The Detroit Lions are 4-2, so there’s no need to overreact to their most recent loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. That was a tough game to win, regardless of what your perception of the Chiefs may have been before and after the game.
But it’s also fair to recognize that the Lions are going through some minor hardships right now. The secondary is depleted by injuries and a suspension, the running game isn’t quite as explosive as it has been in the past, and there have been some inconsistent performances each week. So to suggest some changes should be made is not to admit the team is completely flawed, but rather, they would benefit from some tweaks here and there. After all, this is a coaching staff that alters its game plans week-to-week, in order to adjust to the players they have available and the team they are about to face.
So on this week’s Midweek Mailbag podcast, Erik Schlitt and I talk about some changes the Lions should consider for the upcoming game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and beyond.
First, we discuss the Lions’ recent favoring of zone defense. Was this a reaction to the injuries in the secondary, a game plan specifically against Chiefs’ receivers, or something else entirely? Was it the right choice, and will it continue this week vs. the Bucs?
What about the Lions’ pass-heavy game on Sunday night? Did the Lions abandon the run too early against Kansas City? Are they a team that is going to struggle to play from behind because of their reliance on their run game and play-action?
Then we talk about the run game “struggles.” While they’re still arguably a top-10 rushing attack, their numbers are down from last year. Is that all on the offensive line? Is there anything new schematically with new coaches in new positions? What about the heavy distribution of carries in Jahmyr Gibbs’ favor over David Montgomery?
Finally, we talk about the Lions’ pass rush. They favor a slow, collapsing of the pocket, but with an ailing secondary, do they need to show a little more aggressiveness and urgency with their pass rush? Could they change their strategy to getting upfield as fast as possible?
We discuss all of that, and a lot more, on this week’s Midweek Mailbag podcast.
In fact, we kick things off with a long discussion on the latest news that Lions coach Dan Campbell and the officials on the field have completely different accounts of how their trick play against the Chiefs was officiated. Who’s lying? What does it mean for the league? Is it possible there was just a miscommunication?
Enjoy all of these discussions in the Spotify embed below or on whatever podcasting platform you use. Just search “Pride of Detroit” to find us.
You can also catch an extended version of the mailbag by watching us over on YouTube or Twitch.
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