The Detroit Lions defense has struggled for six of the eight quarters they have played so far this season, and that doesn't bode well for them as a matchup with the New York Jets is on the horizon for Week 3.
While the Jets haven't been a dynamic offense so far this season ranking just 15th in the NFL in total, they still possess weapons that can make a defense pay. On the ground, Breece Hall is a tough back that can pile up yards. Geno Smith has always posed problems for the Lions, and Garrett Wilson is a dominating receiver capable of big plays.
Wilson is off to a slower start this year, but he could find the perfect matchup to get healthy in the form of Detroit. The Lions are already down Brian Branch and Kirby Joseph at safety, and just lost Avonte Maddox for the year. This week, safety Thomas Harper has been dinged up and hasn't practiced, leading to major depth concerns. The middle of the field is looking extra soft.
At cornerback, the Lions haven't played well no matter who has been on the field. Rock Ya-Sin and D.J. Reed have struggled early on, and that has helped the opposition passing attacks to rip Detroit apart at will. That means Wilson could be in for a big game if Detroit can't get pressure on the pocket, stop the run and make life tough on Smith.
Wilson has been explosive in his career, and it seems like it's only a matter of time before he gets going again. Detroit has to hope they can do what it takes to win this particular matchup.
Kelvin Sheppard is looking for better execution no matter who plays
The Lions have won games before with players in bit-part roles playing significant minutes defensively, and haven't looked like a complete disaster. That will be the key moving forward, and Sheppard seems to know that getting everyone on the same page to perform better has been his goal in the short term.
"It's just the execution portion of it. I'm not going to sit here and tell you what we do (and) what we say, especially in closed door settings. But just know there's a gap that needs to be bridged. And that comes down to understanding in-game when something moves, don't panic. We have an answer for that. Making sure you're on the same page as your safety. The linebacker's got the check. The linebacker has that call. We're good. Let's go."
As Sheppard also explained, it's been a delacate balance between heating up the pocket and playing safer on the back end. While the Lions have had some problems figuring out this dynamic early on, Sheppard believes they are on the right track starting now to fix things.
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"It's not like we're asking them to do that hasn't already been done. So now, it's up to me. Do you pull back? But then you pull back and you're a sitting duck. That's what we've been at times in the past. Trying to have variety (and) trying to change the picture for the quarterback is very important in this league, and trying to have guys understand how important that is, but not to the detriment that we're letting off 23 explosives in the first two weeks. (The goal is) to find balance. That's why I sit in the seat I sit in with the guys to my right and left. It's our job to find that answer. And I believe we have."
This week will be a big test for the Lions. Smith is a mobile quarterback that can expand the play, and Detroit struggled with that against the Buffalo Bills. The Lions haven't done anything consistently well on defense besides allow explosive chunks of yardage.
On paper, the Jets could offer them the opportunity to get right quick. Unfortunately, the same could be said for the Lions and their leaky defense. It will be interesting to see who blinks first in this particular matchup.
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