Pride of Detroit
The Detroit Lions are back at home in Week 2, hosting their division rival Chicago Bears. After a loss in Week 1, the Lions will be looking to rebound against Ben Johnson’s team, and to do that, they’ll need to follow the keys to victory laid out in this week’s Honolulu Blueprint.
“I just want to get better from last week. I want to get significantly better from last week,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said on where he’s looking for the team to improve. “I want to cut our MAs (missed assignments) in half, I want to be much more efficient and productive, and find a way to get some takeaways, protect the football, and then we’ll go from there and get better the next week. That’s really what I’m looking for.”
For a detailed look at the opposing scheme, make sure you check out our complementary breakdown piece: Lions Week 2 Preview: Breaking down Bears’ offensive and defensive schemes.
The Lions’ rushing attack in Week 1 was a disappointment. They averaged 2.1 yards per carry (30th in the NFL), with a 31.8% success rate (28th). The Lions rely heavily on the run game to set up their offense, and when the output is so minimal, the rest of their offensive game plan becomes difficult to manage.
“We’re not in panic mode. But, 2.1, that isn’t going to cut it,” Lions offensive coordinator John Morton said on Thursday. “That isn’t going to cut it; that should never happen.“
The Lions plan to reassert themselves in the run game in Week 2, aiming to get their offense back on track, and the Chicago Bears’ defense could help them achieve that.
Last week against the Vikings, the Bears allowed 4.6 yards per carry (22nd), giving up 120 rushing yards in the game. Several factors contributed to the Vikings’ success against the Bears, and the Lions will hope to similarly capitalize on an opportunity.
The Bears keep a light box (53.8%, ninth-highest rate in Week 1), relying on their front four and two linebackers to get the job done. For the most part, the main six held their own, but eventually, they wore down as the game progressed, and in the fourth quarter, the Vikings registered 82 of their 120 rushing yards. Additionally, the lighter boxes and wearing down led to the Vikings getting more push up front, and in turn, the Bears allowed 2.45 rushing yards before contact per attempt (fifth most). Lastly, the extra push opened up rushing lanes for the Vikings, and if they managed to get past the first wave of defenders, there was open space to run; they gave up four rushing plays of 10+ yards in Week 1.
One of the major flaws in the Lions’ lack of offensive success was their inability to effectively communicate. Far too often, the Lions would check into a secondary play call,...
