Pressers and scrums: Ragnow ruled out, Robinson promoted and 2023 Ravens tape of little help in Seahawks prep
Allen Park — The Detroit Lions’ injury situation isn’t great, but it could definitely be worse. Despite exiting Sunday’s win over Arizona, defensive tackle Alim McNeill (shoulder) and safety Brian Branch (concussion) were on the practice field Thursday, the first day of preparation for the upcoming matchup with Seattle.
Not practicing, and already ruled out for the contest, was center Frank Ragnow.
“We’re going to put Frank down this week,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said before practice. “I‘ll go ahead and get that out of the way. We can go round and round if we want, we’re not even going to mess with that. Look, Frank’s tough. He’s just tough as nails. If anybody can play through it, it’s him. I think we have to be smart. It’s early in the year, we have a lot of football left.”
Despite playing every offensive snap against the Cardinals, Ragnow reportedly suffered a partially torn pectoral muscle in the early stages of the contest. With the bye coming after Monday’s game with Seattle, not playing him this week provides Detroit three weeks to evaluate the situation.
“One of the biggest things about Frank is his mind,” running backs and assistant head coach Scottie Montgomery said. “He's two steps, three steps ahead. I'll come in, I'll be working on our pressure packages and everything and he's calling out the pressure packages before I can even try to (identify them).”
Montgomery said the confidence to overcome the absence is rooted in how the roster has been constructed by general manager Brad Holmes, including experienced depth at center. That suggests Graham Glasgow will likely slide over from left guard to replace Ragnow. At guard, the Lions are expected to turn to Kayode Awosika or Michael Niese.
Awosika was the first man off the bench in 2023, while Niese played a lot of center through training camp and the preseason, offering the team a logical backup behind Glasgow. Another alternative would be temporarily elevating undrafted rookie Kingsley Eguakun off the practice squad. He started the first two preseason games at center.
Burnt tape offers little value
The last time Detroit matched up against Seattle’s rookie head coach Mike Macdonald, he was serving as the defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens. That game went poorly for the Lions as the Ravens scored the first 35 points and cruised to a 38-6 victory.
I asked Campbell how much the team would study that tape in preparation for the new-look Seahawks. Turns out, not much.
“Honestly, no,” Campbell said. “That was so bad. Our game plan, really in all three phases, you could burn it by four minutes into that game. It was a waste of a week. You just chuck it right out of the window.”
Campbell praised the job Macdonald has done in Seattle, leading the Seahawks to a 3-0 start, but said it’s tough to compare them to the 2023 Ravens.
“There are a number of things that he has taken that he did there with this team, but also, it’s different players,” Campbell said. “He’s got different players, different errands, different strengths than what they had in Baltimore. There’re a few things that are a little bit different in the way that they play, but for the most part, the scheme, the philosophy is very much intact. They want to get you in third down and then create issues. That’s where they can get you.”
Seattle's defense ranks fourth in third-down conversion percentage, holding opponents to a 26.1% conversion rate. The Lions, meanwhile, rank fifth as an offense, converting at a 45.2% clip.
“We have to be in third-and-manageable,” Campbell said. “We have to be very efficient, first and second down.”
Another WR promotion
The Lions went from the NFL’s lightest receiver room -- only carrying four on the 53-man roster to enter the season -- to abruptly having a pretty crowded room. Two days after promoting Tim Patrick to the active roster, the Lions filled their remaining opening by signing Allen Robinson off the practice squad on Thursday.
Robinson, a Detroit native, had been temporarily elevated off the practice squad for last week’s game, but logged just one snap in the contest.
A former Pro Bowler, Robinson has racked up more than 7,000 receiving yards in his career, including a trio of 1,000-yard campaigns.
Shared joy
While the Lions continue to be the toast of the town, the city is also reveling in the Tigers’ playoff push, with the baseball team on the cusp of locking up a playoff spot for the first time in a decade.
Wide receiver Jameson Williams attended a Tigers game this week and there’s a general appreciation throughout the Lions organization for what the team is accomplishing.
“Yeah, it’s awesome,” Campbell said. “Tigers were written off in July, I heard it. It was like these guys are done, right? And now look at them. It’s awesome. I don’t get to watch a lot of it, obviously with where I’m at. I keep up just knowing what’s going on and hearing, ‘Hey man, they won again, they won again.’ ...I’m rooting for those guys.”
Lower production, same coverages
Tight ends coach Steve Heiden said Sam LaPorta’s decreased production to start the 2024 season hasn’t been the result of his record-breaking pupil being defended differently.
“No, not in Year 2,” Heiden said. “No, it’s pretty similar. I think they’re aware of him, though.”
Heiden echoed the comments of others in the organization, noting LaPorta has taken the slow start in stride.
“I don’t think we even have to talk about that at all,” Heiden said. “He knows he’s always involved. It’s just a matter of sometimes the balls going to Saint (Amon-Ra St. Brown), sometimes it’s going to him, sometimes it’s going to Jamo.
“We’ll get our touches,” Heiden continued. “I’m not concerned. The good thing about Sam is he’s had some of his best games since I’ve been here and maybe not caught a lot of balls. We do a lot at our position. It’s not just catching the ball. It’s run block, pass protection, and all the other stuff.”
Literal pick-me-up
Montgomery opened his weekly press session joking (I think) about quarterback Jared Goff showing up the running backs with the best run last week, a victory-sealing, first-down scramble.
“The one run, it was just absolutely amazing,” Montgomery said, setting up the joke. “Hell, you don't get a chance to see many runs like that. I know you guys know what I'm talking about, and I'm talking about Jared Goff's run to close the game.
“I gave the running backs hell, like how can you be outdone in that section right there by JG?” Montgomery said. “He did a hell of a job, and he got down. Probably the only thing that was more impressive was that first-down signal that he threw up there. I've never seen him show that kind of emotion in that setting.”
The other aspect of Sunday’s game that had Montgomery shaking his head in disbelief was the offensive line carrying running back David Montgomery several yards down the field at the end of a fourth-quarter carry.
"I was hoping that you would bring that up,” Scottie Montgomery said. “I have never seen anything like it. I don't think anyone has seen anything like it. But one of the things that we've talked about is when you get in the air like that, only thing that goes into your mind is ball security. I have seen guys go in the air and the ball come out, so he's just worried about his ball security right there.
“What I did find out is you look at the tape and as you see him hit the ground, he's smiling,” the coach continued. “All you can see are his teeth because he's never been in anything like it. ...I don't think I've ever seen a guy get that many rushing yards without using his legs.”
Fan of these posts and hope they stick.
The thing with the Baltimore game that initially scared me was how big Baltimore (under McDonald) was with simulated pressure and not knowing where the blitz was coming from that seemingly wrecked the Lions last year. Then if I remember correctly, it seems like the Vikings under Flores as DC seem to run a lot of simulated pressure too and the Lions did OK against them. Anyways, that's my 2 cents on anyone who is worried about the Baltimore game last year. And like the coaches said, different team, different players.