Ezekiel Turner explains crucial stop of Packers QB Jordan Love.
The Detroit Lions have been relying on several new faces due to injuries at the linebacker position. Jack Campbell is the only starting linebacker from the season opener who is not on injured reserve, with the rest of the linebackers rotating in and out of the lineup.
One player who has stood out in this rotation is Ezekiel Turner, who made his Lions debut on November 10 against Houston. Turner, primarily known for his special teams play in previous seasons, has earned more snaps on defense under Aaron Glenn.
Linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard praised Turner’s rapid development, noting how quickly he adjusted to the defense despite joining the team just over a month ago.
“I learned that he’s not just a special teams guy. I want that recognized by the entire league,” Sheppard said. “It’s his seventh season, and he was almost in tears after the last game because of the chance he got. Guys like him and Pat O’Connor are emotional because of the opportunity. Like I’ve said, first-round and second-round picks are expected to start, while free agents are often pegged for special teams. But here, if you show up, earn trust, and prove yourself in practice, you’ll get a shot.”
On Thursday, Turner made a crucial play that changed the course of the game for the Lions. With about four minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Packers looked set to take the lead on a touchdown pass from Jordan Love to Josh Jacobs. However, the play was called back due to an offensive pass interference penalty, forcing the Packers to retry from the 16-yard line.
After an incompletion, Love and the Packers faced a third-and-goal from Detroit’s 16-yard line with the Lions leading 31-28. On the play, Turner was matched up with running back Chris Brooks.
Detroit’s defense had done a great job of limiting the Packers’ top options, and Love started rolling to his right. Love had some open space to run but was quickly closed down by Turner. Turner swiftly closed the gap, dragging Love to the ground, which forced the Packers to settle for a field goal instead of scoring a touchdown.
“It was third-and-goal, and we knew we had to force them to a field goal there. Just do my job, at the end of the day. Whether it’s man or zone, cover my guy or stay in my zone,” Turner said in an interview with Lions OnSI after practice Wednesday. “I saw Love in my peripheral, and when he started to scramble, I remembered he got out earlier. So when I saw him break the pocket, I knew I had to bring him down. He had the ball, so I had to tackle him. The rest, I just kind of blacked out and focused on getting him to the ground. It ended up helping the team.”
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