1 week Ago
MINNEAPOLIS -- Someone had to step up after the Aidan Hutchinson injury. Turns out, it was a couple former Alabama boys. Brian Branch picked off his fourth pass in five games on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, setting up the second Jahmyr Gibbs touchdown of the day.
That gave the Lions a 14-10 lead, and they eventually came back to win 31-29 on a final drive where Gibbs turned the first three plays into 36 yards. He finished with 160 yards on 19 touches overall. “(Gibbs) was huge,” head coach Dan Campbell said.
“He was huge. Whatever it was, 160 all-purpose yards. Came to life.
We felt like Gibby has been so close to just exploding, and we felt like this was the game. He really came to life when we needed it most. He helped across the board.
” That includes delivering a key block on the Kalif Raymond touchdown catch, taking out the only man with a chance to bring down Raymond in the third quarter. “It felt great,” Gibbs said. “I was nervous.
Last week, I got (wiped) on Jameson Williams’ touchdown, so I was scared to do anything (wrong).” As for Branch, he continues to scorch the league at his new position. He moved to safety this year, has broken up multiple passes in all five games -- a league best among safeties since the league began recording the statistic -- and left his feet to spear his fourth interception.
With Hutchinson in street clothes until at least the Super Bowl, the Lions need other playmakers to step up. And these days, no one is making more plays on defense than the second-year man out of Alabama. “He’s getting better and better,” Campbell said.
“He’s still kind of young and new to the safety position for us. Sometimes you forget that. You can tell how fast he’s growing in the position.
And I’m telling you, the sky’s the limit for him. He‘s the ultimate football guy. He understands how to play the game.
He’s instinctive. He’s tough. He’s smart.
He’s a great tackler. He’s a ball guy. He’s got radar.
He’s one of those guys who can change the game for you.” Lions HC Dan Campbell’s opening statement: “That was a good win. That was a good win.
I told the team to say that I was proud of them was a massive understatement. We knew that team -- they were playing good football and have been now for five weeks coming off the bye, and we knew they were going to be ready. It was going to come down to the wire.
The team knew this. We talked about patience. Patience.
Keep your composure. Communication. Attitude.
Our guys did that. We hung in there, and we didn’t bat an eye. Things appeared to go, start going a little south there at the end.
Got the ball back. We stopped a two-point conversion, which was huge defensively. Then Goff (and) the O-line takes us right down the field with Gibbs and St.
Brown. And Bates, how about that? What a kick. What a kick, man.
Great team win.” Vikings QB Sam Darnold, on Detroit’s coverage leading to his interception: “Yeah, first of all, I think the way Detroit disguises certain coverages in the back end and with different fronts being able to bring pressure in different ways, they do a really good job. Obviously can’t let t hat happen, but, again, I think (Brian) Branch made a really good play on that.
” Lions DB Brian Branch, on his latest interception: “It was a great call by AG. Was actually in a two-man, and I let the other receiver go, and I showed a post so I guess he thought Cover 1, and I was able to jump it. I came down, at first I thought he was going to overthrow it.
But I’m glad he threw it like that.” Campbell, on Lions QB Jared Goff’s performance: “He’s a stud. I just got asked a question, like, what did you see? This goes back to what did you see in ‘21, when Brad and I acquired him -- What makes it? And the guy’s got arm talent, there’s no question.
But it’s what he’s got here and what he’s got here. That what makes him a dangerous player and it’s what makes him really one of these guys that you can build around because he’s a winner, man. He will find a way to win.
He’ll find a way to put the offense in a position to win the game. He doesn’t get frazzled. He’s tough.
He’s competitive. And he’s just -- he’s reliable. He’s reliable.
And I love the guy, man. And once again, he steps up huge for us there on the road, division game.” Goff, when asked what is fueling the offense recently: “There’s really not.
I wish there was a better answer for you. There’s really not. These guys were giving us a lot of checkdown opportunities.
They really were. The amount of depth they get, and they try to steal these in cuts, with their safeties with their linebackers. We got two running backs that you get them the ball in space, you won’t find someone better than those two guys.
I’m very cognizant of that. When these guys get depth, to just keep feeding those guys underneath until they give me a chance throw it over their head. Just being disciplined.
That’s what it is, discipline.” Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell, on Goff: “Yeah, Jared is a heck of a player. I know Jared really well.
Got a ton of respect for him. He’s tough. Throws it as well as anybody.
They’ve got a really good offense. Ben does a great job calling it. They’re well coached.
It’s just a matter of you got to be on the screws every single snap.” Goff, on Kalif Raymond and Tim Patrick making plays: “Kalif had that drive. We hit him three times, I think, on that drive.
He’s just ‘Steady Eddie.’ He really is. Tim’s fit in like a glove with us.
He really has given us that size that we hadn’t had before. It’s been a lot of fun working with those guys. Obviously, Tim’s new.
But Kalif, we know what he’s been for a long time.”.
