It is yet to be determined if the Detroit Lions will have the services of defensive captain and leading tackler Alex Anzalone Sunday in Arizona after the veteran linebacker suffered a concussion in last week's loss to Tampa Bay.
Anzalone was not on the practice field Wednesday as the Lions began their on-field preparations for the Cardinals.
If the Lions don't have Anzalone Sunday, it will be a big loss. His 17 tackles lead Detroit's defense through the first two weeks and his three tackles for loss are tied for second on the team. He also wears the green dot and handles a lot of the communication for the defense.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Wednesday if Anzalone doesn't clear concussion protocol in time to play Sunday, he has confidence other linebackers like second-year player Jack Campbell will step up and fill the production and communication void.
"Yeah, Jack's proven himself," Dan Campbell said. "I mean, Jack continues to get better, he understands the defense, he communicates well, he's gotten better in the pass game, he's aggressive on the run game, runs coast-to-coast, all-out effort, goes after the football, so I'm confident.
"Anytime you lose somebody like Alex, if he's not able to go, that's going to hurt. I mean, Alex is a hell of a player for us. And so, we'll just take it as it comes with that, but I've got all the confidence in the world with Jack and really all of those guys."
Campbell has 13 tackles on the season and three tackles for loss, Derrick Barnes is probably playing the best football of his career at the SAM, and Malcolm Rodriguez has started and played a ton of snaps in his short career.
Detroit's front seven will certainly be tested this week against an Arizona team that's playing some of the best offensive football in the NFL with dual-threat quarterback Kyler Murray.
UNLOCKING GIBBS
Jahmyr Gibbs has been good in the run game to start this season. The second-year running back is averaging 5.2 yards per carry and has a touchdown run. Gibbs has also been a big part of the passing game, catching 11 passes in two games, but he's averaging just 5.1 yards per reception on the season.
How do the Lions unlock more of Gibbs' big-play potential in the passing game?
"It's all about space with Jah (Jahmyr)," Lions assistant head coach and running backs coach Scottie Montgomery said Wednesday. "If we can get him in situations where it's truly one-on-one with his face to the opponent vs. his back to the opponent that will give him a better opportunity to create a little bit more explosives."
Getting Gibbs up the field more with some choice or option routes could be a solution. Look for Detroit to unlock some of that Sunday in Arizona.
ZEITLER FITTING IN
The one new piece upfront for the Lions is veteran right guard Kevin Zeitler, who came over from Baltimore in free agency this offseason. After giving up a sack and a couple pressures Week 1 vs. the Rams, Zeitler didn't allow a single sack, hit or hurry last week against the Bucs and seems to be settling in nicely between center Frank Ragnow and right tackle Penei Sewell.
"He's done well," offensive line coach Hank Fraley said Wednesday of Zeitler. "Early on he had his hiccups there but we're meshing well. He brings experience to the table. He's doing well. He fits in well with the group and brings different leadership to that room with the wealth of experience and knowledge."
Detroit's offensive line has a good test this week. Arizona racked up five sacks and 12 tackles for loss in their win over the Rams last week.
SCHEMING FOR BAKER
It's not often an offensive line has to scheme their blocking around the play of a safety, but not every safety affects the run game and plays in the backfield as much as Arizona All-Pro Budda Baker.
"I think there's a number of things they do schematically where he comes from the sky in such a hurry, it's an identification issue or it's a, 'Man, it got on me so fast, he's mine but I didn't quite take the right angle or I don't want to take the angle because he's coming downhill like a missile.' He fits prefect into what they're trying to do over there," head coach Dan Campbell said of Baker.
"I think they give him a lot of leeway and he's really good at it. So, they do a nice job over there with what they're doing. They're well-coached inside of their system, and so he's an issue."
Baker had eight tackles and two tackles for loss last week vs. the Rams after recording 10 tackles and a tackle for loss Week 1 vs. Buffalo.
