Author: Paula Pasche

ALLEN PARK — The Lions have been indoctrinated by coach Jim Caldwell to take one game at a time. You can ask players and coaches about the chances of winning the NFC North and they will steer the conversation back to the next game. Period.

One reason that is so important to Caldwell’s philosophy is Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns who are 0-8. He doesn’t want the team to overlook the lowly Browns and it’s not like he has to give them a big reason. He just wants them to stay with the same approach as the rest of the season.

The Lions at 4-4 are behind the Vikings (6-2) in the NFC North and tied with the Packers. Detroit cannot let this game get away. If ever there was a should-win game this is it.

Five things to watch:

1. Short yardage offense has to improve. It’s not like they brought in new running backs this week. Offensive Jim Bob Cooter said they were close but no one can miss an assignment. “This league is complex. You’re going to get multiple looks, you’re going to have multiple different guys moving in different spots, and different style of blitzes, and we got to be able to handle that and sort of do a better job with that. It’s very, very, very tiny details, but it’s the difference between six points and, or I guess seven points, and three points which we got to better,’’ Cooter said. “Now, you get down to the one, I think we had a first-and-goal at the one, maybe the second was at the two or so. It’s pretty fun as a play caller to kind of sometimes be sort of stubborn with the run you know, let’s hammer this thing in. So, we’ll keep evaluating that policy moving forward too, making sure we do whatever we can to score touchdown.”

2. While the Browns are pathetic in many areas, they are ranked fourth in rushing defense allowing just 84.3 yards per game. And — stop me if you’ve heard this before — the Lions’ run game is a concern averaging just 79.9 rushing yards per game. Cooter will stick with it, even if it doesn’t appear to be working early on.

3. Detroit’s defense has been good at creating turnovers. That will be an emphasis again since the Browns rank 32nd in NFL with 21 giveaways. Quarterbacks DeShone Kizer, Kevin Hogan and Cody Kessler have combined for 17 interceptions (and only five touchdowns). Also, the Browns have fumbled 10 times, losing four of them. In comparison, the Lions have 10 giveaways (four interceptions, six fumbles lost).

4. Matthew Stafford is coming off arguably his best game of the season in Monday night’s win at Green Bay. The offense, which was a bit sluggish early in the season, needs to keep rolling. Marvin Jones and Golden Tate hauled in picture-perfect passes on Monday night and there’s no reason that shouldn’t continue. Also, there’s a chance rookie wide receiver Kenny Golladay will return after missing five games with a hamstring.

5. The Lions’ offensive line played better the last two games, giving Stafford more time in the pocket. The good news is that left tackle Taylor Decker has been activated so is likely to play in his first game of the season. On the other hand, right guard T.J. Lang is in concussion protocol and has been declared out.

PREDICTION: Lions 31, Browns 15.

ALLEN PARK — Matthew Stafford laughed when he was asked when he realized that safety Glover Quin and cornerback Darius Slay were really good.

Stafford practices against them all the time.

“I know those guys are really good, and they do kind of in a different way. Glover is extremely cerebral back there. He trusts his instincts. He’s obviously a great tackler. Plays the ball really well in the air,’’ Stafford said. “Slay is quick and fast and aggressive and competitive as any corner we play. So, I think it’s great work for our guys and myself to work against those guys in practice and competitive situations.”

The Lions defense has performed well most of the season. The Lions are 4-4 heading into Sunday’s game at Ford Field against the Cleveland Browns (0-8).

The Browns’ offense ranks 31st in the NFL, scoring just 14.9 points per game. It’s a real opportunity for the defense to take advantage. The three Brown’s quarterbacks have combined for 17 interceptions.

Quin and Slay would like to add to that total this week and keep going with eyes on a trip to the Pro Bowl.

They each have three interceptions so far and Quin returned one for a touchdown.

Coach Jim Caldwell said we haven’t seen the best of Slay.

“I mean, he just keeps getting better and better all the time. He’s got an extraordinary level of competitiveness. He loves the game. I don’t think he’s ever had a bad day. He’s always looking for the next challenge. He’s a high, high, energy guy. And not only that, he’s blessed with an immeasurable amount of talent as well,’’ Caldwell said. “He can run, he’s got courage, he’s not afraid to take a chance. All of those things I think play into what he’s able to do out there on the field. Like I said, you still haven’t seen the best of him.”

All you need to know about Quin happened in the second quarter on Monday night with the Packers going for it on fourth-and-2 from the 50-yard line.

Brett Hundley was in the shotgun and Quin was in the backfield nearly the moment the ball was snapped.

“Absolutely, it’s one of those ‘oh no, yes’ that’s what the play was. He’s a guy that works and studies, he knows tendencies and when things show up they don’t fluster him and he’s able to make a play most of the time,’’ Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said. “Those guys, as you know, nobody’s right all the time but he’s going to be right a lot more often than he’s wrong. I think it speaks to how he prepares, there’s a lot of guys on the defense that prepare but he’s kind of a cut above that way.’’

Quin didn’t have a good explanation for not only making the play, but reading it before the ball snapped. It’s a jet sweep that he’s seen often sometimes with the quarterback under center and occasionally from the shotgun like Hundley ran it.

“They ran it, I saw it and just kind of tried to make a play,’’ Quin said. “When you’ve played a lot of games, you’ve seen a lot of things. I’ve been blessed to play in a lot of games and play a bunch of plays and I’ve got a keen memory of plays that has happened not only to me but to our team, to other teams. I have a real keen memory about certain plays if you’ve been in that situation a lot of different times sometimes you do things that are hard to explain. I don’t have a great explanation. Sometimes during the course of a football game you just have to play football.’’

ALLEN PARK — Jamal Agnew says defense is his bread and butter.

Yet, the Lions rookie cornerback has had opportunities on offense the past two games. He is  loving it.

“I’m in the defensive meetings and the receivers coach (Robert) Prince pulls me out and says, ‘Agnew, we need you for a second. You’ll be playing offense a little bit.’ I said. ‘I’ll take it in stride.’ I love it as long as we’re winning. I’ll do whatever it takes to win.”

One reason Agnew was drafted in the fifth round was his blazing speed. He ran a 4.34 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. He has played just one snap on defense in the first eight games, but he has scored a pair of touchdowns as a punt returner. For a rookie he definitely has contributed.

(Photo courtesy of Detroit Lions)

“Obviously, he’s good in space, and he’s got speed. Whether it will continue, every game is a little bit different. So, served us well a couple times there. It doesn’t mean we’ll go back to it again, but it’s always that possibility,’’ coach Jim Caldwell said.

Agnew made his offensive debut in the loss to the Steelers on Oct. 29. On a first-and-10 at the 50, he caught a 12-yard pass. That was his only offensive snap of the game.

In the win at Green Bay on Monday night, he gained four yards on a first-and-10 at the Packers’ 45.

“I really only have a couple things they put in, they didn’t want to overwhelm me. I basically know what I’m doing every time,’’ Agnew said on Thursday. “They basically keep it simple so I’m not out there running like a chicken with my head cut off. Like last game I was used as a decoy a couple times, I’m all for that as long as it helps us win.’’

He didn’t play offense at all while at San Diego State where he was a defensive back.

He did play on the other side of the ball at San Diego Point Loma High School where they ran an unconventional “fly” offense. He was used as a running back, receiver and fullback.

“I weighed 160 soaking wet,’’ Agnew said when quizzed about being a fullback.

These days he’s 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds.

Conventional wisdom says cornerbacks don’t have good receiving skills but Agnew disagrees.

“I have hands, I can catch the ball. You hear that stereotype a lot. I know a lot of cornerbacks that have great hands. We have a lot of corners on this team that have great hands but I think I have pretty good hands,’’ Agnew said.

Caldwell does not expect Agnew to make a full move to offense. “I don’t foresee that transition. He is what he is. I think he’s a very, very good nickel, but he also does obviously some things for us in the return game as well,’’ Caldwell said.

Agnew said it’s a little odd at practice being the only guy with a different colored jersey in the offense huddle but he’s been welcomed with open arms.

“I love having the rock in my hands but I played defense most of my life so that’s my bread and butter right there,’’ Agnew said. “I was born and raised in the DB room so I can’t leave.’’

He gets a little good-natured grief from his fellow defensive backs.

“They all give me stuff, especially (Darius) Slay. Slay is a little jealous, he’s been wanting to play offense for a while,’’ Agnew said. “So everytime he sees me in there he says, ‘Hey 39 is getting the ball, somebody hit him.’’’