Will the real Detroit Lions run defense please stand up?
One game after getting shredded on the ground by the Buffalo Bills, the Lions completely shut down the New York Jets’ run game. The Jets rushed for just 58 yards as a team on 19 carries, a rate of just 3.1 yards a pop.
23 of those 59 yards came on just two carries by running back Breece Hall and Geno Smith.
“I got up here and I told you guys the main things we wanted to focus on going into the Jets game was stopping the run, making sure we emphasize being dominant against the run game,” defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said to reporters Thursday. “I believe they were 3.6 3.7 a carry or something like that. So, we feel like we slated well against the run game.”
Edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson chalked the better effort up to nothing more than better execution of the game plan and “guys were doing their jobs.”
The game before, Detroit couldn’t stop the Bills at all. The Lions gave up 203 rushing yards on 5.6 yards per carry, as Buffalo controlled its 41-31 win the whole way.
Linebacker Jack Campbell had perhaps his worst game of the last three years, and was distraught after his performance, saying “I played terrible, and it starts with me.”
But Detroit was flying to the ball Sunday against a good offensive line and one of the league’s better running backs in Hall. Smith torched them through the air, but New York’s inability to run the ball was ultimately a major factor in swinging this game towards Detroit.
So, we’ve seen two very different versions of this run defense in the past two games.
And if Detroit’s secondary is to continue its poor play, the Lions have to hang their hat on stopping the run. That, combined with a feisty pass rush, is going to have to be how this defense puts opponents in long downs and strings stops together.
A perfect test for that theory lies ahead this Sunday night.
Lions' run defense must show up on Sunday night vs. Panthers
The Carolina Panthers happen to lead the NFL in passing yards per game. Quarterback Bryce Young is fourth in the NFL in pass attempts. Detroit, fate would have it, surrenders the most passing yards per game. What a matchup.
So, how does the Lions defense get an edge in this game? Well, it looks like by getting to Young, and shutting down the run.
Carolina has an average running game at best, and it’s probably a bit below that. The team is only 25th in the NFL in EPA per run play. Running back Chuba Hubbard is 15th in the NFL in rushing yards with 184 through three games, and is averaging 4.5 yards per carry.
The Panthers are also dealing with a slew of injuries along their offensive line– both starting tackles are on either injured reserve or the PUP list, guard Damien Lewis has been ruled out for Sunday and rookie tackle Monroe Freeling is questionable.
On the season so far, the Lions are allowing the tenth-most rushing yards per game in the NFL with 117.3. The Jets and Bills games create a spectrum of sorts for how this defense will fare against the run.
“Guys doing their job in the run game, just owning my gap,” Sheppard said of the run game’s improvement against the Jets. “It starts with the front being physical, changing the line of scrimmage. We want to play on their side of the line, not reacting and catching blocks– we don't play that way. We fire off. We get downhill on the second level and we try to make things happen on their side of the line on our terms. And I think our guys have done that.”
READ MORE: Brian Branch is annoying Dan Campbell, and Lions fans should be excited about it
“They've done it pretty well, too, to be honest, two out of three games. And we all know what transpired at the Buffalo game.”
When he’s on his game, Campbell is one of the NFL’s best run fitters and a tackle machine. Linebackers Derrick Barnes and Malcolm Rodriguez are also playing some of their best ball.
Hutchinson can set a nasty edge against the run when he wants to, but also tends to hunt sacks and it hurts his ability to defend the run. Buffalo exploited that over and over again in Week 2, but he was more disciplined against New York.
Nose tackle Tyleik Williams has also been a dependable run-stuffer for most of this year. Safety Christien Izien looked great against New York and made two tackles for loss.
But the absolute X-Factor for Detroit’s run defense is defensive tackle Alim McNeill. He looked back to his Pro Bowl-caliber self against the Jets. He was a problem all afternoon in the middle and blew up several runs with his disruptive presence.
“I thought he was disruptive, and here's the beauty of [McNeil,] man— There's still so much meat on the bone with him,” head coach Dan Campbell said. There's a lot he can get better at right now. Even that game, as disruptive as he was, there's five plays right now that, man, I think he can get another sack. Like, he's got a chance to make another play. He's close, so that's good news.”
This week will be a decent barometer for how this Lions’ run defense will perform. They’re up against a high-flying pass offense and a subpar rush offense. If they can do their jobs stopping the run, this secondary has a chance to not lose the game for them. We might be in for some points.
Add us as a preferred source on Google