Coordinator check-in: Carlton Davis III wows Glenn with passionate scouting report

Allen Park — Let’s dip back to a couple of earlier storylines, including one from the locker room on Wednesday.

First, ahead of the Week 1 matchup against the Rams, Dan Campbell was asked about offensive lineman Jonah Jackson’s ability to provide unique insight on Detroit’s scheme to his new team.

As you might remember, Campbell said it was something where the Lions were cognizant, the team had changed up some calls, but they weren’t going to overthink the situation. Still, it did highlight something that's likely obvious; there's some value to the information a player can offer about his former employer.

This week, the Lions are on the other side of that conversation with cornerback Carlton Davis in the fold. The veteran, who was abruptly and unexpectedly traded to the Lions this offseason, has said he’s trying to take this matchup like any other. That said, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn explained one notable difference with Davis this week, and it could prove valuable to the team’s defense.

“I will tell you this,” Glenn said. “He’s normally a quiet guy, but he gave the best introduction to those receivers (Mike Evans and Chris Godwin) that I’ve ever heard a DB talk in my coaching career, and that’s saying a lot. The way he articulated who these guys are, how they act, how they operate, was pretty amazing yesterday.

“I wish I actually taped that for my own, just so I can show other players like, ‘This is how you do it,’” Glenn continued. “He does have a little something in him, and he’s not going to show that, that’s just who he is, but you can tell that it’s Bucs week for him.”

Not surprisingly, Glenn declined to share specifics about Davis’ presentation, only noting it’s nothing new to ask a player to provide the initial report on their previous team.

It’s going to fly under the radar, but the Lions actually have a second former Tampa Bay defender to debrief with defensive tackle Pat O’Connor on the practice squad.

● I continue to be fascinated by the new kickoff and the evolving strategy that goes into it. For the past few weeks, my fixation has been on whether there’s still value with kicking through the end zone and accepting the touchback, but what about the decision to return the ball? Is the potential reward enough to risk it, knowing that taking a knee brings the ball to the 30-yard line in the current setup?

Here’s what special teams coordinator Dave Fipp had to say.

“I don’t think anyone knows the answer to that,” Fipp said. “Obviously, there’s just not a lot of information. The one thing I can tell you is, the kicks that were returned from the end zone last week — now, that’s all of them, four (yards) deep, one (yard) deep, and also nine (yards) deep — but those I think the average drive start was like the 29-yard line or something. It still didn’t push it past the 30, but it got close.

"Then, obviously, there’s the argument for, ‘Well, if it’s close and you’re not really losing anything, but you have a shot to gain something, well then, is it worth it?’" Fipp continued. "I think that is a conversation that’s probably out there and just what is that line and are we willing to do that and when and why and how?”

That’s a long way of saying there’s not enough data to definitively say, but the larger point stands. If the risk is you start 1-5 yards deeper, but there’s a 5% chance you break a bigger return, there’s value to be had with the attempt, right?

● Before overtime, Detroit’s offense was clunky in the opener. Quarterback Jared Goff posted a modest passer rating of 85.0, the ground game had average production and the team wasn’t anywhere close to as efficient as they wanted to be on third down, leading to multiple three-and-outs.

It’s easy to chalk that up to Week 1 rust, but offensive coordinator Ben Johnson rejected that premise.

“Truthfully, I think we were all disappointed by it,” Johnson said. “We’ve been together long enough that we all know it’s game one and we knew it wasn’t going to be our best performance of the year, but there were still a number of things that popped up that just weren’t us, characteristic of us and how we play. More so than any schematics and anything like that, it was really more how we play ball. So, we’ll get those things corrected and hopefully have some better results going forward.”

The overtime period was more reflective of the way the Lions want to play, physically dominating up front and grinding it out on the ground for the win. Asked how it felt watching it from the sideline, Johnson quipped: “I just wondered where that was to start the game.”

● In the opener, the Lions deployed specific personnel packages — primarily a heavy dose of base defense (three linebackers) — to make the Rams one-dimensional. That was largely effective as the opponent struggled to run the ball consistently, mustering 83 yards on the ground at a 3.6-yard per carry clip.

But one area where the Rams had some success was utilizing their receivers on end-arounds, gaining 17 yards on three tries with Cooper Kupp and Puca Nacua. Of course, the opponent wasn't alone with the strategy. The Lions picked up 25 yards on similar-style handoffs to Jameson Williams and Kalif Raymond. The latter managed to kickstart the game-winning drive in overtime.

Curious, I asked Glenn if this was a one-game anomaly or if he feels the increased incorporation of receivers into the run game might be a schematic evolution around the league.

“Absolutely,” Glenn said. “All these offenses right now are being more innovative, and they have different guys to be able to run the ball. You see San Fransisco, I think they were the team that actually did most of that. …It’s just something that’s going across the league right now, and as a defensive coach, you have to be on your p’s and q’s to understand that, and be able to find ways to stop that, because the offense is not going to change in that aspect. We just have to do a better job on these jet sweeps with these receivers.”

Part of the reason the Rams have success on those carries is the mauling perimeter blocking of their tight ends and receivers. I followed up, asking Glenn if there needed to be a greater emphasis on coaching his defensive backs to shed blocks to counter it, but he said stopping end-arounds still starts up front.

“You also have to have edge-setters too,” Glenn said. It’s not just on the DBs. When you’re setting the edge, make sure you set the edge and don’t let anybody out-contain you.”

● Johnson explained the decision to go with wide receiver Tom Kennedy against the Rams, over veteran newcomers Tim Patrick and Allen Robinson.

“He’s a little bit of a blankie for us because we know if something were to happen, he can play x, f, z,” Johnson said. “He can play every spot at the receiver spot. We feel really good about what he can bring to the table, and I think that gave him the nod last week.”

● The Lions racked up the quarterback pressures in the opener, but the sacks lagged behind. Some of that was a couple of missed opportunities to finish, with Stafford escaping the grasp of Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport on different occasions. But the other big component was how quickly the QB got rid of the ball. I asked Glenn how to counter that offensive strategy.

To quote comedian Bo Burham from his pandemic-era comedy opus Inside, “Get you’re f___ing hands up.”

“I think our D-line did a really good job in practice of, when they’re in front of the quarterback, sometimes you just have to get your hands up,” Glenn said. “That’s just as good, sometimes, as getting pressure on the quarterback. Because now, you get the tipped ball and things like that. That’s something we have to continue to work on. …We have to do a better job of getting our hands up when we don’t get a chance to hit him, because we had multiple guys that were around him.”

Asked if there was a coverage adjustment that goes along with that, Glenn kept it simple.

“Just stay tighter. Just play tighter.”

● Hey, how about a little love for punter Jack Fox, who continues to be an underrated weapon for the Lions?

“He is a great player and you kind of get used to just having him out there, but as soon as he’s not there you’ll learn real quick what the difference is,” Fipp said. “He had a major impact in the game, really the last two times we’ve played (the Rams), and the last couple times we’ve played Tampa Bay, also, he’s had very good games for us.

Fox had a staggering 57.5-yard average on his four boots, and his net would have been even better than the 47.5 yards it ended up at if rookie Ennis Rakestraw didn’t knock one effort begging to be downed inside the 5-yard line into the end zone for a touchback.

“Ennis, I thought he did a good job in the game for us, for being his first time,” Fipp said. “Obviously, that play was not very good. Yeah, in those situations you’ve just got to keep your poise, I mean, everything happens so fast. He had great intentions. He wants to go make a play and sometimes your enthusiasm gets in your way. Sometimes you’ve just got to slow down, and for him, in that situation, slow down or avoid the ball altogether and let somebody else that’s in a better spot finish it.”

Fox’s contributions continue to be as a punter and holder, but he likely won’t be involved with kickoffs any time soon. Fipp said he prefers to use a placekicker in that role. After leaning on Fox a little bit more the last couple of seasons because of his rare leg strength, the team has found a kicker who can match that attribute in Jake Bates.

● Glenn, who played cornerback for 15 years in the NFL, joined the chorus of those not overly concerned about rookie Terrion Arnold’s two pass interference penalties, but acknowledged there is an adjustment for young defensive backs regarding the level of contact allowed between the college and pro games.

“We did a lot of work on that this week in practice,” Glenn said. “We’re going to continue to work on that. And he knows that when he came in. He knows it’s going to be different. He understands the magnitude of how the NFL sees offensive football, so we just have to continue to work on those things. But I will not tell him to slow down and take his aggressiveness away from him.”

Specifically, Glenn said Arnold is working on both his hand placement and getting his head around to locate the ball.

“I have no issue with that player getting better at that, because I know he will because he’s a quick learner and he’s a fast learner,” Glenn said.