The Detroit Lions entered the season opener against the New Orleans Saints with a lot of expectations on their shoulders, given the offseason additions they made. However, what the Lions fans saw on the field was anything but convincing. Yes, the team won the first game of the season, but barely, after the game went into overtime.
Dan Campbell’s men built up a staggering 21-0 lead, and at the end of the fourth quarter the game was levelled to 24-24 before narrowly edging past the Saints by a point in OT. If the defense shows up against the next opponent, the Buffalo Bills, the way they did in the previous outing, they will be punished with Josh Allen leading them at the center. Amid the shaky performance, the Lions have ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith worried.
“The Detroit Lions, I am very, very concerned about them,” Smith said in a recent episode of The First Take. “Yeah, you won a game, but you were up 21 to nothing. You gave up that lead. It was tied 24-24.”
The Lions’ defense was certainly a major headache for Dan Campbell, as they not only allowed a total of 30 points, coming from behind, but also allowed Saints QB Tyler Shough to throw for over 400 passing yards.
Stephen A. Smith Isn’t Convinced By The Lions’ Defense
Tyler Shough had a brilliant game at Ford Field. As the Lions’ defense struggled to keep up with the signal-caller entering his sophomore year, it is likely to get worse against an elite QB like Josh Allen, who is capable of surpassing Shough’s numbers.
After succeeding Aaron Glenn as the defensive coordinator, Kelvin Sheppard has yet to make a mark after last year’s dismal show as well as the lackluster performance in the season opener— an area Stephen A. Smith gave his perspective on.
“Detroit’s defense is a huge, huge concern for me. They have a high-powered offense; I know they had 5 sacks. I know they forced a few turnovers. That’s an improvement based upon last year,” added Smith during the same episode of First Take. “The bottom line is their offense is still potent without Ben Johnson. Their defense has fallen off as far as I am concerned; at least it did last year. They’ve gotta show us that they can be what we thought they were a couple of years ago. A couple of years ago, we were looking at the Detroit Lions and saying this time they can win it all. Now, we’re wondering whether they can win the division and make the playoffs.”
The Lions’ defense could give Dan Campbell plenty to worry about, but it is more worrying that Josh Allen has never lost a game against the Lions.
Josh Allen Has Never Lost To Detroit Lions
Since becoming the QB1 of the Buffalo Bills in 2018, Josh Allen has faced the Detroit Lions on three occasions, maintaining a perfect 3-0 record. In the Dan Campbell era, the NFC North side has been beaten by Allen’s Bills twice.
The former NFL MVP led the Bills to a victory over the Lions for the first time in 2018, then repeated the feat in 2022 and 2024. Therefore, the Lions’ defense has to show character on Thursday, while coach Campbell will be looking to chase his first win as a head coach against Allen’s Bills.
Lions Get Blunt Warning From Stephen A. Smith Ahead of Week 2 Bills Clash