The Detroit Lions have stopped six of eight runs on third-and-1 this year for no gain or a loss.
The Detroit Lions have dominated defensively on short-yardage rushes this year, and defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said the team's interior tackles are a big reason why.
"It’s a big reason why DJ Reader got a gameball," Sheppard said. "He’s not popping off the stat sheet and he doesn’t have 13 tackles, three sacks, no. But it’s all the dirty work that people don’t see. ... Them guys, I can’t rave about them enough."
The Lions have allowed just two first downs on eight third-and-1 runs through the first four games.
In last week's 34-10 win over the Cleveland Browns, they stuffed three straight goal-to-go runs from the 1-yard line –including two quarterback sneaks by Joe Flacco – before Quinshon Judkins scored on fourth down.
In Week 3, they stopped Derrick Henry on back-to-back rushing attempts from the 1, then got a sack-fumble on Lamar Jackson on fourth-and-goal. And in Week 2, they stopped back-to-back sneaks by Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams to force a turnover on downs.
Starting defensive tackles Reader and Tyleik Williams have six combined tackles in four games but, along with backup Roy Lopez, they have keyed the team's seventh-ranked rush defense. And with Alim McNeill closing in on his return from a knee injury, the group is about to get deeper.
"We got guys for days," Sheppard said. "I just tell (defensive tackle) Kacy (Rodgers), you just roll them in. I don’t care who’s in the game, we got four defensive tackles, they’re all starting-caliber players and that’s something new around here as you guys know, and it’s a joy. I’m glad my first year doing this, I’m able to just have the comfortability that we can roll those guys as we see fit as the game goes."
No asterisk needed
Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio railed against a rule change that impacts how kicking balls are prepared this week, saying the long field goals his team has allowed this year might "need an asterisk" like Barry Bonds' home run record.
Asked about the impact of the new rule Thursday, Lions special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said Fangio was off base with his rant.
"I’m not sure how much Vic Fangio knows, but I do respect the heck out of him, great coach, I was around him for like a week in San Fran when he came in," Fipp said. "Anyway, I would say that I don’t think that it makes a big difference. I think it’s very minimal. I think it’s one of those things that it’s perfect for the NFL, it draws headlines and people talk about it and it’s a great story line. But do I think it affects it? Sure, a little bit. But I do think very minimal."
Before the rule change, Fipp said NFL teams had an hour on gameday to prepare the kicking-specific balls teams use for most kicking plays on game day. The Lions designated an equipment staff member, Khamari Prude, to scrub the ball using a league-mandated wooden brush in front of an official.
"You’re trying to break down the seams and you’re trying to round the ball out and then you’re also trying to make it a little bit more tactile cause it comes out kind of slippery right out of the box," Fipp said.
Years ago, Fipp said teams went to even greater lengths to break in the ball, wrapping it in a wet towel and throwing in a dryer to wear away the seams. Now, teams are allowed to break in K-balls before games and use them in practice before they present them to officials for game use.
"I know this, we’ve never kicked a ball like that but they’ve certainly done it before in this league," Fipp said. "So, the whole asterisk thing, all that, these guys are better players than they’ve ever been at all positions, offense, defense, special teams. These kickers have way bigger legs than they’ve ever had, coaches are going for it or kicking longer field goals much more than has ever been done before and it’ll just open up the opportunity to get more of these players like that."
Morton's memory foam
Lions offensive coordinator John Morton often touts his team's unselfishness, highlighting the willingness of key players to block and handle other responsibilities that don't show up on the stat sheet.
But Morton said he goes to great lengths to try to make sure all of his key skill players get touches in a game.
"Well, I don’t go home until Friday," Morton said. "That’s what I do, I sit there and try to find ways to get these guys open. No, but I love it. I love this part of the week. The preparation, that’s what I live for. It’s a good problem to have."
Morton, who's known to start his work days at 3:30 a.m., said he sleeps on a tri-fold bed with an 8-inch memory foam mattress when he stays overnight at the Lions' practice facility.
"When the game starts, you’ve got to see what happens," he said. "Sometimes it’s this guy that has the hot hands, sometimes it’s that. It’s just whatever they’re doing, we try to adapt and try to change if we need to and you’ve got to do that right away in the league. ‘OK, what are they doing? What are they not doing? Anything.’ You’ve got to – that’s what good coaches do and that’s what we’ve done.”
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions run-stopping success starts in the middle of D'line
Category: Football
