LIONS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR BEN JOHNSON QUOTE SHEET
September 27, 2024
Opening Statement: “Just a couple things about last game. We really wanted to emphasize the run game and red zone production and was proud of our guys that came through and did a really nice job in that regard. They set the tone early I thought in the first drive. You could really feel the surge up front with our big guys displacing the line of scrimmage so that was a positive. Obviously, the second half didn’t go quite the way we wanted to in terms of points, but in my mind, it was really a result of a couple guys trying to do too much or not taking what was given to them at times. And that was every position group. There were plays to be had, and we didn’t capitalize on it, things that we had talked about during the week. So, that’s really our emphasis now going into this week. It’s a really styled defense we’re about to face and we just have to make sure that when opportunities present themselves, we capitalize and being sound and clean in terms of improvement from last week.”
On if he feels like the offense has turned a corner or if the second half of the Cardinals game still set them back: “Yeah, the first half certainly felt more like things that have been going our way in the past, but I guess that second half, when you turn on the tape, I think there were plays to be had and we just didn’t capitalize on it. We have yet to play a 60-minute game on offense. Fortunately, our defense and special teams have been playing really, really well. I know it’s coming, we’re just too talented of a group to not have more production and more points than what we’ve had and so it’s just a matter of time before we break through.”
On what he has seen through the first three games that defenses are doing to take away deep passes: “It’s a small sample size so far so I don’t want to go too far down that road, but I will say the (Lions WR) Jameson (Williams) effect is kind of starting to play out already. We hit a big play in the first game and a big play to him in the second game and last week, you could tell early in that game they weren’t going to allow him to get over the top. So, we’ll see if that trend continues. I think our combination of run game slash vertical threats is a little bit unique. If we can run the ball versus two-high like we have done the first three games, it’s going to be challenging for teams to be patient enough to – they’ll be death by paper cuts and we’re willing to play that game if need be. I can’t speak for every team so far, but I do know L.A. was more of a shell operation, they want to play in two-high. Tampa was more single-high operation and so that’s why we were a little bit more pass heavy early in that game. So, each week for us has been a different story.”
On why a hook and ladder play is not more popular and if he sees them becoming popular in the future: “Yeah, it’s something that we talked about this offseason that was really inspired in the springtime, just watching our own cut ups. We throw a lot of those five-yard in routes, whether it’s to (Lions WR Amon-Ra) St. Brown or (Lions TE Sam) LaPorta and you just notice the coverage collapsing time and time again whenever we do that, so we were just looking for something that would hit through the back door and it worked out like we wanted to. Kansas City I think they adlib and do that, just the faith within the players being able to secure the ball well enough. This one was a little bit more choreographed on our end just to make sure it was sound, but I think to your point there’s probably some merit to that. It’s untouched territory. I think when things haven’t been done before, people kind of get on edge a little bit because they’re not sure how it will unfold, but we felt really good about how that one would play out and maybe opportunities for more down the road.”
On if he views the hook and ladder pitch as more dangerous than a halfback pitch: “Yeah, when we had this discussion in the springtime, it was, I’m sure, triple option, speed option and back before I was born that was seen as a risky play and you get the science down, the pitch relationship, when to do it, and teams just made that their whole offense for 80 plays in a game, so why is it any different down the field? We certainly felt that way when it was (Lions WR Amon-Ra) St. Brown catching and tossing it. The risk was very, very small. We trust that player. So, I think that’s really what it comes down to is time on task and feeling confident about it.”
On whom gets credit for naming the hook and ladder play ‘Shake and Bake’: “Oh goodness, I can’t remember where we came up with that. It was a late-night inspiration right there. It was actually going to start with (Lions TE Sam) LaPorta to (Lions RB Jahmyr) Gibbs and it got out of control from there. LaPorta wasn’t available during training camp, so it became a (Lions WR Amon-Ra) St. Brown play.”
On if the hook and ladder play-call was the idea an official gave him during last year’s training camp: “No, that was not the officials but good recall there. I still have that play upstairs in my office too. That’ll be a rainy day.”
On how fortunate he is to have Lions OL Graham Glasgow be able to step into the center role with Lions C Frank Ragnow injured: “That’s a big part of his value. That’s why we wanted him back a couple of years ago and then when he was a free agent again this offseason, why (Lions Offensive Line Coach) Hank (Fraley) and I really pounded the table. The versatility between playing excellent guard and center flex was huge for us. He’s a very diligent and cerebral guy, so over the course of the week he kind of gets in the zone when it becomes a center mode and he’s thinking about the calls, this, that and the other, but I know on game day, it’s just going to be like riding a bike for him because he’s got, as you said, a lot of starts under his belt there. I know (Lions QB) Jared (Goff) feels confident about it, as do I.”
On if he feels like the balance of zone coverage and being run heavy is opponent-based or if it is something that can help them get back on track: “Yeah, I would say probably a year ago, the group that we had, our zone scheme was probably our most consistent. It’s hard to say right now three games in who we are. I think the bye week coming early, that’s one of the benefits is we’ll be able to sit down and at least for four games really determine what direction we want to go because we are a different team. We’re a different offense and we’re going to have to decide what fits us best at this point. Last week, we felt really good with what we saw on tape and just our execution in training camp of what that wide zone scheme is going to look like. Our backs are getting a great feel for the stretch and the cut ups and when to balance it. So, that was probably more of a game plan thing, just the amount that we did that week.”
On if Lions QB Jared Goff is a mobile quarterback: “There’s no question. I’ve been challenging him for three years now to race me after practice and he just declines to do so. So, we’ll see if he comes through. You guys have to challenge him on that, see if we can see how fast he really is.”
On how fast of a quarterback he was: “Oh yeah. We didn’t throw much in high school. Relive the glory days.”
On if Lions C Frank Ragnow’s toughness surprises him: “No, Frank is incredible. He’s one of the last Mohegans if you will. He’s one of the few and far between because they just don’t make them like him anymore. Tough guy and we’re certainly ready to get him back.”
On the value of watching the Ravens tape from last season to prepare for Seahawks Head Coach Mike Macdonald’s defense: “Yeah, probably less so our tape just because of how that game went, but there are a lot of similarities in what they’re doing in Seattle with what they did in Baltimore. Different players this year, this is a really good group of talented defensive players that they have there on all three levels. Up front, defensive tackle wise, you can tell that they’re penetrating, they’re disrupting, and then these edge players are probably the best group of three to four edge players that we’ve faced so far this year. Linebackers are super fast and then the secondary, they really don’t have a weak link in terms of coverage guys. (Seahawks CB Riq Woolen) 27 is sticky, (Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon) 21’s one of the best young corners in the League I believe, and then the safeties are good and aggressive. They like to fit in on the run and they’re good coverage players too. So, he’s got great pieces at his disposal and that scheme that Coach Macdonald runs, it’s proven that it’s really good. He’s been top 10 the last three years now since he’s been coordinating in not only overall defense, but ever major category. So, third down day today, I know all of our guys are on top of this look, this look, this look, because he likes to bring a lot at you.”
On how he feels about avoiding a top cornerback on the opposing team in a game: “Yeah, we certainly can do that. I think you can look back to two years ago, the Jets when we – I don’t know that we targeted (Jets CB) Sauce (Gardner) one time that game and sometimes you can dictate that, other times it’s a little bit more challenging if they mix up coverages a certain way, but we can do that. That’s a lot of what we do during the week is trying to figure out who at our disposal matches up best at where their guys are and if we can hone in on where their guy’s line up, it helps us out in trying to get favorable match ups. So, certainly something that we take account of during the week.”
LIONS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR AARON GLENN QUOTE SHEET
September 27, 2024
Opening Statement: “Obviously a really good win last week against a quality opponent who I think they’re going to make some noise in their division. And obviously, we’re going against probably one of the hotter teams in the League right now in Seattle, a team that we really haven’t beaten – since this new regime has been here, that we haven’t beaten since we got here. We know that every year is different, and our plan is to go out there and play the best we can to try and get this win. Obviously, we had a couple of injuries last week overall as a team, but defensively speaking, two guys who were huge contributors to what we do defensively are out for us. But we know this here, our guys prepare like starters, everybody. So, the guys that’s behind those guys have to step up and the guys I’m thinking about is (Lions DL) Josh Paschal, first guy who comes to my mind. Those guys have to play really well for us. The other guys that’s in that room have to step up and play for us too. Obviously, defensively, we’re playing good defense and there’s some things and some points that we talk about all the time that we try to hit to make sure that we are doing a good job at and that’s situational football. Redzone, third down, two-minute, all those situations I think we’re doing a pretty good job at, but there’s room to improve. We plan on improving every week and I tell you guys every week that we are in the business of improving. This week’s going to be a good week for us to improve against a quality opponent, but again, we’re up for the challenge.”
On how similar and different Lions DL Josh Paschal and Lions DL Marcus Davenport are in terms of pass rush: “Well, they’re two totally different people and body types, but the one thing that I do think that they’re similar, they are both able to rush with power. Obviously, Davenport’s the longer guy so he has a couple more tools that he can use than Paschal, but Paschal is more squatty, to the ground, so he’s able to use his spin moves and things like that to win. But they both have advantages between each other that they can go out there and be successful.”
On the growth that Lions DL Josh Paschal has shown: “That player’s mindset is to always grow, and you just look at the things that he’s been through that you know that he’s going to go out there and put his best foot forward. So, it doesn’t surprise me that he’s grown every year. The things that’s been the issue with him are the injuries which set you back. So, when you’re growing, then you have injuries, it’s tough to continue, to keep going at that level. Hopefully he can stay exactly where he’s at but continue to grow. When I say where he’s at, when he’s playing injury free, he’s been able to play for us because we do know there’s growth there. So, the more that he plays, we know the more he’s going to grow. So, I’m excited about seeing that player go out there on a day-to-day, on a down-to-down, and be able to improve and play for us.”
On the challenges of replacing Lions LB Derrick Barnes: “Well, someone else has to step up. We have a number of guys in that linebacker room that we want to play that role. And I’ve said this every week, that’s a room that I highly respect the way that they operate. I highly respect the friendship and the closeness that they have in that room, and I highly respect the versatility that we have in that room. So, things change, players change, defense changes at times depending on who you have as players, and we have to do everything we can to figure out what guy’s going to play that role and what defense can we play to go out there and be successful.”
On how important Lions CB Amik Robertson will be this game facing three Seahawk receivers: “We play defense, and we attack the offense. So, whatever that may be, that’s what we’re going to do. And I think we’ve been doing a pretty good job of that. So, it doesn’t matter who’s on the field, who’s going to give us the best chance to win that down and that’s how we operate. Amik’s been playing outstanding. That’s why he’s out there in certain packages.”
On what he likes about having base defense: “Same thing I like about nickel defense, I like players.”
On if he expects every team in the League to have a pair of stud wide receivers: “Well I will tell you this, if I was an offensive coach, I would definitely go in that direction because of the advantages that we give the offense right now. And that’s OK and we understand that. So, I don’t think it’s going to be anything different week-to-week as far as going against stud receivers because there’s so many coming out of college and you draft these guys in the second, third round and they come in our League and end up being a damn good player. So, it’s just an unknown to be honest with you. You might have first round guys that are not as productive, and you might have a third-round guy that comes out and blows it out the water. I think that’s the exciting thing about offense and that’s the exciting thing about having three or four receivers on the field. You just don’t know which one of those guys are going to take off.”
On if he likes the way that Lions DB Brian Branch and Lions S Kerby Joseph are settling in with each other: “Listen, I’m excited about that whole back end to be honest with you and I’ve said this from the beginning. Since OTA’s, someone’s been out to where they haven’t had the chance to really work together and finally, they’re getting a chance to work together, including (Lions CB) Amik (Robertson). So, I’m just excited about the go for it. And you’re absolutely right, I said this last week about Kerby and BB, those guys are really growing as communicators in the back end. Obviously we know, they can make plays and they’ve been very productive for us and that’s no surprise to me or anybody else on the defense because they’re damn good players and we expect that out of them. Each week they’re getting more comfortable talking, they’re getting more comfortable trying to drive the bus as far as making those calls, and even with the linebackers. So, it’s a lot of trust that’s going on right now, but we have to continue that.”
On how Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III changes the dynamic of their offense and the Lions defense: “Well, I think they have two good backs. I think both of those guys are somewhat similar as far as body type, but you’re absolutely right about that player. We talk about that player – that was the first thing that we talked about when it came to Seattle is him being able to play. He’s very explosive, he’s dynamic with these jump cuts, he has a really good stiff arm, so you have to be able to run through tackles and understand that’s how he operates as a runner. We have to gang tackle, and that’s both of those guys. And I know you guys know about us, everything’s still make sure we stop the run and try to make a team one dimensional. So, it’s going to be a challenge. It’s going to be a challenge to stop both of those guys.”
On if there is anything that he has learned about Lions CB Carlton Davis III in the last few months that impressed him: “He’s a silent operator for the most part. He doesn’t say much but he’s always locked in on what his job is. He came here for us for a number of purposes, but he wanted to play man coverage. He wanted to go one-on-one with his guy for the most part, and we don’t do that in totality, but that’s a lot of what we do and he’s doing a damn good job for us. I think we all know exactly who he is as a player. He’s been a good player at Tampa and he’s doing a good job for us, and we know that he’s going to continue to do that.”
On how he identifies the best pass rush moves for a player: “Some of that is the instincts of the player and that’s one thing that we as a staff try not to coach out of. (Lions DL) Aidan (Hutchinson)’s first year, he had this spin move where he’d always spin outside and (Lions Run Game Coordinator/Defensive Line Terrell Williams) T gets here, and T is teaching him to spin inside, and that move has worked well for him. So, it’s just really open up the toolbox of each player on what their body type, what their talent, athletic skillset is and being able to say, ‘Man, I think you have a chance to use this.’ But the thing you have to make sure you don’t do is give a guy such a vast amount of moves that they don’t perfect one or two moves. We try to do it with all of our players, and we try to do it with defensive backs too, like what’s your baby? When it’s two minutes and they know what you’re in, I know what I’m in, what is your move at the line of scrimmage? What is your move as a pass rusher? And they know you’re going to do it, I know I’m going to do it, who’s going to win, and we try to make sure we don’t take that away from the guy if that makes sense.”
On how pleased he was with the growth of the defensive front in not letting Cardinals QB Kyler Murray be mobile: “Listen, I have my own thoughts and philosophies when it comes to mobile quarterbacks. These guys create so much space because of how they’re able to utilize their talent, that it’s hard to just say, ‘Man we’re going to stop this guy from doing this, this and this.’ But when you have rush lane integrity, when you actually rush the quarterback and you give guys, I don’t want to say the freedom, but you give them an opportunity to make sure you rush but understand how to rush. I think that’s the best way to put it and our guys did a hell of a job with that last week. Kyler’s a dynamic player. I don’t know what he’s making, but he’s up there as far as one of the top paid quarterbacks so he’s going to make plays. I don’t think people understand that, but he’s going to make plays. But the thing we try to do is limit as many plays as he can make and I’m so proud of the way our guys operated last week because they did that. He got out a couple time, OK. But at the end of the day, they did a damn good job at making sure they kept him bottled up and our game plan worked to perfection.”
LIONS SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE FIPP QUOTE SHEET
September 27, 2024
On what he thought of Lions P Jack Fox’s performance at Arizona earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week: “Yeah, obviously he played great. I think any time any individual plays great it’s a part of a whole lot of people and a lot of things going on. I do think the one thing you guys have kind of asked me through the years that I’ve been here is, ‘What can he improve on, what does he need to work on?’ And I’ve always said a lot of situational plays, punting the ball in the plus-50 area, punting the ball in kind of what we call the fringe area, minus-40 to 50-yard line. Some of these things where you’re placing the ball more than just pounding it as far as you can pound it, he’s really improved at. And so, to see a guy have a great game, but also there was a lot of plays where those plays weren’t necessarily his strength always and something that he’s worked really hard on through the last handful of years and have success doing it that way, it makes you feel good – not for me, but for him, really, and for those guys. And obviously, the most important thing is, it helps the team win the game, which is really what we’re in it for. So super happy for him, but I would also say that, in order to punt the ball like that you need gunners to go cover the ball, you need the protection inside, you need a great snap, which really it starts with, if you get a good snap and then the guy rips it back there and gives you time and puts the ball in the spot and gives you a chance to get the ball out there and place it how you want to place it, that makes hitting it a whole lot easier. So, it’s really a culmination of a lot of people.”
On Lions P Jack Fox only having one returned punt and what type of weapon it is when returners are not able to return punts: “Yeah, it’s the one return and really it wasn’t even a return. It was the first game and the guy dives on a ball that’s rolling around on the ground and then we tag him down, so it’s really like no returns. I think another part of the whole conversation here is, just being aggressive on fourth down with our punt team and running fakes and doing different things with it forces the opponent to play you a certain way and it take a little bit of the edge off those guys, and that helps all those guys play better too, so you have to say that (Lions Head) Coach (Dan) Campbell deserves a part of that also by the way he calls the game and the amount of pressure he puts on the other team, he’s definitely involved in that. But yeah, we’ve got to make sure we’re ready to cover, obviously, we’re expecting to cover kicks against Seattle. (Seahawks CB Dee Williams) 33 had a good return for them last week. Guy’s a good player, competes back there, defender with the ball in his hands, downhill, so we’re excited about that matchup for us and we’re anxious to go cover some punts.”
On what the different techniques are for the touch punts that Lions P Jack Fox kicks: “Yeah, I mean, holding, gripping the ball and dropping the ball, that is a part of it. Sometimes you’ll see, and as we get closer to midfield – and all teams do it, they’re dropping the ball with the point down and they’re hitting that end-over-end punt that really turns over more like a kickoff than a spiral on a punt. But then there’s this gray area in there where it’s like, the ball’s on the minus-40, not the 50. Well, that end-over-end punt doesn’t go quite as far or quite as high, so it’s everybody – I call it the fringe – everybody’s in between their A-punt and this little placement punt, and there’s this middle ground there where it gets gray, and it’s hard for the punter because if he hits his best ball it’s going to go too far and be a touchback, but if he hits that placement ball, that end-over-end ball, it might be too short or returnable. And so, it’s like this fringe area where you’re in between plays and just really trying to perfect that. I think some of it’s knowing what the outcome you want, or the goal is in that part of the field. And the other thing that’s happening is, you guys know it, the drive starts, I think, now, averaging close to the 30-yard line now, so now you’re one first down away from being in these plus-50 or fringe-area punts, which, you’re seeing them more frequently now this year than a year ago.”
On if the good starting field position makes a punter like Lions P Jack Fox more valuable: “You know, it’s interesting because – I’ve thought a lot about this too, but it does go both ways because you start to think, ‘Well, does that take some of the value away from him being a big-leg punter that can really pound the ball down there?’ Well, that’s a two-way street because once you get pinned down in there, if you’re the team that got pinned down in there, now you’re punting from out of there and now that big leg – so I think what it’s doing is, it’s taking a little bit more of the middle ground out of the play. It’s like this game of extremes, you’re either backed up and you’re punting the ball really far or you’re down into that fringe or gray area and the in-between punts are a little bit less maybe. But yeah, there’s a lot to it all.”
On what makes Lions CB Khalil Dorsey so effective: “Yeah, Dorsey, I mean, the first thing, any great gunner, the biggest thing on the outside is if you can really run, and he obviously – he’s got a track background, and he can fly on the perimeter. I think the next-most important thing from a gunner is just competitiveness. I mean, these guys want to get in the fast lane, and they want to go, and they want to compete and they want to go against the best players and they’re relentless in their pursuit to chase the ball to get away from blockers, and he’s certainly really all of those.”
On if Lions P Jack Fox preferred to take his punt from the 46-yard line over five yards further back on the fourth down against Arizona: “Yeah, so now we’re going to introduce another element to the whole play. People rarely talk about this, but it’s significant in the numbers too when you look at it, and you kind of evaluate a punter, I’ve said here for years that the way the media or the public evaluates a punter a lot of times I gross punt or distance of punt, but there’s just so many ways to look at a punt. But the other one that comes up is when it’s fourth-and-1 and you’re punting the football, usually they have their defense out on the field and they’re in more of a safe configuration, which is a lot less return-oriented, and you’re playing to make sure you don’t give up the fake or the first down if you’re on defense, so now the punt team really has an advantage. So in that situation there, it was fourth-and-1 I believe, and we opted to take the timeout because we knew that fourth-and-1 would keep their defense on the field and it would really help our punt team go out there and execute at a better level than if they had their rush team out there, it’s fourth-and-6, maybe they feel like maybe they can rush the punt a little bit more, maybe they can run some – a little bit more of a holdup scheme, and now your net on that play or drive start at the end of that play ends up being more advantageous for them in that situation. It was actually – it was, in my opinion, it was a great call by (Lions Head) Coach (Dan) Campbell, and we had the luxury to use the timeout because obviously we had the lead and all that stuff. But it’s a lot that plays into all these things.”
On how much of the credit for Lions WR Kalif Raymond being able to return more punts goes to the blockers: “Yeah, I think, you talk about (Lions CB Khalil) Dorsey and you talk about Dorsey on the punt-return team too because, at the end of the day, the two guys who are going to get there first are the gunners, either your gunners or if you’re on punt return, the other team’s gunners, so slowing those two guys down, their only job, they don’t have to protect, the inside guy’s got to protect, the outside guys, those gunners are just flying down the field and trying to stop the play before it even has a chance to start. So when you’re talking about the return game, the first thing you’ve got to do is slow those guys down, and there’s a combination to that, and that’s where you get into hang-time distance on the punt, the longer and lower the guy punts it, the harder it is for those gunners to get down there, so some of our return game’s been an effect of what their punter does and how they operate, and then some of it’s been an effect of those guys holding up. But I thought (Lions CB Kindle) Vildor and Dorsey on the outside for us have both done a really good job of competing with the other teams gunners on the outside and slowing down that primary phase or the initial phase of coverage, and then on the inside we’ve got a lot of good players playing really hard for us and then, at the end of the day, Kalif is competing his tail off trying to get as most – as much as he can out of every single play, which I, obviously, love and appreciate and respect quite a bit because it’s a tough job description back there, there’s guys coming down at you, you’re fielding the ball, you’ve got to field it clean, you’re trying to keep it off the ground, they mishit a punt, you’re still trying to field that, and then on top of it, you’re trying to compete and get yards. And for me, I believe in fighting for every inch and every yard you can get, and this game comes down to inches and yards and they all make a difference.”
On how close he feels that Lions WR Kalif Raymond is to having a big punt return: “Yeah, I feel like he’s been really close, our guys are competing. I think I relate that to just swinging the bat. I mean, when you’re a homerun-hitter, man, you come close and you don’t quite get it, just keep swinging. So we’ll just keep swinging the bat at it and I think the more chances you get, the more swings you take, the better your odds of hitting that homerun.”
