Lions CB coach not worried about DPI penalties for Terrion Arnold

Terrion Arnold has provided impressive coverage in his first three games as a cornerback for the Detroit Lions. The first-round pick looks a lot like a shutdown outside cornerback with his speed, instincts and attitude.

However, there is a lingering problem for Arnold. Interference exists.

Arnold was flagged for defensive pass interference four times in three games. That’s more than any other team in the league in the last three weeks, with the exception of the Broncos alone.

Lions cornerbacks coach, longtime NFL CB Deshea Townsend, isn’t worried about the flags on Arnold. He knows they’re an inevitable part of the NFL’s playing corner.

“That’s the thing about the league; If you’re a DB and you’ve played, you’ve had at least one PI assigned to you,” Townsend said, via Justin Rogers of the Detroit Football Network. “It’s just the nature of the business. He just has to keep playing. The only thing we have to continue to do is not worry about the penalties and just go play.

I always joke and tell them, “You can’t call 60 PIs, so just stick around.” That’s what we want. He was close in a lot of coverage and that’s the main thing. We want to continue to work on these little things and stay close in reporting.”

Townsend continued with his first-round student,

“He was great. Looking back at my rookie year and his year, I would choose his over mine. He did a great job.”