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Opening Statement: “I thought the game – field position won us that game, it was one of the reasons. I thought (Lions P) Jack Fox was outstanding, flipping the field. Our coverage units, I thought (Lions CB Khalil Dorsey) Dorse and (Lions CB Chase Lucas) Lukey really got down the field to help on a lot of that. I thought (Lions CB) Will Harris played at a high level on teams. The takeaway, I thought our defense set the tone for the game when they went out there, got the takeaway. Set the tone early in the third quarter, got off the field twice, two stops and then finishes the game with an interception which was huge. I thought we were disruptive, all day we hit the quarterback and played an aggressive style of football, which we have to do over there. That’s got to be the way we do it and really came up big. And ultimately, I thought we complemented each other very well, all the units, all three of them. Offensively, we knew we were going to have to be patient, but really, the pass game was going to be an extension of the run game and that was what we felt like we needed to do to loosen that defense a little. And then when we needed the run game, it came through in a big way in the second half. So, I thought (Lions QB Jared) Goff and (Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs) Gibby really played at a high level. That offensive line, for as many times as we threw it, I thought the protection was outstanding. (Lions WR) Josh Reynolds comes up big for us again. (Lions TE) Sam LaPorta comes up big for us again. And defensively, (Lions LB Derrick Barnes) D. Barnes, that pick at the end, but he really played at a high level throughout the whole game, and he really has all year. And then (Lions LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin) Germ, and (Lions S Ifeatu Melifonwu) Iffy and (Lions DL Aidan Hutchinson) Hutch really helped us out there too. So, a really good win. It certainly was a team win. Took everything we had. We knew that wasn’t going to be easy, but it’s an excellent win.”
On what Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn was able to do as a play-caller yesterday and how effective he is as a leader: “Well, I mean where do I begin? I mean, let me start with what he did and what he does. I mean the amount of hours that he grinds on tape to prepare his players, his coaches, but himself for what he thinks is going to come and for where he feels like the game is going to go and what he feels like he needs to call in that time relative to what he believes that coordinator’s going to call is – there’s nobody that works harder. There’s nobody. And he’s got great vision for putting a plan together. He understands football very well and when you start talking about his leadership, he’s one of these guys – he’s special. He’s special. He’s got it. His ability to communicate, to relate, to push, to grind, to love, demand, he’s got it all. He’s an outstanding communicator, he’s an outstanding teacher and I mean he just – he is. That’s what I say, I’m fortunate that he’s on staff with me. He’s better looking than me, other than that, I mean.”
On if he was aware that Tampa Bay had a timeout left at the end of the game and could have gone down the field: “Yeah, look, well first of all, we didn’t handle that whole thing well on our end. We should’ve bled it more than we did. Look, I’ll be the first to admit that. And that’s on me. But yeah, we knew they had a timeout left and I could tell he wasn’t going to call it. And so, that’s just – that’s how it ended.”
On Lions C Frank Ragnow enjoying the challenge of identifying the defense’s disguises alongside Lions QB Jared Goff: “So, look, every week – every day of the week to prepare when we have special teams meetings, we have our team meeting then we go special teams and during that time, the O-line and Goff and the backs come upstairs and we go over all the blitz looks. And we’ve kind of got our whole big screen there and we go over all of it. And so, you’re already working through those and you’re working through your base rules. ‘This is what we need to do with this if we happen to get this look.’ So, they go through that and it’s imperative that Frank and he are on the same page and that they understand there could be these very few looks that haven’t shown up since Week 2, we may need to be ready. ‘If it is, it’s a rule breaker and we’ve got to do this with it.’ And that’s not easy, but to your point, Frank loves that stuff. There are some guys that get a lot of anxiety over that, and Frank is not that way. Like Frank loves that. He loves to be tested in that regard. And so, man, to have those guys on the same page, I mean it means everything to our – especially when you throw it like we’re throwing it. I mean it’s everything to your pass game and it’s another one of those reasons why we’re able to keep him upright yesterday. So, Frank prides himself on the mental side of the game. Not only that, protection, but the run game. Like he wants to – ‘Give me the gameplan. Give it to me early.’ He’s – there’s been times we haven’t gotten it spit out yet and it’s whatever, 4:30 in the morning and he’s on one of our young coaches, ‘Hey, I need this thing now.’ So, he prides himself in it and it’s one of the reasons why he’s arguably the best center in the League. He is the best center in the League in my opinion. So, yeah, he does a great job.”
On how far he has gotten into San Francisco tape so far: “I haven’t. Yeah, I haven’t. Other than just crossover tape that I’ve seen throughout the year, I haven’t been able to get to them yet. I’ve been trying to put this game and then other things to bed.”
On if Lions G Jonah Jackson would be able to return from injury and play in the Super Bowl if they advance that far: “It’s hard to say. I mean I think the timeline could be there. It’s just a matter of how fast this thing heals and what it feels like and – but I think there’s a possibility, but we’ll see.”
On the value of having depth on the offensive line: “Yeah, it’s been big for us. We have, we’ve had a number of those guys that have played for us and have banked a lot of reps. I mean there again, (Lions G Kayode Awosika) Yode gets to go in and he did some good things for us. And he’s played though, he’s played quite a bit for us. He played for us last year. And now, goes in this game, he’s going to be able to – ‘You’re the starter, you’re getting all the reps, you’re preparing with the rest of those guys in there.’ And so, that’ll be good for him. But it is big. I mean that’s why you have depth, that’s why you develop those guys and give them a chance to play, practice because you’re going to need them.”
On what it is about Lions QB Jared Goff that allows him to remain calm in high-pressure moments: “Yeah, it’s just the way he’s made. It’s just – I mean I think that’s one of those traits that I believe he learned over time. Probably some of it – look, I don’t know, maybe his father. Maybe it started there. Just his experience, his time playing the game at a high level in big games, understanding what’s coming next. But he does do a great job with it, and he does stay calm, he does stay cool, and he knows even if it feels a little shaky, a little rocky, it’ll smooth out. It’ll smooth out. We just – you just keep playing ball. But it’s one of the reasons why he’s able to play at a high level. It’s one of the reasons he had a fourth quarter l
Opening Statement: “I’ll just start with – look, the fans, again, yesterday, I can’t stress enough how awesome that was. And really happy for everybody here. I know that’s been a long time coming, and man it felt good to deliver that, but we’re not done. That’s the beginning, so we got one, we’ve got another one coming up, got work to do. We’ll find out tonight who that is. As far as the game yesterday, it’s what we talked about last night, man red zone offense, red zone defense, we complemented each other really well. Offense came out striking and then defensively we were able to keep them out, hold them to three instead of them getting seven and between (Lions K Michael) Badgley’s field goal, which was huge and then (Lions P Jack) Fox flipping the field for us, it was just – it took all three phases, and everybody had a part in that. Coordinators did a heck of a job just making adjustments and we found a way to win that game, that’s what it’s about. So, obviously (Lions QB Jared) Goff and (Lions WR Josh) Reynolds were the – really, our game ball winners on offense. (Lions WR Amon-Ra) St. Brown had a monster game again. (Lions TE Sam) LaPorta, it was good to see him, what a tough kid. I mean, to be a rookie and to do what he was able to do, was confident enough to get out there and help us. (Lions DL Aidan Hutchinson) Hutch on defense really showed up his last two rushes, man the one where he drew the penalty, that was huge. I thought (Lions LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin) Germ and (Lions S) Kerby (Joseph) really showed up and then we talked about on special teams, Fox and Badge, (Lions CB Khalil Dorsey) Dorse, man was smoking as a gunner on punt. That helped those – you get them pinned in the 10 twice and the eight once and (Lions LS Jake) McQuaide, just been steady all year for us since we’ve gotten him on the snap, so – but certainly, a lot of guys did a really good job for us and it was a heck of a win.”
On how they start preparation for this week not knowing who they will play until tonight: “Yeah, I think, well, for us, we’re onto Philly a little bit only because we have – we played Tampa, so we have an idea. We have things that we know about them and so just take a peek at Philly, so that at least we’re – we somewhat have a head start, but we’re not all in and it’s really going to be more on we’ve got to see what happens tonight.”
On if there is any benefit to watching the Eagles and Buccaneers game live tonight to see how the teams play in real time versus watching film when the game is over: “Yeah, I think you get a benefit from watching it every way you can watch it. The feed that we have, the different cut-up feeds that we have, but also the TV copy. I think you can always find pretty good nuggets.”
On how Lions LB Alex Anzalone came out of the game against the Rams injury-wise and how valuable he is to the team battling through injury: “Yeah, I think he’ll be alright. It doesn’t feel great, but he’s going to be – I know he left here after getting some treatment on it better than he walked in and that’s what you’re looking for. Look, Alex is tough. He’s been through this. And it does, it means a lot. I mean, that’s really what we’re built off here and it – and ultimately, it comes down to what the player believes they can do. If they believe they can still produce not being 100 percent, then that’s the difference and we have a ton of guys that are that way.”
On changes they have made to the defense the last few weeks that has led to improvement: “Yeah, I really don’t want to get into that. I think there’s things on tape, but I don’t want to get into schematically what we’re changing and what we’re doing. We’re doing a good job though. It’s a good job by (Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn) AG. So, I just don’t – I don’t want to get into all that.”
On when he noticed he and Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager Brad Holmes had good chemistry and if he could have imagined the type of relationship they have now: “Well, I knew it felt right, the first phone call we ever had after he had been hired and then I got hired and so really before that, we had a phone call. It was really right before I was – that I took the job, and it was just kind of an intro. And man, I could tell there’s – for a first phone call for somebody you don’t know yet, we had mutual contacts. We have people that both of us, we have mutual friends that we have a lot of trust in and it was – I could tell it was – it felt like it was going to be right. And then once I got around him, it was, man I – you could – I could feel that early. It’s one of those, well if this is who he is and this doesn’t change, we’re going to be just fine. And sure enough, he’s everything that I thought he was going to be from those first meetings, everyth9ing that I had heard about him and it’s just – we’re fortunate, but it’s also – it’s a great job by (Lions Principal Owner and Chair) Sheila (Ford Hamp), (Lions Special Assistant to President/CEO and Chairperson) Chris Spielman, (Lions President) Rod (Wood), those guys identifying that they felt like we would be compatible and that we saw things very much alike and we are, we do. We see – we’re very similar in the way that we view players, view a team, how we want to build it. And I have things and I have a certain vision and Brad has helped me by the type of players we acquire and what we look for, I mean he’s given me that. He’s helped me. So, listen, that’s – the GM and head coach have to have a healthy relationship and it starts with ownership, but then that’s the next most important by far. And if you don’t have that, you just can’t sustain success.”
On how he manages the coordinators’ time to make sure they have the opportunity to explore interviews with other teams this week while also preparing for Sunday’s game: “Yeah, I mean, the best we can do is it’ll have to be Friday and a little bit of Saturday. So, Friday afternoon after practice is done, they’re going to have to crunch them in there. They’re already working on scheduling it. And then Saturday, there’ll be a small window in there after practice, before night meetings and that’s it. I mean, it’s – we’re in one of those crazy years. Well first of all, they’re both – like I said, those are worthy candidates and I think they’re, both of them, should be at the top of everybody’s list, but we’re in one of these unique years where there’s a ton of jobs available. And so, that’s also why they all want to speak to them, and they should. But that does, that puts a stress on them, on us. But they’ll do the best they can with it, make the most of it, which they should. And then – but they’ll be prepared for us to get ready (for) the next game.”
On if he has come down from the emotional high of last night’s game and how he gets back into normal game planning: “I didn’t sleep very much at all. I couldn’t sleep, but I think – I don’t know – look, it’s like I said last night, believe me, it feels good to win. It feels good to do that, but I’m so much into right now, the next one, the next thing here. It’s right in front of us and it’s all about the next one. And how do we stay right where we’re at, make some corrections and get ready for this next one, the next home game because I just know the opportunity we’ve got here. And so, I don’t &ndas
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