A 1-1 record through two games is hardly enough to set off alarm bells, but after watching the Lions’ secondary get torched by Tyler Shough and the Saints in the opener and then struggle to get any stops against the Bills in Week 2, the concern level is growing.
Detroit was the projected favorite to win the NFC North before the season, and after two weeks, the Lions have been overtaken by the surprisingly 2-0 Minnesota Vikings.
Many expected a loss to the Bills in Week 2, so it’s not all that concerning to see that the Lions are 1-1 through two weeks, but it’s how the Lions lost that was a little eye-opening. They were dominated pretty much from the get-go, and while the Lions made a minor “comeback” in the second half and had the ball with a chance to go down by just three, they weren’t on the same level as their AFC counterpart.
That alone raises some concerns.
Dan Campbell is still confident in his team, but where should the panic meter actually be? On a scale of 1-10, it would probably have to sit somewhere in that 3-4 range simply because the defense cannot be taken seriously right now. If the Lions cruised in the opener after building a 21-0 lead and then fought hard but lost a close one at Buffalo, everyone would feel very different. However, the defense has been disappointing, to say the least.
Giving up 30 points to the Saints and then 41 to the Bills doesn’t exactly scream “contender,” nor is that a sustainable defense to run out all season. As it stands, the Lions are going to have to outscore everyone if they want to make the playoffs, and that’s going to wear Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Jahmyr Gibbs down before the postseason.
There won’t be any gas left in the tank if the offense has to carry Detroit to every win.
If the secondary had a pulse, the concern level would be at a big, fat “1” but because they can’t seem to figure opposing quarterbacks out or stay healthy, it’s going to be a 3-4.
The Lions desperately need to make a move
While the panic meter is still relatively low because it is just Week 3 and the Lions are 1-1 with a win over a Saints team that looks a lot better now after beating the Ravens on the road, a move is necessary in the secondary.
Brad Holmes restructured a couple of big-time contracts so that he could open up some cap space for trades or signings, and he needs to get that done sooner rather than later.
The team can't afford to regress any more defensively.
The big rumor recently was a trade with the Steelers for Joey Porter Jr., but that’s looking less likely by the day. There are also some free agents that the Lions could prioritize who would be immediate upgrades at the cornerback and/or safety positions, especially with Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph still out.
A move is necessary in the coming week or two if the panic meter is going to stay low. If the Lions don’t make a move and the secondary continues to struggle, it’ll rise above a “5” on the panic meter, which is officially danger territory.
Fortunately, Holmes and the Lions have the capability of limiting the panic and getting the team back to that Super Bowl conversation.
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