As we've known for four games now, the Detroit Lions' defensive line is being heavily relied upon to carry the rest of the teams' defense. With a lack of cohesiveness in their secondary, their well-oiled pass rush has been a disruptive force for the Lions...to a point.
There's only so much they can control without getting the quarterback on the ground, or a punch out, or a deflection...the list goes on. As defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard noted in his availability this week, the secondary is doing a disservice to the Lions' defensive line this year.
However, against the Arizona Cardinals, the Lions may be able to reap the benefits of their strong defensive line - the Cardinals' pass block win rate is an abysmal 30%, which is good for 31st in the league. The Lions' pass rush, on the other hand, ranks 4th in pass rush success.
Lions must take advantage of Cardinals' weak offensive line
With so many question marks around Detroit's secondary, relying on their defensive line will have to remain the norm until their roster deficiencies are addressed.
It's not the worst plan, but when you can't generate turnovers or sacks as a result of that pressure, it remains a bit useless. Pressure is great, obviously, but that pressure leading to advantage for the secondary is just a slightly cumbersome defense to handle for the average quarterback.
Aidan Hutchinson and Alim McNeill have, specifically, been the Lions' most reliable pass rushers for the Lions this season. McNeill and Skyler Gill-Howard have paired to be one of the most disruptive defensive tackles in the NFL so far this season with 31 pressures total.
Alim leads all interior DL in pressures (20) while Skyler leads all rookie interior DL in pressures (11) pic.twitter.com/RKkzYlkAgt
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) October 9, 2026
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On the year, the line has generated 15 total sacks. The Minnesota Vikings leads the NFL with 16, but the Lions are right on their tail. This game poses their best opportunity to overtake the Vikings in this category, which would be a nice point of bragging for them after such a down year from their line in 2025.
What to expect from Lions' secondary in Week 5
Detroit plans on utilizing rookie cornerback Keith Abney II more in this contest, with Sheppard telling reporters, and team reporter Tim Twentyman telling Arizona Sports, that he's one of the smartest rookies he's coached in recent years.
“(Lions defensive coordinator) Kelvin Sheppard said he’s probably the smartest rookie he’s ever been around,” Lions.com reporter Tim Twentyman told Arizona Sports’ Bickley and Marotta. “He was a press-man corner at Arizona State, and then he got here and they’re like, ‘I think he’s smart enough to play inside — he plays a physical brand of football, let’s move him there.’
It'll be a homecoming performance for Abney, who played for the Arizona State Sun Devils for three seasons. Abney has gotten limited opportunities so far this season, but with Rock Ya-Sin ruled out for this game, he stands to have an outsized role for the first time.
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