Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and special teams coordinator Dave Fipp spoke to the media Thursday. Here are my 10 biggest takeaways from those media sessions:
1. Jared Goff earned another Pro Bowl nod this season as he's among the league leaders in every major statistical passing category. Johnson said Thursday it's the stuff Goff does pre-snap that doesn't get enough attention. Johnson puts a ton on Goff's plate because he can handle it. From the pre-snap cadence, motions, protections and just getting the offense in the right play, Johnson couldn't say enough good things about the overall game Goff has, not just the stuff we see post-snap.
2. Glenn opened up his session with thoughts and prayers to the people of New Orleans after the New Years Day terrorist attack. Glenn spent six years as a player and coach in the Saints organization and loves the city and its people. He was thinking about them Thursday.
3. The Lions had an extra point blocked in San Francisco last week by pressure coming up the A-gap (between snapper and guard). The league has allowed more contact than usual this year on the long snapper. Fipp said that caught long snapper Hogan Hatten a little off guard, which he admitted shouldn't have and took some of the blame for that. It's something they cleaned up the rest of that game and learned a lesson from moving forward.
4. Every week it's Johnson's job to try and find the 'chink in the armor' of the opposing defense. Some weeks that's easier than others. When it comes to defensive coordinator Brian Flores and the Vikings, Johnson said there isn't much weakness to work with. It's a pretty veteran group that knows the scheme and plays well within it. Johnson said they're particularly good at throwing something at offenses they haven't seen. Johnson and his players on offense are looking forward to that challenge Sunday night.
5. Defensive back Brian Branch earned his first Pro Bowl nod in his second season and Glenn said it was well-deserved because of the impact Branch has on this defense with his versatility. Glenn said Branch reminds him a lot of himself as a player just because of how hard he is on himself demanding perfection and with his practice habits.
6. Punter Jack Fox was also named to his second Pro Bowl as he ranks No. 1 in net punting average (46.3) and No. 2 in gross punting (51.0). Fipp said the great thing about Fox's nod is it's really a nomination for the entire punting unit because it's not possible without great coverage across the board to support Fox. Fipp said Fox is a big-game punter and expects they'll need him to come up with some big punts Sunday night against the Vikings.
7. Jameson Williams has really taken off the second half of the season and is 33 yards away from the first 1,000-yard receiving season of his career. Johnson said Williams' speed is his 'superpower' but he doesn't get enough credit for how smart of a football player he is.
8. Maybe the biggest Pro Bowl snub across the entire league was Lions safety Kerby Joseph. Joseph leads the NFL with nine interceptions and is also a great run defender and one of the best cover safeties in the league. Joseph has earned an unfair reputation as a dirty player because he tackles at the thigh and stays away from high hits, which the Lions teach, and some players have been hurt because of it. Glenn insinuated that was the reason for the snub but reiterated his belief that Joseph is one of, if not the best, free safety in football.
9. One of the big benefits of having a kicker like Jake Bates with such a big leg is that his kicking motion doesn't change. The farther a kicker moves back usually the motion changes and trajectory of the ball coming off the leg lowers as they try to put a little something extra into the kick. Fipp said Bates would have to go back to the upper 60s in distance before he tried to put a little something extra on it and his ball had to take a little lower trajectory.
10. What has Glenn learned about trying to cover Minnesota All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson over the years?
"I haven't learned anything. I already know it," Glenn said. "He is a special one. He's my type of guy and you see the way that he's playing is starting to permeate through some of those other receivers.
"I think he's one of the toughest guys playing in that position. He's an old school player in my opinion. It's almost like he's a defensive guy playing receiver. This is going to be a fun game, I'm just telling you that right now, and we are looking forward to it because there is no better way to end this season than playing against a team like that. So, it's going to be a fun one."
