Detroit Lions keys to home win versus San Francisco
Detroit Lions defensive challenges, continued.
A common window dressing the Detroit Lions will be prepared to see is the use of jet sweep with a versatile receiver like Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk. A jet sweep is when a wide receiver lines up in a normal position on the perimeter or in the slot, they run in front of the quarterback and running backs (the quarterback is in a shotgun look) at full speed, and they receive the hand-off going in the direction that they were already running.
It works with the type of receivers that Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have brought in over the last few years who can run routes or play like a running back at times. It is designed to threaten the edges of a defense by getting the ball into the hands of a player moving at full speed and get him into space quickly.
When this motion is used, it makes the edge defender think about trying to be in position to stop that player; you must honor the fake because Mike McDaniel, Shanahan’s offensive coordinator, has the personnel to run this extremely effectively. Their offense can also fake this play with the same motion, pre-snap, to make Lions defenders think that it could be coming their way.
At its heart though, Shanahan and McDaniel want to run power plays through the middle of your defense with their zone concepts, execute play-action passes off of run fakes, and keep teams off guard with the motions and looks that they’ll throw at Lions defensive coordinator, Aaron Glenn.
Rookie quarterback, Trey Lance, is not on the final injury report and is throwing passes but was limited in Friday’s practice according to Matt Barrows, who covers the San Francisco Forty-Niners for The Athletic. Lance adds another dimension with his foot speed, big arm, and ability to threaten a defense all by himself with his considerable athletic ability. Campbell said that he would be prepping his team for the possibility that Lance would play and how he is different from starter Jimmy Garoppolo, who is more of a traditional pocket-passer.