Getty Aidan Hutchinson celebrates with Charles Harris in a 2022 preseason game.
As the Detroit Lions get ready for the first week of the season, it’s hard for the team to not think about last year’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Detroit was dominated 44-6 on the field in that contest, and the defense was the side of the ball that saw all of the problems develop during that day.
Defensive end Charles Harris was around for that game, and he knows how frustrating it is to recall memories of being whipped like the Lions were that day, but he also sees a turnaround on the horizon.
Speaking to the media on Monday, September 5, Harris conceded the film was tough to watch, but also pointed to the fact that it was necessary to do so in order to improve and explained the team is playing a new style in 2022.
“The film is hard to watch, it really is. But with that, you gotta learn from your mistakes and understand we’re in a different scheme. Different scheme, different techniques and we’re a lot better team this year,” Harris said simply. “Just with that, we have hope and confidence that we’re gonna get the job done this year.”
More good news for the Lions is that the team has been able to prepare for the challenge of Jalen Hurts better this time around, especially with their preseason game against Atlanta.
While Detroit struggled on that day, Harris explains that it was a vital learning experience to help players get things right ahead of Week 1.
“Going into that first game we knew there’d be some kinks there, especially against the mobile quarterback,” he said. “Having seen a lot of the action at camp itself, from that (to) this on we’ve been doing a great job in terms of having a lot more clarity, assignment focused football. Guys knowing the roles, knowing the jobs and with that our interior, guys on the outside. We’re a lot more confident and sound within our techniques.”
Those techniques will be put to a big test this weekend with the bruising Eagles, but it sounds as if Harris knows his defense will be up to the challenge.
Soon, everyone will find out if Harris is right and if the Lions are better.
Harris Focused on Mentoring, Improvement
In terms of his own game, Harris sounds confident and ready to attack a new season. While he sees some things he must improve, he also knows he’ll have a great chance to get that done in a bigger way.
A big way Harris thinks he will be able to have a dual impact on the 2022 season? By his work with other players on the team who are new, perhaps even like rookie phenom pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson.
“I’m just doing the same things but seeing where I can improve and doing things better and just staying consistent with the grind,” he said. “Staying consistent with the focus (but) also bringing guys along with me, like (Aidan) Hutchinson for example. He’s another guy who I can bring along. I can show them the ropes, help on and off the field, in and out the game. I mean it’s just really the matter of habits and just you know staying with him.”
Not only will Harris have a positive impact on the field with his own play, but he will help his teammates in a major way as well. That could make Detroit’s entire defense much better ahead of a critical season.
Harris’s Career Stats & Highlights
It’s obvious that the Lions wanted to build around Harris for the future. The defender always seemed like he had talent that could help him cement a bigger role in Detroit leading into the 2021 season, and he proved himself quick.
Harris was a former first-round pick out of Missouri back in 2017, and while he might not have lived up to the grade with the Dolphins, he has in Detroit. Harris had just 6.5 career sacks before joining the Lions, and three of those came when he was playing with the Falcons during the 2020 season. Harris also had put up 79 tackles, 4 passes defended and 1 fumble recovery in his career before joining the Lions.
Harris managed to offer the Lions some help off the edge given the major need Detroit has at the spot. The Lions re-made their defense this past offseason, and in previous years the team did not show an ability to get after the quarterback. Harris helped that disappear himself with 7.5 sacks for the team during the 2021 season.
Here’s a look at his best work in Detroit so far from last year:
Harris thinks that as good as 2021 was for him personally, this season could be better given the fact he’s had time to study up.
“Having a lot more film, I’m feeling better go back and look at critiquing not just myself but the guys next to me and having a lot to learn from,” Harris said. “I think that’s the the the biggest help that I’ve had this year. Having an arsenal of plays to go back and be like ‘okay what I do wrong? What did I do right? How can I capitalize what I didn’t see that I could see now?'”
Along with a new defense, the Lions have a revved-up Harris ready to key their attack. It could indeed prove how different 2022 is from 2021 when Detroit faces off against Philadelphia.
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