Without one of their Pro Bowl defenders, the Detroit Lions are gearing up to face the NFC’s top team on Monday night.
Unless his appeal overturns the ruling, Lions safety Brian Branch will sit out against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers while serving an NFL suspension. The league suspended the ex-Alabama defensive back for one game Monday after he engaged in a postgame fight following Detroit’s 30-17 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night.
“He’s been a tremendous player for us,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said Tuesday. “So it’s just like when you lose a key guy who’s been highly productive. The next man’s got to step in, fill that spot, and contribute. Then everyone else has to shoulder a bit more — the corners, linebackers, D-line, offense, and special teams. We’ve all got to help one another out.”
The altercation that caused the suspension began when Branch ignored a handshake from Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes after the game. Kansas City receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster appeared to comment on it, and the former Alabama standout retaliated by striking Smith-Schuster’s helmet, knocking him down and igniting a sideline brawl that drew players from both teams.
Afterward, Branch explained that Smith-Schuster had illegally blocked him from behind earlier without a penalty being called.
“I did something childish,” Branch said, “but I’m tired of players getting away with stuff during plays while refs miss it. They try to rough me up out there, and I shouldn’t have reacted — it was immature. …
“I got hit in the back illegally right in front of the ref, and he didn’t flag it. Stuff like that could injure me, but still, I shouldn’t have done what I did.”
Campbell said losing his temper wasn’t the right answer for Branch.
“He understands he can’t react that way,” Campbell said. “He’ll come out stronger because of it. …
“No matter what happened before, you can’t respond like that. It’s like driving and getting cut off — you can’t take out your frustration on someone else. You can’t cross that line. Our guys get that, and Brian does too. He’s a good kid. He’ll learn and move forward. Honestly, he’s an exceptional young man with a big heart. He slipped up, but he’ll grow from it.”
The 4-2 Lions host the 5-1 Buccaneers at 6 p.m. CDT Monday at Ford Field in Detroit. ABC and ESPN will broadcast the matchup.
