'We're good,' Lions GM Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell have to feel vindicated about not signing Za'Darius Smith after the Lions' win over the Ravens

It was one of the only things you heard this offseason and for the better part of this regular season. The Detroit Lions need another edge rusher. They couldn't possibly survive without another one. This defense, which is, in reality, very good, has to have a guy opposite Aidan Hutchinson, whose name is one that people know. If they don't sign Za'darius Smith, it's a problem.

Then many were forced to watch a ton of Lions fans respond with "we're good" after the Lions' loss to the Packers in Week 1. That was part of Lions head coach Dan Campbell's response to why the Lions didn't sign Smith when he was on an interview on 97.1 The Ticket. It's been something of a meme after the Lions struggled to generate pressure against the Packers in the first half of that game.

The Lions made the right move by sticking to what they have on thier defensive line, and it's shown big time since Week 1

Since the first half of the Packers' loss, the Lions have generated 52 pressures and 11 sacks. Both numbers are near the top of the NFL. The 11 sacks are tied for second in the league right now. The team whose defense many fans and media members have overwhelmingly liked to compare to the Lions, in the sense that people want the Lions' defense to be like, is the Philadelphia Eagles. Ever since the Super Bowl, that's all you heard. Things like "Why can't Brad Holmes be like Howie Roseman? He gets things done." That team has racked up 53 pressures and three sacks this year. They're not getting home like the Lions are.

Detroit Lions Pass Rush Facts

• The Lions' 52 pressures are just five short of what they had last year at this time
• Keep in mind that Aidan Hutchinson had nearly half of those by himself with 25. This year, things are much more spread out.
• The Lions' 11 sacks in three games are the most the team has had in three games since 2010

As for Za'Darius Smith, the guy Lions fans could not understand why Brad Holmes didn't give $9 million to, he's played just 44 snaps for the Eagles since signing there, and he's coming off a Week 3 performance that saw him put up just one pressure against the Rams. He has three total in two games and one sack.

The whole point here is that when Dan Campbell said "We're good," he was right. When Brad Holmes opted not to sign Smith or make a major franchise-shifting trade for Myles Garrett or Trey Hendrickson, he was right. The Lions' defensive line is good, and they're doing all the things that people said they wouldn't. On top of that, they're not even at full strength. This team is still going to get back Marcus Davenport, Josh Paschal, Ahmed Hassanein, and Alim McNeill in the coming weeks. Imagine what this defense could do with everyone.