Quandre Diggs gets a nod as the most surprising player on the Lions defense
Every week during the Lions season we’ll do a Twitter mailbag. Use the social media site to send your questions to Lions beat writer Dave Birkett at @davebirkett.
Q: What SPECIFIC things do the players want before they stop protesting? How will they know when change has occurred? – @kevinwkrohn
A: The league-wide protests that swept the NFL last Sunday have engendered such strong feelings on both sides that I felt it was necessary to address the topic here. The Lions, of course, had eight players kneel during the singing of the national anthem while linking arms with most of the rest of their teammates. Their protest was not of the American flag or the anthem, but of many of the injustices that happen in this country.
I decided to pose this question to one of the players who took a knee, defensive end Cornelius Washington, who I’ve found to be a very thoughtful interview in his short time with the Lions. Here’s what he said:
“Some of the social injustices that go on in America, obviously that’s the point of it, we want that to stop. And we want people to be held accountable when you do something wrong. Right is right, and wrong is wrong. So when you have somebody or a group of people go out and do anything that’s wrong, we want you to be held accountable, and that’s plain and simple what it goes down to. Right is right and wrong is wrong.”
More:
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And how will players know exactly when that is?
“I don’t think it’s going to be one thing that’s going to be like the be all, end all, but I think we need to see progress in a more positive direction for sure. And I think we all just need to come together as people, no matter the color. Because like I said, to me at the end of the day, it all comes down to right and wrong.”
As of Friday, multiple Lions players said they have decided what shape or form their protests will take going forward.
Q: Who do you think has been the most surprising player for the lions on the defensive side of the football? – @Simmons81Tyler
A: There are no shortage of options the way the defense has played through three games. The Lions are tied for second in the NFL in takeaways, and they’ve gotten especially stellar play from their secondary.
I could make a case for Anthony Zettel at defensive end or rookie Jarrad Davis at middle linebacker. Both have exceeded my expectations so far with their all-around play. But Quandre Diggs has been the biggest surprise of the defense for the way he’s returned from last year’s season-ending pectoral injury.
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Diggs is a player many had written off heading into training camp after the Lions signed D. J. Hayden in free agency and added Teez Tabor in the draft, and yet he’s been the team’s second-best cornerback this year behind Darius Slay.
As the Lions’ primary slot defender, Diggs has both covered and tackled well, holding the likes of Larry Fitzgerald and Sterling Shepard in check. He has another big challenge this week against Adam Thielen, but has been a huge part of the defense’s success.
Q: Do you think Caldwell was too soft on his response to the final play of the game? Maybe he should have stood up for his squad? – @Orowin94
A: This has been a popular topic this week, with my colleague Carlos Monarrez taking aim at Lions coach Jim Caldwell for the way he handled the aftermath of the Falcons game. The Lions lost on a clock runoff that came after officials missed a call on the field. Caldwell said officials administered the play correctly, and didn’t voice any displeasure with the rule itself.
I don’t have any problem with the way Caldwell handled the situation. The truth is, officials did handle the play correctly according to the current NFL rules.
Maybe it’s not totally fair that a team can be penalized with a clock runoff through no fault of its own, but it is a part of the rule book and nothing Caldwell can say would change that.
I was critical of Caldwell when he let the missed “batting” penalty go without much protest against the Seattle Seahawks a couple years ago, but that was a different situation. Arguing a call like that in the heat of the moment has a potentially different impact than decrying a rule days later. The Lions gain nothing by doing that, save maybe generating some good will with angry fans.
Q: Do you think TJ Jones deserves more snaps? – @BraticLuke
A: I’d like to say yes, with the way Jones has caught the football this year, but I’m not sure where the snaps would come from. Golden Tate is Matthew Stafford’s favorite weapon, and Marvin Jones remains the team’s top deep threat. Both belong on the field as much as possible.
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If TJ Jones is going to usurp playing time from anyone it’s going to be rookie Kenny Golladay, and Golladay proved his worth with two touchdown catches in Week 1. Golladay hasn’t been as effective the last two weeks, and he’s battling a hamstring injury now. Still, at 6 feet 4, he brings more to the offense than Jones and seems like a good bet to continue playing the bulk of the snaps as the Lions’ No. 3 receiver once he’s healthy.
Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett. Download our Lions Xtra app for free on Apple and Android!
