Detroit Lions Week 2 report card: Commanders comeback attempt falls short

Run defense: 4/5 stars

The Lions’ defensive front came to play on Sunday. Not having to play against a super-athletic quarterback like Jalen Hurts certainly helped. For a majority of the game Washington couldn’t do anything on the ground, which led to a lot more passing and pass rush situations.

Even later in the game it wasn’t like Washington started gashing the Lions on the ground, they just started getting a few more decent gains. Their longest run of the game 21 yards gain on a trick play by Curtis Samuel.

Without that 21-yard rush, Washington had just 67 yards on the ground while averaging 3.4 yards a carry on their other attempts.

There were still a few tackling issues that need to be addressed, but overall a very strong day for the Lions defending the run.

Pass defense: 3/5 stars

If there was a single part of the Lions game that changed in the second half to be pointed to as a turning point, it would have to be the pass rush. This game proved that when Detroit is getting after the quarterback, they can hold up defensively as well as anyone. But when the pass rush doesn’t get home, the secondary just cannot hold up.

In the first half, Carson Wentz had no time in the pocket. Mostly because of a certain someone we will talk about momentarily. Alim McNeill was also pretty disruptive and Charles Harris flashed with a big play to force a safety.

In the second half, as the pass rush was slowed, the cracks started to show. Jahan Dotson, Terry McLaurin, and Curtis Samuel all started to make plays and Washington started scoring.

But when push came to shove, the pass rush reignited, and the secondary held strong when it needed to the most.

Best defensive player: DE Aidan Hutchinson

If Billie Jean is going to be played every time Hutchinson makes a play, everyone in Detroit will get sick of that song rather quickly.

The first half Hutchinson put together was more than anyone could have hoped for–he was flat-out phenomenal. In the second half he was hampered by a leg injury, but still got pressure despite being double-teamed often. Hutchinson putting together a good game in Week 2 was a critical component to the success of the defense.

It seems the leg injury is nothing serious. Hutchinson entrenched his name in Lions’ history.

Worst defensive player: CB Mike Hughes

As mentioned earlier, the Lions’ secondary simply could not hold up when the pass rush was stymied. Hughes was especially guilty, as he struggled against Samuel in the second half and gave up at least one big play to McLaurin.

He was pretty good against the run, but like everyone else on the defense there were some tackling issues that need to get fixed quickly.