Opening Statement: “I’ll start with this, so Jamie Collins will not be in the building as we are exploring a trade. Out of respect for him – he’s played a long time in this League. Appreciate him in the offseason getting his weight down, was doing what we asked him to do. His attitude’s been great, it has nothing to do with any of that. Just felt like it was time for a reduced role and I have too much respect for him to do that and we felt like it was time for (Derrick) Barnes and (Jalen) Reeves-Maybin to play more. This is really why we made a decision that we’re making. We’re trying to move forward. I wish him the best of luck. We’ll work through this and it’s time for Barnes and Reeves to go.” On if LB Jamie Collins Sr. has played his last snap for Detroit: “We’ll see where it goes. There again, we’re just letting this thing play out right now. We’ve got suitors right now. So, certainly, we’re hoping to have this done sooner than later, but we’re not necessarily putting a timetable on it either. We had our open communication with Jamie. We sat down and told him straight up and he’s been good. He understands.” On if they considered using LB Jamie Collins Sr. as a reserve player: “I think when you’re doing that is that eight to 10 reps and then when you do that and you’re asking (Derrick) Barnes and (Jalen Reeves-Maybin) JRM to play a lot more, who also are going to have to play special teams, you’re putting the extra burden on those guys because Jamie doesn’t play special teams and we just felt like, for him and for us, it was the best thing to do.” On when they made the decision to part ways with LB Jamie Collins Sr.: “No, I think we’ve been through two games now and you make your assessment and your judgement after two games and that’s where we’re at. There again, we felt like it was, if you’re going to grow and you’re going to try to get better as a team, as a unit, everything, you better do it now. There again, I think this is best for Jamie as well. He gets a chance to go somewhere and do what he does and we’re just in a different place.” On what they see in LB Derrick Barnes: “Barnes, you saw it in the preseason and then even in the limited snaps that he got against San Francisco, you can see just his aggressive style. He plays lights out, he can run. Look, he’s going to have some growing pains. Things are going to come up, but he can make up for a lot just with his effort, too, which he’s done. There again, (Jalen) Reeves (Maybin) is going to play, too. He’s going to help us on defense as well. We just felt like this was where we needed to go.” On if there was concern over LB Jamie Collins Sr.’s effort in games: “I’ll be honest, I don’t want you to think I’m avoiding this, but I don’t want to do that. I’ve got too much respect for him. He gave what he had and, there again, we felt like it was time to move on.” On addressing the decision to move on from LB Jamie Collins Sr.: “Well because you guys are going to already going to know. It’s like, ‘Where’s Jamie?’ You already have and so it’s like at some point, I mean, what are we doing? You can only hide so long and I’m kind of – as much as we can be, we want to be as transparent as we can, particularly with the player and I mean, it is what it is. I’m just kind of – if we feel like this is where we need to go and it’s best for the player and best for us, why are we messing around?” On if he addressed the veteran leaders on the team about exploring a trade for LB Jamie Collins Sr.: “I talked to the captains and leadership is who I talked to yesterday after I talked to Jamie. After (Executive Vice President/General Manager) Brad (Holmes) and I both talked to him, I talked to the leaders and captains and it was just explained to them. You don’t expect them to totally agree, but they just needed to know where I was coming from and there again, it’s nothing against Jamie. There is still a business-side to it and wish him well and like I say, his attitude’s been great. It’s nothing like that.” On if the players appreciate transparency regarding roster decisions: “I know I did when I played. I would want to know. You don’t want to hide from it. You don’t want to sugarcoat it. You just tell it like it is because you can respect that. You may not like it, but you’ll always respect it.” On when he expects a trade for LB Jamie Collins Sr. to get done: “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, but I think we’ll have a suitor.” On who will have an increased role on special teams: “We’re thinking about (Tavante) Beckett. We also signed Josh Woods. We got him from the practice squad with Chicago. So, there’s a chance he comes in and helps us on special teams right now. He also provides depth at linebacker. We’re looking at him. We’re looking at (Brock) Wright as a tight end, (Scott) Zylstra as a tight end for body types that can help us on special teams because that’s where now we need the help is to take a little bit off of (Jalen) Reeves (Maybin) and (Derrick) Barnes in special teams because they’re still going to have to be able to do that for us.” On a potential rotation between LBs Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Derrick Barnes: “Could be, yeah. I mean, we’ve got packages for both and we’ve got packages where they’re in there together.” On how he manages the special teams reps with LBs Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Derrick Barnes playing more on defense: “I think there’s – you’re going to probably split the load a little bit between Barnes and Reeves so that you get the most out of both of them as it pertains to both sides of it. As of right now, that’s kind of what we’re thinking because, look, inevitably it does come up. Reeves, man, I thought he played outstanding the other night on special teams. Well, the more reps you get on defense, inevitably, sometimes it start to slip on special teams and that is a fear. It’s naturally what happens, but I know it won’t be from lack of effort with him or either one of them. I know they’ll put their best foot forward, but that’s why we want to try to bring another body in here to help. And if we can take them off of the team, that will help.” On watching film of Ravens QB Lamar Jackson: “Yeah, I did before. I had to as a head coach and preparing for him and then you get a little sick to your stomach. But, yeah, he’s a – God, he’s a dynamic player. Let’s face it, he’s a dynamic player who has rare ability, rare talent, and he touches the ball 67 times a game, 70 times a game. He’s going to have it in his hands. Look, you play the odds, you do everything you can to limit their explosives, but inevitably, even as good as you can play, you look, they rush for 100 yards, what is it, 41 consecutive times? That’s what they do. They do it well, they run it. And so I think the big thing is, ‘Man, how do you – you’ve got to get a tackle for loss here. You’ve got to get a couple of stops because that one stop that forces them into third-and-8, third-and-10, maybe the difference in the game.’ So, if we can just find a way on one or two of these possessions and limit the explosives, if they’re going to do it, it can’t be these chunk runs. I think that’s the big thing.” On if the offensive package in place is a good counter to the blitz-heavy Baltimore defense: “There again, we’ve got to have answers and we’ve got some answers for these things. They certainly aren’t going to shy away from it. They’ve proved that. They proved that against Vegas. They got beat and they came right back and zeroed them again. They got beat and they came back and zeroed them. They’re not going to deviate, he’s not going to deviate from what he does. they’re going to challenge our receivers. They’re going to try to take (T.J. Hockenson) Hock away. We’re going to have to be creative and we’re going to have to have some plays where we may block them up, where we get them all out. But, they’re bringing it. I mean, it’s coming.” On OLB Trey Flowers’ game status: “There again, we’re just going to assess it towards the end of this week, see if we can get him back. I don’t see him practicing today. He’ll continue to rehab, he’ll be getting the mental work and we’ll see where he’s at tomorrow.” On what a win could mean this weekend: “Winning solves a lot of problems, a lot of issues. So, yeah, it certainly helps significantly. A win can take a lot of the pain and sting away from things that have gone on, but there again, the byproduct of winning is playing proper football and playing the right type of game and being accountable to one another and doing your job. There again, I said it yesterday, ‘Let’s play the way we need to play and play it the right and then see what the score ends up looking, see if we win and not shoot ourselves in the foot.’” LIONS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR AARON GLENN QUOTE SHEET Opening Statement: “I guess I will attack the elephant in the room early with Jamie (Collins Sr.), I know (Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell) Coach already talked about it, but the message is that guy is a vet, a great player in this League, will still continue to play, but man, it’s time for us to start to look at some of our young guys, give a lot of them a chance to go out there and play and you will get a chance to see (Derrick) Barnes play. I know you guys have all been to looking forward to seeing him play. I think it’s time for him to get out and start to play and also Jalen Reeves-Maybin. Both of those guys deserve a chance to play and for us to be able to move in that direction—these are tough decisions that you have to make. You don’t like them all, but they’re necessary for you to grow as a team. I think the next thing is the game that we just had. Tough team to play against, it really is with the coach and with the skill players that they have. I think in the first half our guys executed the plan and we had a direct plan of how we wanted to play. Hated that we gave up two touchdowns. I hate giving up touchdowns, but it is what it is. Second half, came out with our same plan and I would say those guys made some plays. That’s what this football game is about, guys making plays and they made a couple more plays than we did and our young guys have seen that on tape. But, I will tell you this, when you look at the overall aspect of that game, and I think you guys understand exactly how I operate, man, I want to pick off the positives and when you look at our run defense, it was pretty doggone good. Each week, man, we’re just looking to get better and I told you guys that last week. Each week we’re just going to chip away, keep chipping away. It’s not always going to be pretty, but it’s going to be effective on some of the things that we got to chip away at.” On why it is time for LBs Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Derrick Barnes to get more snaps on defense: “Well, it’s more or less of where those guys are at. It’s only so many guys that can play on the field and to be fair to everybody involved, including those young guys who we drafted for a reason. It’s time for him and Reeves to play. Barnes is a guy that brings an element of speed, explosiveness, just who he is and I think I told you guys this before, as a coach, you want to put as many good players on the field as you can and sometimes you have two good players at the same spot. So, I think it’s just a good idea for us to start using these guys and start allowing them to play.” On how to stop the Ravens’ dynamic offense: “I wish I knew that, but I’ll tell you what, we sure are going to give them a hell of a try. I think our guys are excited. They’re excited for every challenge that we get and each week has been a challenge for us and this was no different. So, me and the staff, I think put together a good plan. We’re going to attack, man. We’re going to do what we do. Last week it showed that we can hold up against the run against a really good running back. I think we had him like a three point five or three-something a carry. We’ve got to continue that trend and while we’re continuing that, we’ve got to continue to chip away at some of this other stuff that we’ve got to get better at.” On CB Bobby Price’s performance Monday night: “It’s always tough for any player to go through practice and not get as many reps as they need to get. That’s just the nature of the League. The starters are going to get a majority of the reps and then you try to get some of the backups in. But for Bobby to come in, to understand his responsibility for our special teams and then be able to operate, understand the game plan, operate it the way we want the game plan, and as physical as he was, we put him in some tough situations, now. There were some zero coverages that we ran that, listen, I was going to get after the quarterback, and Bobby did a really good job of holding up in coverage. But that’s who Bobby is. You try to take each person and try to make sure their skillset matches exactly what you want to call and that’s something that Bobby can do.” LIONS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR ANTHONY LYNN QUOTE SHEET On if there is a sense of security having RBs D’Andre Swift, Jamaal Williams and TE T.J. Hockenson as options in the offense: “Those guys factor in every game plan I look at just trying to figure out ways to get them the ball because they make plays.” On WR Quintez Cephus’ performance in the last two games: “I think he’s put some positive things on tape, some things that he can build off of. We know there’s definitely room for improvement, but I think he’s doing a good job.” On having RBs D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams as a one-two punch in the run game: “I think it’s a really good one-two punch. I love it when we can do it early in the game, but I’d like to go four quarters doing that sometime. But that day will come, hopefully this weekend.” On using the run game in non-run situations: “We’ve got to do a better job of staying on the field on third down and eating up this clock a little bit and resting our defense, number one. But when you’re down a couple of scores late, it’s just hard to run the ball, but it is what it is.” On if he agrees with Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell’s assessment of pinning Monday’s loss on the offense: “Dan’s an offensive coach. He understands offense and I don’t mind that pressure at all. I think the pressure brings the best out of coaches and players. Our standards are high and we need to do better.” On the number one thing that jumped out on tape about the Ravens’ defense: “They are aggressive. They probably zero blitz more than anybody in the League right now. So, you have to deal with that, but like I said, at the same time, when you pressure like that, you give things up. There are holes.” On QB Jared Goff having 46 rushing yards in Monday’s game: “Every now and then – he’s faster than what you think. Every now and then, you’ve got to keep him off balance and let him keep it and run it and he’s smart enough to get down and slide. So, that’s important.” On coaching against his son Ravens Defensive Backs Coach D’Anton Lynn: “I haven’t thought much about him to be honest with you, but he’s probably enemy number one right now.” On how much he appreciates a coach that wants to go for it on fourth down: “I love the fact that (Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell) he’s aggressive. That just shows he has confidence in the offense to make those calls. I wish we could be 100% in that category right now, we’ve been stopped a couple of times, but I like being aggressive in that situation. I think touchdowns win.” On if TE T.J. Hockenson gives him more confidence to go for it on fourth down: “Yeah, I mean, we have Hock, but we have other guys we can get the ball, too, as well. In that fourth-and-1, you could’ve ran it on the one we got stopped, but we had success on the earlier short yardage plays and my tendency was to run it. So, sometimes you try to do the opposite, it didn’t work, but hey, if I would’ve ran it and didn’t get it, then I’ll probably question myself that I should’ve thrown it. But I like the fact that Coach (Dan) Campbell gives us the green light to go for it.” |
