Can you summarize what it was like playing against the Lions last week?
We knew going into the game against a two-win team that things might get a little messy—we just had to make fewer mistakes than them. And that’s exactly what we did. It was a fun game, competitive, and we respect the way the Lions battled, but let’s set the record straight. Their coach has been on a podcast talking about ‘chess-piecing’ and ‘AI manipulation’ like we somehow did something outside the rules of football. Look, if a defense adjusting to what an offense is doing is now considered an exploit, then I don’t know what game he thinks he’s coaching. The reality is, we played smart, sound defense. We disguised coverages, brought pressure when it made sense, and forced them into bad decisions—that’s just good football, not some glitch in the matrix.
At the end of the day, our defense did what it was supposed to do, and maybe instead of throwing around excuses, there should be some self-reflection on how to pick up a blitz. Maybe block a running back. Maybe study offensive line protections a little more. Maybe recognize when a defense is showing pressure and make the right read. Because blaming the AI only goes so far when you’re throwing five interceptions. We all get frustrated after a tough loss, but at some point, it’s not about what the defense did—it’s about what the offense didn’t do. We had a great time competing, but let's be honest—playing defense isn’t illegal. If it feels unfair when a team actually plays defense against you, maybe the solution isn’t to complain about it on a podcast. Maybe it’s to practice more and get better at handling it.
What is the status of Jonathon Brooks and when is he set to return?
Jonathon is about two weeks out from returning, and we couldn’t be more excited to get him back in the lineup. Our running backs have done a great job holding it down, but JB brings something different to the table—he’s the kind of back that makes defenses second-guess their life choices. He’s a tough, physical runner who doesn’t just go down on first contact. He can hit the hole, run between the tackles, and if you’re in his way, he’ll make sure you feel it. He’s got the vision and power that make our offense that much harder to defend, and having him back will open things up even more for us.
We’ve been playing good football, but adding JB back into the mix gives us another weapon we can rely on down the stretch. He’s been itching to get back on the field, and we know he’s going to bring that extra juice when he does. The depth we’ve built at the position has been a huge help, but having JB’s ability to keep defenses honest is something we appreciate having at our disposal. Once he’s back, good luck to anyone trying to slow him down.
What did you learn about your team’s capabilities from the matchup with the Lions?
Oh man, we learned that our team is so good at defense that it’s unfair. I didn’t realize that forcing bad throws and taking advantage of predictable play-calling was a controversial strategy, but hey, here we are. The Lions’ coach seems to think that when an opposing defense actually adjusts and makes life difficult for his offense, it’s an ‘exploit.’ We learned that if you don’t sit back in soft coverage and let someone's quarterback make easy reads, they might go run to a podcast and cry about it. We also learned that apparently, showing pressure and disguising blitzes is some kind of dark magic. If putting defenders in the right spot makes the AI fold like a cheap lawn chair while you're not keeping a poor running back or tight end to block, that’s not our fault—maybe that’s something their offensive coaching staff should’ve figured out before throwing five picks.
But in all seriousness, what we really learned is that our defense can dictate a game, no matter the opponent. They were up multiple scores at one point. We don’t just sit back and react—we make offenses uncomfortable, force them into bad decisions, and capitalize on mistakes. If that makes some people upset, well, maybe they should spend more time working on their protection schemes and less time learning about cool terms like ‘chess-piecing.’ At the end of the day, we played hard, executed our game plan, and walked out with the win. If people don’t like that, they can take it up with the scoreboard.
