Tag: Aaron Glenn

Five things to watch as the Detroit Lions open at the K.C. Chiefs

ALLEN PARK — Nothing like a huge test at one of the NFL’s loudest, most hostile stadiums — home to the Super Bowl champs —  in a nationally televised game to get the season started for the Detroit Lions.

Much is expected this year including a division crown. It all starts against the Chiefs.

Since the schedule was announced months ago, the Lions have been geeked.  Patrick Mahomes? Bring him on.

“This is why you play the game of football right here, these high-pressure situations where you’re opening the season with the Super Bowl champs at their place, I wouldn’t want anything else,’’ second-year defensive end Aidan Hutchinson said.

Nothing seems too big for the Lions and that’s, in large part, due to coach Dan Campbell.

While Arrowhead Stadium will be a new experience for most of the players, Campbell has played and coached there.

“It’s an unbelievable environment, it really is. It’s – man, to go on the road at a place like that – I told my guys, ‘Man embrace it, enjoy this. This is not stressful – this shouldn’t be stressful,’’ Campbell said. “This should be just – man, take it all in. Enjoy the sunlight,’ if you will. I know it’s at night, but, it’s just – when you’re a true competitor, to go on the road in an environment like this, I think it really brings out the best in you.

 And so, we know what we have to do communication-wise, that’s the big piece of this and honestly, it’s no different than any other game, once you get through this early portion, even the openers on both sides of the ball, now you’re into the flow of the game,’’ the coach added. “So, we’ve just got to stay steady, consistent, don’t get too high, don’t get too low. And they know that, I mean we could be down 14, we could be up 14 and you’ve got to play every play and just relax, put the last one behind you and just keep playing football.”

Five things to watch:

1. Games early in the season can be won by making fewer mistakes, not necessarily more plays. That’s Dan Campbell’s theory.  Also he can boil down a two-pronged gameplan — defense needs takeaways, offense needs to convert on third downs.Campbell is confident in his secondary. “I do believe that we’ve got some playmakers back there on the backend and so I think we’re much better suited than we’ve been here to come up with some – man, you get some tipped balls, overthrows, get a hand on a ball that we’re going to come down with those, and not only there on the backend, but I think we’ll have the ability to squeeze the pocket on these guys and just really all year I believe we’ll be able to do that with our front,’’ Campbell said. “And so, that bodes well to getting some takeaways, those two things.”

2. The Lions offensive line, which is intact and ready to go, will be key to the offense’s success.  The Chiefs will be without DT Chris Jones due to a contract dispute. He had 15.5 sacks last season. Frank Clark (5 sacks) and Carlos Dunlap (4 sacks) are no longer with the team although it doesn’t mean they haven’t found talented replacements. The starting offensive line gives offensive coordinator Ben Johnson comfort. “It’s my blankey. It’s Jared’s blankey. I mean, those guys, they’re good, they’re special, they really are,’’ Johnson said. “They’re one of the top units in the League and I think we’ve always felt that way inside the building, this year we really need to come out and prove that to the rest of the League. And I think they understand that and they’re looking forward to it.”

3. Rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs has done nothing but impress since he was drafted in the first round. Certainly he can catch the ball and he will be targeted. Together with veteran David Montgomery, they could be a dynamic duo. “I think we’ve seen a lot of them and we know what we’re going to expect out of both those guys. I think they are very – yes, they are complementary backs. What (No.) 5 does well, Gibbs might not do as well and vice versa, but I think they both are very versatile, so we might use Gibbs in some ways that people don’t quite think we might or Montgomery the same way,’’ Johnson said. “I’m really excited to see what they can do out on the field here this week, but we’re going to use them all over the place.”’

4. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes is all of that and paired with tight end Travis Kelce they will be a handful for any team’s defense. Kelce is officially questionable with a knee injury sustained on Tuesday, but he hasn’t missed a game since 2013 so it seems like if he can get on the field he will. Mahomes, among his many attributes, has the ability to make a 2-second play into a 4- or 5-second play.  “So, our guys just have to be ready for that and it is what it is, but it also goes into our defensive line to make sure we corral this quarterback and keep him in the pocket and don’t let him get out,’’ Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said. “Now is he going to get out and do it? Yes, I mean he’s a special player. He’s going to wear a gold jacket at some point. I think we all know that, so. But we’ve just got to do the best that we can to make sure we corral him and don’t allow those two-second plays to end up being four- or five-second plays.”

5. While much of the matchup chatter is about Mahomes, Jared Goff will have something to say. He’s on a ridiculous string of 324 passes thrown without an interception. He was a big reason the Lions were able to turn their season around in the second half last year. Goff has had a good camp and he’s surrounded by talent. Goff said the offensive, ranked fifth in the NFL in 2022, has several areas where they have the potential to be better this year. “I think mostly, it’s just the details of things that we’ve been able to clean up over, even through OTAs and training camp. Being able to ask questions on things that we made mistakes on last year and make sure everyone is dialed in on the same page on how we want to do certain things, so the details of each play, which should lead to better execution, less penalties, that type of stuff of just getting lined up and being able to execute our offense at a higher level,’’ Goff said.

PREDICTION: Chiefs 28, Lions 27. (Expect Detroit to be in the game throughout, but the difference could be the environment. Still, it wouldn’t be a shocker if the Lions win.)

It’s only June, but Lions’ secondary shows signs of improvement

ALLEN PARK — While it is just June – three months away from the Lions’ season opener – even quarterback Jared Goff has noticed that it’s tougher to find an open wide receiver during mandatory minicamp.

Coach Dan Campbell credits defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and his staff for the improvement so far.

“The additions that we do have — there again it’s early, we’re in spring. There’s a reason why we got Cam Sutton, there’s a reason why we got (Emmanuel) Moseley, there’s a reason why we got C.J. (Gardner-Johnson)  because we believe they certainly upgrade us production-wise and they’re also football guys,’’ Campbell said on Wednesday. “They fit everything that we’re about — the way they go about their business, they’re veteran guys, they’ve got skins on the wall, they come from winning programs and they play the game the right way.’’

Campbell feels like the team is way ahead of where it was two years ago and sees the biggest difference in the secondary.

“That’s without Moseley right now being out there. Once we get him back and he’s healthy and obviously getting Tracy (Walker) back that’s a big transformation with depth and competition,’’ Campbell said.

Of the new guys, Gardner-Johnson has been a standout on the field for his talkative style.

Defensive lineman Romeo Okwara said the secondary is noticeably louder. 

“I think it’s huge for the guys back there, especially the young guys. (Gardner-Johnson) brings a lot to the table. I think we’ve totally got better in the secondary and the defense of course.’’

Safety Ifeatu Melifonwu, entering his third season, is one of the younger guys picking up on playing with the more experienced additions to the defensive backs room.

“(Gardner-Johnson) is very vocal, very talkative but in a good way though,’’ Melifonwu said. “It comes from a good place. He wants to see all of us be great and push each other so it’s good.

His energy and just the energy of the (defensive backs) room in general rubs off on everyone.’’

Melifonwu made the switch to safety last season, but was limited to 10 games due to injury. He came back and played in the final eight games mostly on special teams but the final three at safety.

“I was just really coming back. It was my first real game reps at safety,’’ Melifonwu said. “I never had played the position before, but I feel that helped coming into this year.’’

He and the other younger defensive backs are benefiting from the more veteran players which could help boost the defense. The new guys have fit in seamlessly.

“We all want to see each other be great and be successful as a team. It all comes from a good place. We have a lot of older guys in the room, so it’s like our meetings might be a lot of people giving different perspectives,’’ Melifonwu said. “The way one guy says something might resonate with a younger guy better than the other one said it. It’s like we have a lot of vets and leaders in the room so everyone listens and, obviously, to the coach, I think it helps.’’

Melifonwu has switched jersey numbers from No. 26 to No. 6. He said he wanted No. 2, but Gardner-Johnson got it. That’s OK with him. “Six is my second-favorite single digit,” Melfionwu explained.

The Lions wrap up the mandatory minicamp on Thursday and finish their OTAs next week.

Lions cornerbacks coach Dre Bly a good fit for Dan Campbell’s staff

Five things to know as team prepares for offseason work

ALLEN PARK — When coach Dan Campbell added Dre Bly to the Detroit Lions coaching staff as cornerbacks coach, it seemed like a good fit. Almost natural. 

Bly, who played corner for the Lions in 2003-06, has connections with the coaching staff including defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Like Bly, several Lions coaches are former NFL players, including Campbell. 

Bly made the move from coaching cornerbacks at North Carolina where he found success and learned as a coach.

During a press conference on Wednesday, his excitement about getting going was noticeable. 

“We want these guys to learn from us but also have a chance to do what we weren’t able to do. That’s the whole point of us coaching, passing the torch,’’ Bly said.

Five things to know about Bly:

1. From his time in Detroit to now he said the fiery fans are the same, but the leadership is a lot different. “I’m actually a little jealous, just looking at how they finished last year, looking at all the excitement on the field, looking at how much fun they were having with Dan and the rest of the coaching staff,’’ Bly said. “They were on ‘Hard Knocks’, there was a lot of excitement … across the football world, there’s a lot of excitement. Me as a former player that’s something that you could wish to be a part of, I didn’t get a chance to experience some of that as a player. It’s pretty cool to be back on the other side and to see the drive that the guys have, the coaches, the camaraderie we have on top, the group of men that Dan has put together. It’s pretty cool to see.’’

2. Bly checked many (if not all) of the boxes that Campbell sought in a cornerbacks coach. “Me being who I am, I wasn’t the tallest player, I wasn’t the fastest, I was able to do some things in this league because I was instinctive, I was smart and I was very confident and competitive. That was one of the first things that Dan said he was looking for out of his corners coach was a guy who was very compeittive, a guy who had a certain amount of confidence about himself,’’ Bly said. “A lot of times we are creatures of habit. If your leaders are a certain way then the guys that are around him will move the same way. That’s why you were able to see the Lions last year play the way they played because Dan moves a certain way, AG (Glenn) moves a certain way. That’s the way I move, we have a lot in common. I think I bring something unique to the position, to the room, instant credibility. A guy who’s very passionate, a guy who’s very relatable. I like to interact with players. I’m still in shape, I can move, I can get out and teach technique. I would agree we’re a group of guys who have a lot to give to the game.’’

3. Bly’s connection with Glenn goes back to when he was assigned No. 31 at North Carolina. He sought out someone in the NFL with the same number who maybe he could look up to. “AG at the time might have been the only guy who resonated with me and that number. Our games were very similar. He was a guy who was dynamic as a player, he was explosive, he was a kick returner, he made plays,’’ Bly said. In 2017 he was able to shadow Glenn, who was with the Saints, for the entire preseason. Campbell was also on the Saints’ staff at the time.  Bly and Glenn stayed in touch. “He knew I had a passion to get to the NFL. The league is about teaching. The men who are here I have a lot in common with. College was great, I loved it, did a lot of great things in Chapel Hill, had a chance to mentor some players and learned a lot from Mack Brown,’’ Bly said. “To have a chance to teach ball for 24/7 is something that I love to do. I’m excited to be here …’’

4. Bly, a two-time Pro Bowl player, is excited about the three veteran free agent defensive backs that the Lions have added — Cameron Sutton, C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Emmanuel Moseley. “We’ve been able to bring in three guys that have been highly productive, they’re around the football,’’ Bly said. “That’s one of the things we were looking for, along with the rest of the guys that we have to add to the fold. We’re excited. Three veteran players, guys who have been successful in this league, cerebral players, smart, good leaders in the meeting room and off the field.’’

5. Bly is still in shape and said he’ll be able to teach technique on the field. As a player, he won a Super Bowl ring as a rookie with the St. Louis Rams. In fact, two of his first three seasons he played in the Super Bowl. Then the following eight seasons — including the four with the Lions — he didn’t even make it back to the playoffs. Now he’s on a new mission — getting back to the postseason as a coach.

(UPCOMING: Players report for offseason workouts on Monday, April 17. The NFL draft takes place April 27-29.)