The Detroit Lions have the league’s highest-scoring offense, averaging an astounding 35 points per game. The problem is, they have the worst defense in the league by a country mile.
This is a team that could be 3-1 if the defense was just bad, as opposed to being atrocious. We were supposed to see growth in Year 2 under defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, not regression.
As the Lions head to Foxborough to take on Bill Belichick’s Patriots, here are five things to watch.
Nowhere to go but up for the defense
Let’s be honest. The defense can’t be that bad again, right? The Lions allowed 48 points (technically 41 if you don’t count the pick-six) to a Seahawks offense led by Geno Smith and couldn’t get any pressure against one of the worst offensive lines in football. Did I mention this is a defense that blitzes roughly 40% of the time?
It can’t be that bad again. It’s simply not possible. Coach Dan Campbell and Glenn have both said this week that they will make some tweaks to both the scheme and personnel. It’ll probably take more than one week for everything to jell, but there’s truly nowhere to go but up for this defense.
When does regression hit the offense?
As mentioned previously, the Lions have the No. 1 offense in the NFL. But how long can that truly last? Teams just don’t average 35 points a game for a whole season, even in today’s NFL. This isn’t sustainable. So when will regression hit?
It could come this week after the Lions put up 45 points without their top two weapons on offense — and all signs are pointing toward that being the case once again this week. The Patriots’ defense has been pretty pedestrian so far this year, ranking 22nd in scoring (24.5 points) and 19th in total defense (346.8 yards). But right now it just seems like this Lions offense is too good to be true.
More: Predictions: Detroit Lions at New England Patriots
A not-so-friendly-face on the other side
Former Lions head coach Matt Patricia is essentially the co-offensive coordinator for the Patriots this year. He’s been calling the plays. They’ve been solid in the run game, ranking 10th in the league in rushing (128.5 yards), but haven’t had as much success in the passing game.
QB Mac Jones (ankle) is doubtful to play, but nothing is set in stone. If he can’t go, it looks like it’ll be rookie third-string QB Bailey Zappe, a fourth-round pick this year out of Western Kentucky, that would get the start with backup Brian Hoyer out with a concussion. There are players on the Lions’ roster that are left from the Patricia era, so surely there will be some extra motivation this week since Patricia left a bad taste in most players’ mouths.
More: Rogers: With culture on the mend, Lions need win against ex-coach Matt Patricia
Next kicker up
Kicker has officially become a huge question mark for the Lions. Austin Seibert was waived after battling a groin injury, and not being all that effective when healthy. The team signed former Chargers kicker Michael Badgely to the practice squad this week and elevated him to the active roster on Saturday.
Last week, it was Dominik Eberle that got that the call in Seibert’s absence. He made a 49-yard field goal, but also missed two extra points and sent a kickoff out of bounds. He was promptly cut. The Lions had stability at the position for decades, with Jason Hanson and Matt Prater. The Lions chose not to bring Prater back following the 2020 season, thinking they could find a better option for a lower price.
There are two positions in football where you don’t want to be cycling through a bunch of guys — quarterback and kicker. The Lions will need to find a fix there quickly.
Another must-win?
It may not mean much in the grand scheme of things, but 2-3 heading into the bye week looks better than 1-4. This seems like another winnable game for the Lions playing against an uninspired Patriots team. They had multiple chances to win each of the last two games, but fell short in the end.
Could we be in for more of the same this week? Or will Campbell’s bunch finally get the job done?
Matthew Scheidel is a freelance writer.