Detroit Lions Offense Can Carry Team While Defense Adapts

With defense battling injuries, 'Lone Wolves' podcast explains why offense can carry team.

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) celebrates a touchdown against Chicago Bears with tight end Shane Zylstra (84). / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions have dealt with a number of injuries to their defense, which has forced them to dig deep into their depth chart as well as find solutions externally.

However, a unique perspective on this situation Detroit faces is that it now puts more pressure on the offense to score points. The Lions have been solid defensively, but the depth is waning and they've been forced to bring in four new faces in just one week.

As a result, the Lions' offense can make life much easier on the defense by playing at a high level.

"While the defense figures it out, and they’ve been playing well, you have to credit the defense for what they’ve done so far, this is a direct challenge to the Lions’ offense," this writer said. "The defense has, through 12 games, given you enough to win 11. The offense has been kind of up and down, they’ve hit a crescendo where they were able to score 50 points against bad teams."

As a result, the Lions will be tasked with continuing to score at a high level and put the pressure on the opposing defense, rather than their own.

"But now, if you’re Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, two great running backs, you’ve got to take it upon yourself and think, ‘Okay, this is our team. Let’s go out there, pedal to the metal, let’s execute. Let’s wash away the whiteboard and put up some great protections and plays and installs that are going to be successful in the red zone.’ This team should be led by their offense," this writer said. "It’s a bonus, in an offensive league, to get production with great safeties and sacks and pressures, Za’Darius Smith and Alim McNeill really stepping up. Bottom line, it’s an offensive league. So it’s up to this offense to step up.” 

The latest 'Lone Wolves' podcast explains new additions to the roster made as a result of injuries, levels of concern regarding Detroit's hopes for homefield advantage in the playoffs, a preview of the Lions' Thursday Night Football game against the Green Bay Packers and much more.

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