The Lions’ defense has shown both sides of itself in back-to-back weeks, and the swing has been dramatic enough to make the run game the clearest question heading into Sunday night.
Against the Buffalo Bills, Detroit got hammered on the ground. Buffalo rolled up 203 rushing yards at 5.6 yards per carry and controlled its 41-31 win from start to finish. Jack Campbell called it his own worst outing of the last three years and didn’t hide from it, saying, “I played terrible, and it starts with me.”
Then came the New York Jets, and the Lions looked like a different unit entirely. New York managed only 58 rushing yards on 19 carries, a 3.1-yard average that took pressure off Detroit’s defense even as the Jets threw the ball effectively. Kelvin Sheppard said the emphasis going into that game was clear.
“I got up here and I told you guys the main things we wanted to focus on going into the Jets game was stopping the run, making sure we emphasize being dominant against the run game,” defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said to reporters Thursday. “I believe they were 3.6 3.7 a carry or something like that. So, we feel like we slated well against the run game.”
Aidan Hutchinson put the improvement down to basic execution. In his view, it came down to “guys were doing their jobs.”
Detroit’s run defense will get another important test Sunday night, and this one comes with a different kind of stress attached. The Carolina Panthers lead the NFL in passing yards per game, while Bryce Young is fourth in the league in pass attempts.
On the other side, the Lions are giving up the most passing yards per game in football. So if Detroit is going to survive this matchup, it may have to do it by forcing Carolina into obvious passing situations.
That means the front seven has to hold up against a Panthers run game that has been only average at best, and maybe a little worse. Carolina ranks 25th in the NFL in EPA per run play.
Chuba Hubbard sits 15th in rushing yards with 184 through three games and is averaging 4.5 yards per carry, but the Panthers’ offensive line is also banged up. Both starting tackles are on either injured reserve or the PUP list, guard Damien Lewis has been ruled out for Sunday and rookie tackle Monroe Freeling is questionable.
Detroit, meanwhile, is allowing the 10th-most rushing yards per game in the NFL at 117.3, which makes the contrast between the Bills game and the Jets game even more important. Sheppard said the difference against New York came from a more physical front and a defense that attacked rather than waited.
“Guys doing their job in the run game, just owning my gap,” Sheppard said of the run game’s improvement against the Jets. “It starts with the front being physical, changing the line of scrimmage.
We want to play on their side of the line, not reacting and catching blocks- we don't play that way. We fire off.
We get downhill on the second level and we try to make things happen on their side of the line on our terms. And I think our guys have done that.”
“They've done it pretty well, too, to be honest, two out of three games. And we all know what transpired at the Buffalo game.”
There are encouraging signs in the personnel, too. Campbell has been sharp when he’s at his best, and Derrick Barnes and Malcolm Rodriguez are both playing strong football. Hutchinson can lock down the edge in the run game when he stays disciplined, and he did that more against the Jets after Buffalo had taken advantage of his tendency to chase sacks.
Tyleik Williams has been steady as a run defender. Christien Izien stood out against New York and finished with two tackles for loss.
The biggest difference-maker, though, might be Alim McNeill. He looked like his old Pro Bowl-level self against the Jets, wrecking plays from the middle and giving Detroit the kind of interior disruption that changes the shape of a run defense.
“I thought he was disruptive, and here's the beauty of [McNeil,] man- There's still so much meat on the bone with him,” Dan Campbell said. “There's a lot he can get better at right now.
Even that game, as disruptive as he was, there's five plays right now that, man, I think he can get another sack. Like, he's got a chance to make another play.
He's close, so that's good news.”
Sunday night should tell a lot about what this defense really is. Carolina brings the passing volume.
Detroit needs the run defense to show up again. If it does, the Lions can at least make the Panthers earn everything through the air and keep the game from tilting on the ground.
In Other News...
Panthers Hit With New NFL Discipline Right Before Lions Game
The Panthers are dealing with a little added noise before their matchup with the Lions, as the NFL handed down fines to three Carolina players for penalties committed in Week 3 against Cleveland. A.J. Dillon was fined for a facemask, Lee Hunter for unsportsmanlike conduct tied to taunting, and Thomas Incoom for unnecessary roughness involving helmet use.
None of the three was suspended, so Carolina will still have its full group available when it lines up against Detroit. Even so, the discipline serves as a reminder that the league is watching closely, and the Lions will face a Panthers team trying to keep its edge without letting the extra attention spill into Sunday. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Suddenly Face A Sam LaPorta Question They Couldn't Settle
The Lions and Sam LaPorta have hit pause on contract-extension talks after several weeks of negotiations failed to produce a deal, a familiar sort of detour for a franchise that has not shied away from working on its own timeline. LaPortas side decided to step back for now so the tight end can stay focused on the season, leaving open the possibility that the conversation picks up again once the games are over.
For Detroit, the situation turns one of its most important young pieces into an offseason question again, even if the door is not closed. The team has a history of handling contracts during the season, and it would not be a surprise if it tries again to keep LaPorta in place long term, especially with the chance that any agreement could land him among the leagues highest-paid tight ends. [Read more 🡒]
Isaac TeSlaa Has A Real Chance To Build On Last Week
Isaac TeSlaa finally gave the Lions a glimpse of what he can add to the passing game last week, finishing with four catches for 66 yards against the Jets. For a second-year receiver still trying to carve out a steadier role, it was the kind of outing that can change how a coaching staff looks at the depth chart from one week to the next.
The next opportunity looks even more inviting against Carolina, which has already lost two starting cornerbacks to injured reserve. With Detroit likely looking to keep feeding TeSlaa after his uptick in involvement, betting analyst Drew Ellis is expecting him to top his receiving total from last week, a sign that this might be more than a one-game spike for a young player trying to force his way into the offense. [Read more 🡒]