Getty Matt Patricia during a game.
The Detroit Lions have to get their season on the right track, and that’s true given their very below average 3-4-1 record. There is good news, however, and that’s the fact that the team can claw back from their problems effectively.
Detroit has a favorable schedule down the stretch, and assuming the Lions can win a few games consecutively and get hot, there is always the possibility of the team making a run or getting back into the conversation.
In order for that to happen, however, some things have to go incredibly right for the team. What has to happen down the stretch that the Lions can control which might help them?
Here’s a look at what the Lions can do in order to turn around their season right now for a better stretch run.
Improve the Pass Rush
Detroit simply hasn’t heated up the pocket enough whatsoever this season on the field. Their defensive front has not been able to get any pressure minus a few well-timed plays from Trey Flowers and Devon Kennard. Those two can’t be the only ones who generate pressure on the pocket consistently, so the Lions will have to find someone to step up and generate some pressure. Whether it’s scheme or enacting Jarrad Davis as more of a pass rusher, there are ways for the team to dial up some more pressure, and it’s going to have to happen fast. Giving the opposing quarterback time to survey the field is not a recipe for success.
Better Team Discipline
Detroit continues to make sloppy mistakes in between the lines in terms of penalties. In the last two games alone, the Lions have racked up 12 total penalties for 110 yards. This season, they’ve been tagged with the 15th most calls against in the league. It seems like the Lions have gotten a bit better with the mistakes lately, but they need to find a way to limit the foolish holding calls as well as untimely defensive penalties which extend drives. If the Lions can continue with their downturn of penalties, it will greatly help them in their quest to discover more victories and get over the hump
More Defensive Takeaways
The Lions have seen their losing ways return, and in their last loss, they didn’t force a single turnover. That’s not good enough to get it done in the NFL. As evidence in their win over the Giants, a defensive touchdown or timely turnover can turn an entire game around. The Lions need to find a way to get back to forcing mistakes like they did early in the season. Changing the complexion of the game with a few big plays will be a huge way for the Lions to get back into the mix during the 2019 season. If the defense can give the offense more short fields and a better chance to score, they will only be more dangerous as a whole. Detroit is a mere +1 this season, which is nowhere near good enough to be a consistently winning team.
A More Consistent Detroit Offense
Speaking of offense, the Lions have seen that as a major bright spot this season. In spite of that, as well as some frankly elite play by Matthew Stafford, the team still leaves a lot to be desired in terms of execution, something Stafford has also admitted. The Lions have to find a way to cash in more touchdowns while avoiding some of the mental mistakes which have cost their drives at times. As long as the Detroit defense is suspect at best, the pressure is going to be on the offense to carry the team, right or wrong. Like it or not, the pressure is on the Detroit offense to be nearly elite the rest of 2019, and that comes with cashing in nearly every opportunity they have.
Become Closers
The Lions have simply not finished games well, even in some of the victories they have managed to put away. Detroit needs a complete game start to finish, and needs to be able to salt away a game with confidence or make some big defensive plays in order to win. Winning can be a mindset, so if the Lions can just close one or two games in a row, it might lead to more confidence and being able to do it on a regular basis. It might be as simply as to say the Lions just have to close a few games to understand how to start to do it.
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