Two Detroit Lions defenders just punched their ticket for more playing time moving forward, after some seriously strong performances in their Week 3 victory over the New York Jets. Head Coach Dan Campbell dropped the news Monday morning after re-watching the 31-24 win, pointing out both linebacker Trevor Nowaske and cornerback Ennis Rakestraw stepped up big in their expanded roles and earned every bit of their future opportunities.
Trevor Nowaske’s Discipline Is What This Defense Needs
Linebacker Trevor Nowaske played in half of the defensive snaps against the Jets, which is more than any other linebacker on the team not named Jack Campbell or Derrick Barnes. He straight up usurped Devin White’s role, and Coach Campbell was crystal clear about why. Campbell said, “Nowaske does everything right. He just does.” He’s been doing it for a while now, had a “really good camp,” and Campbell called him a “very disciplined player.” The coach added that Nowaske has “grown a ton” and turned himself into a “real solid player.” We all know that mantra: “be where you’re supposed to be when you’re supposed to be there?” That’s Nowaske, making plays exactly when and where he should.
Campbell highlighted a huge play in the red zone where Jets quarterback Geno Smith pitched it out to the fast Breece Hall on a perimeter run. Nowaske was ready, chasing Hall down for no gain. Campbell even said they gave him that rep in practice and he “yawned at it,” then did the “same thing” in the game without missing a beat. After giving up over 200 rushing yards to the Bills, Nowaske’s “assignment-sound play” was critical in holding the Jets to a measly 58 rushing yards and 3.1 yards per carry. Campbell made it clear: “He’s going to continue to get opportunities because he’s earned that,” also noting his value on special teams.
Ennis Rakestraw: A Promising Corner Emerges
Then there’s Ennis Rakestraw, the Lions’ 2024 second-round pick. He was in the game situationally against the Jets, moving to the outside in nickel sets when Roger McCreary slid inside. Per PFF, Rakestraw allowed just a single catch on four targets, and he had an impressive pass breakup against Garrett Wilson, the Jets’ top receiver. Coach Campbell brought up Rakestraw unprompted, saying, “Rakestraw, I thought, showed up.” He added, “He’s going to get more ops here. I thought he showed up. That was promising.”
When asked about expanding Rakestraw’s role, Campbell said the plan is still to keep him on the outside, but wouldn’t rule out nickel reps down the line. The coach believes that since Rakestraw hasn’t had a ton of playing time yet, he still has a real chance to “bloom into a valuable, regular contributor.” Campbell was even encouraged by the growth Rakestraw showed in training camp.
What’s Next for Seattle
As for our Hawks, Week 3 was a tough one on the road. The Seattle Seahawks fought hard, but ultimately fell to the Washington Commanders 33-31. It was a close battle, but not the result we wanted. Mike Macdonald and the squad will need to regroup and clean things up. Every game counts, and we need to see that fire come out in full force next time around.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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