What is Detroit Lions HC Dan Campbell’s message to the team as they embark on significant stretch?
Any update on the hand injury suffered by cornerback Amik Robertson?
Campbell is hopeful Robertson will be able to play Sunday against the Steelers. The Lions are already down starting cornerback Terrion Arnold to a shoulder injury. Detroit will know more about Robertson’s status in the next couple of days.
“It can affect him a little bit, but I think, we like to believe he’s going to have a chance to play here,” Campbell said. “But until we get to practice, we won’t entirely know.”
How can Detroit help their boundary corners a little more moving forward?
Robertson and D.J. Reed were put on an island a lot Sunday and Rams wide receivers Puka Nacua (9 catches, 181 yards) and Davante Adams (4 catches, 71 yards) had a lot of success.
The Lions got to a point Sunday where they were trying to defend the run with a lighter box to help their secondary but that wasn’t effective. Campbell said he and defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard were talking about some ways they think they can help the secondary more moving forward and relieve some stress there to spread the load a little bit more effectively.
Reed allowed four receptions for 96 yards in his coverage area Sunday, per Pro Football Focus statistics, with Robertson allowing five catches for 69 yards.
Is there anything Campbell would have done differently from a play-calling perspective in that critical third quarter stretch where they went three-and-out for three straight possessions?
“It’s so tough because I wanted to get the run game going and we get a solid run (Jahmyr Gibbs for 5 yards on first offensive play of half) and then we run it again and get a holding penalty,” he said. “Then you try to overcome that, run it again, probably should have thrown it.
“Then we come back and go for a shot, and we just barely miss. That was about to be huge, had it in his hands, hits the ground and just can’t come up with it. We were so close. That would have been a significant play. But now we’re 2nd & 10 and then we get a sack and now we’re 3rd & 22.”
Campbell tried to get the run game going that third series too, but it went for two yards on first down and they were behind the sticks again.
“We could not execute in that kind of nine-play stretch and we were not able to overcome the negative plays,” he said.
Hindsight is always tough, Campbell admitted Monday, but he doesn’t regret the play calling because he wanted to get the run game going to start the second half.
