The Detroit Lions climbed above .500 for the first time this season, earning a 38-31 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night. The game had plenty of developments that will make Lions fans feel good about the direction of the team but one of the most concerning was the play of cornerback Terrion Arnold.
After coming into the year with big expectations, Arnold has fallen flat in his second season. While it’s enough to frustrate Lions fans, family members have decided to voice their concerns as Jameson Williams’s brother, Jaden, decided to take to Instagram (h/t @the_det_times) to criticize the embattled Lions cornerback.
“6 soo (EXPLICIT),” Jaden wrote in his Instagram story. “It’s getting ridiculous. (This EXPLICIT) every week bruh.”
Jameson Williams’s Brother Said What Every Lions Fan Was Thinking About Terrion Arnold
Arnold had a rough night, allowing three catches for 42 yards and a touchdown on five targets according to Pro Football Focus. The touchdown to Ravens wideout Rashod Bateman was one of the most frustrating plays of the night as Arnold stood near the back of the end zone while Bateman caught Lamar Jackson’s three-yard pass at the goal line to tie the game at 14-14 before halftime.
While Jaden Williams’ critique seems harsh, it’s probably nothing that’s not being said in the Lions’ locker room. The Lions' first-round pick has struggled in his first two seasons, allowing 74 catches for 1,028 yards, six touchdowns, and 10 pass breakups over his first 20 career games. While he’s looking for his first career interception, he has also committed 12 penalties, including one in Monday’s win over the Ravens.
On top of that, Arnold's 46.5 PFF coverage grade only ranks 127th-best among 158 eligible CBs this season.
With D.J. Reed on the opposite side, many Lions fans thought Arnold would break out; however, that just hasn’t happened. Instead, Arnold has become a liability on a defense that has allowed an average of 32 points over its first three games.
Allowing the Ravens to score 31 points, including a late garbage-time touchdown to Mark Andrews, isn’t anything to be concerned about. At the same time, the Lions' defense can't continue with the status quo, and many observers have identified Arnold as the weakest link.