It’s hard to beat having a pick-six in your first career game like Brian Branch did last season against the Kansas City Chiefs. That will always get labeled as a career day and fortunately for the Lions, Branch has had plenty of good games in his young career.
However, last week against the Cowboys, it felt like it was the best game of his career so far.
Branch finished with 6 tackles, two pass deflections, one forced fumble and two interceptions. Not only did he load the stat sheet with impressive numbers, he also forces offenses to consider which way they want to run or throw the football. His physicality and consistency in stopping the run or pass makes it difficult for the opposition.
Great job by Lions DB Brian Branch to punch this ball out. He had a great game on Sunday and is just an all around stud. #OnePride pic.twitter.com/cB5mOlR9dE
— Russell Brown (@RussNFLDraft) October 15, 2024
For example, let’s start with his forced fumble against Cowboys WR Ryan Flournoy. As you can see in the play above, Branch is the safety to the boundary. While Branch sits in the passing window of a potential post route or in-breaking route, the Cowboys QB Dak Prescott throws to Flournoy running the curl route.
Once the catch is secured, Branch begins his pursuit to the football. In the process, he does a great job punching this ball and forcing a big fumble that was recovered by the Lions defense. Had he not gone for the takeaway, this would have been a first down and it could have led to this drive being capped off by a field goal or touchdown.
Lions DB Brian Branch is so good at this whole football thing. Beautiful INT from him against the Cowboys #OnePride pic.twitter.com/IsnYWX1GKM
— Russell Brown (@RussNFLDraft) October 15, 2024
Next, I want to focus on one of the interceptions made by Brian Branch. On the play above, you’ll see Branch aligned as the safety over the top of the trips bunch formation from the Cowboys. Once the ball is snapped, you get the outside receiver (WR 80 Ryan Flournoy) setting up to block one of the defensive backs.
Meanwhile, the point man (WR 1 Jalen Tolbert) runs a bubble towards the sideline and inside receiver (WR 88 CeeDee Lamb) runs a corner route. The bubble is supposed to pull Branch down and it should open the corner route in the back of the end zone. Fortunately for the Lions, Branch has other ideas.
As the play develops, Branch baits the quarterback in thinking he’s going down to the bubble. However, Branch undercuts the corner route and makes a great read and play to intercept the pass.
With the injury sustained to defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, it feels like Brian Branch will be viewed as the Lions best defensive player moving forward. The expectations for him were already high going into this season but now they may be higher. The best part for the Lions and their fan base is that Branch is more than talented to meet and exceed those expectations.
