We now know that the Detroit Lions plan to play Brian Branch this week against the Green Bay Packers, marking the end of his 10+ month rehab after tearing his Achilles last season. Branch could make an immediate impact on the Lions’ struggling secondary, but Detroit’s coaching staff still has some decisions to make in terms of personnel.
The biggest question is simply: who is going to play alongside Branch? The Lions have gone through a litany of safeties this year, both due to injury and poor play.
Avonte Maddox is out for the year with an injury, and Thomas Harper is on injured reserve for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, the Lions have given significant playing time to Chuck Clark, Christian Izien, and recently rookie Keith Abney.
I asked Campbell what he’s looking for besides Branch, and the Lions coach mentioned that Branch is such a good, versatile player, that they can put any type of player alongside him, and the Pro Bowl player will make it work.
“Here’s what’s great about getting BB [Branch] back. BB gives you the flexibility is what do you want to do with anybody else?” Campbell said. “Because there are things you’re going to want to do with BB, high, let him play top down, and then there are things you want him to play underneath. And that doesn’t require somebody else playing off of him necessarily. He’ll make it right.”
On the surface, veteran Chuck Clark is a better player in the box given his physical limitation at age 32. Abney, while still very new to the position, is an athletic, rangey defender that could play some single-high looks.
Unsurprisingly, because the Lions view Branch as capable to fill both roles, Campbell expects to play both Clark and Abney against the Packers this week.
“We’re going to use all those guys,” Campbell said. “Chuck has been really steady for us, man. He’s smart veteran guy. He’s going to be where he’s supposed to be. And then I mentioned this about Abney. Abney is worth continuing to invest in. I mean, he’s going to play for us.”
Last game, both Abney and Clark were essential in utilizing a game plan to take away Arizona’s top two threat, Michael Wilson and Trey McBride. Detroit faces a much bigger threat in the passing game this week against the Green Bay Packers, and it’ll require an entirely different game plan.
Campbell described their options as “pick your poison.” The Packers have two deep-ball threats in receivers Matthew Golden and Christian Watson. But if your plan is to take the top away from both players, Green Bay can punish you over the middle with their Pro Bowl tight end Tucker Kraft.
“That’s the danger in it. Wherever you’re having to use some resources, then now you have got to worry about Kraft.” Campbell said. “If you’re going to use it to take the top off on some of this, well now you have got Kraft underneath and you have got to worry about the backs. It does, it creates some issues, man, that you have got to be ready for. And some of it is you better pick your poison. You can’t defend all of it, so you better pick your poison and what you think means the most to you to stop.”
Branch could very well be the antidote to Green Bay’s poison this week, but he’ll need help from everyone around him to make the entire defense work in harmony.
