Heading into the 2022 season, I said that Jared Goff would shut up his haters and that if the defense could be a top 20 or so unit in the NFL, the Detroit Lions would make the playoffs.
Well, we are four weeks into the season and Goff has been solid (but certainly not mistake-free) but the defense has not only been bad, but they have been BAD, BAD!
In fact, as you have probably read by now, the Lions have scored the most points through four weeks but they have also allowed the most points in the NFL, by a considerable margin.
Would the Detroit Lions be better off with a Matt Patricia-led defense?
The Detroit Lions' defense has been really, really bad so far this season and according to Jeff Seidel of the Detroit Free Press, the team would be better off if it was just Matt Patricia bad.
The offense has been fantastic, the defense horrendous. Under Patricia, the 2020 Lions gave up an average of 32.4 points per game, setting franchise records. But this current team is giving up 35.3 per game. That’s nearly a field goal per game difference, which is significant considering they have lost two games by three points.
The irony? The painful truth?
If the Lions' defense would just go back to Patricia bad, this team might start winning some games.
In a vacuum, Seidel is 100% correct. Patricia's defense during his time in Detroit allowed about three fewer points per game than are currently being allowed.
But, if Patricia was still with the Lions, the offense would not be anywhere close to where it is now, so things would look even worse than they currently do.
The Detroit Lions defense only has one way to go from here
On Sunday, the Detroit defense, in my opinion, hit rock bottom as they allowed 48 points to a below-average Seahawks defense.
Is the Lions' defense going to be a top 20 or so unit like I hoped they would be prior to the start of the season? Probably now.
That being said, I do believe that Dan Campbell and his coaches will do what it takes to at least get the defense to a point where they are giving the offense a chance to win some games.
The Lions' defense is a train wreck but there is only one way to go from here!
