Getty Trey Flowers creates a fumble against the Chiefs.
No matter how good the Detroit Lions defense became in 2018, plenty of their shine was taken off due to the fact that they simply didn’t create enough meaningful turnovers on the field.
Last season, the Lions suffered from a lack of takeaways. They finished as a -5 in turnover margin by the time the season was over, which is an ugly total for a team to have. It hurt them from being able to stay in games they were trailing and also close out games they were winning. So far in 2019, though, a turnover resurgence has taken over, and is a big part of Detroit’s solid 2-1-1 start on the season.
Several NFL pundits, including Ryan Clark of ESPN, are taking notice of what the Lions have been able to do in terms of takeaways this season. Clark admitted to liking what he sees in terms of the Lions getting those sudden change takeaways, and admitted it’s evident on tape that the team has been taking turnover work seriously in practice.
Thus far this season, the Lions only have 2 interceptions to their credit, but they have been one of the best teams in the league at causing fumbles, with 6 fumble recoveries this year, a total that is unmatched in the NFL to this point. Thus far, they are a +2 in turnover margin even in spite of playing multiple tough defenses.
This offseason, Matt Patricia, Bob Quinn and company put a premium on finding defensive playmakers. They added cornerback Justin Coleman to the mix, who has already drawn rave reviews for his work and has been a big play machine. They also added linebacker Jahlani Tavai, a player who is a whirling dervish on the field and has already accounted for one key takeaway against the Los Angeles Chargers. Trey Flowers even punched a ball out against the Kansas City Chiefs last weekend.
Patricia knew the team had to get better, and so he and the staff made this a major point of emphasis in terms of the players they brought into the mix and the defensive plan they created. So far, it looks as if the Lions have taken some big steps toward curing their biggest ill. Arguably, turnovers were the reason the Lions were able to beat the Philadelphia Eagles on the road while also edging the Chargers at home. They also gave Detroit a great shot at upsetting the Chiefs.
As the Lions get more comfortable creating opposition discomfort while they are on defense, their entire team will only stand to benefit and it will only lead to more winning on the field.
Last year, the Lions defense learned their way in a new scheme, but takeaways might have been the biggest reason the team did not reach its potential by the time the season was through.
This year through four games, Detroit looks to have figured out a key variable of winning in the NFL, and the pundits are taking major notice of what they have been able to do already.
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