Tuesday was red zone day for the Detroit Lions as they prepare for Thursday night's showdown with the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field.
The Detroit Lions have been a pretty darn good red-zone offense all season long and currently rank sixth in the NFL, scoring a touchdown 66 percent of the time they get inside an opponent's 20-yard line.
Detroit has a successful play percentage of 54.3 in the red zone with only Tampa Bay (58.9) and Baltimore (57.4) owning a higher mark. A successful play in the red zone is anytime the offense gains 40 percent of the yardage necessary for a first down/touchdown on first down, 50 percent of the yardage necessary for a first down/touchdown on second down or gains the first down or touchdown on third or fourth down.
But there have been a few times this season where the offense hasn't been dominant in the red zone like usual. The loss to Tampa Bay comes to mind (1-for-7 in red zone) and last week's nail-biting win over Chicago was made close in the end because Detroit's offense didn't take advantage of some red-zone opportunities earlier in the game, including a turnover inside the 5-yard line.
"The turnover hurts and some of the penalties hurt, and then we just had some crap plays down there that we didn't execute very well," Lions quarterback Jared Goff said of the red zone performance against the Bears on Thanksgiving.
"It just wasn't our best performance in the red zone, and we got to be better. We'll learn from it, it's good to learn from that stuff and get better. But that is a good unit in the red zone over there, but we had certainly had other opportunities to make plays that we didn't make."
Lions assistant head coach and running backs coach Scottie Montgomery said Tuesday the margin for error is so thin in the red zone that the penalties and turnovers simply can't happen moving forward. Both Goff and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said being better in the red zone has been an emphasis this week facing a potent Packers team that's scored at least 30 points in each of their last two games and rank third in total offense and eighth in scoring.
"We were talking about it on the headset in real time, 'Man this isn't what we wanted.' You know instantly when you walk up to the line of scrimmage this isn't what we wanted," Johnson said this week about some of the issues in the red zone last week.
"We talk, you get 60, you get 70 plays in a game, those are all bullets, you can't waste any bullets. As a play caller, play designer, you feel like, 'Hey I just wasted a play right there.'
"When it becomes first-and-four on the four, now it's second-and-four on the four, and then you have a holding penalty, now second-and-long, then it's just hard to overcome. So, as a staff, we can't put our guys in that predicament, that's all."
The Lions are facing a Packers' defense that ranks 20th in red-zone defense (59 percent).
ADAMS READY TO CONTRIBUTE
The Lions signed former All-Pro safety Jamal Adams to the practice squad over the weekend as they continue to add veteran depth to a defense that's been ravaged by injury.
Adams said he's excited to join a playoff contender like the Lions, who are currently sitting in first place in the NFC at 11-1.
"I mean, they've been kicking everybody's (butt)," Adams said. "So I'm fortunate enough to, again, just to be on a team that's rolling like this. And whatever I can do to help, that's what I'm here for."
Adams has been primarily a safety throughout his eight-year NFL career, playing for the Jets, Seahawks and briefly the Titans (three games) this season. He can also play in the box and is a good blitzer with 21.5 career sacks.
"I just feel like I can do a little bit of everything," he said. "Whatever they ask me to do, I'm definitely going to do it to the best of my ability and just fly around and continue to make plays."
PRO BOWL VOTING
19 different Lions rank in the top 10 in Pro Bowl voting at their position as the Lions lead all NFL teams in total Pro Bowl votes.
Here is all the Lions players that rank in the Top 10 at their respective positions in Pro Bowl voting:
- Offense: Tackle Penei Sewell (first), guard Kevin Zeitler (first), center Frank Ragnow (second), running back Jahmyr Gibbs (third), wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (third), guard Graham Glasgow (third), tackle Taylor Decker (fifth), tight end Sam LaPorta (seventh), quarterback Jared Goff (sixth) and running back David Montgomery (eighth)
- Defense: Free safety Kerby Joseph (second), strong safety Brian Branch (third), cornerback Carlton Davis III (seventh), defensive tackle Alim McNeill (ninth), inside linebacker Jack Campbell (10th)
- Special teams: Special teams player Sione Vaki (first), long snapper Hogan Hatten (second), kicker Jake Bates (fifth), punter Jack Fox (fifth)
EXTRA POINT
Head coach Dan Campbell said Davis, who missed the Thanksgiving game with a knee injury, looked good in practice Monday and Campbell feels good about him playing Thursday night vs. Green Bay. That's big for Detroit's defense against a Packers passing offense that ranks eighth in the NFL (234.3).
