Five things to watch as Lions face Dolphins; plus, prediction

Through the 1-5 start this season, coach Dan Campbell has remained confident in his team. He has said they are close. They’ve lost three of their games by a total of 10 points. Although the last two losses have been by a combined 53-6. Devastating.

Now they’ve got to get over the hump facing the Miami Dolphins (4-3) at Ford Field at 1 pm. on Sunday. The season is not over.

“I mean, look, I’m not blind to any of this. It’s – I appreciate that and I know, but I also know the reality. I mean, we’ve got to win. I mean there’s still urgency here. I mean that’s not – that’s never changed,’’ Campbell said on Friday. “This is a – I mean, we know what kind of business we’re in. I know what kind of business I’m in and I know that the patience only goes so long. So, look we’re trying to get one this week and then, after that takes place then you go get the next one. But I mean it’s all about winning. I mean, we’re not – we’re not trying to kick the can down the road. We’re not trying to say any of that. I mean, we’ve got a team here that I know can win and it’s my job to get them there.”

Five things to watch against the Dolphins:

1. Detroit’s defense played its best game in the loss at Dallas last Sunday. It was a group effort with contributions from several players. It’s a young defense — four rookies started at Dallas — so it’s a good sign that this bunch is heading in the right direction. “Any time you play like that, certainly the way we started and most of the game, they bought into what we were doing and they began to trust each other and what we are trying to do with it,’’ Campbell said. “That certainly helps. We still have a long way to go there, there’s still things that we have to get back to what we were doing. We’re are kind of changing the style in which we’re playing. It was pretty good so we just have to build off it.’’

2. Running back D’Andre Swift and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown could add an offensive spark. Swift missed the last three games while St. Brown had to leave early last week for concussion protocol. In the last two games without Swift, the offense has failed to score a touchdown. In the first three games, Swift had 27 arries, averaging 8.6 yards per carry with one rushing and one receiving touchdown. He’s got eight catches for 77 yards. “It would be good. I mean, those two guys can account for a lot of offense. A lot of production in our offense. So, having both of them back is a big jolt. And look, I would say this too, (WR Josh) Reynolds was out there practicing yesterday which was good,’’ Campbell said.

3. Goff has thrown five interceptions in the last four games. It’s an issue. He got off to a hot start leading the offense to the top of the NFL’s offensive ratings. “We’ve got to refocus on awareness in the pocket a little bit, and continue to hammer it home. It’s not just him, there’s quarterbacks who will drift a little bit, they feel certain things, you start moving and you don’t realize you may be moving deeper than you mean to or you;re moving into something else,’’ Campbell said. “We just have to continue to stress it, coach it, show it. He understands, he responds to it, he sees it, he knows it,. There again we have to get in a rhythm.’’ So far he’s completed 62.3 percent of his passes (below his career average of 64 percent) with 11 touchdowns and six interceptions. He’s been sacked a dozen times – five last week at Dallas.

4. Miami features two of the NFL’s top four leading receivers in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Double trouble for the Lions defense.  “It is challenging and when there’s one that’s that way you can use some resources to help over there by doing that you take away from your run defense so now you’re asking a lot out of your front,’’ Campbell said. “When you’ve got two you’re going to get spread pretty thin, we have to be on point. Everybody has to be where they’re supposed to be, we need to find a little bit of disruption.’’ The Dolphins are 4-1 with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in the lineup and 0-2 without him. He’s expected to start against The Lions. He’s completing 67.3 percent of his passes and so far has thrown nine touchdowns against just three interceptions He gets good protection from his offensive line and has just been sacked six times.

5. Injuries continue to be an issue with six players listed as out: S DeShon Elliott (finger, DE Charles Harris (groin), CB Mike Hughes (knee), CB Chase Lucas (ankle), S Ifeatu Melifonwu (ankle) and T Matt Nelson (calf). WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (concussion protocol) and G Jonah Jackson (neck) are questionable. Others who showed up on the injury report this week – including Swift – are a full go. 

(Prediction: Lions 28, Dolphins 24)

Despite Lions’ slow start, Sheila Ford Hamp has confidence in the leadership

ALLEN PARK — This season’s 1-5 start is not at all what the Lions expected. That includes coach Dan Campbell and owner Sheila Ford Hamp.

While Campbell has chances to express his frustration each week, Hamp keeps communication lines open with the coach, but doesn’t talk to the media often. However she met with reporters before Wednesday’s practice to make things clear.

“We’ve got 11 more games to go, so I just don’t want everyone to push the panic button and give up the ship,” Hamp said, according to The Associated Press. “I think we’ve got the right people in place to pull this off, and I truly believe that. I wouldn’t say that if I didn’t.”

Before she spoke, Campbell reiterated his stance on the first six games.

“I’m not discouraged. I’m discouraged that we don’t have more than one win like anybody is, but I’m not discouraged like ‘I can’t believe it, we’re just not going anywhere.’ I just don’t believe that,’’ Campbell said. “I’m not going to make excuses, we should have more than one win but I’m not discouraged, we’re still making progress. We’re getting a good look at these guys on the roster.’’

Quarterback Jared Goff was happy to hear that Hamp has voiced her support through the media. “I’m very confident, we’ve got the right guys in place,’’ quarterback Jared Goff said.

In his second season as Lions coach, Campbell owns a 4-18-1 record. It appears his job is safe along with GM Brad Holmes.

Hamp, who was instrumental in the hiring of both, said that she believes in their leadership. 

Campbell’s predecessor, Matt Patricia, was fired after two and a half seasons with a 13-29-1 record

NOTES: Lions punter Jackf Fox, who signed a three-year extension this week that will pay him $3.775 million per season, said he still drives the car he had in college (a Toyota 4Runner) and has no plans to splurge on a new one. … Rookie wide receiver Jameson Williams, the second-round draft pick, has been rehabbing a torn ACL. Campbell said on Wednesday he expects Williams will see playing time this season but it will probably be at least another month. … Running back D’Andre Swift, who has missed the last three games, practiced on Wednesday. … WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, who was pulled from Sunday’s game and placed in concussion protocol, was wearing a red no-contact jersey at practice. 

(NEXT UP: Miami Dolphins (4-3) at Lions (1-5) at 1 p.m. on Sunday.)

Lions Dan Campbell sees encouraging signs from young defense

After hitting rock bottom two weeks ago, coach Dan Campbell said he sees the Lions climbing back out of the depths even after the 24-6 loss at Dallas.

“I’m encouraged by our defense, it was encouraging. It’s hard to lose but when you watch the way they played yesterday and I told them, I said this last night, they played exactly the way we practiced,’’ Campbell said on Monday. “It was high energy, they were intense, they were urgent, we got a ball out – we got a turnover. You could feel the pressure on third down. We hit the quarterback early. We challenged on the perimeter, our secondary was coming down hitting and tackling.’’

The Lions fell to 1-5 after the loss. The defense has been at the bottom of the NFL standings in points per game and yards allowed. For the talent on that side of the ball, more was expected.

After rock bottom — the 29-0 loss to the Patriots — Campbell, his staff and players took the bye week to examine what was going on, on both sides of the ball but defense was more of an issue. Even though the Lions offense was shut out in that Patriots game, it was one of the NFL’s most high-scoring offenses up to that point.

Defensively, coordinator Aaron Glenn and Campbell made changes including benching veteran defensive lineman Michael Brockers. Campbell called him a “pro’s pro” and said he is willing to help the younger guys even if he’s not playing.

Campbell said the loss was Jeff Okudah’s best game since he’s been in Detroit and it’s exactly how he practiced last week. He also noted that Julian Okwara had his best game.

“That’s encouraging because when your defense begins to start finding their way there a little bit, you’ve got a chance. It’s a credit to A.G. We changed a few things, kind of went back to what we were doing last year, just the way we played those big boys up front. Getting Hutch (Aidan Hutchinson) up in the 2-point, having (Josh) Paschal back and (John) Cominsky. I thought they all showed up.’’

He also noted the physical play of cornerback Amani (Oruwariye) who had been benched for the Patriots’ game and finished with 15 tackles on Sunday. Also, Campbell was pleased with rookie Kerby Joseph who forced a fumble in the red zone. 

“One of the reasons we liked (Joseph), he’s a ball guy. He’s got instincts back there, he’s got range and he’s this close. Every week he’s gotten better and better and better,’’ Campbell said of the third-round pick. “That was huge, we preached takeaways last week and he came up with a big one in the red zone. So he’s trending the right way.’’

The scheme has also changed. 

“We’re going to set edges and funnel everything inside to our backers, our two big guys, now anything pops through there, if it gets out to perimeter between edge setter and your linebacker now you put them in a phone booth for your corner, you don’t have to tackle on the perimeter where you have all that space,’’ Campbell said. “We just felt like it was going to help everybody and it did.”

Four rookies started on defense — Hutchinson, Kerby, Malcolm Rodriguez and Josh Paschal (in his first NFL game). Paschal, a second-round pick, also was called out by Campbell for having an encouraging debut. 

Campbell said he likes the young group because they’re football guys, have good FBI (football intelligence), high motor and ability.

Now about the offense, which was missing running back D’Andre Swift (ankle/shoulder) and wide receiver D.J. Chark (ankle). Plus, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was taken out of the game early for a concussion test and not allowed back in under new NFL rules. He was cleared of a concussion and Campbell expects him back for Sunday’s game against the Dolphins.

The defense showed up with a few changes and the addition of Paschal and John Cominsky — and the return of Oruwariye — on Sunday.

Could the offense improve with Swift and St. Brown in the lineup?

“I would say this, it wouldn’t hurt,’’ Campbell said.