Snap Count Takeaways: Brian Branch Shouldn't Leave Field

Examining snap count totals from Lions' win over Rams.

Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch (32). / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Detroit Lions did just enough to send the crowd home happy in primetime.

In the late stages of Sunday night, the Lions executed a late-game drive to send the game to overtime. After winning the coin toss, Detroit left no doubts in a physical, run-oriented drive that ended with David Montgomery's game-winning touchdown.

As a result, the Lions overcame a sloppy showing to get to 1-0 on the 2024 season. In the process, they relied on a number of different players to contribute in their winning effort.

Here are five takeaways from a review of the Lions' snap counts from Sunday's game.

Offensive and defensive snap couts from Lions' 26-20 win over the Rams Sunday night. @DetroitPodcast pic.twitter.com/D75MBk5NUi

— Christian Booher (@CBooher_) September 9, 2024

Barnes gets more reps than Campbell

The linebacker position is one that the Lions have kept intact, as they have several players who have played multiple seasons with the organization. As a result, position coach Kelvin Sheppard has several players he can rely on to play in different situations.

Though 2023 first-round pick Jack Campbell is expected to play a big role in his second NFL season, Derrick Barnes received more snaps in Sunday's game. Barnes played 64 snaps on Sunday, while Campbell played 44.

This could be a result of the Lions playing less nickel defense and using Barnes in the SAM linebacker role, which allows him to contribute in multiple ways. Both players made an impact, combining for 11 tackles. However, Barnes outrepping Campbell is a storyline worth following.

Davenport owns edge role

A popular topic of conversation throughout the offseason was the Lions' lack of a certified second pass-rush option opposite Aidan Hutchinson. Marcus Davenport's addition was met with some skepticism due to a history of injuries limiting his production.

However, Davenport started opposite Hutchinson on Sunday and owned the opportunities he had. He finished with a half-sack, split with Levi Onwuzurike, and four quarterback hits on 44 snaps.

The Lions worked Davenport on the end along with Josh Paschal, deciding to make James Houston a healthy inactive. Houston was viewed by many as a top candidate to help in the pass-rush, but he appears to be further down the depth chart at this current stage.

Williams' workload

Sunday's game was a banner day for Williams in almost every way. He set single-game highs for receptions (five), yards (121) and targets (nine) while catching his fourth career touchdown pass.

What is even more telling is that the Lions officially trust him as the second option at wide receiver. There was plenty of hype surrounding the Alabama product throughout training camp, and he made good on it in the season opener.

Williams' 52 snaps were the second most he's played in a game through his three NFL seasons, one behind his career high against Green Bay on Thanksgiving last year. However, the 52 snaps accounted for 85 percent of the Lions' plays, which was far and away a career-best.

Rodriguez has role on defense

With the Lions' array of depth at linebacker, Sheppard can utilize different players in situations suited to their play styles. One beneficiary of this on Sunday was Malcolm Rodriguez, who played a limited yet noteworthy role.

Rodriguez was on the field for 14 snaps, which accounted for 18 percent of the team's defensive action. He had three tackles in that time, while also chipping in an assisted tackle on special teams.

For Rodriguez, last season saw his workload lessen after a 2022 campaign in which he started 15 games as a rookie. It's clear that he has still created a role for himself on the defense, though, and was particularly noted on the field as part of Detroit's third-down defensive package.

Branch doesn't leave field

The Lions had two defensive players play the entire game Sunday -- safety Brian Branch and linebacker Alex Anzalone. Their two cornerbacks, Terrion Arnold and Carlton Davis, were both close as well. Arnold missed two plays, while Davis missed one after getting the wind knocked out of him.

Branch was around the football for plenty of the game, as he narrowly missed multiple opportunities to intercept Stafford. He will need to perfect his angles coming down from the safety position, but there's plenty to like about him holding that spot.

The Lions played plenty of base defense on Sunday. With the Rams' offensive line depleted, the Lions often elected to deploy four down linemen and three linebackers, leaving the traditional four in the secondary instead of a nickel corner.

Amik Robertson got the snaps as the team's nickel, but played just under half of the team's defensive snaps. He logged 36 defensive plays, accounting for 46 percent of the team's snaps.

Instead of using that fifth defensive back, the Lions allocated snaps to defensive tackles Alim McNeill (68 snaps), Levi Onwuzurike (50 snaps) and practice squad call-up Kyle Peko (37 snaps). Chris Smith, recently signed to the active roster, played eight snaps while rookie Mekhi Wingo played six in his NFL debut.