While I know you can’t do this as every game counts, how much does your post change without the Carolina game included?
Probably less than the Bears games.
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Fair point.
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I know im being just a simpleton here. but in the first 7.games last.year the lions gave up a average of 32.1 points per.game in the last.10 games of the year the lions gave up only 20 points per game. That’s a monster difference …if the lions only give up 20 points a game i don’t see a team.on the schedule who could hold the lions to. Just 21
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That is what it looks like when you look at the bottom line number without context. We know we had issues with running QBs, in particular Justin Fields. But how we played the actual run game vs backs doesn’t match the bottom line number with the exception of the 1 outlier game vs the Panthers. You have to remember something important. Here are the top 2 RB rushers for each game:
Week 9 vs Packers
AJ Dillon - 11 carries for 34 yards
Aaron Jones - 9 carries for 25 yards
Week 10 vs Bears
Khalil Herbert - 10 carries for 57 yards
David Montgomery - 9 carries for 37 yards
Justin Fields skews the overall stats
Week 11 vs Giants
Saquon Barkley - 15 carries for 22 yards
Matt Brieda - 3 carries for 13 yards
Daniel Jones skews the stats
Week 12 vs Bills
Devin Singletary - 14 carries for 72 yards
Isaiah McKenzie - 2 carries for 7 yards
Josh Allen skews the stats
Week 13 vs Jaguars
Travis Etienne - 13 carries for 54 yards
Snoop Connor - 1 carry for 6 yards
Trevor Lawrence skews the stats, though only 4 attempts
Week 14 vs Vikings
Dalvin Cook - 15 carries for 23 yards
Alexander Mattison - 2 carries for -1 yards
Week 15 vs Jets
Zonovan Knight - 13 carries for 23 yards
Michael Carter - 4 carries for 15 yards
Week 16 vs Panthers
FTP!
Week 17 vs Bears
Khalil Herbert - 5 carries for 31 yards
David Montgomery - 6 carries for 24 yards
Justin Fields once again skews the stats
Week 18 vs Packers
Aaron Jones - 12 carries for 48 yards
AJ Dillon - 9 carries for 33 yards
So when you go back and look at everything in context, it becomes clear we didn’t have an issue stopping RBs. There was an outlier in Carolina that noone wants to relive. Outside of that it was QBs running that took us to the bottom line number. We know we need to improve in that department. But to say “we can’t stop the run” would be inaccurate.
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Thank you for this, it was why I asked about the Carolina game but much better detailed response.
No, it’s not. I don’t care if it’s a running QB or a WR doing jet sweeps, it’s running the ball. We don’t get to qualify it. If that were the case then RB’s with receiving yards would be inaccurate as well? OR, as people suggested when OUR running game sucked, passes to RB’s were actually runs. The rules are the same for every team, making it fit a narrative is just that.
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Seems they targeted DBs with smarts, Sutton in particular. Sutton, CJGJ and Mosely are considered players who bring experience and strong on-field awareness. Gardner-Johnson has worked under Glenn before so he’ll have a leg up. I’m excited to see how it all comes together.
I’m hoping to see a lot of turnovers and coverage sacks. This is a really solid group of DBs.
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You aren’t wrong, but it is a worthy distinction in the “stop the running game” discussion, at least in my view. It was why I focused on the Carolina game and not the Bears in my question to you. And, @Mr.Peabody post did point out that when Detroit faced teams without a prominant running QB, they did well in those 10 games, minus Carolina.
So, you are right it is running the ball, but the defensive scheme against a running QB led team is focused differently than the traditional offense. So, it is a worthy distinction at least in my mind and does change the narrative for the defenses.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a running QB or a QB that runs.
Nov. 6th AR is the leading rusher.
Nov. 13th Fields is the leading rusher.
Nov. 20th Jones is the leading rusher.
Nov. 24th Allen is the leading rusher.
Dec. 4th Etienne is the leading rusher but Lawrence averages 8 ypc. and is second with 32.
Dec. 11th We shut down the #32 rushing O in the NFL.
Dec. 18th they shut down a Jets running attack that was at least average.
Dec. 24th was pitiful.
Jan. 1st once again Fields ran wild.
Jan. 8th the D did their job vs the Pack.
So in the last 10 games the leading rusher was the QB 5x, 2nd leading rusher with an 8 ypc average once, a blowout running game to Carolina once, a stop of the #32 running game once, and 2 games where we stopped average running games. There were only 3 teams that averaged over 5 yards per carry in the NFL last season but WE averaged giving UP over 5 yards per carry last season. You can’t cherry pick, when we face KC are we going to throw out Mahomes stats too? It is part of the game and if you want to tell your D they didn’t suck when they clearly did then be prepared for more suck.
Looking at data without context skews the perception just as much.
8 games we gave up 110 or less yards, so half the games we were fairly stout against the run.
Philly had the 2nd highest rated defense, the Lions were last, but Philly spent twice as much on their defense as the Lions did . . . twice as much. That narrative is important. Comparing the Lions to the Eagles without context is really useless.
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We do clearly need to find better solutions for QB run. Easier said then done as the math favors offense in most of those scenarios.
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Comparing the Lions to the rest of the league is not, however, useless. And while consistency may be the hobgoblin of little minds,(RW Emerson), it’s everything on the football field.
The lions defense in the first 7 games was not the same as.the lions defense in the last 10 games…last ten games lions had j.jacobs get healthy , lions found a j.houston player they never realized they had…these two players made a huge impact on that defense ( along with the firing of pleasant) …going from giving up 32 points a game to 20 says it all. When the lions defense was in trouble was the cbs.gettig blown up ,that’s why the fa signings are so significant…
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Without considering other aspects, like salary spent, it really kind of is useless. It’s like wondering why Ferris State doesn’t have as good a football team as UofM.
Spending money isn’t the same as spending it wisely. Brockers? Trey Flowers? The conversation is about our D getting a bad rap, I maintain that they deserved it. With Brockers and Okudah gone just how much more will we be spending this year over last year? Now take into account the increase in the cap, what percent of our cap will this years D be over last years D? I bet it isn’t all that significant but again what does it matter? This conversation was about last years D, it deserved it’s ranking, that’s the conversation. You want me to agree with spending more will likely have a better outcome? Sure, but what difference does it make to the conversation? They were bad, period, unless you want to tell me that they weren’t bad and explain why.
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They were bad, but it helps if you put it into context and try to look at it in color instead of black and white. @Mr.Peabody had some nice posts about looking at the full picture, instead of the bottom line.
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Right and Air had some context about how the O contributed to the success of the D. And the fact that the schedule got easier.And the fact that even in the run they sucked at 3rd down. I absolutely believe that they will make a big step forward this year, Capt Jack and their FA’s, I’m a believer. It doesn’t dismiss who they were last year.