ALLEN PARK -- Every game he’s a part of feels like a big one for Thomas Harper, regardless of the circumstances or the day of the week it falls on. But it’s not lost upon the Detroit Lions safety how pivotal Monday’s prime-time matchup at Ford Field is.
The Lions will host the NFC-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the final game before their bye week, a matchup that may certainly affect playoff seeding later in the season.
With starting safeties Brian Branch (suspension) and Kerby Joseph (knee) sidelined, Harper is one of several Lions defenders who will see their snap count increase. When asked if the coaching staff has anything different to say to him as he prepares for what could be his first start in Detroit, Harper shared it’s one he’s already heard before.
“Same as every week -- next-man-up mentality,” Harper told MLive. “If you get in there, you’re expected to hold the standard, and that’s pretty much every week. So nothing really different. Obviously, I know my workload may increase, but I think it’s the same.
“I’m approaching it like any other week. Whenever I’m out there, I just want to prove to myself and the coaches that I can be trusted — especially to the players I’m playing with — just show them that they can trust me.”
Harper, who entered the league last season as an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame, has been in this position before. In the 15 games he played during his rookie campaign with the Las Vegas Raiders, Harper saw a majority of his snaps on special teams.
However, he started in five of the last seven games of the season, tallying 19 tackles, two passes defended, one interception, one forced fumble and one quarterback hit over that span.
While ideally the Lions would have both Branch and Joseph -- at least one of them -- for Monday night, Harper’s experience and readiness to step into the big moment will be important for the Lions to avoid having any drop-off this week against a red-hot Buccaneers team led by Baker Mayfield.
“Y’all are about to see me fly around,” Harper said about what fans can expect. “That’s my game — that’s how I play. Other than that, just doing my job, being where I need to be and letting plays come to me.”
One thing that could aid the Lions heading into the game is that Harper has experience playing against Mayfield. During his stint with the Raiders, Harper saw up close and personal how talented the Buccaneers quarterback is during a Week 14 matchup in Tampa Bay.
In that game, Mayfield threw for 295 yards and three touchdowns -- along with two interceptions -- to lead Tampa Bay to a 28-13 victory over Las Vegas. Harper, who saw 15 snaps on defense and 12 on special teams, was targeted once by Mayfield, giving up a seven-yard completion.
When asked what the key is to slowing down one of this season’s MVP favorites, Harper outlined what he feels it will take to neutralize him.
“He has a unique ability to extend plays, so I think plastering and just making sure we’re covering for however long the down is,” Harper said. “We know that. That’s really the biggest thing -- him being able to extend plays. We just have to know that and stay sticky for a longer time.”
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our [User Agreement](https://www.advancelocal.com/advancelocalUserAgreement/user-agreement.html) and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our [Privacy Policy.](https://www.advancelocal.com/advancelocalUserAgreement/privacy-policy.html)