The Detroit Lions’ defense has the chance to be elite this season. Surpassing last season’s total of 14 takeaways will be a vital part of reaching that status.
Quandre Diggs, the versatile defensive back and de facto leader of the Detroit Lions’ secondary, got the 2018 season off to an explosive start with a pick-six on their first scrimmage play of the year. Oops, we weren’t supposed to talk about that game ever again. Sorry.
Anyway, Diggs returned New York Jets rookie quarterback Sam Darnold’s first NFL pass 37 yards for a touchdown in Week 1 of last season. Was this a sign of things to come for the Lions’ defense? A ballhawking, tide-turning, opportunistic unit?
Sadly, no. The Lions lost that game 48-17, and succumbed to a 2-5 turnover differential in that contest. It would be a troubling trend, as they finished the season with just 14 takeaways. That was the second fewest in the NFL, and a key reason for their 6-10 record.
As they tend to do in the NFL, turnovers were a significant indicator of team success in 2018. Consider that of the 19 teams that forced at least 20 turnovers in 2018, 10 qualified for the postseason (53%). Of the 13 teams with less than 20 takeaways, only two made the playoffs (15%). Turnovers matter, big time.
For the Lions, since shifting to safety midway through the 2017 season, Diggs has picked off six passes. Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay has 11 interceptions of his own over the last two campaigns. But it hasn’t been nearly enough. Only one other Lions player registered an interception last year.
So what can the Lions do to increase that number this season? Do they have the personnel to do it?
In his season wrap-up press conference this past January, Lions general manager Bob Quinn stated that they “need more playmakers on both sides of the ball”. While he didn’t refer specifically to takeaways, one can surmise that it has been a major focus of Quinn’s when restructuring the roster this year. So how will the new additions help in this area?
Defensive lineman Trey Flowers, brought in as a marquee free agent, forced five fumbles in his four seasons with the New England Patriots. Combined with gifted interior rushing lineman Da’Shawn Hand and new addition Mike Daniels, could that help the Lions dislodge more footballs this year?
On the back end, who’s going to step forward to support Slay and Diggs? Free agent addition cornerback Justin Coleman has just three interceptions in 52 career games. Rashaan Melvin, also brought in to compete at corner, has just four picks in 51 games.
Third-year corner Teez Tabor has yet to make any major progress on the field, let alone pick off any passes. Barring a major epiphany from him, it may be ill-advised to rely on him for any game-breaking plays this season. Where will the picks come from?
The safety position, to that end, could be an under-the-radar strength for the Lions this year, and may hold the key in their quest for more takeaways. This, despite the fact that they no longer have the services of veteran Glover Quin; he piled up 19 interceptions in his six seasons in Detroit before his February release and subsequent retirement.
Alongside Diggs, second-year man Tracy Walker seems locked in to the other starting safety spot. Expectations are soaring for him, and for good reason. He has all of the traits – length, instincts, ball skills – to be a playmaking force on the back end. With an increased role this year, he should have little trouble topping his mark of one interception from a year ago.
Also, free agent signee Andrew Adams picked off four passes last year at safety for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in just 370 snaps. While he isn’t guaranteed a roster spot at this point, rest assured that the Lions were attracted to his playmaking abilities when scouring the free agent market this spring. Could that help him carve out a bigger role this year?
Overall, the numbers simply don’t lie. The seven teams with the best turnover differential in 2018 qualified for the postseason, including the two Super Bowl participants. In addition…. you guessed it. Just one of the ten squads with the worst takeaway/giveaway discrepancies made the playoffs, a group which includes Detroit.
For the Lions to be a threat in the tough NFC North this year, that statistic clearly must improve. As the preseason gets underway, we should gain a better idea of whether the new additions on defense, as well as year two under head coach Matt Patricia, will help them take the ball away with more regularity in 2019.
Do you think that the Lions will be able to force more turnovers in 2019? Let us know in the comments section below.
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