Ex-NFL defender has 'scary' realization about Lions' defense moving forward

The Detroit Lions have to deal with the reality that defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is out for the season, and try to plan around his absence.

Aaron Glenn's group has been opportunistic this season despite ranking 27th in pass defense and giving up 329 yards per game. They've had some strong performances, like allowing 13 points to the Arizona Cardinals and not allowing a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys.

Domonique Foxworth joined "The Mina Kimes Show" on Tuesday, and was asked to explain what comes next when a star goes down.

"You're not going to be able to replace that, so you're gonna have to change the way you play. It's hard for me to imagine a combination of changes to the roster and to the scheme that will get them back to what they were defensively, and what they were defensively wasn't dominant, so I don't know. That's the scary part. I don't know where it ends up, but the best they can do is a little worse than what they were before in my view. I've been wrong before, maybe there's some miraculous coaching breakthrough."

Glenn could consider blitzing and changing coverages to cover for Hutchinson's absence. The Lions could also make an addition, but as Foxworth hinted filling that void will be incredibly difficult.

Mina Kimes believes offense can carry the Detroit Lions

While the Lions defense is going to have to adjust and find answers, the other side of the ball has things rolling. The Lions have scored a total of 89 points in their last two games, which shows that the offense could be rounding into form at a perfect time.

Kimes believes that the steps the Detroit offense has shown this year could be enough to carry them. While she admitted to some of the same concerns Foxworth had with the defense, the difference is, she sees the offense as dynamic enough to account for some of those problems.

"I've got great news for (Lions fans). Your offense is awesome and it's everything we hoped it would be in terms of (the Lions) adding an explosive passing element on top of the run game. You certainly saw that on display in Dallas."

While the Hutchinson injury may throw the Lions for a loop, Kimes believes that having a powerful offense is reason enough to retain hope.

"I have not lost hope for this team. It is an absolutely brutal, devastating injury. The kind of injury that changes a season, but I feel like the offense might be good enough to mitigate it to some degree."

The Lions will have big questions to answer defensively moving forward, and the pressure is on Glenn to deliver. But if nothing else, their offense can be counted on to step up.