The Detroit Lions are riding high following their lopsided victory over the Washington Commanders, but they can't dwell on that win forever as Week 11 is here. Yes, the Lions' latest win was a masterclass in how good this offense could be, yet all was not well in this victory. The defense lacked something.
The defensive line was porous and lacked bite. The defensive tackles, for the most part, were bullied by a hapless Commanders team who were playing their backup quarterback, Marcus Mariota. You'd think the defense showed up and put a hurt on the Commanders, except they didn't. Tyleik Williams, D.J. Reader, and Alim McNeill all got bullied off the ball, making way for the Commanders to hang around a lot longer than they had any right to. It's been a long-standing issue for the Lions this season, who have been marked week in and week out by unimpressive interior line play. A recurring trend that once again popped up.
Yet, one name keeps making waves and getting limited opportunities, and that man is Roy Lopez. He started the season off rough, with Pro Football Focus grading his first three weeks with a 57.6, a 45.8, and a 49.0. Terrible scores. Yet, since Week 3, PFF has graded Lopez 63.8 or higher in every week since. In four of the subsequent six games since Week 3, Lopez has broken 70.0 or higher. In the most recent game, PFF graded him out at 89.6, the highest on the defense.
Lions Must Unleash Roy Lopez in Week 11 & Beyond
Although PFF isn't perfect, it's subject to criticism like anything else; they do a good job highlighting things that stat sheets don't cover, and Lopez is showing up in ways that aren't quantifiable on a box score. His ability to make headway into the backfield, while also staying home and not over-pursuing, is a good quality to have. He's not a world-beater, nor is he heading to a Pro Bowl anytime soon (if ever), but he's been more consistent as of late on a team that desperately needs its defensive tackles to be more consistent.
It's not a large sample size, but it is a consistent one. It's just finding time for him has been tough.
Reader's a vet, and many expect him to continue to perform at respectable levels. The issue with Reader is that he's falling off. He's not what he once was in Cincinnati, and that's pretty obvious. McNeil had a huge 2023, but he slowed down in 2024. It was still a good campaign, but clearly he's not playing at the same level as he did in 2024, let alone in 2023. He may bounce back, but he may not. Williams, a first-rounder, is just a rookie. An under-performing rookie. The Lions really thought their interior defensive line was stacked with potential studs, and that just hasn't been the case.
No one is saying Lopez fixes the Lions' issues, but there is an argument to be made that he's at least worth a few more reps a game than he's getting. He may be the piece the defense needs to help reset itself after a few difficult weeks, leaving time to tell how head coach Dan Campbell will handle his playing time down the stretch.