The Lions' defense is limping into the biggest game of the season, against a quarterback who's finally found his stride. Is Detroit in trouble Sunday night?
The Lions couldn't stop the pass in December. Few teams this season have stopped Sam Darnold and one of the best receiving duos in the game. The Lions have committed the most pass interference penalties in the NFL. The Vikings have gained the most yards from pass interference penalties.
"We're not worried about that," Dan Campbell said Wednesday on 97.1 The Ticket. "We gotta play our style of football. We're gonna have to challenge when the time is right. And our DB’s are looking forward to this, man. They know this is a hell of a matchup, and we know that we’re going to rely on them a lot this game. This is not something our guys are going to back down from."
Justin Jefferson has 100 catches for 1,479 yards and 10 touchdowns. He could see lots of Amik Robertson on Sunday night. On the other side of the offense, Jordan Addison has 62 catches for 875 yards and nine touchdowns. He could see lots of Terrion Arnold. It feels like the Lions have to win one of these matchups, with plenty of help for Robertson against Jefferson, to win the game.
Robertson and Jefferson have been rivals since their high school days in Louisiana. They first locked horns as freshmen, clashed frequently in summer camps and met again in college when Robertson was at Louisiana Tech and Jefferson at LSU. At one camp, said Robertson, they had to be pulled apart because they were going at each other so hard: "He’s a dawg, it’s all respect."
They intersected again last year when the Vikings played the Raiders and have resumed their rivalry in the NFC North. Jefferson beat Robertson for a touchdown in the Lions' win in Minnesota earlier this season, and let him hear it. With a smile, Robertson said that Jefferson is the receiver who's talked the most trash to him this season. Robertson can take it because he gives it.
"When we’re out there, we're gonna compete," Robertson said. "And when it’s all over, we shake hands, ‘I’m proud of you,’ he said he’s been proud of me. That’s what it is. But of course, if we ever match up, it’s going to be fun to watch."
Aaron Glenn and the Lions haven't talked about Robertson traveling with Jefferson on Sunday night. Robertson doesn't think it's in the plans, but they'll find wind up across from each other regardless. For Robertson, it's Jefferson's "creativity" that stands out, his ability to use "angles and levels" to his advantage. Helps that he's one of the fastest and most physical receivers in the game.
"He’s explosive," said Robertson. "He’s Jets, man. He’s going to do a little something, but it just can’t be too much."
No one respects Jefferson more than Glenn. The former Pro Bowl corner has called Jefferson the best wide receiver in the NFL, along with an "old-school player" and "my type of guy." He takes hits to make plays, and is more often the hammer than the nail. The Lions held Jefferson to seven catches for 81 yards and a touchdown earlier this season, which felt like a win.
"I thought the first game we did a pretty good job of limiting what he can do -- I know he made the one play on Amik -- and we’re going to try to continue to do that," said Glenn. "Great players are going to end up making plays at some point in the game. It’s hard to hold those guys down, but we’re going to do everything we can to stop him."
Robertson has risen to the challenge for the Lions since bouncing outside to replace Carlton Davis III. He plays bigger than his 5'8 frame. But he's always reaching for the next level. While he agrees that he's been playing well, "I know I can play better," he said. How so?
"Getting a m'f**kin ball, man. Getting the f**king ball, said Robertson, who's still seeking his first pick of the season. "Because the game is about the ball. I just gotta capitalize."
That was the message from Glenn this week. The Lions know their defense is compromised by injuries. They aren't hiding from their flaws. They also know their secondary still has the playmakers to swing games. Glenn brought up Kerby Joseph, Brian Branch and Robertson on Thursday when he distilled the defensive strategy down to a couple points: "How many impact plays we can make, and how our top players can out-will their top players."
"Listen, are we where we need to be defensively? Not at all. We understand that," said Glenn. "But where we are is, we’re making impact plays at times that we need to make them."
When he posts a picture on Instagram, Robertson concludes each caption with the emoji of a wolf. And "what do wolves do?" he asked. "They hunt. I might be the smallest guy out there, but I ain’t trying to be the hunted." He smiled when asked about playing on the national stage Sunday night in what might be the biggest regular season game in NFL history. Robertson loves the primetime lights.
"It separates the boys and the men," he said, "and the dogs and the wolves."