He has had his ups and downs, but 10 games into his rookie season, Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold is sure about one thing.
"This defense is going to get me paid," Arnold said Thursday. "When you cut on the tape, you’re like, 'OK, he's a rookie, he's back side, the safety's in the run fit, he's by his self.' Ain't nobody else doing that."
The ultra-confident Arnold is tied for the seventh-most penalties in the NFL this season, with 10, and has surrendered three of the Lions’ seven passing touchdowns allowed, according to Pro Football Reference.
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But after a rough patch to start the season, he’s entering the holiday stretch playing the best football of his young career.
Arnold has started all 10 games for the Lions at the cornerback spot opposite Carlton Davis III and has often been asked to guard the opponent’s top receiver in a man-to-man heavy defensive scheme that’s tailor-made for his skills.
He has just two defensive penalties in the past six games after drawing eight flags in the Lions’ first four games, and his physical play and sticky coverage are a big reason why the Lions have not allowed a touchdown in six quarters entering Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.
“He’s improving every week,” Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said. “The one thing that we want to make sure that he continued to improve on in practice was his ability to not grab and hold and things like that.
“Listen, he’s a very aggressive player and we play aggressive at the corner spot. And we knew some of those things were going to take a while for it to come out, and he’s doing a good job listening. And it’s going to happen again. I know that, he knows that, but he’s gotten a lot better with his technique and it’s showed up on the field.”
Arnold credited his improvement to taking the same even-keeled approach to his work every day.
His confidence never wavered despite his early struggles, and he said he’s starting to gain more “NFL clout” from officials across the league.
“When I come in, the ref he'd be like, ‘Hey, we watched the tape on you. You’re very, very sticky in coverage. We see it, we broke it down, just at the top of the route, hey man, just make sure you’re looking back for the ball,’” Arnold said. “One of the refs broke it down. He was like, ‘People aren't really used to this.’ They're not used to receivers getting up in your face and being right here running the route for you. And some of them, it happens. That kind of stuff happens, especially when you’re playing press man. It’s not like you’re sitting back in zone with your eyes on waiting for the quarterback to throw it.”
The Lions, who’ve played the highest percent of man coverage this season, at more than 40%, traded up to get Arnold with the 24th pick in April’s draft as the final piece to their revamped secondary.
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Arnold called the unit “the best secondary in NFL,” and said it will only get better as he improves with experience.
“I mean, I’m 21 years old,” he said. “Every time I look on tape I be like, ‘Bro, all right, this dude’s 30, this dude’s 27, I'm 21.’ When I'm 27, ooh. Like when I look on the tape I be like, ‘Dang he got three kids. I got a little sister.’ That's the difference.”
As much improvement as he’s shown, the Lions (9-1) will need more from Arnold down the stretch.
The front seven is hemorrhaging talent because of injuries — starters Aidan Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport and Derrick Barnes are likely out for the season, and Alex Anzalone will miss the rest of the regular season with a broken forearm. Arnold has a 94 passer rating against, according to PFR. And after playing two games in five days against the Colts on Sunday and the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving, the Lions play four playoff contenders in the final five weeks, including a home date with MVP candidate Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills.
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Arnold said he’s proud he hasn’t given up many big pass plays this season; he’s allowing just 11 yards a completion on the year, and less than 3 yards after the catch.
But he also is the only starter in the secondary who has not forced a turnover. Kerby Joseph leads the NFL with seven interceptions. Brian Branch has four picks. Davis had two interceptions in a game against the Houston Texans earlier this month. And Amik Robertson forced two fumbles last month in a win over the Tennessee Titans.
Arnold isn’t fretting his interception-less start and said Thursday that’s about to change soon.
“When my picks come, they’re going to come in bunches,” Arnold said. “I know at the end of the day when I come in here what my job is and I ain't never been one to kind of seek validation from others. Some people they glorify stuff like that. They’re like, ‘Well, if people ain't giving me my praise then I ain't doing that.’ I know what I'm doing. I know when I'm on the back side by myself, it's locked up.”
