The Detroit Lions are sitting at the very bottom of the NFC North, reeling at 2-2 after a crushing loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 4. It’s truly crunch time for any NFL team that’s struggling this early, and man, the Lions are deep in that hurt locker, staring down a defensive problem that one analyst thinks might be too messed up to fix.
This Defense Ain’t No Quick Fix, Says ESPN Analyst
Ben Solak of ESPN just dropped his Week 4 takeaways, and he’s not pulling any punches when it comes to the Lions’ D. He’s convinced this isn’t some easy fix. Solak straight up said, “There’s no way to watch a performance like the Lions’ defensive outing Sunday night and not demand an explanation.” He’s talking about how Carolina Panthers receiver Tetairoa McMillan went absolutely off, racking up career bests with 16 receptions and 192 yards against them. Can you believe that? Solak added, “No matter where the Panthers lined him up, he was open right away , and even when quarterback Bryce Young went elsewhere with the football, the Lions’ secondary offered little resistance.” This was a game they were *supposed* to win, and it looked like a total cakewalk for the Panthers offense. That’s rough, man.
The Numbers Are Ugly, And They Tell The Whole Story
It gets even worse when you look at the stats. Solak highlighted that even when the Lions manage to pressure opposing quarterbacks, they’re still giving up 0.08 EPA per dropback. And get this: they’re surrendering a staggering 109.3 net passing yards per game on those pressured dropbacks. That 109.3 number? It’s downright terrifying. Solak pointed out it’s literally twice as bad as any other team in the league through four weeks. Twice as bad! What are we even doing out there? It’s clear their defense tries to generate pressure to cover up those big-time secondary weaknesses, but Bryce Young’s performance just ripped that band-aid right off, showing exactly how much space those defenders are giving up.
This isn’t just a tough start, folks. This kind of deep-rooted defensive issue, if it’s not solved, could cost the Lions yet another season. They’ve got to find a way to plug these holes, or it’s going to be a long, painful ride.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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