Brian Branch, a rookie defensive back for the Detroit Lions, gave his team a boost with his first career interception. Branch was able to take a deflected ball and return it 49 yards to level the season opener at 14-14 after the Chiefs clearly gained momentum late in the first half and early in the second half.
Detroit’s second-round pick in 2023 made an impression throughout the preseason with his playmaking and pass-breaking skills. According to SI , In spite of the fact that it may have been the intention for the young defensive back to play behind more experienced players, he earned the chance to play a significant amount of time.
Defense Coordinator Aaron Glenn said
“I would say this, every time we go out and get a chance to practice, I feel like we get better,” “I think personnel-wise, we have some different pieces that allow us to do different things. So, if you want to say that’s better, I mean that’s fine. But, I do know this, that we have a lot of versatility in who we’ve got. We’ve got players who’ve grown, that’ve really grown from year to year. And the new players we’ve got, they’ve really bought into what we’re doing and some of those guys I already know what they can do, so they fit exactly what we’re trying to do.”
49-yards to the house pic.twitter.com/2vFHM7SYW6
— DetroitSportsPodcast (@DetroitPodcast) September 8, 2023
It remains to be seen whether Brian continues his good form. Certainly as a neutral, its quite heart warming to see a young player flourishing.
