Three weeks ago, the Lions had the NFL's worst scoring defense. Now they're among the league's best in several key categories, even as injuries create new questions ahead of the trade deadline.
The Detroit Lions picked up their third straight win Sunday by knocking off the previously undefeated Minnesota Vikings. With that in mind, now is a good time to look at the state of this Lions defense. It is drastically different than it was a few weeks ago, and the stats prove it.
We have to start with the scariest part of Sunday, though.
At this point, we still don't know exactly what's going on with Lions linebacker Jack Campbell. It's really that simple. The Lions announced Sunday night that Campbell was resting and would remain in a local hospital overnight for continued evaluation and monitoring. Beyond that, there has been no diagnosis shared publicly. In my 13 years of covering the Lions, I've seen the ambulance pull onto the field before. This was still one of the scariest things I've seen covering this team.
From a human standpoint, one thing that gave me some hope came from Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes, who posted about his teammate on his social media story Sunday night.
"Jack Campbell's a real soldier."
Hopefully, we all have answers soon.
The rest of the injury list is long. Linebacker Jimmy Rolder has a hamstring injury, and we don't know yet how much time, if any, he'll miss. Safety Brian Branch and edge rusher D.J. Wonnum were both ruled out with concussions. Their status for Miami will depend on how they progress through the concussion protocol.
Then there's cornerback D.J. Reed and his hip injury. You definitely want him back. Over the last three weeks, Reed has been Pro Football Focus' highest-graded cornerback. He hasn't allowed a touchdown in weeks, and opposing quarterbacks have a 46.1 passer rating when targeting him. He's unreal right now.
This is a gigantic change for the Lions' defense.
Detroit allowed 31.8 points per game over the first four weeks of the season, the worst mark in the NFL. In the last three weeks, that number is down to 17.7 points per game, the seventh-best mark in the league over that span.
Explosive plays, which are plays of 20 yards or more through the air or on the ground, tell the same story. The Lions allowed 41 of them in the first four games. They've allowed just 17 in the last three. That might seem like a lot, but nobody eliminates explosives entirely. Our Vikings beat writer, Tyler Fornes, compared Minnesota's defense to the '85 Bears before Sunday's game. That unit allowed 11 explosives against Detroit. The goal is to limit them, and the Lions are doing that.
Here's more:
Yards per game: 423.8 in the first four games (dead last), 305.7 in the last three (ninth)
Rushing yards per game: 119.8 in the first four games, 65.7 in the last three (second-best)
Third-down conversion rate allowed: 52.8% in the first four games, 31.6% in the last three (12th)
Passing yards per game: 304.0 in the first four games, 240.0 in the last three (23rd)
That passing number looks bad, but it isn't what it seems. When you're allowing just 65.7 rushing yards per game, teams become one-dimensional. They throw because it's the only thing they can do, and the numbers get inflated.
Throwing a lot doesn't mean throwing well. Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray completed just 58.6% of his passes on 29 attempts. You saw the same thing with quarterbacks Jacoby Brissett and Jordan Love. The Lions are getting things done.
After three games, I think you can say it's real. The biggest reason is the Lions went back to where their bread is buttered. Early on, they tried a lot of zone coverage, and it wasn't working. These players aren't built for that. Detroit moved back to more man coverage looks and started doing smarter things, like putting Reed on every team's No. 2 receiver while bracketing the No. 1 guy.
I know everybody wanted to fire defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard three weeks ago. After these last three games, this is an unbelievable turnaround.
That being said, Detroit should still be in the trade market for help at cornerback and linebacker. If Campbell can't go, Joe Bachie off the practice squad makes the most sense as a veteran middle linebacker. Malcolm Rodriguez is another option. This is a spot where you'd hope Devin White was already back.
The weakside spot is a bigger long-term question. Rodriguez, Trevor Nowaske, Rolder, and White before his injury have all taken turns there. The Lions need someone who can help in coverage the way Alex Anzalone used to before he started to take a step back. There are guys on the trade market who could fill that role.
The trade deadline is about a week away. Before that, the Lions host the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, and that team is tougher than it looks. Let's see how healthy Detroit can get by then.
Detroit Lions News
Mike Payton 51 minutes ago
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: Something has changed dramatically with the Detroit Lions' defense, and three weeks of numbers tell the story
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