State of the Detroit Lions Defense

The Detroit Lions vs. the Arizona Cardinals showed a lot of the BtA (Belt to Ass) Lions of old. The 45-21 dismantling of the Cardinals looked more like the Lions the team fans thought it would be at the beginning of the year. The Biggest takeaway from this game was how well the defense played. No, seriously.

Against the Cardinals, the Lions’ defense had an interception, forced five consecutive three-and-outs, and had 5 sacks. Yes, they played a dreadful Cardinals team, but the Lions played the team in front of them, beat them down, and this was thanks to the defense. Five games into the season, and with one good defensive win, is Sunday’s game enough to say the defense is coming back?

It’s… complicated.

No disrespect to the Lions’ defense, but it’s only one week. Granted, they were in a much better position. Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard had the defense ready, and they were making plays. Huge shoutout to cornerback Roger McCreary, who had several pass breakups and made big plays. Another shoutout to Keith Abney II, who played out of position but had a huge interception. The team played well this week, but staying consistent has been one week.

One game, as with the first game of the year against the New Orleans Saints, is not going to change perception. It’s about sustained progress. One defensive showing is not a sign of things to come, but it can be. While critical of the one game, there are a lot of good things that came from this game. The big takeaway is also obvious.

While the team played well, there needs to be more talent added to the defense. While they played well, is this defense talented enough in the secondary to stop playoff threats? Can they beat the Green Bay Packers as currently constructed? Are they beating the Seattle Seahawks or the San Francisco 49ers with this secondary? This isn’t to say that the team isn’t figuring out defensive issues, but the truth is these are the teams the Lions are going to be measured against.

The saving grace for Sunday is that there’s a clear method. The Lions didn’t blitz as often, and they tried a few new coverages. It worked against the Cardinals, but imagine if the Lions added true NFL starters to that secondary. They’re getting safety Brian Branch back in their return from bye, and if the team decides to add more coverage help, the Lions could be a major threat moving forward.

The fans and media aren’t asking for the Vikings level of defense, but if the team just gets to average, this is a contender. For one week, the Lions have shown it, but it doesn’t erase four weeks of data. If the Lions show more of this, then perception changes, but on a positive note, the team is showing signs of life.