Lions defense has a major concern entering Ravens showdown on MNF

The Detroit Lions’ 52-21 blowout win over the Chicago Bears in Week 2 was a major bounce back in a lot of ways, but one aspect of the team’s performance still left cause for concern.

Chicago rushed for 134 yards on 27 attempts as a team for an average of five yards per carry, and had five runs go for 10 yards or more. D’Andre Swift led the team in rushing with 63 yards and a touchdown on 12 attempts, although the former Lion also lost a fumble after taking a monster hit from defensive back Brian Branch.

It wasn’t what we typically see out of this Lions run defense. Even last year, with the unit ravaged by injuries to the front seven, Detroit wound up as the NFL’s fifth-best rushing defense allowing just 98.4 yards on the ground per game. 

And while Chicago’s success on the ground didn’t mean much in this one considering they allowed 52 points and lost by 31, it could have huge ramifications for Detroit with a Monday night showdown looming against one of the NFL’s best rushing teams.

Lions could be in trouble if team can't tighten up run defense

The Ravens led the NFL in rushing yards last season with 3,189, and their 5.8 yards per carry as a team was also the best in the league. They’re off to another torrid start in 2024, with an average of 141.5 rushing yards per game through two weeks and 5.7 yards per carry, the latter of which again ties for the NFL lead.

And Baltimore has gashed Detroit on the ground relatively recently. Back in 2023, the Ravens ran the ball 27 times as a team for 146 yards and two touchdowns on their way to a 38-6 humiliation of the Lions in Week 7. 

Which was the year before Baltimore added Derrick Henry, by the way.

Since joining the Ravens in 2024, Henry has paired with superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson to form one of the deadliest rushing duos the league has ever seen. The former’s power has been a perfect complement to the latter’s blazing speed, and the mere sight of them being on the field at the same time is plenty of stress on an NFL defense.

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And the Lions defense could be a sneaky good matchup for Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Chicago wasn’t able to take full advantage because their enormous deficit for most of the game forced them to keep dropping back, but they found plenty of success running the ball, particularly on the edges.

Detroit’s linebackers had trouble setting an edge, which allowed the Bears to get to the outside with consistency. Alex Anzalone and Derrick Barnes had a few plays where they were beaten to the perimeter and outpositioned, freeing up Swift to bounce it outside.

But, again, the Lions got away with it because they played near flawless in just about every other aspect of the game. The interior run defense had another good day after looking solid against Green Bay in Week 1, most notably when they stuffed Caleb Williams on consecutive quarterback sneaks on third and fourth down.

DJ Reader and rookie Tyleik Williams look like a formidable inside duo, and Detroit did stuff 12 of Chicago’s 27 run plays for three yards or less.  Still, the Lions have to set a better edge against Baltimore on Monday, and that starts with the linebackers. 

Letting D’Andre Swift get loose when you’re already up 30 is one thing, but if Jackson and Henry start getting into the open field with ease against Detroit, they could start dictating the game. Baltimore is a tough matchup to draw when your defense has struggled with communication in the early part of the season.

It’s a given that Jackson and Henry will make plays, there’s no preventing that full stop. But what Detroit cannot afford to do is make things harder on itself with mental mistakes and poor edge setting in what will already be an electric road Monday night environment against one of the NFL’s toughest teams. 

That means that Detroit’s linebacker trio of Jack Campbell, Anzalone and Barnes are going to have to be as in tune with each other as ever before. Detroit hasn’t beaten Baltimore since 2005, and for them to do it this year, it will take– among other things— near-flawless linebacker play.