The Detroit Lions coordinators had their weekly press obligations on Thursday to recap Monday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens and preview Sunday’s matchup with the Cleveland Browns. Topics this week ranged from John Morton’s intensity, why the Lions are using QB spies now, Derrick Barnes’ importance, and some kick returner thoughts.
Morton may have also given the Browns some bulletin board material.
Here’s a full recap of the three press conferences.
Offensive coordinator John Morton
The Browns haven’t seen a run offense like the Lions
Morton spent a good portion of his press conference praising the Browns’ defense, saying they have a “tough task at hand” and praising the job defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is doing in Cleveland. However, when it came to their run defense, Morton flexed a little about Detroit’s rushing attack.
“Right now we’re moving guys. I don’t think they’ve seen a run game like ours yet,” Morton said. “We have patience. We stick with it. I think that’s the biggest thing. Let’s keep doing what we’ve been doing.”
The Browns have faced the Packers (20th in run DVOA), Ravens (21st), and Bengals (32nd). Now, are those teams that bad at running the football, or do they rank that low because they’ve had to go against Cleveland’s defense? Either way, the Lions currently rank second in DVOA, fourth in yards per game (149.0), and seventh in yards per carry (5.0). So this should be an epic matchup.
Schwartz has already responded to Morton’s quote:
John Morton: Car Salesman
Morton was asked if he’s seen the viral clip of the St. Brown Brothers podcast, where Amon-Ra St. Brown and David Montgomery are discussing the differences between Morton and Ben Johnson. The two basically said that Morton is far more intense when installing plays, really selling the team on each play’s eventual success. The Lions OC found the impressions accurate.
“Pretty good. I was taught, (John) Gruden installed plays, he was the best install I’ve ever seen, he goes, ‘You’ve got to be a car salesman,’” Morton said. “You’ve got to make that play the best play in the world. So, if it takes a little noise and this and that, you’ve got to talk to somebody, you’ve got to do it. You’ve got to sell it. You can’t just go up there and be, ‘Blah, blah’. You can’t do that. Who wants to be around a guy like that? So, you’ve got to have energy.”
Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard
Kelvin Sheppard: Officially a fan of the QB spy
Back in 2022, Sheppard vehemently disagreed with the utilization of a QB spy, saying, “What you do is you waste a defender when you operate like that, and you’re playing prevent defense in a sense.”
On Monday against the Ravens, the Lions’ defense weaponized a spy early and often. Sheppard joked that a Lions reporter finally convinced him before the game, but, in reality, he said don’t believe everything he says publicly.
“When it comes to schematics, if you guys haven’t figured it out, I rarely give that information out. So, I wouldn’t believe much that I ever say about schematic things in public,” Sheppard said.
The Lions’ defensive coordinator said he got inspiration to use the spy more after watching Bills linebacker Matt Milano three years ago help handle Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Sheppard found a way to incorporate what the Bills did into the Lions’ defense and keep the Ravens guessing on Monday.
“It was a fine line of trying to incorporate some of that, but within what we do here. That’s why it was so hard on them,” Sheppard said. “It’s not because of a spy, guys, it’s because we’re making everything look the same. And when you do that, it’s impossible to know who’s coming, who’s the spy, who’s in coverage.”
The Lions don’t block things out. They hear everything—especially edge defender talk
The company line within a locker room is to say that they aren’t worried about what is being said on the outside. They block out all of that noise so they can stay focused. Sheppard cracked that facade, noting that—in the era of phones and social media—players hear everything. And it’s clear they’ve taken some of the outside conversation about edge defenders personally.
“They hear you loud and clear that we only have one pass rusher here,” Sheppard said. “They hear you loud and clear when you say we only got close to Jordan Love two times. And these guys take pride in their profession. It’s why it’s a joy to coach these guys. It’s a joy to be able to do what I do every day because these guys take pride in what they do.”
Sheppard “had to have” Derrick Barnes
The Lions’ defensive coordinator told a story about how he approached general manager Brad Holmes and told him Barnes was “a player I had to have.” The Lions listened, handing Barnes a three-year, $25.5 million extension back in March.
Sheppard went on to explain how Barnes’ versatility—being able to play essentially four or five different roles—really opens up the entire defense.
“When you have a player like that, it allows you that ability to present the same looks pre-snap and then post-snap be able to play a different variety of coverages, different variety of pressure packages and things like that,” Sheppard said. (Trevor) Nowaske’s kind of the same. These guys, when you’re able to deploy four and five linebacker sets and formations and play any of your defenses, that’s a different ball game.“
Special teams coordinator Dave Fipp
Last week, the Lions made a change at kick returner, replacing linebacker Grant Stuard with running back Sione Vaki. Fipp noted that Vaki’s return from injury played a part in the reason why they made the change. He also noted how the Ravens liked to line-drive kick on the play, and he felt it necessary to bring in offensive players who could handle the ball safely.
“We wanted two guys who could definitely field those balls. That was kind of more their skill set. Two offensive players, so that factored into it a little bit,” Fipp said.
But with Vaki now sidelined again with a groin injury, Fipp may have to go back to the drawing board. Does that mean Stuard could be back in a returner role? Possibly. But one name to keep an eye on is Kalif Raymond. The Lions receiver replaced Vaki in the middle of Monday’s game. While Fipp said they’ve been trying to avoid using Raymond because he has had a significant offensive role through three games, with Isaac TeSlaa cutting into those reps, it’s possible Raymond takes over at returner.
“We’ll see who we have available this week and do the same thing. Kalif came in and ended up playing for us, which has kind of been our goal to keep him out of there, early on anyway,” Fipp said. “He’s playing 30-plus snaps of offense and just trying to balance that; he’s our punt returner. But ultimately, if we need him, we’ll play him.”
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