Defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni and offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter spoke to the media Tuesday.
Here are 10 takeaways from those media sessions:
1. The Lions have allowed 16 sacks of quarterback Matthew Stafford over the last two weeks. That after allowing just 12 sacks through the team's first six games. Has it made Stafford a little shell shocked? It looked a little bit like that at times in the second half two weeks ago and again last week, but Cooter doesn't think so. Cooter took part of the blame for the increase in sacks allowed. He said has to do a better job calling a game that better protects his quarterback.
2. Defensive end Ziggy Ansah is getting his explosion back, according to Pasqualoni, and is feeling pretty good. Pasqualoni believes Ansah is heading in a good direction, and will continue to be evaluated in practice, which will determine Ansah's snaps on gameday.
3. Cooter and Co. face a Carolina defense that ranks in the top 10 stopping the run (99.0 yards per game), but is just 22nd against the pass (258.2) and 23rd in scoring defense (25.8). The hallmarks of this Carolina defense is the ability to stop the run and collapse the pocket, according to Cooter.
4. Detroit's defense faces another quarterback in Cam Newton that can beat them with the run or the pass. Detroit allowed a perfect QB rating to a similar quarterback in Russell Wilson a few weeks back, and a nearly perfect rating to another player with similar skills in Chicago's Mitchell Trubisky last week. Pasqualoni doesn't have any magic formula to stopping Newton. Detroit's defense just has to contain him the best they can and not let him scramble for first downs.
5. Cooter gave his vote of confidence to veteran backup guard Kenny Wiggins, but the Lions have missed Pro Bowler T.J. Lang in the right guard spot. Lang's dealt with injuries all year, and has split time with Wiggins in some games and missed last week's game in Chicago altogether.
6. One of the things Pasqualoni pointed to quickly after being asked about Newton was Newton's overall completion percentage of 68.5 percent this season. Newton has been especially good completing passes on 1st and 2nd downs to put them ahead of the chains.
7. Asked about TJ Jones, Cooter said he likes Jones' versatility and familiarity with his scheme. He thinks Jones is doing a nice job as one of the players filling in for Golden Tate. Jones has three catches for 25 yards over the last two weeks. He averaged 20.3 yards per kickoff return last week in Chicago, and had one punt return for 11 yards.
8. Detroit's defense thought they left some potential sacks on the field last week against Trubisky by not being able to corral him when they did collapse the pocket. They'll have to be much better in that regard this week against Newton (6-5, 245).
9. When it comes to the evaluation of Stafford's play, or any other player on his offense, Cooter said that kind of stuff is evaluated in-house and not through the media. He described it as Detroit Lions information.
10. Pasqualoni admitted his defense really missed All-Pro cornerback Darius Slay (knee) last week. It's unclear yet if Slay will be available to play this week. The Lions will practice for the first time this week Wednesday.
