5 Thoughts to end the week as Lions set to battle Packers
Justin Rogers
Allen Park — Here are five thoughts to end the week as the Detroit Lions prepare to play the Green Bay Packers.
Silly season(s)
I fully recognize the magnitude of this week’s matchup, but if I’m being honest, I just want to fast-forward to November 6.
As it turns out, there are multiple reasons. I, like the rest of you, am done with the political advertisements that have been bombarding us from all directions for several weeks. Asking rhetorically, because I don’t really want to know, but who gets persuaded by those?
More relevant to this publication, that date marks the day after the NFL’s trade deadline. And while speculation and analysis of trade possibilities is quality fodder and good for business, the shark was jumped Friday morning when former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum offered up what might be the most absurd trade proposal I’ve ever seen.
I almost feel bad giving it more attention than it’s already received, but for those who missed it, Tannenbaum suggested the Lions ship three first-round picks, a second-rounder AND running back Jahmyr Gibbs to the Cleveland Browns for reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.
Let’s be clear, among players potentially worthy of three first-round picks, Garrett under team control for another two seasons beyond this one might be one of those dudes. He’s had double-digit sacks each of the past six seasons, including 46.0 in the past three seasons. A couple months shy of his 29th birthday, he should be able to maintain that high level of production throughout the remainder of his deal.
Would I do it for just the firsts? No, it’s still a little rich. But now you want to add in a second-rounder and a premier offensive weapon under team control for three more seasons? Come on, Mike.
Of course, this is what the talking heads on ESPN and similar platforms do. They lean on hyperbole to generate a reaction. Headlines about the comment are all over the internet. ESPN and Tannenbaum have achieved their objective.
Back on planet Earth, I remain consistent with my opinion that general manager Brad Holmes needs to add help on the edge before the deadline. And barring shipping his entire roster for Garrett, I still believe the most realistic option is Cleveland's other defensive end, Za’Darius Smith.
Thankfully, come next Wednesday, we’ll be back to talking about what is with the Lions rather than what can be, and we’ll all be better for it.
Hello outside, my old friend
Through the first seven games, the closest thing the Lions have played to an outdoor game was when the Vikings opened the doors at the front of US Bank Stadium on a lovely fall afternoon. I can confidently say the gentle breeze did not have an impact.
This Sunday’s forecast is something entirely different. It could certainly be colder than the forecasted high of 52 degrees, but Mother Nature allegedly has a bunch of precipitation in store.
Fully recognizing (and appreciating) that I’ll be in the climate-controlled confines of the press box, I can’t wait to watch a classic NFC North battle in inclement conditions. Coach Dan Campbell summarized my feelings about outdoor football on Friday.
“We’ll be in the elements, which is great,” Campbell said. “This is like one of those – you hope for this. I think we’ll be all-white (uniforms), so we’ll have the grass stains and everything rolling, man. It’s going to be good, old football, the way it’s meant to be played. …I love the good throwback games. It’s good to get one every once in a while.”
Same, Dan. Same.
While I recognize the league has, in many ways, evolved to embrace speed, space and scoring, I will forever have an affinity for an imperfect slobber-knocker in the rain and mud. And even though the Lions are an indoor team, they have a coach and a healthy chunk of the roster that has a mentality to thrive outdoors. Even the explosive offense, with that line, receivers who embrace blocking and a running back like David Montgomery, they’re more than capable of playing 60 minutes of bully ball.
But here’s the ultimate beauty of Sunday. Winning this game would go a long way toward ensuring they don’t have to play in conditions come January. The Lions currently hold the top seed in the NFC and this matchup is critical to maintaining their spot on top of that mountain, which would secure a playoff path that doesn’t venture outdoors.
Legitimate concerns
If there are concerns I have about the Lions playing outdoors, it’s quarterback Jared Goff’s ball security and kicker Jake Bates’ inexperience.
Goff, who just earned the NFC’s Player of the Month honors, has been playing lights out the past four games. He’s making great decisions, delivering the ball accurately at all levels, and posting efficiency numbers never before seen over a month-long stretch.
But if he’s had a flaw that hasn’t come back to bite him yet, it’s been his ball security in the pocket. He’s put it on the ground four times in the past two games, and he's been fortunate he or a teammate has recovered each of those fumbles.
Even though offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said ball security in the pocket is going to be a point of emphasis for the QB this week, the combination of wet weather, an attacking defensive front, and smaller-than-average hand size is a recipe for potential problems.
Campbell believes this game will come down to one costly mistake, so it’s an issue worth monitoring.
As for Bates, he’s nearly been flawless in his first year with the Lions, but he’s also benefitted from having pristine indoor conditions as much as anyone.
At practice this week, I watched Bates kick one that the wind grabbed and pulled from its dead-center trajectory to a few yards wide left.
Bates remains relatively inexperienced, having only been a regular field goal kicker dating back to his spring stint in the UFL. He told me he had some games in windy conditions, most notably against Memphis and Washington D.C., and he won’t overthink the game in Green Bay by obsessing over the forecast. He’ll wait until pre-game to get a feel for the conditions.
Interestingly, he doesn’t plan on any equipment alterations. He’ll continue to wear his soccer-style cleats because they’re comfortable and he’s confident with their ability to grip the grass, even if it’s wet.
Pedal to the metal
Of all the things I heard this week, the line I loved most was Johnson's answer to my question about whether scoring records mattered to him.
“The records don’t matter, it’s just the mentality of when we step on the field, until the head coach tells us to let off the gas, we’re trying to score a touchdown every time,” Johnson said. “It doesn’t matter if we’re up by five scores, down by five scores, that’s just who we are and that’s what we believe in, and it’s been that way since coach Campbell got here.”
That’s generated some criticism from outsiders, including former governor Chris Christie, and more recently, Packers safety Xavier McKinney.
“In my opinion, I think they try to embarrass people,” McKinney told Green Bay reporters. “And I think this organization and the players we have in here, they don’t really take that lightly. We know that’s what they’re going to come here and try to do. . . . Me, personally, I’m not a big fan of that, trying embarrass someone. I don’t really respect that. It is what it is.”
Did the Lions go a little overboard against Dallas? Maybe. Not because they tried to keep scoring, but you can see how someone might be bothered by the manner they went about it, with the incorporation of their offensive lineman into pass plays when the game was already well in hand. Regardless, that ruthlessness is so much better than the alternative.
The Lions have played that game, where complementary football has involved taking their foot off the gas and trying to eek across the finish line. In my opinion, it’s much better to go for the kill, both offensively and defensively, even if chances of a comeback seem microscopic.
As Broncos coach and Campbell mentor Sean Payton said when he faced similar criticism this year, if teams don’t like it, “play better.”
Valued schedule
Baseball’s offseason is wild to me. After grinding out a month of spring training, a 162-game schedule, and another month of postseason action, the league jumps immediately into hot stove season.
It makes me appreciate the NFL’s structure. Even though the league has done everything it can to generate headlines year-round, at least there’s some breathing room between the Super Bowl and free agency, where most of the major moves are typically wrapped up in under a week.
If the only punishment for spacing things out is an extra month or two of mock drafts, I’ll take this schedule every time.
