Lions-Bears snap counts: Detroit deploys 3 safety sets in Ifeatu Melifonwu’s return

A look at how the Detroit Lions adjusted their defense against the Chicago Bears in Week 16.

With injuries all over the defense, the Detroit Lions continue to make adjustments with their player usage, and the return of Ifeatu Melifonwu led to some fun new wrinkles. Here’s a closer look at the Lions’ snap counts in their 34-17 win over the Chicago Bears.

Offense

Quarterbacks

Jared Goff: 65 (100%)
Hendon Hooker: 0 (0%)

Another game where Goff produces a 70.0%+ completion percentage, a 135.0+ passer rating, and 2+ passing touchdowns. This is the fifth time he has accomplished that this season, matching an NFL record, per the Lions PR.

Running backs

Jahmyr Gibbs: 45 (69%)
Craig Reynolds: 10 (15%) — 12 special teams snaps (48%)
Sione Vaki: 5 (8%) — 18 (72%)
Jermar Jefferson: 5 (8%) — 7 (28%)
David Montgomery: INJURED — INACTIVE

Gibbs was the workhorse in this game but the Lions still managed to get him some breaks by leaning on their depth. Reynolds was the primary reserve, Vaki found the field in the Lions’ two-minute offense at the end of the half, while Jefferson closed out the game with some power running to drain the clock.

Tight ends

Sam LaPorta: 60 (92%)
Brock Wright: 34 (52%) — 11 (44%)
Shane Zylstra: 1 (2%) — 12 (48%)

LaPorta continues to see high levels of snaps now that he is healthy, while Wright saw more work than in recent weeks as the Lions deployed more two tight end sets. Zylstra remains primarily a special teams and insurance option.

Wide receivers

Amon-Ra St. Brown: 55 (85%)
Jameson Williams: 54 (83%)
Tim Patrick: 42 (65%)
Allen Robinson: 4 (6%)
Tom Kennedy: 4 (6%) — 3 (12%)

A pretty standard snap split from the Lions’ top four receivers, while Kennedy—who was signed to the active roster this weekend—took a few reps on offense and was the team’s primary punt returner. It’s a nice promotion for a reliable veteran receiver who has been with the team for the last six seasons.

Offensive line

Penei Sewell: 65 (100%) — 7 (28%)
Kevin Zeitler: 65 (100%) — 7 (28%)
Christian Mahogany: 65 (100%) — 7 (28%)
Taylor Decker: 65 (100%)
Frank Ragnow: 65 (100%)
Dan Skipper: 6 (9%) — 10 (40%)
Kayode Awosika: 0 (0%) — 7 (28%)
Michael Niese: 0 (0%) — 7 (28%)
Graham Glasgow: INJURED — INACTIVE
Colby Sorsdal: INACTIVE
Giovanni Manu: INACTIVE

With Graham Glasgow injured, rookie Christian Mahogany got his first NFL start and he looked awfully impressive. He was quick off the line, stout in pass pro (his 82.5 pass block grade from PFF was second on the team), was only credited with allowing one pressure on 33 pass bock reps, was fluid in space, and showed off the nasty demeanor that earned him his “dirtbag” moniker.

Mahogany showed off starter-level talent, and while he needs more experience, the Lions should feel very comfortable with their interior offensive line.

Defense

EDGE

Josh Paschal: 45 (70%)
Za’Darius Smith: 40 (62%)
Al-Quadin Muhammad: 20 (31%) — 3 (12%)
Mitchell Agude: 14 (22%) — 11 (44%)
Jonah Williams: INACTIVE

The Lions rotated their defensive ends in this game, and for the most part, they played fairly static roles on the edges. Paschal and Smith saw the majority of snaps, as expected, with Mitchell, Agude, and Levi Onwuzurike all seeing between 22-31% of snaps on the end.

DT

Levi Onwuzurike: 40 (62%) — 3 (12%)
Pat O’Connor: 33 (52%) — 10 (40%)
DJ Reader: 31 (48%)
Chris Smith: 12 (19%)
Myles Adams: 2 (3%)
Brodric Martin: INACTIVE

The nose tackle was a permanent role, split between Reader and O’Connor, but the other defensive tackle spot saw reduced snaps to accommodate more linebacker and safety usage. While Onwuzurike led this group in snaps, he split his time evenly between the interior and the edge. In addition to Onwuzurike’s 20 interior snaps, Smith, and Adams wrapped up the role, which only saw around 50% of the team’s total defensive snaps this week.

Linebackers

Jack Campbell: 64 (100%)
Ben Niemann: 42 (66%) — 4 (16%)
Trevor Nowaske: 24 (38%) — 15 (60%)
Ezekiel Turner: 23 (36%) — 18 (72%)
Anthony Pittman: 11 (17%) — 18 (72%)
David Long: 0 (0%) — 14 (56%)
Kwon Alexander: INACTIVE

Campbell continues to see a full complement of snaps at the MIKE, while the rotations between the WILL and SAM roles continue. At WILL, Niemann and Turner took the majority of snaps, while Nowaske and Pittman split the SAM role. Alexander was a healthy scratch, most likely because he doesn’t contribute on special teams, while Long surprisingly didn’t get any looks this week.

Cornerbacks

Terrion Arnold: 63 (98%)
Amik Robertson: 63 (98%)
Kindle Vildor: 0 (0%) — 14 (56%)
Emmanuel Moseley: 0 (0%) — 14 (56%)

Keeping four corners active may have appeared as if the team was going light at the position, but the fact that they only use two of those corners—and exclusively on the outside—illustrated they had enough bodies to execute this week’s game plan. It’s hard to say what the defense will exactly look like moving forward, but it was curious that neither Vildor nor Moseley saw the field, even with the Lions up three scores in the fourth quarter.

Safety

Brian Branch: 64 (100%)
Kerby Joseph: 63 (98%) — 3 (12%)
Ifeatu Melifonwu: 51 (80%) — 3 (12%)
Loren Strickland: 0 (0%) — 7 (28%)

Here’s where the most notable change in the Lions defensive strategy occurred. The Lions deployed three safeties nearly 80% of the time, the most they’ve spent in nickel this season. And while the subpackage use was significantly increased, they still managed to stay fluid in their design by shifting Branch and Melifonwu around quite a bit.

For example, per PFF, here’s how the safeties split their snaps:

Joseph:
Free Safety: 48
Slot DB: 2
Box: 12

Branch:
Free Safety: 5
Slot DB: 47
Box: 11

Melifonwu:
Free Safety: 14
Slot DB: 19
Box: 17

The Lions run a lot of Cover-1, which puts a single-high safety in the middle of the field, and dropping the other into the slot or box, and that was again on display against the Bears. Joseph typically is deployed in the single-high role, while Branch saw a significant increase in his slot reps (about triple what he has shown this season), and Melifonwu was used all over the field, including deep, in the slot, and at the linebacker level.

This approach to safety usage is a way of getting their most talented players on the field, and while they may not exactly replicate this design against future opponents, it’s a great reminder of the range of flexibility the Lions have when Melifonwu is back in the lineup.

Special teams

Jake Bates: 14 (56%)
Jack Fox: 8 (32%)
Hogan Hatten: 8 (32%)

This is about average for the Lions’ special teams unit.