The final blow to Detroit's depleted defense last season came two snaps into the fatal game, a fractured arm for Amik Robertson. He left the field fighting back tears, reacting not so much to the pain but to the lost opportunity. He admits seven months later that he's still not over it, and that he won't be until -- maybe -- Week 1 at Lambeau Field. Robertson was playing the best football of his career on the best team he's ever been a part of, until it all came to a screeching halt.
Physically, Robertson is healed. So is Aidan Hutchinson, and Alex Anzalone, and Derrick Barnes, and Marcus Davenport, to name a few. The Lions' defense, which midway through last season had allowed the second fewest points in the NFL before the injuries became too heavy to bear, has had the upper hand on the offense in training camp. It maintained the edge in Monday night's practice, capped off by an end-of-game scenario where the offense got the ball near midfield trailing by four with a little less than a minute to play.
After allowing a first down, the defense forced the offense into 4th and 4 with seven seconds on the clock. Jared Goff heaved a prayer to the end zone to Jameson Williams, with Robertson in tight coverage down the sideline. It was Robertson's ball the whole way; he made sure of it by securing an over-the-shoulder interception like a centerfielder. The defense celebrated, and the horn sounded to end practice.
"I’m telling y’all," Robertson said after walking off the field, "I’m an offensive guy that just plays defense. I was an all-state athlete in high school, so I still got it in me. I just gotta catch a pick. This year I’m gonna catch a pick and I'm gonna show everybody my elusiveness -- my wiggle, my vision, my juice. I’m telling you, watch! I’m an offensive guy that plays defense."
Robertson entertained a crowd of reporters for close to 10 minutes, with his usual humor and flair. He said the Lions will go as far this year as their defense takes them, issued a warning about poking the trash-talking secondary and said he plans to spend Tuesday's off-day re-watching his favorite movie: The Notebook.
On how the defense has played in camp: "As far as the defensive side, we got a lot of great players that just trust one another. We always work together and be in our playbook to know what the guy next to us is doing. It’s basically the same team (as last season). We added one or two players, so it’s something we already know. We’re just trying to climb each and every day, man, to get the offense better. The offense has their days, too, today we were just able to capitalize and get over them.
On the defense setting a physical tone Monday: "We have to be (physical). This team will go as far as the defense takes it. We know the offense can score. But the defense, we have to do our part."
On entering the season with continuity on the roster: "It always feels good knowing that you got guys that love the game just like you do. 100 percent of the guys on that defensive side of the ball love football, as you can see. We had a padded day and we was banging. Being able to have guys that’s going to be willing to put it on the line for the guy next to him, that’s all you can ask for."
On being able to rest his body on the off-day: "You know it, man. I’m gonna watch movies, relax, watch The Notebook — that’s my favorite movie. I like romantic movies, man. It also teaches me some game, it teaches me things that I can tell my girl. (You're going to have to build her a house, like the guy in The Notebook.) Me and her stay together, though, I’m kinda past that stage. But I’m still tryna get some more game, you know what I'm sayin?"
On other movies on his watch list: My favorite movies to watch might be Titanic and Godzilla. I’m an open book when it comes down to movies, man. I’m tryna find me something new, though. I used to like horror movies. But I had to switch my flow up for my girl. I always got room to improve."
On the secondary upping the swagger: "Because we know what our goal is. We’re tired — I was only here for a year, and (the loss) hurt me. I ain’t gonna say I wasn’t used to winning, but I've never been a part of something like this, and I can tell those guys are tired of getting there but just not able to finish, always having that bad taste in their mouth. And then, we’re not only playing for ourselves out there, but we’re also playing for this city, this organization. We want to be able to give this city something to be happy about, man. We're going to stay healthy, No. 1, but we’re gonna do whatever we can do to give this city something to look forward to."
Is the secondary the biggest trash-talking position group on the team: "You know what? (Long pause.) Yes. But, we’re on the humble side, we got some guys that’s very humble. But just don’t poke the bear. We got Brian Branch, D.J. Reed, Terrion, Kerby, myself. We even got linebackers -- Jack (Campbell), man, he’s quiet, but he brings that lumber. You talk to him he’s gonna bring it to you. So we got a lot of guys that’s dogs. We’re gonna let our play speak most of the time, but when other guys feel like they’re gonna try to do too much, my advice is just, don’t poke the bear."
On Kelvin Sheppard calling secondary one of the strengths of the team: "It means a lot. (DB's coach) Deshea Townsend always says, when we play good, we give our team a chance. And we don’t look at it as pressure, man, because we love the game. And that room is competitive, so we want the smoke, we love stuff like that. We put it on ourselves. And I know we’re going to continue trusting one another, playing fast. That’s all you can for."
How long did it take him to get over the way last season ended: "Honestly, I still haven’t. I won’t get over it until, maybe, Week 1. Because I had a lot of goals I wanted to do. I wanted to, of course, show this team that I belong here, I also wanted to show the world, I had a lot of guys on my list that I wanted. But it’s all good. Everything happens for a reason. I didn’t question God. That time I sat out, I was able to spend time with my kids, spend time with my family, and it helped me mentally. I always look for the positive in the negative, and I never question God. I’m in a great headspace right now, my body feels great, I’m in the smartest stage of my life as far as knowing the game. The game has slowed down, nickel, cornerback, whatever they need me to do, I feel like I’m a Swiss Army knife."
Has he told the coaches he can play offense: "I haven’t told them yet. But after today, showing my ball skills, I think we gotta have that conversation."