Defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni and offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter spoke to the media Tuesday as they do every week during the regular season.
Here are 10 takeaways from those media sessions:
1. Cooter has really been impressed with the way second-year wide receiver Kenny Golladay has responded the last month with greater attention from opponents' top cornerbacks and more double coverage shifted his way. That's the sign of a No. 1 receiver developing right before our eyes.
2. Pasqualoni is looking forward to the challenge Minnesota presents with their zone running scheme. It's been mandated by head coach Mike Zimmer that the Vikings run the football more. Detroit's been pretty good stopping the run this year since defensive tackle Damon Harrison arrived. It will be a great matchup to watch Sunday.
3. Quarterback Matthew Stafford has a ton of confidence in Golladay right now, which tends to happen when a receiver makes tough catches and comes down with 50-50 balls like Golladay has done in recent weeks. When a quarterback has that confidence level with a receiver, he's not afraid to take more of those shots. Expect to see more of that these last two games, if the two are given the opportunity by the opposing defenses.
4. The Lions were very good stopping Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen the first time around. They broke his consecutive 100-yard game streak. Thielen's only had one 100-yard performance since, but he can go off at any time, and the Lions know they have to be good against him again Sunday at Ford Field.
5. Asked about the offensive play calling and how much input head coach Matt Patricia has on the offense, Cooter said he has conversations with the head coach about team strategy all the time – just like he's done with every head coach he's ever worked with – but reiterated that all offensive things come down to him and are his responsibility.
6. Playing division opponents the second time can be tricky, according to Pasqualoni. There's a delicate balance of not wanting to have the same exact approach, but also wanting to duplicate some of the things you did well the first time around.
7. Cooter put it on himself and the offensive staff this week to figure out a way to keep the Vikings' defense off Stafford. The first time these two teams played, Stafford was sacked 10 times and hit 17. Minnesota has great players on defense with a great scheme, and it seems like Cooter is using this week as a personal challenge for the coaches to scheme it up better on offense.
8. In addition to Harrison, Pasqualoni said linebacker Jarrad Davis has also had a hand in the improved play of the guys up front on defense. It's Davis' job to see the offense, make adjustments, change alignments if needed and get everyone where they need to be. The defensive tackle and the middle linebacker have a very important relationship on defense, and them playing well together is no coincidence.
9. The Lions are throwing the ball less than five yards at a high clip this season, and that's part scheme to get the ball out of Stafford's hands and part the personnel they're currently working with on that side of the ball.
10. Cooter likes the development of rookie guard Frank Ragnow. He said the biggest area Ragnow's improved is his understanding of opposing defenses and how they want to attack him and the offense.
