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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On Sunday the Lions will head to Mall of America Field where they hope to corral the NFL’s third ranked rushing attack. This contest will largely hinge on the battle between perennial Pro-Bowler Adrian Peterson, and newly acquired linebacker Stephen Tulloch. If the Vikings hope to win this divisional opener, Peterson must be the best player on the field. If the Lions plan on leaving Minnesota victorious for the first time since 1997, Tulloch must be the best player on the field. In the most simplistic terms, whoever holds the edge in this matchup will be the catalyst for their respective team’s victory. As is the case in most aspects of football, this will hardly be an individual battle between two players. The offensive and defensive line play will determine the pace and flow of the game, however, the game-changing plays will be determined by the outcome when Tulloch and Peterson find themselves in isolation.

The Viking offense is designed to chip away at a defense slowly, and wear them down throughout the course of the game. Once fatigue sets in, it is only a matter of time before one missed, or broken, tackle leads to the type of explosive run that Minnesota thrives on. Throughout the first two weeks Detroit has unintentionally employed a “bend but don’t break” style, that has largely relied on opportunistic turnovers. For this success to continue in Minnesota, Detroit must tackle well and limit Peterson’s yards per carry from reaching his current rate of 5.3. If Tulloch can wrap up consistently, and not allow Peterson the yards after contact that have become his trademark, the Lions’ defense should be able to keep from breaking, and have plenty of opportunities to get off of the field. Peterson may be able to gain small chunks of yardage, but if the Lions’ attacking defense can limit the big plays, the Vikings will have their fair share of third down passing situations, which Detroit can take advantage of. Limiting the explosive runs should allow for easy taming of Donovan McNabb and this Viking offense.

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