The Detroit Lions are on their first three-game win streak since 2017, and much of their long-awaited (if so far brief) success can be attributed to … their defense?
That's right. The 32nd-ranked defense in the league has stepped up in recent weeks to finally catch up to its offense and bring some win to the Fightin' Dan Campbells.
Detroit got a 15-9 win against the Packers in Week 9, battled the Bears to a 31-30 victory the next week and then beat the Giants 31-18 on Sunday. Holding two out of three opponents to less than 20 points in games hadn't happened for the Lions since last November.
After a tumultuous start to the season where the offense scored more points than anyone else while the defense gave up more points than anyone else, Detroit's D has found its level. The unit is 14th in defensive expected points added over the past three weeks, and no team has more takeaways (seven) than the Lions over the past three games.
I'm told part of the reason for the turnaround was a shift in mentality from the young defensive players. Essentially, the young guys stepped up and said "we're tired of losing" and showed a greater buy-in to the system.
Second-year defensive tackle Alim McNeill had arguably the best game of his young career last week against the Giants. Rookie third-round safety Kerby Joseph was supposed to be raised in the system behind veteran Tracy Walker, but Joseph was thrust into regular action after Walker tore his Achilles three games into the season.
And perhaps no one has stood out more than second overall pick Aidan Hutchinson. Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who came from New Orleans to Detroit two years ago, had Hutchinson watch more tape of Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan on how to best operate in the system, both with rushing the passer and setting the edge. The Lions have had Hutchinson use a two-point stance more regularly, too. The results have been Hutchinson with the best three-game stretch of his young career: one sack, two interceptions, one fumble recovery and an NFC Defensive Player of the Week award.
A win today against the Bills and the Lions will have gone undefeated in the month of November for the first time since 1962.
