Evaluating Lions' 3 Best Defensive Games in 2021

Read more on the Detroit Lions' three best defensive games from the 2021 season.

As the old saying goes, “Defense wins championships." 

Although Detroit suffered a 3-13-1 record a season ago and had a defense that was far from good enough, there were bright spots that emerged that displayed the team’s resolve. 

Despite surrendering the second-most yards in the NFL (6,456), there were still highlights to hold on to.

What were the Lions’ three best defensive performances, plus the games in which they gave up the least amount of points?

Detroit's best defensive game came against the Arizona Cardinals -- a team that made the playoffs in 2021. 

1.) Lions 30, Cardinals 12

Date: December 19, 2021

Venue: Ford Field

Quarterback Kyler Murray and the 10-3 Cardinals came into this game red hot, as Murray had thrown for 383 yards the week prior.

Detroit wasn’t having it.

My first impression: The Lions set the tone from the beginning.

On Arizona’s first play, Murray attempted to use his wheels to test the perimeter of Detroit’s defense.

The result was no gain.

Detroit dug its heels in on Arizona’s first two offensive series, which resulted in two three-and-outs. Detroit EDGE Charles Harris put an end to both drives with huge sacks on two third-down plays. 

The Lions yielded some yardage toward the end of the first half, but the defense clamped down in the red zone on a critical fourth and goal and stopped the Cardinals.

Detroit added another touchdown, and took a commanding, 17-0, lead into halftime.

Bending, but not breaking was the storyline in this one. 

Defenders continued making the pocket uncomfortable for Murray, and the unit did a rock solid job tackling. Even when the first man missed, another defender filled in and made the stop.

2.) Browns 13, Lions 10

Date: November 21, 2021

Venue: FirstEnergy Stadium

Detroit’s defense did not come out with quite the same roar, as Cleveland was able to move the ball some on its first offensive drive.

However, once again, the Lions' defense bent, but it didn’t necessarily break.

The Lions did their best to make the pocket uncomfortable, and they made Cleveland work for their first touchdown. They forced the Browns to put together an elongated drive that ended with receiver Jarvis Landry scampering into the end zone. It put Cleveland up, 7-0, at the start of the second quarter.

The next couple of series, Detroit made Cleveland work for it again, and that developed into the storyline of this game.

The Browns managed to take a 13-0 lead into the half, but that’s all the points the Lions’ defense would yield. 

Detroit gave up one big play on a 37-yard pass play, and it kept Cleveland running back Nick Chubb from breaking a big one.

If anything, the defense ran out of gas at the end of the game, as Cleveland kept chipping away on the ground. 

3.) Lions 16, Steelers 16 (OT)

Date: November 14, 2021

Venue: Heinz Field

This was a good, old-fashioned slugfest.

Despite surrendering a touchdown on the opening drive, the Lions’ defense forced the Steelers to earn it with a long, sustained drive.

There was no backdown in Detroit, either. Even though it trailed 7-0, it shut down Pittsburgh the next two drives, first on a three-and-out and then on an interception by Julian Okwara.

Detroit scored a touchdown, but Pittsburgh responded with another long drive to go up, 10-7. Detroit then answered, knotting the game, 10-10, at the half.

The Lions came out in the second half, and went up, 16-10, before the Steelers had another long drive that made it 16-13.

Pittsburgh evened it at 16-16, when Detroit clamped down again and kept the Mason Rudolph-led Steelers out of the end zone.

Despite the game ending in a tie, this was the defense’s “finest moment” of 2021.

It held the Steelers from scoring during the remainder of regulation and in overtime.

With time winding down and with the Steelers inching towards what might have been the game-winning field goal, Will Harris delivered a jarring tackle that caused a fumble that Detroit recovered.

Now, you may ask: Are there any takeaways from these three games?

Yes, the big one is that the Lions made these three opponents work for everything. Detroit did a good job of limiting the big play.

The tackling and effort was there. In fact, it was the best concerted effort and tackling I’ve seen out of this team in the last two years.

The defense actually looked like it wanted to win.