Pressers and scrums: Defense aiming for fear through violence; slippery field not a concern

Allen Park — After a late night and early morning built around Sunday night’s primetime game between the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams, we’re aiming for a concise and to-the-point edition of “Pressers and Scrums.”

Let’s start with defensive tackle Alim McNeill, who comically shared he couldn't sleep after last night’s game and was up until 4 a.m. watching reruns of “Reba.”

Just when you think you know these guys.

"My girlfriend's been watching it lately a lot, so I've just been — Reba's just running the whole night,” McNeill said. “Then I look at my phone and it's four in the morning."

It was a good debut for Detroit’s defense, which held the Rams to 20 points and under 100 yards rushing in a season-opening victory. Coach Dan Campbell was particularly impressed with the performance of McNeill’s group up front.

“Yeah, those guys, just about every one of them had a winning performance,” Campbell said. “I thought they played big, I thought they played physical and we feel like we have a good defensive line. And I know that’s game one, but just since spring and training camp and seeing where we’re at, it’s the right mix. It’s the right balance of length, power, size, aggression, and that’s just game one. We’ve got so much room to grow in there, too. That’s what’s exciting.”

McNeill was asked if he sees an identity being formed across the defense after Sunday's performance against the Rams.

“The identity is violent,” McNeill said. “We want to be feared. We want to be violent. That’s how defenses win games. That’s our advantage is fear, and that’s our identity. We want to be that violent defense nobody wants to play against.”

● A lot of you asked about the team’s struggles with their footing in the opener. Among the stumbles, cornerback Carlton Davis III slipped on a pair of key plays and Amon-Ra St. Brown went to the ground on a late target that might have been intercepted if he hadn’t scrambled back to his feet to deflect the ball heading directly toward the chest of a Rams defender.

I asked Campbell if there were any concerns with the Ford Field turf or cleat selection after the contest, but the coach downplayed the issues.

“As far as I know, they haven’t done anything else to (the field since last season),” Campbell said. “So no, I think we’ll be good. Some of it is just getting used to playing back on that turf again. Now, (the Rams) had problems, too. I think, at times, they tripped a little bit. But it’s the same turf we’ve had, so we should be good.”

● Two days after defensive Chris Smith was added to the active roster, the Lions have waived the second-year defender. That leaves the Lions' roster at 52 and gives them some flexibility heading into a Week 2 matchup with Tampa Bay.

Smith helped backfill the absence of DJ Reader from the lineup, but the veteran nose tackle is expected to make his debut against the Buccaneers this upcoming Sunday.

A Detroit native who split his collegiate career between Harvard and Notre Dame, Smith saw eight defensive snaps against the Rams, assisting on a tackle.

● Detroit’s starting offensive line was featured on NBC's “Today” Monday morning. The segment focused on their shared bond of being fathers.

“I have not seen it, but based on the incredible amount of texts from people saying it was done well, I have to believe it went well,” Kevin Zeitler said. “…All of us in that room are in the same season of life right now. So all of us know what we're going through probably, some way or another. It just helps our understanding further, on field, off field, and gets us closer.”

● St. Brown finished with the least productive game of his career which he started and didn’t suffer an injury. But it wasn’t for a lack of effort in the game plan. Targeted six times, he finished with three receptions for just 13 yards.

“I mean, we tried. We called his number quite a few times, it just felt like, for whatever reason, either coverage took it away or something like that happens on the inside slant and he kind of trips on it,” Campbell said, mentioning the fourth-quarter stumble. “He’s constantly somebody we think about. I mean, that doesn’t go away. And certainly, we want to get him targeted more than what showed yesterday. That’s the obvious. He’s a catalyst for us.”

Campbell said he has no concerns with future opponents learning and applying what the Rams did to slow St. Brown.

● With players around the league exhibiting rust in their respective season openers, Campbell wasn’t lamenting his decision to sit his starters all three games in the preseason.

“What, you’re going to play them 20 plays? I would rather go against ourselves and run 60, which is what we did,” Campbell said. “Those last two weeks we scrimmaged each other going 60 plays. So no, I’m not (rethinking things), especially when you win the game. I feel good with where we’re at and I said it last night, do I like that we were not that clean? No, I don’t feel great about that, but I’m not upset with the win either.”

● It’s looking like the Bucs will be shorthanded in their secondary with Jordan Schultz reporting the team is expected to be without star safety Antoine Winfield Jr. the next couple of weeks due to a sprained foot.

Additionally, the team had three cornerbacks — Zyon McCollum, Josh Hayes and Bryce Hall — exit the opener with injuries. It’s been reported Hall, the team’s No. 3 corner, suffered a dislocated ankle and fractured fibula.