The Detroit Lions are looking forward to the chance to improve during the 2021 season, and one of the spots that has seen the ugliest play for the team has been on the defensive side of the ball.
While the Lions get plenty of grief over the struggles of their secondary, lately, their defensive line has been just as bad. Not only do the Lions struggle to generate enough sacks, but they don’t stop the run consistently enough to force opposing offenses into bad situations.
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All of that combined to make the line a major spot of need this offseason, and Detroit stepped up and addressed it with some big additions. As the stats show, these moves will be important given the overall inability of the Lions to generate any type of resistance up front.
Last season, Pro Football Focus noted that the Lions were one of the worst teams in the NFL in allowing rushing yards after contact. Detroit surrendered 1,450 yards after contact, which was one of the higher totals in the entire league.
Most Rushing Yards After Contact Allowed by Defense in 2020:
32. Houston – 1,686
31. Cincinnati – 1,546
30. Jacksonville – 1,497
29. Detroit – 1,450
Will the additions of DI Michael Brockers, Levi Onwuzurike, and Alim McNeill reinforce the trenches?
Obviously, a defense is not doing their entire team a service if they allow the opposing back to stay on his feet and continue through the line after initial contact, so shutting this down will be something defensive line coach Todd Wash and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn have to figure out a scheme for.
Seeing this stat, it isn’t a surprise that the Detroit line struggled mightily last season to contain anyone.
Lions Defense Struggled Statistically During 2020
Whether it was through the air or on the ground, the Lions had a major difficulty on the defensive side of the ball in 2020. The team allowed the most yards in the league (6,716), were a -9 in turnover ratio, were last in terms of total defense allowing 419.8 yards-per game, only generated 7 interceptions with 5 fumble recoveries and ranked 30th in pass defense (284 yards-per game) and 28th in rush defense (134.9 yards-per game). Obviously, these numbers have to change if the team wants to see any chance at success. Seeing the ugliness on the group, it’s no surprise that the Lions often allowed opposing teams to break through the line and rumble for more yardage.
While the team’s offense has left a lot to be desired, it’s clear that the revival of the Lions will have to start with a more consistent effort on the defensive side of the ball, specifically in the trenches.
How Additions up Front Could Help Lions
Simply by beefing up the defensive line, the Lions could be helping the entire defense out. Many folks questioned why Brad Holmes would select a pair of defensive lineman early in the 2021 NFL Draft, but in nabbing Levi Onwuzurike and Alim McNeill, it’s clear the brain trust knows that elevated play up front is going to be the key to a rapid turnaround. Additionally, the Lions added Michael Brockers via trade and also made re-signing Romeo Okwara a huge priority as the first free agency move. All of this sends the message that the team understands the way to improved defensive play starts with getting nasty up front. More pressure on the backfield could mean better play for the secondary as well.
Recently, the opposition has been the aggressor in terms of hitting the Lions in the face up front. Clearly, that has to change in order to turn things around.
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Frustrating Stat Shows Top Challenge for Lions Defensive Line in 2021