In a game where he otherwise played well, Brian Branch's one big mistake was costly.
Running stride for stride with Dontayvion Wicks down the sideline on 4th and 3 early in the second quarter, Branch was in position to make break up a pass from Jordan Love until pulling up at the last second and watching Wicks haul in a 22-yard touchdown to give the Packers a 10-0 lead in their 31-24 win over the Lions on Thanksgiving.
"When I looked back for the ball, instead of looking up, I looked back at the quarterback, and I didn’t see the trajectory of the ball," said Branch. "I was in perfect position. It’s not something that the receiver did. It’s my doing, that’s all. I just gotta be better."
Explosive pass plays were a problem for the Lions' defense for the second week in a row. Love also hit Christian Watson on a 51-yard touchdown in the third quarter where Watson beat Amik Robertson one-on-one, and hit a 30-yarder to Wicks down the seam in the third quarter and a 23-yarder to Luke Musgrave in the second quarter. The Packers' five longest pass plays all occurred on touchdown drives.
To limit such plays, said Branch, the defense needs to "just get back to our roots."
"We beat ourselves, literally. It’s nothing too much about the other team and what they do, it’s all about us. If we hone our craft and stay disciplined, we’re going to be alright. ... It’s not even communication breakdowns. It’s really just trusting each other," said Branch.
Limiting explosives won't be any easier this week against the No. 1 offense in the NFL. Led by Dak Prescott and star receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, the Cowboys lead the league in passing yards and are second in pass plays of 40-plus yards (10).
"They’re on a roll this year," said Branch. "Offensively they seem to be clicking with George, CeeDee and Dak, and their run game is a big part of it, too."
Detroit's defense could get a major lift Thursday with the possible return of Kerby Joseph, who's missed the past six games with a knee injury. The Lions have had a hard time generating takeaways without him, with just three picks in their last seven games. They had six in their first five, three from Joseph.
"That would be a huge part," said Branch. "Everybody knows Kerby, Kerby will go get that ball, and that’s something that we need. Adding that back to our defense, shoot, would be huge."
Externally, the mood around the Lions has shifted during their 3-4 slide. They've alternated wins and losses for almost two months and have fallen out of the playoff picture with five games to go. Anything less than a 4-1 finish will likely leave them watching the postseason from home.
But internally, the players remain confident they can get it done.
"It’s not a time of panic," said Branch. "I feel like everybody outside of the organization is panicking. But as long as we play our game, we’re going to be fine."