Defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell spoke to the media Tuesday following last week's loss in Denver and ahead of Sunday's season finale against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field.
Here are 10 takeaways from those media sessions:
1. The Lions had their best rushing average (4.6) last week, and Bevell really liked what he saw from Kerryon Johnson and Bo Scarbrough as a duo sharing the Lions backfield.
2. Bevell was particularly glad to see Johnson back in the fold after how hard he worked to rehab from his knee injury and return from IR. Johnson had some nice runs, and Bevell thinks him coming back these last two games and playing well bodes well for his future.
3. The Lions last played the Packers Week 6 and lost a close game 23-22 on a last-second field goal. Pasqualoni says the Packers' offense is playing much better at this point in the season in Matt LaFleur's system than they were when they played Detroit the first time back in October. Green Bay has a lot of momentum coming off a big win on Monday night in Minnesota, and are playing with a ton of confidence. Detroit's defense obviously has its work cut out for them.
4. Undrafted rookie guard Beau Benzschawel has added center to his duties. The rookie out of Wisconsin was a little overwhelmed by the move initially, according to Bevell, but the Lions like that he's added some versatility to his game. Bevell said adding that skillset to his repertoire has helped Benzschawel's future prospects.
5. Some of Bevell's plans for the evolution of his offense as the year went on were kind of put on hold after quarterback Matthew Stafford was injured Week 9. Good coordinators add layers to their playbook/scheme every year. Bevell has some progressions planned for his offense that he hopes to get back on track in the offseason when Stafford returns under center.
6. "He brings some grumpiness to us up there and I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing," Bevell said of what free-agent-to-be Graham Glasgow brings to the offensive line.
7. Backup quarterback Kyle Sloter's done a good job picking up the offense and catching up over the last month, according to Bevell. In the event Sloter has to go into the game, Bevell said he'd be able to run the full game plan.
8. Bevell said he doesn't know if they'll get Sloter in the game Sunday. He wants to continue to develop David Blough's progression under center.
9. One of the things Pasqualoni said the Lions really liked about linebacker Jahlani Tavai coming out of Hawaii was his vision. Pasqualoni said Tavai really saw the field well, and that was really showing up on tape recently. It's a shame the Lions lost Tavai for the last game of the season due to a shoulder injury he suffered in the first half last week against the Broncos.
10. Bevell said he doesn't care if he has quarterbacks with different skillsets, and the adjustment he has to make in the game plans each week because of it. He wants the best players on the roster no matter if their skillsets are different.
