Detroit Lions: No worry about run defense vs. Green Bay Packers' physical ground game

The Detroit Lions have allowed a season high in rushing yards in each of their two games since losing Aidan Hutchinson to injury, but defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said neither performance is cause for alarm.

"You don’t like the yards that’s given up but when you peel back the layers on it (you understand why)," Glenn said, recapping the performance against the Minnesota Vikings two weeks ago. "Take Aaron Jones, he had a 34-yard run that we made a mistake as far as (not setting an edge) and then he had like a (17)-yard run at the end of half that we were playing soft the end of half, then after that I think he had like (41) yards (on 12) carries. So when you think about it, I thought our run defense was pretty good in the totality of what we have to do."

The Lions allowed 139 yards rushing in their Week 6 win over the Vikings, when Jones had 93 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. Last week, the Lions allowed 158 yards rushing to the Tennessee Titans. Tony Pollard had 94 yards on 20 carries and quarterback Mason Rudolph scrambled for 29 yards for the Titans.

This week, the Lions visit the Green Bay Packers, who signed Josh Jacobs to replace Jones this offseason and have the NFL's fifth-ranked rushing offense at 156.9 yards per game.

Glenn said the Lions have to "put a cap on" the Packers' rushing attack Sunday "because we’ve built our defense around doing that."

"There’s a tick up on how they’re operating as far as the violence and physical nature of the game, because of who they have running the ball," Glenn said. "So it’s going to be a challenge for us, and we have to do everything we can to make sure we stop that cause if you let that happen, that’s not good for a defense to allow a team to run the ball and then be able to have the play-action passes that they have with these receivers that they have."

Life support

Lions coach Dan Campbell gave special teams coordinator Dave Fipp a game ball for his unit's performance after last week's win over the Titans, when the Lions were nearly flawless in the kicking game.

Kalif Raymond had a 90-yard punt return for a touchdown, Jack Fox netted 56.2 yards per punt, Jake Bates made a career-long 51-yard field goal and the Lions forced a fumble in coverage (albeit one that the Titans recovered).

As "grateful" as he was for the gesture, Fipp said Thursday he could do without the recognition.

"Embarrassing," he said. "I really don’t like it. I mean, I'm very appreciative of that. It’s my least favorite part of the whole game, honestly is the attention. I would rather just lay in the weeds and do my job. I said in there, I love being around the players. The players and the game of football really give me life. And I love what I do, I enjoy being around them, I enjoy helping them, it’s my passion. Seeing them be successful is like the most important thing in the world to me and so really like for me, the game is about them.

"There was a time I was a very young coach where I was excited about the gameday environment, all that stuff, but that’s truly come and gone. So I’m grateful for the game ball. I really don’t like the attention. I would rather not see all that stuff, but I meant what I said in there."

Immediate help

The Lions continue to peruse a thin trade market at defensive end ahead of next Tuesday's NFL trade deadline, and no matter when they make a deal, Glenn said he expects that player to step in and contribute immediately

“You've seen that with what we have right now with Isaiah (Thomas) and (Al-Quadin) Muhammad, a lot of those guys play the first week that they’re in, especially if we can find packages to put those guys in," Glenn said. "So I’m going to look at it from the aspect of, man, this is the NFL and each week you might play a new player, then during the game you might play a new player (because of injury)."

Both Thomas and Muhammad made their Lions debuts last week. The Lions signed Muhammad to their practice squad Oct. 7, and signed Thomas off the Cincinnati Bengals' practice squad to their 53-man roster Oct. 15.

Muhammad, an eight-year NFL vet who was with the New Orleans Saints in 2017 when Glenn was an assistant with the team, played more snaps (49) than any other defensive lineman against the Titans.

"There were some rushes that you liked with Muhammad. There were some run game that you want him to improve on," Glenn said. "But yes, it was a solid performance and the thing is, man, just being here the time he’s been here, I can’t expect anything more from the player. Obviously, I had him in New Orleans and I know that player well. And with another week under his belt, hopefully each week he continues to improve in what he’s doing to be able to help us."

'Constant harping' on turnovers

The Lions are tied for second in the NFL with a plus-10 turnover margin and have turned the ball over just once in their past four games. They didn't have any last week against the Titans, though quarterback Jared Goff lost the ball twice on sacks that he or a teammate recovered.

After the game, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said a Titans coach approached him and asked why the Lions have been so good at protecting the football.

"Each week, huge emphasis on ball security and securing the football after the catch," he said. "Ball carriers, (running backs coach) Scottie Montgomery’s on those guys from the moment we get it to tuck it in after the mesh, to down the field we’re using our weapons, what should it look like, punching the chin. It’s constant harping on it as coaches. It gets old, it gets redundant, but at some point, these guys, I think they just hear it in the back of their minds when they’re carrying the ball down the field."

Johnson said Goff has to do a better job protecting against fumbles against an aggressive Green Bay Packers defense this week but complimented the job he's doing keeping the ball out of harm's way throwing downfield.

"We have a quarterback right now that is playing very smart, sound football," Johnson said. "He’s taking care of the ball. If it presents it to him down the field, he’ll throw it. He’s got no problem ripping a dagger or throwing a post down the field. But teams we keep seeing get all this depth and he’ll check it down and so he’s just being very smart and deliberate with how he’s attacking coverages right now so that’s keeping the ball out of harm’s way from an interception standpoint."