Tag: jahlani tavai

How adding Jamie Collins impacts the Lions roster

Examining how agreeing to terms with hybrid linebacker Jamie Collins impacts the Detroit Lions roster.

The 2020 tampering period is just over a day old and the Detroit Lions have already agreed to terms with several players, including hybrid linebacker Jamie Collins.

Early predictions for where Collins will play in the Lions scheme are all over the map. And for good reason. Of the game film I studied when trying to ascertain where Collins would play, I arrived at one answer — everywhere.

Collins played for the New England Patriots last season, and because their scheme is as close to the Lions as there is in the NFL, it was easy to do an apples-to-apples comparison of how he would be used in Detroit.

In 2019, Collins lined up at all four of the Patriots linebacker spots, even shifting over the slot on occasion. In the games that I watched, he rarely lined up at the same position on back-to-back plays, illustrating his true versatility.

Collins is able to play at all these spots for three major reasons. He has a freaky level of athleticism, can effectively rush the passer, and is one of the better coverage linebackers in the NFL. This combination of skills makes him a unique player and one that fits the Lions like a glove.

Like in New England last season, I don’t expect Collins to stay put at any one position, and honestly, that will complement the way the other Lions linebackers are trending as well.

Lions LBs trending towards positional fluidity

After the conclusion of the 2019 season, I did a film study, examining how the Lions linebacker roles were changing. The results showed that while Jarrad Davis and Devon Kennard — who was released yesterday — held static roles, Jahlani Tavai and Christian Jones’ roles were more fluid.

Now the Lions have three fluid linebackers all signed to multi-year contracts. Collins just signed a three-year deal, Tavai’s rookie contract expires in 2022 and Jones got a mid-year extension that expires in 2021.

Meanwhile, the static off-the-ball linebackers that remain, Davis and Jalen Reeves-Maybin, are in the final year of their contracts. Reeves-Maybin has consistently made the final roster based on his special teams ability, while Davis began to expand his duties to the WILL position in the latter parts of the season, something he may need to do more moving forward.

Will the Lions add more LBs?

If they do, it will surely be a player who is positionally fluid so that they can mesh with the other linebackers currently on the roster.

The most obvious name remaining in free agency is Kamalei Correa, formerly of the Tennessee Titans, who was directly coached by new Lions’ linebacker coach Tyrone McKenzie over the last two seasons. Correa has experience playing the JACK linebacker role, can rush the passer and drop into coverage. He has been a career rotational player, but on the Lions roster, that’s what they likely need right now.

If the Lions look to the draft, there are four top-100 players they are surely watching. Zach Baun (Wisconsin) is an off-the-ball linebacker who has shown a knack for rushing the passer. Josh Uche (Michigan) is lightning quick off the edge and can drop into coverage better than most JACK linebackers. Bradlee Anae (Utah) is primarily a pass rusher but has shown the ability to win from his feet. While Curtis Weaver (Boise State), who at 6-63, 265-pounds, is physically as close to a Dont’a Hightower clone as you will find. Weaver is a junior, but Baun, Uche, Anae were all on the North roster at the Senior Bowl and were coached by the Lions staff.

Adding any one of these players would give the Lions front a significant boost in 2020, even if they are in a limited role to begin the season.

2019 rookie report: Jahlani Tavai

From snap counts to competing for a starting role, we review the rookie season of Detroit Lions second-round pick linebacker Jahlani Tavai.

The Detroit Lions’ linebacker corps has been the weak link of their defensive unit for years. Outside of 2017 first-round pick Jarrad Davis, the team has not done much to bolster the position with starting-caliber talent.

Enter Jahlani Tavai. He was an unknown to many coming out of the University of Hawaii, making his second-round draft selection quite the surprise.

His role on defense prior to the season was unclear. He showed off plenty of versatility in college from the inside linebacker and edge rusher roles — two positions where the Lions needed a lot of help.

His ability to be plugged into several roles also left some speculation to how the linebacker group would look for the 2019 season. Was he going to take over Davis’ spot at MIKE? Would Christian Jones become the backup on the outside?

Despite all this, the rookie was excited to be a part of head coach Matt Patricia’s “multiple defense”.

As the season came around, Tavai’s role was just that: multiple. He saw snaps throughout training camp and the preseason at all four linebacker roles and looked like he could be a capable player from anywhere in the middle of the defense.

In his first go at regular-season action, Tavai stood out while appearing in 71-percent of Detroit’s defensive snaps. The rookie recorded his first career sack that day on a blitz from the MIKE linebacker spot.

Like the rest of Detroit’s linebackers, Tavai struggled to cover both tight ends and running backs in the middle of the field. He allowed nearly 70-percent of the passes that came his way to be completed throughout the season. On the bright side, the rookie is entering his second year as a pro without allowing a touchdown.

The rookie did show some flashes of potential as both a run defender and a pass rusher. He is credited with four pressures and a hurry in his 23 blitzes, along with three quarterback hits. He also logged five tackles for a loss during his rookie season.

Tavai’s snap counts fluctuated heavily throughout the 2019 season. Sharing time with Davis, Jones and Devon Kennard, the rookie didn’t get much experience in a starting role.

His highest snap total of the season came against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he remained on the field for 93-percent of the defensive snaps. This also ended up being one of his most productive days. The rookie recorded five total tackles along with his first career interception.

Unfortunately, Tavai suffered a shoulder injury in the following game and finished his rookie campaign on injured reserve, replaced on the roster by fellow rookie Anthony Pittman.

His 2019 season stats aren’t spectacular by any means, just 57 tackles and two sacks over 15 games, but a change-up in the Lions’ defensive coaching staff could be just what the young linebacker needs.

Detroit brought in former Philadelphia Eagles defensive backs coach Cory Undlin to run the defense and hired former NFL linebacker Tyrone McKenzie to coach the position he once played.

McKenzie served as the Tennessee Titans’ linebackers coach for the past two seasons and will be an immediate upgrade over Detroit’s former position coach Al Golden, who was one of the last remnants of the team’s previous coaching regime.

Based on how successful the Titan’s linebackers have been in recent years, there is a lot to look forward to with Jahlani Tavai’s development in his second year as a pro.

Rookie expectations: David Blough, Amani Oruwariye preparing to start

The Detroit Lions are about to face off against the Chicago Bears for their annual Thanksgiving Day game. Unfortunately for them, a short week means that injured players have less time to heal and prepare, leaving the rookies to fill their roles.

The Detroit Lions are about to face off against the Chicago Bears for their annual Thanksgiving Day game. Unfortunately for them, a short week means that injured players have less time to heal and prepare, leaving the rookies to fill their roles.

Here’s what to expect from the rookies before Thursday’s game:

Quarterback David Blough

Matthew Stafford has been ruled out.

Jeff Driskel, limited with a hamstring injury, is not expected to play.

Now, the Lions have to rely on undrafted rookie David Blough to lead the offense this Thanksgiving.

The rookie out of Purdue, who the Lions acquired via trade from the Cleveland Browns, has yet to play a snap in a regular-season game. With Cleveland in the 2019 preseason, he completed 58 percent of his passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns, along with two interceptions.

The level of competition will be much higher than they were in the preseason. The Bears have one of the best defenses in the league at the moment, so the rookie will have a lot to prove.

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Running back Ty Johnson

Johnson’s rookie campaign has slowed down immensely due to Bo Scarborough’s recent successes on offense. Once thought to be the team’s starter, Johnson has taken just 31 snaps on offense since the Lions signed Scarborough two weeks ago, rushing six times for 17 yards and making three receptions for a mere 10 yards.

Facing off against a solid Bears’ run defense that is allowing just 3.7 yards-per-carry this season, Johnson isn’t expected to contribute much on offense this week.

Tight ends T.J. Hockenson and Isaac Nauta

Despite taking the most tight end snaps last week, Hockenson managed to keep his name clear from the box score. He was targeted twice but failed to make a reception on either pass. Expect the team’s first-round pick to start once again, but don’t expect him to make a difference on offense — especially if his shoulder injury continues to be burdensome.

Nauta, who played in his first regular season game last week, took a bulk of his snaps from the fullback position. While only used for a handful of offensive snaps, the rookie tight end showed promise as a run blocker. His ability as a lead blocker could make an impact in Detroit’s run game. Expect the rookie’s role to be limited to fullback and special teams against Chicago.

Offensive lineman Beau Benzschawel

The undrafted rookie was active for the first time in his career on Sunday but never saw the field.  With both Frank Ragnow and Kenny Wiggins being full participants in practice, expect Benzschawel to make his way back to the inactives list.

EDGE Austin Bryant

Bryant’s NFL debut last week showed some promise in his limited action. The rookie was credited with one quarterback pressure, where he was able to make a hit on Washington’s Dwayne Haskins.

With both Trey Flowers and Da’Shawn Hand limited in practice, Bryant may have another opportunity to see the field this week.

Linebacker Jahlani Tavai

The last time the Lions faced the Bears, Tavai walked out of that game with three tackles and a sack. Despite his usage on-field going down drastically in recent weeks, the rookie could still have the chance to make some big plays. He’ll be used in a much more limited role, coming in as an extra linebacker in some situations. Expect the rookie to see the same success he had last time.

Cornerbacks Amani Oruwariye and Michael Jackson

One of the most pleasant surprises of the Lions’ 2019 seasons was the sudden emergence of Amani Oruwariye. After spending most of the season on the bench, the fifth-round pick found himself in the starting lineup against Washington, subbing in for an injured Rashaan Melvin.

In his first full game as a Lion, Oruwariye blanketed receivers, allowing just half of the passes that came his way, with an average passer rating of 18.7 against him.

With Melvin still listed on the injury report, expect this rookie to come in and contribute heavily on defense once again.

Fellow rookie cornerback Michael Jackson received his first snaps as a pro on special teams. If he is active again this week, his role isn’t expected to change.

Safeties Will Harris and C.J. Moore

For the third time this season, rookie Will Harris saw the field for every defensive snap in the game.

While he started the season strong, his skills in coverage have started to look like an issue. He has missed almost a fifth of the tackles he’s attempted this season and has allowed an average of nearly 12 yards-per-completion.

With Tracy Walker limited again with his lingering knee injury, Harris may be starting again this week. Hopefully, his struggles don’t show up in this matchup.

Undrafted rookie C.J. Moore has remained relatively quiet this season on defense but he’s shown some promise on special teams. With injuries at the safety position, expect Moore to be active again this week with a limited role on defense.

Rookie report: newcomers outperform expectations despite loss to Washington

The Detroit Lions had 11 rookies active in Week 12 and the newcomers outperform expectations, including Amani Oruwariye, who had his first career interception.

In the Detroit Lions’ 19-16 loss to the Washington Redskins, several rookies were able to see the field for the first time in their careers.

Due to a slew of injuries to key players, Detroit had 11 rookies active for this game, most of any game this season.

How did the rookies perform?

The most surprising performance of the day came from the team’s fifth-round pick: cornerback Amani Oruwariye.

His career had quite the rough beginning, starting with him dropping much farther in the draft than expected, and then not being able to unearth himself from the bottom of the cornerback depth chart.

The rookie out of Penn State, who had just nine defensive snaps prior to the game, ended up taking over the second outside corner role in place of the injured Rashaan Melvin. In his first career start, he had five tackles, two passes defended, and an interception.

Oruwariye outperformed any expectations of him heading into the game and could see extended playing time throughout the last few games of the season.

Seventh-round pick Isaac Nauta also showed some promise in his first NFL game. The rookie tight end served as the team’s primary fullback and delivered some key blocks in the run game. Though he didn’t show up in the passing game, he did prove that he could be valuable for the offense moving forward.

Safety Will Harris once again played every defensive snap against Washington and had a very up-and-down game. He made four tackles and made one pass deflection, but also showed the same struggles in coverage that he has all season. Hopefully, Tracy Walker returns soon, but Harris has provided some sustainable depth in his absence.

Pass rusher Austin Bryant played his first NFL snaps since being activated from injured reserve and showed some promise in his limited role. His name stayed clear of the box score for the most part, but he did record one quarterback hit in his 16 snaps.

T.J. Hockenson, Jahlani Tavai, Ty Johnson, and C.J. Moore all had relatively quiet games despite getting their fair shares of snaps.

Michael Jackson Sr. and Beau Benzschawel both were active for the first time in their careers, but neither contributed much. Jackson had two snaps on special teams and Benzschawel did not see the field.

With the way Detroit’s season is going, these rookies have more of a chance to see the field and show that they have what it takes to play in the NFL. With a hefty injury report heading into the Thanksgiving game against Chicago, expect these rookies to once again go above and beyond expectations.

Rookie expectations: Extensive injury report provides opportunities

Setting the Detroit Lions rookie expectations for Week 12: Extensive injuries provide plenty of opportunities for rookies to step up.

With an extensive injury report heading into their game against Washington, the rookies of the Detroit Lions may see an increase in their snaps this week.

Here’s what to expect from the rookies in this week’s game:

Quarterback David Blough

Blough will serve as Jeff Driskel’s backup once again, but don’t expect much from the undrafted rookie. Barring any unforeseen injuries, his duties will be limited to the sidelines.

Running back Ty Johnson

Johnson has struggled as of late and was quickly passed on the depth chart by recently-signed Bo Scarborough. Johnson will still get some looks on third downs and provides some speed and ability in both the passing and running games, but he won’t get the nod as the starter.

Johnson could also play a role on special teams as a kick returner while Jamal Agnew sits out with an ankle injury.

Tight ends T.J. Hockenson and Isaac Nauta

T.J. Hockenson was just recently added to the injury report, listed as questionable with a shoulder injury. His injury may keep him out of this matchup, which means the team could be relying more on Logan Thomas, Jesse James, and Isaac Nauta.

Nauta, who was just promoted to the active roster, will serve two roles against Washington. Aside from being the fourth — or third — tight end on the depth chart, the rookie out of Georgia could get some first-team reps at fullback with Nick Bawden on injured reserve.

Offensive lineman Beau Benzschawel

Benzschawel has yet to see the field this season, but he could find himself active today due to starting center Frank Ragnow being ruled out with a concussion. The undrafted rookie is versatile and provides some depth at center and both guard spots.

Linebacker Jahlani Tavai

Tavai has been used all around the defense this season, lining up at all four linebacker positions on 58-percent of defensive snaps. While he hasn’t solidified a starting role, he has been a regular contributor for the Lions.

The rookie has two sacks and 36 tackles on the year and could have himself a big game due to Washington’s top two running backs dealing with injuries.

Cornerbacks Amani Oruwariye and Michael Jackson

Both rookies have had quiet seasons, with Oruwariye taking a total of nine defensive snaps and Jackson being a weekly inactive.

With starting cornerback Rashaan Melvin listed as questionable and backup nickel corner Jamal Agnew ruled out, the two rookies could be active for this matchup and provide substantial depth at the position.

Darius Slay and Justin Coleman will still be starters, and Mike Ford will likely be the next man up, but either/both Oruwariye or/and Jackson could be active today.

Safeties Will Harris and C.J. Moore

While Tracy Walker sits out of this game with a knee injury, expect Harris to once again fill that role. The rookie has struggled in recent weeks, having six missed tackles and allowing a 112.4 passer rating against him.

Moore has been dealing with an injury in practice all week but will be ready to go against Washington. He will see the field as a third safety in specific defensive sub-packages while also being a core special teamer on punt and kick returns.

Rookie report: newcomers failed to make their mark against Cowboys

Breaking down the Detroit Lions rookies and their contributions in the Week 11 loss to the Dallas Cowboys

In the 35-27 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the rookies of the Detroit Lions had a relatively quiet game.

With just six games left for the 2019 season, it’s hard to pinpoint their struggles as ‘rookie mistakes’. Most have been thrown into starting roles over the last ten matchups with limited success and others are struggling to make the gameday roster.

So how did the rookies perform in last week’s game?

First-round draft pick T.J. Hockenson remained a non-factor on offense, making just one catch for six yards. That lack of production isn’t ideal, especially when the rookie was on the field for almost three-fourths of Detroit’s offensive snaps – more than the other two tight ends on the roster combined.

Linebacker Jahlani Tavai’s usage on-field has fluctuated from game-to-game this season. In this matchup, he served as the team’s third option at linebacker, giving up more of his snaps to Christian Jones. Tavai made just two tackles in this game, giving him a total of 36 on the year.

Will Harris lost his starting job to Tavon Walker this week but ended up moving back up on the depth chart following another injury to Tracy Walker. He had four tackles, the lowest of the starting defensive back group. Missed tackles and blown coverage have been a big issue for the rookie this season too.

After being inactive for nearly every game this season, Amani Oruwariye earned his first reps on defense. In nine snaps on defense, the fifth-rounder made a single tackle and didn’t allow the one pass against him to be completed. With the season coming close to an end, this is one rookie to keep an eye on moving forward.

Running back Ty Johnson appears to lost his starting role to newcomer aBo Scarborough, who was just recently signed to the active roster. Johnson couldn’t make the most out of his 19 snaps on offense, and came away with just three total touches for six yards. After being outperformed by nearly every offensive player active for Detroit against Dallas, it’s safe to say Johnson will have a lot to prove in the remainder of 2019.

Safety C.J. Moore’s role was strictly held to special teams this week, where he made one tackle.

Quarterback David Blough was active for this game but did not see the field. Offensive lineman Beau Benzschawel and cornerback Michael Jackson Sr. did not suit up against the Cowboys.

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What to expect from the Lions’ rookies against the Cowboys

Setting expectations for the Detroit Lions’ rookies in their Week 11 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys at Ford Field.

The rookies of the Detroit Lions have a tough matchup ahead of them with the Dallas Cowboys coming to town in Week 11.

Despite many seeing increased roles in recent weeks, their levels of on-field success have varied.

Here’s what to expect from this year’s rookie class:

Quarterback David Blough

With starting quarterback Matthew Stafford sitting out once again, Blough will go into this game as Jeff Driskel’s backup. The undrafted rookie has yet to see the field this season, and that isn’t expected to change today.

Running back Ty Johnson

Johnson’s availability for this game was uncertain heading into this week, but the Lions sixth-round pick has cleared concussion protocol and is ready to play against Dallas. The rookie running back will be the team’s starter but will share his reps with J.D. McKissic and newly signed Bo Scarborough.

Tight end T.J. Hockenson

Hockenson’s rookie campaign has not been that of a player taken eighth overall, but his role on the offense is clearly defined.

A bulk of the rookie’s snaps have come from the slot while fellow tight ends Jesse James and Logan Thomas lined up from the traditional inline tight end spot.

Hockenson has made 25 catches on 44 targets this season with just two drops. Interestingly enough, 17 of those 25 receptions went for first downs. If he could keep up that kind of success in short-yardage situations, the offense will have a much easier time moving the sticks against Dallas’ strong pass defense.

Offensive lineman Beau Benzschawel

The undrafted rookie has yet to play in a regular-season game, and with a healthy interior offensive line, don’t expect anything different from him.

Linebacker Jahlani Tavai

Tavai has been showing some improvement throughout the season, seeing his snap counts rise steadily. While his increased workload has led to a decrease in Jarrad Davis’ reps at MIKE, it has actually caused Davis to thrive in a new role.

Tavai has done well as a pass-rusher and against the run, but there’s still work to be done in pass-defense. Expect him to get a fair share of snaps from the inside linebacker role while Davis and Devon Kennard hold the outside spots.

Cornerbacks Amani Oruwariye and Michael Jackson Sr.

Both rookies have had fairly quiet seasons, with Oruwariye being active for two games and Jackson yet to suit up for one.

Detroit’s cornerback group is looking to be at full health for the first time in weeks, meaning that these two could see themselves as healthy scratches on the inactive list this week.

Safeties Will Harris and C.J. Moore

For the second week in a row, Harris has taken every single defensive snap for the Lions. Despite a clear-cut starting role, the third-round pick has struggled to cover opposing receivers.

Harris has allowed an average 113.7 passer rating against him along with one touchdown. Expect this rookie to have a rough matchup against Dallas’ talented trio of wide receivers.

In a much more limited role on defense, Moore has yet to allow a reception against him. His usage on defense will go back down this week if Tracy Walker returns to the field, but expect the undrafted rookie to rotate in on defense while playing a bulk of Detroit’s special teams snaps.

Detroit Lions Breakdown podcast, episode 128: Cowboys Week 11 preview

Detroit Lions Breakdown podcast, episode 128: Cowboys Week 11 preview, is now available to download and listen.

This week on the Detroit Lions Breakdown podcast the guys discuss the Matthew Stafford injury, last week’s loss to the Chicago Bears, if the season is lost or salvageable, review the latest news from Allen Park and preview the Lions Week 11 game against the Dallas Cowboys.

The DLB podcast is a weekly conversation with Lions Wire’s own Erik Schlitt and his co-host Joe Kania. This week they discuss:

You can follow the Detroit Lions Breakdown Podcast (@LionsBreakdown) and it’s hosts Schlitt (@Erikschlitt) and Kania (@JoeKania_DLB) on Twitter, with a Facebook page on the way.

The podcast is available to listen at the DetroitLionsBreakdown.com website and is available to download and subscribe to on multiple podcast platforms, including Itunes, Google Play, Stitcher, among others.

Lions week 10 snap counts: Jarrad Davis thrives on lower snap counts

Detroit Lions Week 10 snap counts observations include Jarrad Davis’ having his best game of the year in a game where he saw his lowest snap counts of the season.

When examining the Detroit Lions (3-5-1) snap counts from Week 10, one glaring thing stood out: Jarrad Davis’ had his best game of the year in a game where he saw his lowest snap counts of the season.

That and more takeaways from this week’s snap counts below:

No Matthew Stafford means it’s Jeff Driskel time

Jeff Driskel — 83, 100-percent

With Stafford’s status moving forward very much in question, we may see a lot more of Driskel in the near future.

Guard rotation declines, Tyrell Crosby steps up

LT Taylor Decker — 83, 100-percent
LG Joe Dahl — 75, 90-percent
C Frank Ragnow — 83, 100-percent
RG Graham Glasgow — 79, 95-percent
RT Rick Wagner — 28, 34-percent
RT Tyrell Crosby — 56, 67-percent
OG Kenny Wiggins — 15, 18-percent

Wiggins saw one series filling in for Glasgow and one for Dahl, down from the two series he had seen in previous weeks.

Crosby took over for Wagner when he left the game due to a concussion and Crosby will likely hold down this position as Wagner moves through the NFL protocol.

The Lions continued to use six offensive linemen sets — four times in this game — beginning with Crosby in his typical role. But when Crosby was needed to take over at right tackle, Wiggins took over this role for the final three snaps.

Ty Johnson’s exit forces J.D. McKissic into the spotlight

J.D. McKissic — 58, 70-percent
Paul Perkins — 15, 18-percent
Ty Johnson — 12, 14-percent
Nick Bawden — 11, 13-percent

Depending on the severity of Johnson’s concussion, we could see a roster move at the position sometime this week. Regardless of what happens, McKissic has proven himself as Driskel’s preferred safety valve — he saw seven targets in the passing game — and will likely be holding down an extensive role moving forward.

Three receiver sets see the majority of the snaps

Kenny Golladay — 78, 94-percent
Marvin Jones Jr. — 76, 92-percent
Danny Amendola — 56, 67-percent
Marvin Hall — 11, 13-percent

Golladay and Jones rarely left the field, while Amendola has now put together four games in a row of over 60-percent of offensive snaps.

Hall’s numbers were down a bit from normal, but with Driskel at the helm — and coaches keeping things simple for him in his first start — it’s not overly surprising. As Driskel gets more comfortable in this offense, expect him to take more deep shots downfield — he has the arm strength to do it — and that means more opportunities for Hall.

Tight end snaps declining

T.J. Hockenson — 48, 58-percent
Jesse James — 28, 34-percent
Logan Thomas — 18, 22-percent

With the Bears’ weakness covering the tight end, these numbers were surprisingly low. Over the last month, Hockenson has seen about two-thirds of snaps, while James has leveled off at around one-third.

Lions DL snaps down due to injury

A’Shawn Robinson — 29, 51-percent
Damon Harrison — 25, 44-percent
Mike Daniels — 21, 37-percent
John Atkins — 20, 35-percent
Kevin Strong — 12, 21-percent

Every player on this list either (save Atkins) entered the game with an injury, suffered an injury during the game, or both. Expect these numbers to increase with their health.

Flowers snaps rise, Kennard’s decline

Trey Flowers — 50, 88-percent
Devon Kennard — 39, 68-percent

With no Romeo Okwara available and injuries on the interior, Flowers saw a significant increase to snap count — his highest of the season.

Kennard has seen his snap percentage drop from the 90-percentile to the 80-percentile, but this week was a season-low. The Lions use a heavy rotation at linebacker in this game and Kennard’s usage reflected that.

Jarrad Davis sees lowest snaps of season, thrives

Jarrad Davis — 44, 77-percent
Christian Jones — 41, 72-percent
Jahlani Tavai — 38, 67-percent

Davis, like Kennard, saw his lowest snap percentage of the season, but Davis responded with his best game of the year. Maybe the light bulb turned on for Davis in this one, but with less responsibility on his plate — Tavai was calling plays at different points during this game —  he responded in a positive way.

Jones snaps stayed close to his average snap total, while Tavai’s streak of seeing over 50-percent of defensive snaps is now at five games in a row. Tavai’s increase in responsibilities and consistent snap counts suggest a larger role for him in the near future.

3 and 4 corner sets rise

Rashaan Melvin — 57, 100-percent
Darius Slay — 55, 96-percent
Justin Coleman — 46, 81-percent
Mike Ford — 15, 26-percent

Slay and Melvin were back to their starting cornerback roles, while Coleman settled back into his typical nickel corner role. Coleman was replaced on the field at times by Ford in an apparent effort to exploit a speed-on-speed matchup.

3 safety sets return to average

Will Harris — 57, 100-percent
Tavon Wilson — 56, 98-percent
C.J. Moore — 22, 39-percent

Despite Tracy Walker missing another game, the Lions returned to their standard three safety rotation usage, with undrafted rookie Moore taking on his highest defensive snap counts of the season.

Moore also led the team in special teams snaps. As usual, he and Dee Virgin are one-two in third-phase snaps.

Special teams

C.J. Moore — 27
Dee Virgin — 26
Jalen Reeves-Maybin — 23
Steve Longa — 23
Nick Bawden — 22
Logan Thomas — 22
Mike Ford — 20
Will Harris — 19
Jamal Agnew — 17
Paul Perkins — 16
Christian Jones — 11
Amani Oruwariye — 9
Tavon  Wilson — 9
Jesse James — 6
Jahlani Tavai — 5
Justin Coleman — 5
Jarrad Davis — 4
Devon Kennard — 4
Trey Flowers — 4
Marvin Hall — 4