“We dug ourselves into a little bit of a hole. That’s the bottom line, we are in a little bit of a hole.”
Those were the words of Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell after their 31-24 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving. In the two days since that statement, the Lions are in an even deeper hole following upset wins from both the Cowboys and Bears. The walls are closing in, and Detroit’s playoff odds are growing perilously thin.
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The season isn’t over yet, but it’s also clear that if the Lions keep playing like this, they won’t only miss out on their Super Bowl dreams, they’ll likely fall short of the playoffs entirely.
This year hasn’t gone as expected, and it’s time to start wondering why. Today’s Question of the Day is:
What is the Lions’ biggest problem?
My answer: Watching the Bears vs. Eagles game last night proved illuminating of Detroit’s problems on offense. Chicago blew up for 281 rushing yards on the same Eagles defense that held Jahmyr Gibbs to just 39 rushing yards on 12 carries. The Bears’ offensive line was opening up gaping holes against an Eagles defensive front that seemed so overwhelming for Detroit. But their rushing attack was also bolstered by a strong scheme that had the Eagles defense in a whirlwind. The way the Bears were using pre-snap motion and similar-looking formations to run all sorts of varied plays against the Eagles is something the Lions have largely failed to do. It was never clearer to me than on Friday that Detroit’s brain drain on offense is real.
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Defensively speaking, it’s fairly simple to me: they need more pass rush juice. Against the Packers, the secondary did all they could, but asking them to hold up as long as they did—especially when largely being asked to play man coverage—is simply too much. Detroit’s pressure needs to come more often and faster. Detroit could use improvement in both individual performances and better disguised and schemed pressures.
Where do you see the Lions’ biggest problems, and how would you fix them? Scroll down to the comment section and offer your thoughts.
