Detroit Lions' Heavy Personnel Presents 'Great Challenge' For Seattle Seahawks

The Detroit Lions use two tight ends at the sixth-highest rate in the NFL. It's critical to their offensive success, and the Seattle Seahawks must minimize it.

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta runs for a first down against the Seattle Seahawks during the second half at Ford Field, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023. / Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

The small wrinkles in each NFL offense vary a defense’s preparation from week to week. When prepping for the Detroit Lions on Monday night, defensive coordinator Aden Durde has to prepare his Seattle Seahawks defensive front to see more multiple tight end looks.

Detroit uses 12 personnel (one running back and two tight ends) at the sixth-highest rate in the league (28 percent), per Sumer Sports, and they have been successful in both the run and pass when deploying that grouping.

Lions tight ends Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright are each top-30 in total snaps by tight ends, per Pro Football Focus, and each are top-10 in total blocking snaps. In short: Both will be on the field a lot, and not only as pass-catchers. They’re road graders.

“I think you’ve got to embrace the challenge of every game,” Durde told reporters on Thursday. “We played New England, we got asked similar questions. We played this week, and it was a different game, but it was vertical speed and lateral speed.  I think every week, you’ve just got to embrace the challenge that comes along with it.”

When in 12 personnel, the Lions are top-12 in EPA-per-rush and EPA-per-pass (estimated points added), and they run the ball 54.2 percent of the time. That’s how — in addition to their talent — running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have piled up a combined 438 rushing yards in three games on 91 carries (4.8 yards per carry).

The effective run game sets up the pass for Lions quarterback Jared Goff. Detroit uses play-action the second-most of any offense in the league, and he has 309 passing yards on play-action pass attempts to rank No. 1 in the NFL.

The New England Patriots were the closest thing to Detroit, utilizing 12 personnel at the 14th-highest rate in the league. Both the Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos are near the bottom of the league in their usage.

“There’s going to be some things that you didn’t know were going to happen in the game,” Durde added. “The more you can focus on doing it our way, I think, and we think, that’s the best way of moving forward. But it’s a great challenge. I’m excited.”

As the season progresses, the Seahawks must adjust to how offenses attack them. There will be more and more film for opponents to study. Durde and Seattle will adapt accordingly.

“This league is about constant improvement because someone’s going to attack your system a certain way,” Durde said. “They put a copycat route out of there or they put a copycat play out there, and someone’s going to do the same play against you, expose the same weaknesses. [It’s about] how you deal with that and how you grow in that while still playing with the play style.”

With defensive linemen Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy II likely sidelined versus Detroit, the fill-ins will have to play well if Seattle hopes to stop a hefty Lions front. Mike Morris and Johnathan Hankins will be leaned on, and the Seahawks brought back Matt Gotel and signed Quinton Bohanna to their practice squad this week. Both are candidates to be elevated to play on Monday.

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff hands the ball to running back David Montgomery against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Hankins played 33 snaps in Week 3 against the Dolphins, per PFF, and Morris played 14. The former performed like a true experienced veteran amid his increase in snaps, finishing with the highest grade of any Seahawks defender in the game (78.5).

“[Hankins] played great. We spoke about it last week, but when you’ve got an older guy like that, the blocking schemes and those things, he’s had so many reps of those,” Durde said. “In games like that, when you see unscouted runs and stuff like that, he can react now. He can come back and give you clean feedback. I feel like he really pushed himself last week.”

Defensive line depth has been an issue for the Seahawks in recent seasons. They invested in that group this offseason to fortify the depth in case of injuries. That investment is now being asked to pay off.

That group will have its hands full when Seattle and Detroit kick off at Ford Field at 5:15 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 30.