ALLEN PARK >> Going fast and not being effective is just going fast, according to Lions coach Jim Caldwell.
So, of course, that is not the plan for the Lions offense in the first full year under offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter.
Up-tempo is the key word and no-huddle is a close second.
“I don’t want you to get the wrong impression, (no huddle) is not all we’re going to do. It’s part of what we do. It depends on the team that you’re facing, depends on the game, depends on your personality, health of it,” coach Jim Caldwell said on Tuesday. “It depends on how much the young guys can grasp. How much you want to utilize it, there’s a lot of factors. …”
In the first two preseason games there have been plenty of no-huddle situations. It’s noticeably different over last season when it was used Occasionally.
Look for more no-huddle in the third preseason game on Saturday at the Baltimore Ravens when the starting offense (or most of it) may play the entire first half.
Cooter has been working to put more of his stamp on this offense.
Speed clearly is a key.
Five reasons the speed of the Lions’ offense will be key this season:
1. “If you look back at last year and over the past year, Matt (Stafford) has done very well when you have to score, when you have to make something happen. I think he’s doing pretty well. To have that type of offense all the time – comfortable, no-huddle, I think it’s going to help us,” wide receiver Golden Tate said.
2. “From what I can take from it, it doesn’t allow the defense to settle in and it gets the defense tired, they don’t get to call these special blitzes and stuff unless they can call them real quickly, I think that’s something we’re going to be able to take advantage of,” Tate said. “if we can wear defenses down, and get them playing lazy, we might get them to jump offsides, we might catch them slipping and hit them for a big run because they’re tired. We’re going to be in tip-top shape, real good shape
3. Stafford said that the offense is “getting there.” He’s excited about the possibilities but like Caldwell understands the pitfalls too. “The faster you can push the tempo when you want to, makes it more stressful on the defense. If you feel like you’re playing at normal speed and they think you’re playing really fast you know it feels a whole lot better for us,” Stafford said. “If you play fast without executing properly it doesn’t matter. You have to go out there, play fast and execute.”
4. “It’s the system Jim Bob comes from and he knows how to run well,” Tate said. “Jim Bob is an incredibly smart offensive coordinator and on top of being smart, him and Matt work really well together. They bounce ideas off each other non-stop and they spend a lot of time with each other. … Jim Bob knows what to expect of Matt and vice versa. Jim Bob knows what Matt does well and what Matt’s comfortable with. If you have a comfortable quarterback back there that’s half the battle.”
5. Tate loves the no-huddle approach. “The biggest reason we’re going to do so well this year is this is something Matt is very comfortable with, this is something he’s wanted, he’s thriving in this right now, he’s (balling) he’s comfortable, also still learning, he’s slinging it around, he’s looking at defenses able to get us in the appropriate checks,” Tate said. “He’s not letting defenses hone in on us and I like it. He’s playing real confident right now.”
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