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(NFL game film)

DETROIT -- Through seven weeks, the Lions were getting off the field on third down just 52 percent of the time. Which meant nobody was worse at getting off the field on third down.

Nobody.

But the last four weeks, they've slashed that figure all the way to 33 percent. And they were especially good on Thanksgiving, holding Minnesota without a conversion until the third quarter and just 2 of 10 for the game.

So what's changed?

A lot, obviously. Josh Bynes has replaced Kyle Van Noy at linebacker (and is playing much better). Ezekiel Ansah is getting healthier. But the rise of Miles Killebrew has helped as much as anything.

The rookie out of Southern Utah didn't play much to open the season -- just two snaps the first three weeks -- but has become a staple as a third safety in Detroit's third-down package the last couple weeks.

He played 12 snaps against Jacksonville, all on third down, and finished with a team-high five tackles. All but one forced a punt. That's exceptionally efficient work -- and then he did the same thing on Thanksgiving against the Vikings. He played just nine defensive snaps, but made four tackles, three of which forced punts.

The numbers were so impressive, I decided to look at each of those third downs against Minnesota to get a feel for how Detroit is using Killebrew. The answer: Pretty much everywhere. He lined up at linebacker, on the line and even at defensive back. But more than anything, it seemed he was tasked with matching up with tight end Kyle Rudolph (and the occasional back leaking out of the backfield).

And Killebrew was excellent. In fact, none of his assignments achieved a first down.

Here's a closer look at what I saw. (And feel free to scroll to the bottom if you're just looking for the conclusions.)

Situation: Third-and-3 at DET 27

Play: (3:00 - 1st) (Shotgun) S.Bradford pass incomplete short left to K.Rudolph [E.Ansah] (no play)

Killebrew: The play didn't count because of a holding penalty on Nevin Lawson, but let's take a look anyway because it typifies what we'll see the rest of the day from Killebrew. He lines up in a de facto linebacker position and is matched up with Rudolph in man to man coverage. Rudolph dropped the pass, but would have been tackled short of the sticks even if he made the play. This was good coverage by Killebrew.

*****

Situation: Third-and-8 at DET 20

Play: (2:10 - 1st) (Shotgun) S.Bradford pass short right intended for L.Treadwell INTERCEPTED by G.Quin (D.Slay) at DET 10. G.Quin pushed ob at MIN 19 for 71 yards (M.Asiata). PENALTY on DET-D.Slay, Defensive Pass Interference, 5 yards, enforced at DET 20 - No Play

Killebrew: Again, the play didn't count because of a penalty. But again, Killebrew executed his assignment to perfection. He tracked Rudolph as the tight end motioned from right to left before the snap, then smothered him on a little out route. QB Sam Bradford went the other way to Laquon Treadwell.

*****

Situation: Third-and-8 at MIN 14

Play: (10:32 - 2nd) (Shotgun) S.Bradford pass short left to M.Asiata to MIN 20 for 6 yards (T.Whitehead)

Killebrew: This time Rudolph splits out wide on the left side of the offensive formation. Killebrew showed some versatility by lining up across from him, and again blanketing him. Bradford goes underneath to Asiata instead, and Tahir Whitehead drops him well short of the sticks.

*****

Situation: Third-and-9 at DET 48

Play: (4:30 - 2nd) (Shotgun) S.Bradford pass short left to A.Thielen to DET 41 for 7 yards (T.Whitehead)

Killebrew: Rudolph isn't on the field this time, so Killebrew drops back into zone coverage. He helps Nevin Lawson in coverage, and appears to be responsible for Matt Asiata leaking out of the backfield as well. Bradford again goes the other way, and Thielen is taken down just short of the sticks by Whitehead.

*****

Situation: Third-and-14 at MIN 45

Play: (1:20 - 2nd) (Shotgun) S.Bradford pass short left to K.Rudolph to 50 for 5 yards (M.Killebrew)

Killebrew: He lines up at a traditional linebacker spot, but appears to be assigned to Rudolph again. Rudolph gets the ball this time too, Killebrew closes quickly for the easy tackle well short of the first-down marker.

Below, this is a look at where Killebrew was when Rudolph caught the ball. He's in outstanding position for the tackle.

*****

Situation: Third-and-9 at MIN 36

Play: (12:47 - 3rd) (Shotgun) S.Bradford pass short left to J.McKinnon to MIN 38 for 2 yards (M.Killebrew)

Killebrew: Killebrew appears to be working in a zone again, and passes off Rudolph to the defensive backs behind him. Bradford passes to McKinnon, and Killebrew is in good position -- once again -- to close quickly for the tackle short of the sticks.

*****

Situation: Third-and-5 at DET 15

Play: (7:50 - 3rd) (Shotgun) S.Bradford pass short middle to M.Asiata to DET 12 for 3 yards (M.Killebrew)

Killebrew: Killebrew was assigned to Asiata leaking out of the backfield, and for the third straight time on third down, makes the tackle to force a punt. Good reads, sound tackling.

*****

Situation: Third-and-7 at MIN 30

Play: (3:14 - 3rd) (Shotgun) S.Bradford pass short left to C.Patterson to MIN 40 for 10 yards (M.Killebrew)

Killebrew: He's back in man coverage on Rudolph, who runs a slant from the right side of the formation to the middle of the field. Killebrew's all over it, so Bradford hits Patterson on a deeper route instead along the left sideline. But Killebrew still manages to be part of the play anyway, hustling from the hash to the sideline to drop Patterson after Nevin Lawson overpursued on a would-be tackle.

Below, this is the moment Bradford threw the ball. Notice Killebrew's tight coverage on Rudolph, and how far he had to run to tackle Patterson.

*****

Situation: Third-and-goal at DET 16

Play: (13:21 - 4th) (Shotgun) S.Bradford pass short middle to K.Rudolph to DET 10 for 6 yards (T.Whitehead)

Killebrew: Drops back into coverage near the end zone, and wasn't involved in the play.

*****

Conclusions: Killebrew has become a regular on Detroit's third-down defense, and it's easy to see why. He has the versatility to operate like an extra linebacker, but does so with more speed than your average linebacker. And Detroit has used that speed to help fortify its weakness against the tight end.

That position was killing the Lions earlier in the year, and even Killebrew too. But he's gotten better, and against Minnesota, he neutralized a really good one in Kyle Rudolph. Minnesota converted only one third down with Killebrew on the field, and did so by targeting Nevin Lawson. Then Killebrew made that tackle, too.

Of course, it helped Detroit got Minnesota into so many third-and-longs too. Killebrew's third downs were from 8, 14, 9, 5, 7 and 16 yards (plus the third-and-3 and third-and-8 that were nullified by penalty). When the Vikings got into a third-and-short, the Lions subbed Killebrew with Brandon Copeland for a bigger, more physical look.

But this three-safety package was lights out, and I would expect to see more of it this week when Detroit travels to New Orleans to take on a Saints offense that just hung 49 points on Los Angeles. Their tight ends, Josh Hill and Coby Fleener, combined for 10 catches (on 10 targets) and 133 yards.

The key to stopping them? It could be Killebrew, at least on third down.