Quick hitters from Campbell on Branch suspension, running back timeshare, botched trick play and injuries

(Getty Images)

Allen Park — With a day’s delay because of playing in primetime on the road this week, Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell met with the media on Tuesday. Here are the highlights from that session.

● The start of the press conference centered around safety Brian Branch’s one-game suspension, which was announced by the league Monday afternoon.

While Campbell understands the ruling is being appealed, he’s going into the week of preparation for Monday’s matchup with Tampa Bay expecting to be without the versatile defender.

“I don’t want to think that way,” Campbell said. “If it happens, that’s a bonus. Right now, I’m assuming he’s out, and he’s not going to win (his appeal).”

The backup plan centers around a trio of pieces. There’s Thomas Harper, who stepped in and played 10 quality snaps against the Chiefs on Sunday, which included a huge pass breakup on fourth down that turned the ball over to Detroit’s offense. Campbell also highlighted Loren Strickland, the second-year defender who has primarily contributed on special teams, and veteran cornerback Rock Ya-Sin, who could be shifted inside if the team feels that gives them the best overall chance against the Buccaneers.

Ya-Sin, who never played safety in the NFL, saw a significant number of reps for the Lions at the position during training camp and the preseason.

“My job is to move forward here, and I know this, we don’t have (Branch),” Campbell said. “I can worry about that, or I can worry about what we do have and how we adjust. …We can play one safety and play four linebackers for all I care. I mean, we’ll figure it out. (Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard) Shep will have a good plan.”

As for Branch, Campbell said he addressed the second-year safety’s actions with him on Monday. The coach also defended Branch’s character.

“He knows he can’t react that way,” Campbell said. “He’ll be better than this. He’ll learn from it. It’s an emotionally charged game, obviously, very physical, a lot of stuff going on.

“Look, this is one instance of something that happened, and it doesn’t matter what led to it,” Campbell said. “We all know it’s no different than you driving down the road and something happens on the highway, right? You can’t take out your aggression on somebody else. You can’t cross that line. Our players know that. Brian knows it. He’s fine. He’ll learn from this.

“…Listen, he’s an outstanding young man,” Campbell said. “He really is. He’s got a big heart, and he made a mistake, and he’ll learn from it.”

● On the illegal shift penalty that negated a first-quarter touchdown against the Chiefs, Campbell said the players executed the play’s design as coached. Campbell pointed the finger at himself, implying the staff didn’t interpret the rules correctly when crafting the play.

“It’s a real sore spot, and I told the team, I take full responsibility for that,” Campbell said. “I do. The players did exactly what we told them to do. (Jared) Goff did exactly what we told them to do. David (Montgomery) did (too), and I will take that. You’ve got to make it very clear on where you are, and I did not do that. I told them I take responsibility for that.”

Goff, who aligned under center ahead of the snap, motioned to the flat as the ball was directly snapped to Montgomery. Because he aligned under center, Goff was required to either step back and pause one full second before going in motion or come to a stop one full second before the ball was snapped.

● Prior to David Montgomery’s injury last season, he and Jahmyr Gibbs had nearly an identical amount of touches. But this season, with Gibbs in the starting role, the balance has been more lopsided.

Through six games, Gibbs has 110 carries and receptions to Montgomery’s 75. It was particularly one-sided in Kansas City, with Gibbs having three times the touches in the loss, 18-6. Gibbs had more touches during the opening drive, 10, than Montgomery did during the full contest.

I asked Campbell how much thought he’s given to the backfield balance six weeks into the season.

“I think that’s something that I always try to look at,” Campbell said. “We certainly don’t want either one of them getting too much. But I know that it’s a little more tilted towards Jah right now. And a lot of that comes in the two-minute reps that we get. Now, the other day we only had six of them, but a lot of times that’s where that goes because he’s normally in on that, and that can skew it.

“I don’t feel like we’ve gotten Jah too much in a game yet, necessarily,” Campbell said. “I think he had 36 or 37 snaps the other night. So, I feel pretty good. But as far as balancing them out, I would like to balance them out. I would. I would like to give David some more. Find a place to get him a few more.”

Campbell said the plan was for Montgomery to get more in the second half against the Chiefs, but the game flow changed things.

● Campbell provided brief injury updates on Alim McNeill, Terrion Arnold, Avonte Maddox, Malcolm Rodriguez and Marcus Davenport. I’ve updated the site’s running injury report with all that information.