Brian Branch thought he had a pick-six in the first game of the season, one that could've dramatically altered the Lions' loss to the Packers. Eight games later, he still has a goose egg in the interceptions column.
Branch has once again been one of the best safeties in the NFL this year. He's also his own harshest critic. Asked how he'd assess his performance thus far, he thought about it and said, "I’d give myself a C+ right now. I gotta figure out how to get the ball. Yeah, I have to get the ball."
Branch, in fact, hasn't had a pick since Week 5 of last season, a stretch that comprises 21 games including the playoffs. That's part of the reason Detroit hasn't been as productive in the takeaways department of late, along with the fact that fellow safety Kerby Joseph has missed the last four games with a knee injury.
Yeah, said Branch, his drought is gnawing at him, "but sh*t, I only get the ball thrown at me one time a game or something like that. Of course, I just gotta take advantage of my opportunities. When they throw my way, I gotta capitalize."
Branch was targeted 79 times in coverage last season, or about five times per game, and finished with four picks. He's been targeted just 28 times through nine games this season, about three times per game. He's allowed the same catch rate (64.3 percent), but hasn't had as many chances to make plays on the ball.
Dan Campbell's assessment of Branch this season? "That he’s productive as hell," Campbell said Friday.
"And I get it, man, sometimes you go into these games and you feel like, 'Am I really a factor or the factor I want to be?' And some of it is because you’re not getting targeted, or the run goes the other way. But I can tell you this: he’s a force. He's a productive player. He does a ton of things for us, he puts a lot of fires out. And I go back to his versatility in coverage, in pressure, the run game. He can play deep, he can play in the box. He just does so many different things for us at a high level. He’s having an outstanding season."
Branch was the fifth highest-graded safety in the NFL last year, per PFF, when Kerby Joseph ranked first. He's still the 10th highest this year, with the fourth best tackling grade. Joseph, who's been hampered by his knee injury since training camp, has tumbled out of the top 50.
Campbell said it's "hard to say" whether opposing teams have actively avoided Branch in the passing game. The downtick in targets could be due to Branch's "sticky coverage" or the fact that quarterbacks haven't had time to test him.
"Our front's done a hell of a job of being disruptive and getting in the quarterback’s face," said Campbell. "But I’ve said it before: BB can cover now. He’s one of our best cover guys. And he can cover anybody. He can cover receivers, tight ends, backs, you name it. Whatever you need, he’s got it."
The Lions' defense is thriving despite several injuries in the secondary. The only area in which it's been deficient of late is takeaways. They've gone two games without one, and have just three in the past five game after generating nine in the first five games. Sheppard attributed it partly to turnovers drying up across the league, with "more awareness from offensive players on ball security" at this point in the season.
"At the same time, that’s not making an excuse," he said. "We have to find ways to generate those. Not guys going outside of the scheme, but within the scheme, within the framework, finding ways to make more attempts on the ball -- 'ball in the air, got to be ours' mentality."
Their Pro Bowl safety is due.