After 13 weeks of NFL action, the Detroit Lions have cemented their status as the league’s most dominant team.
While things can always change, the fact of the matter is the Lions just continue to stack up wins.
At 11-1, Detroit is well on their way towards positioning themselves very favorably in the NFC playoff picture.
Despite their remarkable success, questions loom over the Lions’ defense, which has been battered by injuries to key players.
Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, legendary coach Bill Belichick expressed skepticism about whether Detroit’s defense can sustain its current level of play against elite competition.
Reflecting on the Lions’ second-half struggles against the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving, Belichick didn’t mince words.
“I think they need to do better than they’ve been doing. I think they’ve gotten away with some things and it looks good now,” Belichick said.
“I just don’t know if it’s going to last against really good passing teams or quarterbacks who can extend plays a little bit.”
Belichick elaborated on the potential issues Detroit might face as the postseason approaches and competition stiffens up.
“I just worry when they get against a good offensive team, if Love has a good day or Darnold has a good day, which I didn’t think either one of them did, you know what that would look like,” he said.
“They can outscore people and if they have to win 42-41 they’re probably capable of doing that, but I think to really be a well-balanced team, a championship team, they want to be better on defense.”
The Lions’ defensive struggles are compounded by a string of injuries that have sidelined several key contributors.
Pro Bowl pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson, who led the league with 7.5 sacks through Week 6, suffered a devastating fractured leg against the Dallas Cowboys.
The injury (most likely) ended Hutchinson’s season and robbed Detroit of its most dynamic defensive player.
However, there is hope that Hutch may be able to return if Detroit reaches the Super Bowl. (Wouldn’t that be something?)
The Lions also lost another top-tier pass rusher, Marcus Davenport, to a season-ending injury in Week 3 against the Arizona Cardinals.
Together, Hutchinson and Davenport represented a formidable duo, and their absence has left Detroit scrambling to fill the void.
At linebacker, the situation is similarly dire. Early in the season, Derrick Barnes went down with a knee injury, followed by Alex Anzalone’s broken forearm in Week 10.
Anzalone is one of the league’s most underrated players and his absence is surely being felt.
Thanksgiving brought more bad news when Malcolm Rodriguez tore his ACL, ending his season.
The challenges haven’t stopped there.
Defensive linemen Josh Paschal, John Cominsky, and Kyle Peko, along with linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin, have also missed time, leaving Detroit’s defense thin across the board.
Despite these setbacks, the Lions’ offense continues to shine.
Detroit leads the league in scoring and ranks second overall in offensive production, consistently outpacing opponents with a potent combination of a strong running game and elite quarterback play.
The bottom line is if the defense can manage to hold its ground amid the injuries, the Lions remain a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
However, Belichick’s comments highlight a critical question as the season progresses: Can Detroit’s depleted defense rise to the occasion against top-tier offenses in the playoffs?
If the NFL Playoffs consisted of seven-game series, the Lions would probably be viewed as heavy favorites. But we know absolutely anything can happen in the one-game, do-or-die format.
What are your thoughts on Belichick’s comments and concerns?
Are you worried about Detroit’s defense? … Will that unit sabotage the season?
After all, Goff and the offense can’t always out-shoot everyone, especially in the playoffs … (Or can they???)
