Detroit Lions: Offense should be better, but can the defense stop anyone?

Don’t overlook the importance of defense

The Lions offense is expected to carry their defense this season and with good reason. Last year the Detroit defense had less life than a 100-year-old corpse. They came within throwing distance of setting a new team record for points given up in a season and couldn’t do anything consistently well on that side of the ball.

Considering that Matt Patricia was defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots for a while during their dynasty run, the Detroit Lions have been anything but defensive since his arrival. Just ask Davante Adams who said in a recent Sports Illustrated article that the Lions never disguise their coverage.

Isn’t that a part of defense 101? Especially in the NFL?

Even the elite defenses still try to disguise what they’re doing. It’s part of what makes them elite. It’s also one of the ways that Matt Patricia has to evolve in order to give the Lions a chance to succeed and for him to keep his job.

Like it or not, football is like a game of Chess. It’s not just about having the best players or the best scheme. It’s about the ability of a coach to get the most out of their players.

Yes, talent does play into that equation as well as the scheme, but the ability to keep the opposing offense off-balance, especially in key situations, is an absolutely huge factor. If you can confuse the opponent’s quarterback or offensive coordinator, even briefly, then your chances of succeeding rise exponentially.

The offense can carry a team only so far, even in this age of the NFL where offense is encouraged and the rule books basically discourage playing defense.

Last season the Baltimore Raven led the NFL by scoring 33.1 points a game. They also had a good defense. In the playoffs where points don’t come as easily, they lost 28-12 to the Tennessee Titans.

The second-highest scoring team was the San Francisco 49ers who averaged 29.9 points a game. Which is still very good, but they also had a really good defense that contributed to their success. And since everyone will want to point out that Kansas City won the Super Bowl as an offensive juggernaut, their 28.1 points a game were good but not as overwhelming as some fans believe they were.

In this day and age, offense has become a big weapon that the NFL fosters, but the importance of defense should never be overlooked.