October 31, 2023             

Opening statement: “Just to kind of build off of last night, we had a number of guys that played really well for us. But offense, (Lions RB Jahmyr) Gibbs, it’s the best game he’s played up to date, really showed up for us. (Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown) Saint, (Lions T Taylor) Decker, and (Lions OL) Graham (Glasgow) all played really good games for us. And I would say key points, keys to success, was taking care of (Raiders DE Maxx Crosby) 98 and look, he had production, but man, no quarterback sacks. Decker and (Lions T Penei) Sewell, I thought did really well. They accepted a challenge and stepped up. Defensively, (Lions CB) Cam (Sutton) and (Lions CB) Jerry (Jacobs), (Lions DL Alim McNeill) Mac, (Lions LB) Alex (Anzalone), (Lions S) Kerby (Joseph) and (Lions S) Tracy (Walker) and I would say Cam, Jerry coming back and then Tracy, man, were all – man, they wanted to show up and they worked all through practice. They work every week, but man, they took on the challenge, they wanted to play tighter, show up in the run game, all those and I thought those guys really just challenged on the perimeter and made a statement. It was great to see. And then special teams, (Lions WR Kalif Raymond) Leaf, he’s just been steady for us. He does so many things that I think sometimes you forget about and just him fielding those balls, he gets a good return there. And then (Lions CB Chase Lucas) Lukey and (Lions CB Khalil Dorsey) Dorse really helped us out on the perimeter on the punt return, things of that nature and then the one punt we had, running down the field, so I just thought it was – there again, there were things that we’ve got to clean up, but ultimately, our identity showed up.”

On what he felt like they were lacking in the wide receiver room that pushed them to trade for WR Donovan Peoples-Jones: “I think you just – you always feel like you’re one injury away and that was a position we felt like, man if we can find a steady, reliable guy that fits us, that can play outside, that was something that we wanted to look and see if we could acquire and DPJ out there, we felt like really fit us. We feel like he fits our style and he’s smart and he can play multiple positions. He plays everything for them out there and so we just feel like he’ll be a good fit for the team and the room.”

On the balance between making valuable trades during the season while not giving up first and second round picks: “Yeah, I think, ultimately, we said – (Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager) Brad (Holmes) and I said from day one, man we have a plan in place that we don’t want to alter, we don’t want to mess with that and we’re in year three of this right now, our beginning of year three, and everything had to be right. I just go back – it had to be the right player, it had to be the right fit and it had to be the right price, all three of those and that’s not an easy thing to do, but that’s how we look at it. And so, you know what? We found one.”

On what he noticed about Lions DL Alim McNeill when watching the tape from last night: “Listen, there was an emphasis from last week for a number of guys, but it was man, transition into rush and if we could get an edge, make it happen and then anchoring in the run game, playing strong, striking blocks and I thought Mac really showed up and I thought he really showed up, first and foremost, in the run game. That’s where those guys don’t get enough credit, but obviously, what everybody sees is the pass game. He was able to create pressure and I really feel like Mac has gotten better every year, but I feel like this year, he has really taken a significant step forward from where he’s been. And that’s a credit, obviously to him, but (Lions Defensive Line Coach) John Scott (Jr.) too, his coach, and (Lions Assistant Defensive Line Coach) Cam (Davis), those guys have really been – they’ve done a great job in that room, but really proud of Mac.”

On the importance of the timing of the bye week in the middle of the season with their 6-2 record and getting their injured players healed: “I think it’s perfect. This is perfect timing. This is exactly when I know – you really want it. I just know for where we’re at, it’s perfect. Here we are after eight weeks and then if you count training camp, that’s – we’re talking about 13 weeks, somewhere in there, so it couldn’t have come at a better time. I think we’re going to get reinforcements back when we get back for the Chargers, that are going to be critical to helping us. Certainly, it’ll only help us. And then we’ve got a number of guys that, just the nature of the way we play, that I think, just to get a little more energy back, get their legs back under them, it’s going to do a number of guys, I think, a lot of good here. So, it’s perfect timing. I think the worst is when you get a bye like on Week 3 or something, Week 4, that’s the worst. Actually, I’ve got a good one because this was back in the day, but I remember with (former Cowboys Head) Coach (Bill) Parcells it was our first year at Dallas. We’re building everything ground up and so we’d had a physical training camp, full pads, twice a day, five weeks and so we play Atlanta Week 1 in Dallas, we get beat and we get beat pretty good. And then we’re going into the bye, so I just remember him saying, ‘Buckle up boys. We’re going back to work.’ That was Week 2. We’re like, ‘Oh man, we’re back in it,’ so. And we did and we came back and won, so he was – but anyway, thank God you don’t have to do those anymore.”

On how much time he devotes to studying the previous game during the bye week and how much of it he spends decompressing: “Yeah, I’m going to spend most of – I’m going to spend all of tomorrow really just digesting the last eight weeks, self-scout, got the coordinators on that right now and then I’m going to try to get out for a little bit here and then be back on the weekend. That’s the plan.”

On why it is important for him to digest the last eight weeks before getting into the bye and preparing for Week 10: “Well, I think you’ll always – we always try to take a look at where we’re at per the last week, so you enter Week 5, you’ve looked at those last five, six. Now, what do we kind of look like? But you’re – everything has to happen so fast that sometimes, you’re trying to see that, but you’re also trying to get to the next opponent and I mean, this gives you a chance to really just sit back and you can really look in detail, everything, what do we really look like? What do we really do well? Here we are, eight weeks, what is something we can hang our hat on? What are the best spots for our players? Is there somebody we’re missing that needs to get an opportunity that may help us in a certain spot? Should we move somebody, defensively or offensively, to another position, or ask them to do a different type of – have a different responsibility? So, I think it’s all encompassing and this gives you a chance to really look at it in detail.”

On if there is a different process of evaluating these past eight weeks compared to how he evaluated their season during last year’s bye based on the success they are having this season: “No, I think it’s the same process. I mean, we were same thing last year, now it’s different. We’re going in and we had lost a few in a row, but you’re still going through looking at yourself. What are we, really? And at that point, you’re turning the ball over a lot. If we don’t turn them over, what do we look like? What does our team look like? What do we do well? So, I think it’s still the same process. And more importantly, you want to know what you do well, but you also want to know what are the opponents, when they look at us, what do they think we do well? What are they seeing? What are our weaknesses? And I think that’s where you really get the benefit of it.”

On how much of their identity is shutting teams down defensively: “Well, you – who doesn’t want to do that, right? But I think – man I think of it as, you just, ultimately, of course we all want to win, but you want to know the opponent came out and they were in a dog fight. They know it was a physical battle. They know that we were detailed in what we did. And man, I just think you want to create havoc and chaos, but it needs to be organized. So, I think that’s part of our identity and it’s not always going to work out that way, but the fight should always be there. And you just want to know – I mean, ultimately, you just want to know you’re in it, right? You want to know that when the bell rings and you’re in the ring, you’re in it and you’re throwing the first punch and hopefully, the last one as well.”

On if the fact that they are competing for first place in the NFC changed their approach to the trade deadline: “Yeah, I mean, there again, I just have to go back to this, it had to – everything had to be, it’s the right person, it had to be the right pick, the right fit for us and then it’s got to be the right price. And that’s really the best way to say it. (Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager) Brad (Holmes), I mean scoured a ton – I can’t tell you the number of calls that he made and just asking, looking at players that, I think, there are some players that you may not even know about, that could be perceived as very good players and maybe the tape’s not there. So, there’s all kinds of things there. But trust me, he did his work and we’re good with where we’re at.”

On how equipped he feels the team is to win in any environment on the road: “Yeah, I feel really good. As long as we play our style of game, we play with our identity, we take care of the football, I feel really good on the road, weather, all good.”

On his reaction to seeing other NFC teams trading for defensive players in a season where offensive numbers are down: “Good for them.”

On where Lions LB James Houston is in his rehab and if there is a possibility that he could play again this season: “Yeah, I think so. I mean, we’ll see. That’s another one – some of these guys that are – that we’ve got on IR, it’s just part of the rehab process. Not – what he had was pretty clean, so the rehab to it, the healing should be pretty clean. But there again, if it’s happening, we’re talking about December, so we’ll see.”

On the status of Lions LS Scott Daly’s injury: “Yeah, he’s going to need to be – he’s going to need surgery. It’s a tough one to lose. I’m glad you brought him up because he’s been – he’s kind of – nobody really talks about Daly, right? And you don’t talk about the long snapper unless something bad happens and we hadn’t talked about Daly, really since (Lions Special Assistant Football Operations Don Muhlbach) Muhl was gone, which that was the one where I screwed that one up. And Daly, man, just grew from there. He took the challenge and just grew. And he’s been, I mean just a steady rock for us. And he’s improved every year. He was having the best year that we’ve had and just – and so, it hurts. It’s going to hurt to lose him. He’s been really good for us, but we’ll figure all that out and we’ll move forward.”

On if Lions Special Assistant Football Operations Don Muhlbach can still play if needed: “That’s a good question. He needs to be ready, I can tell you that. I don’t know if that’s legal. I don’t know if we can have him hired here and then – but, we may have to check on that.”

 

Lions have a bye this week. They travel to LA to take on the Chargers 11/12.

All Detroit Lion football games air on WBRN 1460am, 107.7fm, & 96.5fm.

 

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