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DETROIT -- After missing two consecutive games due to a shoulder injury, second-year cornerback Terrion Arnold returned to the Detroit Lions’ lineup and provided a significant boost. Arnold finished Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings with three tackles, three passes defended, and his first career interception — a late second-quarter snag out of the hands of former Michigan State standout Jalen Nailor. On top of it all, known for being a bit too handsy at times, Arnold finished his Week 9 performance without a penalty. It was the positive showing Arnold needed to put in the bank after a season filled with criticism, adjustments, and injuries. But in the end, it wasn’t enough to help lift the Lions to victory, as they fell 27-24 to the Vikings in their first home loss of the season. While they weren’t near each other postgame, Arnold took a page out of Jameson Williams’ book when discussing the significance of his performance and his first career pick. “I ain’t gonna lie, I don’t really feel no type of way. Like, we lost,” Arnold told reporters after the game. “Criticism? I mean, you see, I’m a confident person. I don’t even look at stuff like that — it never gets to me. But I look at plays in games like this — plays that I could have made. Even the out route on the goal line — what if I could have undercut that? Amik (Robertson) and I are very critical of ourselves. “The pick is one thing; it’s a boost, but we lost. So my mindset is I gotta get better, I gotta continue to improve. Even in this game, I gotta tackle better. Plays like that constantly run through my mind. I want to be great, not only for myself but for my teammates. I feel like I could’ve done a better job putting them in better situations, or putting us in shorter-yardage situations — just even with my tackling.” On the interception, the Vikings were facing 3rd-and-11 from their own 46-yard line, holding a 17-14 lead over the Lions. Vikings quarterback and former Michigan standout J.J. McCarthy threw a short pass to the left intended for Nailor, but Arnold arrived at the same time, got his hands on the ball, and ripped it away from the receiver as they went to the ground. The Lions were awarded possession after officials reviewed the play. “It’s just something that we’ve been talking about for a long time,” Arnold said. “One of those things is trusting what I saw on film. Coach always preaches to me — finish to the ground. So just competing all the way into the ground, and I was able to come up with a play.” Robertson, who has served as a mentor and big brother to Arnold over the past few seasons, said he saw something building in his teammate throughout the week leading up to the game and during his performance against the Vikings. “Confidence. I always knew — like I said, I see it every day at practice,” Robertson said. “I always knew he could play this game. But like I said, I was on the other side before. I always tell him, ‘Hey, know who you are. Believe in yourself.’ And he came out and played unbelievable football. You know, I started off slow myself, but he definitely came out and grew up as an NFL professional player.” As the Lions now turn their attention to the Washington Commanders — a rematch of last season’s NFC Divisional Round showdown — Arnold feels pulling in his first interception could be the catalyst to get the ball rolling and showcase why the Lions traded up to select him in last year’s NFL Draft. “I mean, they come in bunches,” Arnold said. “We got a board up there in the special teams room, and I just got tired of looking at the board and not seeing my name on it. So I want to continue to make plays and keep putting my team in better winning situations.”
