Defensive Line: B

The defensive front four clearly is the identity of this team. The attitude, aggressiveness, and swagger are contagious, and they are credited with infecting the rest of the defense. Corey Williams has been stellar in absorbing blocks, and stopping the run. Ndamukong Suh, fresh off of a pro bowl, and defensive rookie of the year honors, has been largely unnoticed thus far. Granted, Suh is garnering a lot of attention from offensive linemen, and offensive coordinators are scheming against him. Still, a player as dominant as Suh should be more of a disruption in both the run and pass game than he has been throughout the first four games. The same can be said for Cliff Avril, who was almost unblockable near the end of last season. This defensive line has yet to reach their potential, and the Lions will need the pass rush that the Patriots witnessed in the preseason if they hope to continue their success.

Linebacker: B+

This unit has been steady throughout the first four games. As a group they are significantly improved in pass coverage, but there is much work to do in the run game. Stephen Tulloch is the exception here, as the aptly nicknamed “Napoleon’s Revenge” has been the best defensive player on the field each and every game. Tulloch walked out of Texas Stadium with 12 tackles, and an interception that led to the game winning score. DeAndre Levy and Justin Durant have been good, but not great. Both players tend to over-pursue runners, and have been caught out of position too often. The depth of this unit has improved with the emergence of Bobby Carpenter, who played well in a starting role Sunday against the Cowboys.

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