The Detroit Lions are living in the kind of weekly shootouts that make for great TV and brutal outcomes. After a 32-26 loss to the Carolina Panthers, the latest Week 5 power rankings paint a team that can score with anybody - and stop almost nobody.
That was already the story before Carolina. Detroit has scored at least 31 points in three of its four games, but it has also allowed 30 or more in each of those contests.
Dan Campbell even leaned into the chaos after the Week 3 win over the Jets, saying, "Tell you what, you're coming to our games? You're loving this now," Campbell said.
"I mean, these are exciting games. Nobody's leaving early.
And that was the point. We're not going to let anybody leave early this year."
The problem is that the entertainment has come with a cost. Against Carolina, Bryce Young threw for 329 yards and two touchdowns, and Tetairoa McMillan turned the Lions’ secondary into a target practice session with 14 receptions, 192 yards and two touchdowns. Chuba Hubbard added 122 rushing yards and two scores, and Detroit never found a clean answer.
There was also a pointed note aimed at Amon-Ra St. Brown: "A tip for Amon-Ra St. Brown: if you would like the quarterback of the Detroit Lions to come back on your podcast, you can’t blow him up for being a distant teammate on the first visit!"
The deeper issue is that the Lions’ defensive problems are no longer just about missing pieces. Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are out, but the issues go well beyond injuries.
Even with 15 sacks, which rank second in the NFL, Detroit is allowing an NFL-worst 31.8 points per game. One assessment in the rankings put it bluntly: "You know who they are?
They are the Dallas Cowboys. They play like they have to win games 38-35.
Even mediocre defensive play would make this team a Super Bowl contender."
That same view of the Lions kept circling back to how much the offense has to carry. Jahmyr Gibbs has the most touches in the league with 102, while Amon-Ra St.
Brown has the most targets with 46. With the defense this permissive, Detroit seems stuck leaning on its best players every week.
"I guess their super power is running behind an extra lineman as much as anyone and trying to run the ball down your throat under center as much as possible. I feel like there is limited high upside in that.
The defense, even when they get healthy, is probably not going to be nearly as good as they would like. They just give up big plays like crazy."
That’s where the frustration really settles in. The Lions have a top-five offense and what looks like the league’s worst defense, and that combination leaves little margin for error. Jared Goff is being asked to do too much when Gibbs gets bottled up, as he was in Carolina.
For Campbell and defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, the next step is obvious: the structure and the game plan need a hard look. At some point, even a group built around backups has to adjust when the opposing team’s top receiver and lead runner are rolling with almost no resistance.
For now, Detroit remains exactly what these rankings suggest - a dangerous offense, a shaky defense, and a team built for noise, not control. The season was supposed to be about taking advantage of an easy schedule. Instead, the Lions are trying to survive their own track meet.
In Other News...
Darius Slay Just Said What Lions Fans Fear About This Secondary
Darius Slay has never been shy about giving his old team an honest evaluation, and his latest comments land at a time when the Lions are still trying to steady a defense that has drawn plenty of scrutiny. The former Detroit cornerback pointed to Carlton Davis as the player he thought fit best in the scheme and said letting him leave in free agency was the clubs biggest recent misstep, a remark that will sound familiar to anyone who has watched the secondary struggle to find consistency.
Slay also took aim at the broader direction of the defense under Kelvin Sheppard, suggesting the issues in the back end go beyond one departure and reflect a need for a different philosophy. He did leave open a sliver of intrigue about his own future, saying he might entertain a return for the right offer, though he made clear he is comfortable with life after football for now. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Pass Defense Problem Could Force A Trade Fans Didn't Expect
Through the first month of the season, the Lions pass defense has been one of the clearest pressure points on the roster, and it has already pushed the front office into the trade market. Detroit has talked with other teams about cornerback Joey Porter Jr., but the search for help could widen if the right deal materializes. One name floating into the conversation is Philadelphia cornerback Riq Woolen, a player with the kind of tools that can change the feel of a secondary in a hurry.
Woolens contract situation and past performance make him an intriguing fit for a team trying to shore up the back end without overcommitting long term. Philadelphias recent roster changes, including the retirement of Lane Johnson and the trade of Cam Jurgens, have also fueled the idea that the Eagles could be willing to keep moving pieces to stockpile future draft capital. For the Lions, the question is whether a move like that is realistic, and whether solving the pass-defense issue will require a swing more aggressive than the one fans expected. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Secondary Problem Is Fueling A Trade Fans Will Want
The Lions search for help in the back end keeps circling back to the trade market, and Kristian Fulton has become one of the more interesting names attached to it. Detroit has already come up short on other cornerback targets, including Joey Porter Jr., which has only sharpened the focus on a defense that could use more stability on the outside. Fultons situation in Kansas City makes him a logical candidate to watch, especially with the kind of midseason deal that can sometimes benefit both teams.
Jeremy Fowler reported that Fulton is not currently a full-time starter for the Chiefs, and that matters for a Detroit team looking for a player who can step in without forcing a massive overhaul. A trade could come together if the teams are willing to split his salary, which gives the Lions a possible path forward if they decide to keep pressing for help. For a secondary still trying to find the right fit, this is the sort of move that can gain momentum quickly if the price is right. [Read more 🡒]