to a 12-1 start. That’s a significant upgrade from the 93.1 that Aaron Glenn’s unit surrendered in 2023, a mark that ranked 23rd of 32 NFL teams. Passer rating encompasses completion percentage, yards per catch, touchdowns vs INTs and more. Give credit to the radical turnaround to the coverage, specifically the overhauled Detroit secondary.

Detroit swapped out Cam Sutton, Jerry Jacobs, Tracy Walker and more, replacing them with Carlton Davis, Terrion Arnold, Amik Robertson and a savvy move to install Brian Branch as a full-time safety after spending his rookie season in the slot. The investment in upgrading the coverage has paid off immediately.

Davis, signed as a free agent, is the top-graded cover corner in the NFL over the last month per PFF metrics. The team’s first-round pick, Arnold has been very effective in coverage, albeit something of a penalty magnet. Robertson has been steady in the slot and does a great job limiting yards after the catch.

The safety tandem of Branch and Kerby Joseph has been free to take more playmaking chances as a result, and it’s working. Joseph has a league-best seven INTs. Branch has already surpassed his INT and solo tackle totals from his fantastic rookie season. The vision and coordination of the two safeties have also been quite beneficial in overall coverage.

In 2023, the Lions earned a PFF coverage grade of 51.6 for the season, ranking 30th. Through Week 14, that grade has spiked to 82.4 — 4th-best in the league. Given that the QB pressure rate and sack rate are nearly identical to 2023, the revamped secondary and more aggressive man-coverage scheme from Glenn and his defensive staff deserve the Lions’ share of the credit for the considerable defensive improvement.

 

Aaron Glenn praises Jack Campbell’s development in one specific area

Campbell has improved across the board on the field in Year 2, but Glenn is most impressed with something bigger

Jack Campbell has developed into one of the NFL’s best off-ball linebackers in his second season. The Lions’ first-round pick in 2023 moved inside full-time for the 2024 campaign, and it’s fit him like a glove in the middle of coordinator Aaron Glenn’s aggressive defense.

Campbell has improved in virtually every aspect of his game from his up-and-down rookie season. From short-range coverage to pass rush effectiveness to missed tackle percentage, Campbell has taken a step forward in Year 2.

Yet when asked this week about where he thought Campbell has improved the most, Glenn went to the more intangible aspect of No. 46’s game.

“His ability to communicate across the board in every that we do,” Glenn stated. “And that’s the number one thing as a MIKE linebacker, make sure that we’re in the right situation, no matter what the situation is, just like a quarterback. He’s the quarterback of our defense right now.”

Glenn went on to cite Campbell’s exceptional practice habits as a reason why. Campbell has also come out of his shell a little with a more forceful personality, too.

“He’s a damn good player for us and I keep saying this, he’s a true MIKE linebacker. For him to stand in front of a group of men, the way they respect him is unreal, and you see it, and I’m sure the players talk about that too,” Glenn said admiringly. “He’s a man’s man, he understands what we’re trying to do, and he continues to try to get better.”

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.

Lions sign LB Kwon Alexander to help after more injuries hit Detroit’s defense

Lions sign LB Kwon Alexander from the Broncos practice squad to help after more injuries hit Detroit’s defense

The hits keep coming for the Detroit Lions defense this season. In addition to losing starters such as Aidan Hutchinson and Alex Anzalone, it was confirmed today that linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez tore his ACL. The injury occurred on Thursday against the Chicago Bears, and it will be a season-ending injury for Rodriguez.

Rodriguez had earned a bigger role on the Lion’s defense due to injuries to linebackers Derrick Barnes and Alex Anzalone. This season, Rodriguez had played in 10 games and started in 6 games for the Lions defense. It’s resulted in him registering 43 tackles, two tackles for loss and two sacks.

With Rodriguez being out for the rest of the season, the Lions will need to remain creative with their defense. More than likely we will see them use more of linebackers David Long Jr and Ezekiel Turner. In addition to that, it was announced today that the Lions signed linebacker Kwon Alexander.

Prior to signing with the Lions, Alexander was on the Denver Broncos practice squad for most of this season. However, he has played in 3 games with 2 starts with the Broncos this season.

Last season with the Steelers, he suffered a torn Achilles against the Packers in Week 10, and it forced him to miss the remainder of the season. Fortunately, he did find his way back onto the field with the Broncos this season. His most recent start came in Week 9 against the Baltimore Ravens.

Overall, Alexander is an experienced defender who was a 4th-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In his career, he has played in 107 career games with 90 career starts between the Buccaneers, Saints, 49ers, Steelers, Jets and Broncos. The hope is that he can help provide some consistency to a Lions defense that is in desperate need of experience and talent after all the injuries this season.

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.

The Lions run this coverage scheme more than any other team, and it’s working great

The Lions defense runs Cover-1 more than any other team and it’s working well for coordinator Aaron Glenn and his secondary

One of the biggest reasons for the 8-1 start by the Detroit Lions has been the improved play of the secondary. The pass coverage by the revamped cornerback room has been a significant upgrade from years past, thanks to an overhaul with new personnel.

Finding a coverage scheme that fits the personnel is a critical part of the coaching from defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Getting players who can fit what scheme Glenn wants to run is part of that, and that’s exactly what the Lions did in bringing in Carlton Davis, Amik Robertson and Terrion Arnold as the top three CBs.

All are at their best in man coverage, which is Glenn’s preferred coverage scheme. It’s where Glenn was at his best as a Pro Bowl cornerback in his playing days, after all. With corners who thrive in man, Glenn is deploying man coverage at a very high rate relative to his NFL peers.

The Lions run some form of man coverage on 43 percent of opposing pass plays, according to data from Fantasy Points and social media’s Football Insights. No team uses more base man coverage than the Lions through the first 10 weeks.

There is one specific coverage scheme where the Lions really lean heavily: Cover-1. That’s man coverage from the cornerbacks with one safety (Kerby Joseph) roaming over the top and another safety (Brian Branch) buzzing more shallow, and LBs (typically Alex Anzalone but also Jack Campbell) running with underneath routes.

The Lions use this base cover scheme 38 percent of the time, the highest usage of Cover-1 in the league. Only the Browns, at 35 percent, are even close to using Glenn’s preferred Cover-1 as much.

 

Going heavy on Cover-1 plays to the best advantage of the man skills of the cornerbacks and the ball-hawking athleticism of the safeties. Last year’s Lions secondary couldn’t begin to effectively run Cover-1, but Glenn and the Lions found a great balance between personnel and coverage scheme this year.