Author: Paula Pasche

ALLEN PARK — Most NFL rookies slowly work into their roles as starters.

Jarrad Davis, the Lions first-round pick, is not one of those rookies.

From the get-go, the starting middle linebacker has been a serious student of the game, a hard worker and has somehow in his short time with his teammates earned their respect.

“He’s not bashful about setting the defense, making calls, typically you have to prop them up to get it done. With him it comes naturally,’’ coach Jim Caldwell said. “It’s a nature versus nurture thing with him. This guy was born with it and he’s done a nice job so far.’’

Davis’ next challenge is at New York Giants on Monday Night Football. All eyes will be on the young linebacker.

Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin called Davis’ play in the win over the Cardinals “outstanding for a young guy.”

“He really flew around. Physical. Really he makes a difference in our defense in terms of our temperament and how we go, and that’s something that your middle linebacker should do because he’s really at the end of the day he’s the quarterback of your defense,’’ Austin said.

“He stands in front of our guys. He calls the defenses. No hesitation. He’s right up front. He’s right there, and our guys know he’s with them. And I thought he was productive,’’ Austin added. “Like all of us, there were things that we could do better last week, and that’s what our goal is this week. We want to be better than we were last week.”

Communication was not an issue for Davis which is a good thing since it is his job and if he doesn’t do it well the defense will flounder.

“He was fine. He was fine and he’s been working on that since Day One. I think that’s one of the reasons from Day One, we put him in front of the huddle. We knew this day would come, and so we wanted to make sure he was prepared and he was ready for it,’’ Austin said.

This is not an easy role for a rookie or any young player regardless of draft status.

Davis talked about leadership and how he works at it on the night in April that he was drafted by Detroit.

One of the reasons he was so desirable to the Lions is his maturity and work ethic. That has not changed since his arrival in Detroit.

“He’s really first one in, last-one-out type of guy and so, I think our veterans respect that type of work ethic, and they gravitate to a guy like that,’’ Austin said.

ALLEN PARK >> Every NFL team deals with injuries, but when the Lions lost to the N.Y. Giants last Dec. 18, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford was playing with an injured finger on his throwing hand.

Never a good thing. He completed 24 of 39 passes for 273 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception. If Stafford had 10 healthy appendages would the result have been different?

“Golly man, I have no idea,’’ Stafford said on Thursday.

The Lions get a chance for revenge of sorts when they play at the Giants on Monday night.

Here are five thoughts from Stafford on the upcoming game:

1. The Giants’ run defense allowed 129 yards in their opening loss at Dallas. “I think they’re a really well-coached defense. There’s not a lot of guys missing gaps and fitting wrong and all that kind of stuff. They’re good tacklers, and they’ve got some guys inside that do a heck of a job,’’ Stafford said on Thursday. “They eat up blocks and let their linebackers run. And then if they’re not eating up blocks, they’re making the plays. So, it’s a big challenge for us this week and something we’re looking forward to.”

2. He likes that the Lions receivers possess various strengths. “I think we do a good job of trying to use those guys’ skill sets to their strengths as much as we possibly can. Eliminate them from situations where they might be weak. So, we try to find ways to exploit defenses with those guys and they did a nice job Week 1,’’ Stafford said. Seven Lions each had at least two catches in the win over Arizona. Golden Tate led the way in yardage with 107. Rookie Kenny Golladay hauled in two touchdowns.

3. It’s an advantage to have a dual threat like running back Theo Riddick going up against a stacked Giants’ secondary. “Obviously, he’s a veteran player, has played a bunch of football, played in big environments. He’s really, as we all know, really good out of the backfield catching the ball. Does some things that are really good in the run game as well. So, the more guys we have back there, Theo included, the better we’ll be,’’ Stafford said.

4. Stafford was sacked just once by the Cardinals behind the new-look offensive line featuring T.J. Lang at right guard, Rick Wagner at right tackle and Greg Robinson at left tackle.  “I think every game is different but I think they went out and executed really well the first time. And the first game of the year, those guys rushing the passer on that team were no slouch either, you know, Chandler Jones and No. 44 (Markus Golden). So, this week will be a different challenge, different guys, and we’ll have to go out there and prove it again,’’ Stafford said. “Just because somebody on our team played well Week 1, doesn’t mean they’re going to go out there and play well Week 2. You’ve got to prove it every week in this league.”

5. The Lions were running out of punters on Sunday. After Kasey Redfern injured his knee, knocking him out for the season, kicker Matt Prater punted four times. What if Prater had gotten hurt? Stafford did punt in high school. “I was more of a quick-kick guy from the gun than I was a punter. But I had some decent stats because there’s no returner back there,’’ Stafford said. “Yeah it crossed my mind for a minute, but glad I didn’t have to do it.” (To steal a line from Lions’ writer Mike O’Hara — world’s highest paid punter.)

ALLEN PARK >> First, of all know that Lions wide receiver Golden Tate respects the Giants defense.

“The Giants’ secondary, they’re fantastic. Last year they had 12 turnovers between picks and fumbles. They’re a very dangerous group of guys,’’ Tate said. “We definitely have to be on our game. We can’t come out flat like we did last week. We’re excited about it. Who doesn’t want a challenge?”

That said, the Giants defense will face their own type of challenge, especially with the Lions offense, on Monday night at MetLife Stadium. It’ll be their first time going up against rookie wide receiver Kenny Golladay who hauled in two touchdown passes in his debut in Sunday’s win over the Cardinals.

“Kenny has shown he’s a dangerous player, he’s a game-breaker kind of guy, glad to have him on our team,’’ Tate said. “It makes the opposing team put some more time in scouting him and covering him.

“To me you have to pick your poison — who you going to double-cover? Me? Marv (Jones)? Theo (Riddick)? Golladay? Ameer (Abdullah)? (Eric) Ebron? (Darren) Fells? Pick your poison. We’re excited about it,’’ Tate added.

The Lions lost at the Giants, 17-6, last Dec. 18. In that game, Matthew Stafford was hampered with a wonky finger and Golladay was still playing at Northern Illinois.

Here is Tate’s breakdown of the Giants’ secondary:

— “Eli (Apple) is a young guy who’s made a bunch of plays and still learning the game. The best is yet to come for him.”

— Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie: “A savvy guy, fast guy, ballhawk that can make some plays.”

— “Janoris Jenkins, been going against him for a long time when he was in the NFC West. He’s a very talented guy, a  ballhawk as well, physical guy, loves contact, going to talk some smack to you.”

— “Landon (Collins) all pro guy, he knows his assignments, savvy guy, he’s in the right place at the right time, makes plays.’’

“It’s going to be a great challenge for us, but I love our guys against their guys,’’ Tate said.

In the opening win, Stafford passed for 292 yards and four touchdowns. Seven Lions caught at least two passes. Tate was tops with 10 receptions for 107 yards.

Of course, Tate is not alone in his respect for the Giants’ secondary.

“It’s a pretty strong group, and there’s no doubt about it between the three corners and the safety. I mean it’s hard to think there’s any team that has any more than they have. They have talented guys,’’ Lions coach Jim Caldwell said.

Stafford knows he will have his work cut out for him especially after the results from last season’s game.

“They got a ton of talent. I mean you look around, they’ve got two extremely good edge rushers, a really good, if not the best, interior run presence guy in the league, an all-pro safety and two maybe three all-pro corners,’’ Stafford said.