Pressers and scrums: Decker battles FOMO, what Goff said to Campbell, expectations for Smith and more

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Allen Park — Buckle up, this is going to be a lengthy recap.

Not playing worse than injury

Offensive tackle Taylor Decker missed Sunday’s game with a shoulder injury. If it was up to him, he probably would have played, but he said he’s always asked the medical and training staff, led by director of player health and performance Brett Fischer, to protect him if he wants to do something stupid.

“That's their job and that's what they do,” Decker said. “Ultimately, if you leave it up to the player, nine times out of 10 they're going to play, even if they shouldn't. Every game is important to me. We only get to play 17, and, you know, all things are pointing to us being in the playoffs, of course. I have had plenty of seasons where we don't get to (play in the playoffs), so every game is important to me.

“The biggest thing when you're used to being out there with your teammates, and guys you've played a lot of football with, when you're not out there, it's just a shitty feeling,” Decker said. “It doesn't feel good. You want to be out there whether it's Week 10 and you're mathematically eliminated or it's Week 10 and you're rolling. That doesn't change my desire to be out there and play.”

Decker said he knows the moment he suffered the shoulder injury in practice, but, in reality, it's compounding issue he’s been dealing with for longer than a few days.

“It happened in practice, yeah,” Decker said. “Rotator cuff strain, and then I’ve had shoulder surgery on this shoulder before with the labrum. Just irritated the labrum a little bit. And the week prior, I had a pec strain on the same side. I know the play that happened that caused it, but I don’t know if it was maybe a compensation thing or whatnot. Hopefully, it’s not too long-term.”

Decker said he was feeling decent, and coach Dan Campbell was optimistic about the lineman playing this Sunday against Jacksonville, although he expected to have more clarity after Thursday’s full-go practice.

The most difficult part of sitting out was watching the team struggle last Sunday against the Texans. Watching from home, Decker acknowledged feeling at fault.

“I felt personally responsible for the first half of that game, and I’m not saying that jokingly,” Decker said. “I felt really bad, even though I know it was in my best interest and the team’s best interest to sit that one out. (But) just when you’re not out there with your guys, especially when it’s guys that you’ve played with as much as I’ve played with some of these guys on offense, it’s like a guilty feeling. It really is. As soon as you can get back out there, that’s one thing that’s going to drive you to want to be back out there, is when you don’t get to be.”

Dan Skipper made his first career start at tackle in place of Decker, and the starter praised his backup’s effort, which included requiring multiple IVs to get through the contest.

The Lions opted to keep Penei Sewell at right tackle against the Texans because of how late in the week — and game-planning process — Decker’s injury occurred. Had they known earlier, Campbell said they likely would have started Sewell on the blindside.

Built different

In the chat this week, one of you asked what quarterback Jared Goff said to Campbell after the Houston game. Well, good news, someone asked the coach on Wednesday.

“He said, ‘We’re just different,’” Campbell said. “That’s really what he said, ‘We’re just different.’ And I agreed with him, we are. That’s the way we’re built.”

A few minutes later, in the locker room, I asked Goff to elaborate on the conversation, given he’s been on a number of good teams both here in Detroit and in Los Angeles.

“Yeah, every team’s different,” Goff said. “I think my notion there was that the adversity we’re built for is different than every other team in the league, and I think I said it after the game.

“It truly is,” Goff continued. “There are a lot of good teams in our league, but you’d be hard-pressed to find some who have been through what the core group of this team has been through. So in a game like that where you dig yourself in that big of a hole, knowing we’re built for that and built to come back in those instances.”

Surprise appearance

In a surprise, Derrick Barnes was in the locker room on Sunday, and despite being sidelined by a knee injury that’s still expected to be a season-ender, the veteran linebacker was his gregarious self.

Barnes said he’s been aggressively attacking his rehab after surgery and noted he was shocked by his ability to ride an exercise bike when asked on Wednesday.

He’s not naive. He knows a comeback this season is unlikely, but he’s not giving up on the idea.

"One day at a time, man,” Barnes said. “You know, obviously, I have those thoughts in my mind, but I think if I just focus on the now, then I think that'll get me where I want to go.”

Barnes was injured on a cut block, when the pulling blocker dove directly into his knees. The play is legal and relatively common, but Barnes believes the NFL should re-evaluate the strategy.

“I think it should be banned,” he said. “I think that the offense gets a lot of leeway, more than a defense. It's football, though. I never sit there and complain about it. I do the hitting and then when I get hit, something like this happens. But nah, I don't really agree with the play. But like I said, it is football, it does happen. You know, I would never wish that upon anybody.”

Expanding the repertoire

Running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have been far more productive in the passing game this season, both via check-downs and screens. Position coach Scottie Montgomery credited the team’s wide receivers for playing a big role in unlocking that component of the scheme.

“Our receivers are flying off the ball,” Scottie Montgomery said. “We’re utilizing the speed of our receivers. And one of the reasons why the passing game has gotten better for the backs is some of those check-downs that we’re getting. You guys have seen some major check-downs that have turned into big plays, also screens.

“That’s why I really commend our receivers,” Montgomery said. “They come off the ball flying, 15 yards of just pure burst.” 

Montgomery, the coach, also noted there was a point of emphasis with all position groups this offseason on making defenders miss after the catch. Detroit is currently averaging 6.9 yards after the catch, which ranks second in the NFL.

Mentality over production

Amon-Ra St. Brown is having a good season, but the numbers are below the lofty production bar he’s established. After racking up more than 1,500 yards last season, he’s on pace for fewer than 1,000 in 2024.

I asked position coach Antwaan Randle El how the All-Pro is handling the decreased usage.

"'Give me the ball,’ which every receiver does,'“ Randle El said, laughing. “At the end of the day, he's a team guy, man. And that's what we love about him. I think he had a couple games where he hadn't got a target until like the second quarter or mid-second quarter, and that's going to happen. He understands that.

“A lot of it has to do with what we have on offense,” Randle El continued. “We have some weapons on offense. He's one of them. At the end of the day, it's about the team and being a team player. And he understands that. He shows that. Because when he's not getting the ball, he's doing the other stuff that needs to be done.”

Randle El can relate to St. Brown’s quiet frustrations. Early in his playing career, the Steelers were a run-first team that passed the ball fewer than 400 times in a season more than once.

I asked how he coped with that reality given how much every receiver wants the ball.

"It's great when you're winning,” Randle El explained. “And we were winning a lot. That's hard when you're not. …But at the same time, team players, you know what it's going to take to get to those (wins). You just got to be ready. You've got to run the route, block, and when it's time to make the play, you got to make it. That's when it's really crucial. When the ball ain't going (to you) that much, and you do get an opportunity, you've got to take full advantage of it." 

Lion wins again

The Lions snagged another Player of the Week award, the team’s sixth in seven games. This one went to kicker Jake Bates for his late-game heroics against the Texans on Sunday, capping the team’s rally with makes from 58 and 52 yards in the final five minutes.

Those are his two longest kicks of the season.

Scouting report on newcomer

Decker watched the Bates’ game-winner from home, while in bed next to his sleeping wife.

“I was just trying to stay still and be quiet,” Decker said. “I did wake her up and tell her we won. She was like, 'That's great,' and went back to sleep.”

While Decker didn’t make the trip to Houston, staying back in Detroit to get treatment on his injured shoulder, one of his favorite parts of watching the game on TV was watching how engaged new teammate Za’Darius Smith was on the sidelines.

Decker knows Smith well as a foe, given they overlapped four seasons as divisional opponents. As someone who has always taken detailed notes on opposing edge rushers, I knew Decker could offer as good a scouting report as anyone on the recent acquisition, so I asked.

“First and foremost, I've always just liked him as a person,” Decker said. “He's always been a cool guy. …As far as a rusher, I've always said he's got incredibly violent hands. He was like that back when he was in Baltimore, and we've obviously seen him for a while in our division here. Incredible violent hands, powerful guy, and I think one thing is he's able to line up all across the (front). You'll see him over the center, you'll see him over guards. Then, tons of times, he'll be lining up one-on-one with an offensive tackle.

“Then for him, I think he's got some of that swagger, that confidence,” Decker said. “We've got some young guys playing out on the edge and I think it was really cool — I stayed home for this past game, but seeing his engagement in the game on the broadcast, you can just tell he's super excited to be here. I'm pumped to have him.”

Smith is expected to debut this Sunday. Lions fans are understandably thrilled and have swelling expectations, but Campbell has a more conservative viewpoint on what he wants to see out of the veteran defender.

“I’m not going to be looking at the stats,” Campbell said. “I just want to know that he’s doing his job and he’s as productive as he can be in that. …Just go in there, and if you do your job, and you’re able to push the pocket and (Josh) Paschal gets one, or Alim (McNeill), then we’ll know you did your job. That in itself is going to count for a lot.

“…I’m looking for a complementary piece and somebody that’s going to be able to help our defense, that’s going to elevate us a little bit, and I think that he’ll do that for us.” 

Third-year surge

Speaking of Paschal, Campbell offered a rave review of the third-year defensive lineman’s impact against Houston.

“I thought he played really well,” Campbell said. “It was good to get him back. It was noticeable having him back in our rotation on that d-line. Even with being off that week or two, I feel like he improved, even from the last time that he played. He is physical on the perimeter. You talk about crushing the edge, setting an edge in the run game, and then pushing the pocket, transitioning into rush, chasing the ball down, relentless effort.

"He’s us," Campbell said. "It’s one of the reasons that he’s here. But now that he’s had his chance to really step up and play a significant amount of reps for us, he’s making the most of them."

Paschal missed two games after needing to have a mass removed from his shoulder that was discovered during an annual cancer screening. Against Houston, he played a season-high 61 snaps, tallying five tackles, a sack and a second tackle for loss.

As a starter in the past three games he’s been active, Paschal has had 2.0 sacks and two tackles for loss.

Injury report

The Lions didn’t practice on Wednesday, instead conducting a walkthrough. That means the day’s participation report was an estimation. Within that, tight end Sam LaPorta was projected as a non-participation due to the shoulder injury he suffered against Houston.

Decker (shoulder) and linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (ankle) would have been limited.

Special play on special teams

Rookie Sione Vaki’s impressive special teams tackle on Sunday didn’t go unrecognized in the running back room. Scottie Montgomery made sure of that.

“We talk about that, believe it or not,” Montgomery said. “We like going viral, especially in the room with special teams, because it’s the time where they can see our room in another light, not just carrying the football. …To tackle two guys, that’s why we’re playing. So we continue to see him get better, I’m looking forward to seeing him get a lot better.”