Film Review: Detroit Lions banged up defense does itself no favors with missed tackles and poor alignment

Film Review: Detroit Lions banged up defense does itself no favors with missed tackles and poor alignment in the loss to the Commanders

It’s no secret that the Detroit Lions loss to the Washington Commanders was shocking. Considering the way the Lions played for most of the season and getting home-field advantage in the playoffs, they seemed destined for a deep playoff run.

Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders had other plans.

Despite being a rookie quarterback on the road, Daniels shredded the Lions. He was calm, cool and collected under pressure. Despite facing a 36% pressure rate on his dropbacks, Daniels completed 77.8% of his passes under pressure.

One of the strengths of the Commanders offense against the Lions was getting rid of the football quickly. They found the weak spots in the Lions defense and exposed them with quick passes such as slants, hitches and designed screens. When the time was right, they would take deep shots downfield. Let’s dive into some tape to look at how the Lions defense picked the wrong time to play their worst football on the season.

 

Starting with the missed tackles, it was less than ideal to sit and watch this happen over and over again for the Lions defense. Especially since the Lions graded out as the top tackling defense in the NFL this season, per PFF. They earned a 71.7 overall grade this year.

Looking at the clip above, the Lions defense is on a key down and distance of 3rd and 14. If they get a stop, they get off the field and put the ball in the hands of their high-powered offense. However, that quickly changes when Brian Branch (DB #32) misses an open-field tackle.

If Branch would have made the initial tackle, it would have been a gain between 4-to-6 yards. Once he missed the tackle, an additional gain of 6 or 7 yards happened, and this set the Commanders up with a very manageable 4th and 1.

 

Staying on the discussion of missed tackles, we move ahead in the game. This time, the Commanders are faced with 2nd-and-10 on the Lions 25-yard line. The Commanders align in a twins left formation out of shotgun with their ’22’ personnel (two running backs and two tight ends).

Prior to the snap, Jayden Daniels puts running back Austin Ekeler into jet-motion. Faking the hand-off to Ekeler, Daniels looks downfield but notices that the deep routes are covered quickly. With that, he checks the ball down to Ekeler.

Despite catching the ball before the line-of-scrimmage, Ekeler is still able to turn this into a much bigger gain than it should have been. Much of that is due to a missed tackle from Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold. As you can see, Arnold gets hit with a juke move and six yards were gained after the catch.

If Arnold made the tackle, it would have set up 3rd-and-10, but instead, this became a very manageable 3rd down for the Commanders. Essentially, it became two-down territory for them because they were more than willing to go for it on 4th down.

 

Moving on from the missed tackles, let’s take a look at the poor alignments from the Lions defense. There was not a worse alignment than the play above from the Lions this season. Looking at that play, the Commanders come out with a trips bunch formation to the left of the ball.

With 8 defenders in the box, it’s clear that the Lions are worried about stopping the run. Which, in most cases, would make sense if the quarterback couldn’t throw or didn’t make adjustments prior to the snap. However, Jayden Daniels has shown that he could throw and make those adjustments all season.

Against the bunch formation, the Lions essentially have one defender there (poor Kindle Vildor). Coming down late was safety Ifeatu Melifonwu, but the Lions were still outnumbered (3×2), and it’s a tough task for safety Kerby Joseph to pursue from the middle of the field. You can see that after the catch.

Once the ball is snapped, you can see disaster was set to happen for the Lions defense. Daniels fired this pass to wide receiver Terry McLaurin on a designed screen. With both perimeter defenders getting blocked, he was able to slip between them and from there, he was off to the races. This led to a 58-yard touchdown that was scored in one minute and 21 seconds. The Lions went from having a 14-10 lead to being down 17-14 in the snap of a finger.

Overall, it’s all very confusing from the Lions defense. Everyone is destined to have an off day, but this was the worst time of the season to have that off day. It looked like the Lions weren’t prepared for any type of no-huddle or high-tempo style of play from the Commanders. They were constantly caught off guard and with the amount of injuries sustained on the defense, the Lions were substituting on almost every play.

While it kept guys fresh and put certain defenders on the field for certain types of plays, the Lions were still lost coming out of their defensive huddle. It shows with the missed tackles and the missed alignments from their defense. Certainly, their offense did them no favors by turning the football over five times (one for a touchdown) but their defense allowed 481 total yards.

Additionally, they never sacked Daniels and they allowed the Commanders to go 4-for-4 in the red zone. Prior to halftime, the Commanders offense scored 14 points on two offensive drives in 3 minutes and 36 seconds…combined.

That just can’t happen, especially for a team that entered the playoffs as Super Bowl favorites. The regular season was great to watch. There’s certainly talent on this Lions team, including their defense. They just picked a bad day to have a bad day.

Lions postgame injury report after season-ending loss to Commanders

Lions postgame injury report after season-ending loss to Commanders, with updates on Amik Robertson, Penei Sewell and more

Defensive injuries were a major issue for the Lions this season. Unfortunately, that bad luck continued in the playoff game vs the Commanders.

An early injury to Amik Robertson hurt a secondary that was already missing Carlton Davis. Later on, the loss of Ifeatu Melifonwu forced the Lions deep into the LB depth chart possibly directly contributing to a self-immolating 12-men-on-the-field penalty.

Fortunately, none of these injuries should impact next season.

Here are the injuries I saw during the game along with suspected diagnoses:


Jared Goff – concussion evaluation, 2q 5:19

Goff took a hard blow to his facemask during the pick-6. The helmet shake appeared to absorb much of the force, and his head fortunately did not whiplash into the ground.

There were no obvious signs of concussion on video such as loss of consciousness, ataxia, or dazed appearance. He presumably passed the concussion check on the sideline and returned to the game after missing a few plays.


Penei Sewell – left knee, 2q 7:44

Sewell gets bent over on a flexed knee. He finished the game wearing a left knee brace. Hopefully, this is just a mild patella or quad tendon strain, and there is no joint involvement like cartilage damage.

Assume he’ll get an MRI and hope for no surprises.


Amik Robertson – left humerus fracture, 1q 13:10

A direct blow to the left upper arm resulted in a visible deformity. He was sent to the hospital and has already had surgery for the humerus fracture. The mechanism here was very similar to Alex Anzalone’s fractured forearm where the arm took a direct blow from a teammate and was trapped.

Hopefully, this is an isolated mid-shaft bone fracture that does not involve the elbow or shoulder joint. If there is joint damage, that would prolong recovery.

An early report by Tom Pelissero states that he likely will be ready for OTA’s which hopefully implies no complications such as neurovascular damage or joint damage. He is signed with the Lions through next season.


Ifeatu Melifonwu – right hamstring strain, 3q 6:38

Melifonwu pulled up and reached briefly for the hamstring. He stayed in for another play before leaving the game for good.

He should be ready for OTA’s but likely not with the Lions as he is an unrestricted free agent.


Brian Branch – calf cramps, 3q 5:59 & 1:53

Branch missed a play as he was getting his calf leggings cut off. He appeared to be getting his right calf stretched by a trainer later in the quarter. Likely this was just simple cramps as he finished the game looking fine.

Of note, there have been visible signs at many points during the second half of the year that there may be a chronic/recurrent right leg injury. He was officially listed with a calf injury after week 15.


Jack Campbell – hit to head, 4q 8:18

Campbell took a hard hit to the right side of his head during a tackle. He was down very briefly and appeared to bounce up quickly. He stayed in the game and seemed to be fine. A stinger or concussion are possible. Hope for no delayed concussion symptoms.

Lions safety Brian Branch put up season stat line not seen by a DB this century

No safety this century has ever had a season as diversely prolific as Branch did in 2024

Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch formed an instant connection with fans as a rookie last season in his first game with a pick-six of Patrick Mahomes in the season-opener.
This season, Branch has been a pivotal part of a broken-down defense that managed to pick up the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
According to The 33rd Team, he’s had a historic season for any defensive back, becoming the first DB this century to tally more than 100 tackles, 15 pass breakups, and five tackles for loss.


Branch ranked 17th among safeties ranked by Pro Football Focus this season, but first in run defense and second in pass defense. He was selected for the Pro Bowl, but didn’t make the cut for this year’s All-Pro team.

Branch will be pivotal Saturday night in the team’s Divisional Round matchup with the Washington Commanders. He’ll be one of defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn’s best weapons against rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels’s balanced attack.

Breaking down how the Lions fared in AP’s All-Pro voting

Breaking down how the Lions fared in AP’s All-Pro voting, which saw 13 different Lions get at least one vote

The Lions ended up being well-represented on this season’s Associated Press All Pro teams. Four Lions were named to the First Team, including wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, right tackle Penei Sewell, safety Kerby Joseph and punter Jack Fox.

Plenty more Lions either made the Second Team or at least received some votes towards All Pro. We’ll take a look here at how all the Lions that received votes fared. The full voting results can be found here.

Starting at wide receiver, St. Brown was one of the three wide receivers to make the First Team, along with Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson. St. Brown received 40 out of 50 first-place votes and totaled 130 points. First-place votes received three points with second-place votes worth one point. Fellow wide receiver Jameson Williams also received one second-place vote.

Frank Ragnow was named Second Team All Pro at center. Chiefs center Creed Humphrey was selected to the First Team. Ragnow received four first-place votes and 35 total votes. Humphrey ran away with the vote, getting 44 first-place votes.

Kevin Zeitler finished fourth among right guards with 26 points (six first-place votes). Broncos guard Quinn Meinerz was named to the First Team with 74 points and 22 first-place votes and Falcons guard Chris Lindstrom was named to the Second Team with 60 points and 15 first-place votes.

Sewell is the First Team right tackle after scoring 119 points and 35 first-place votes, beating out Philadelphia’s Lane Johnson, who landed on the Second Team with 76 points and 15 first-place votes.

Despite only playing five games this season, Aidan Hutchinson received one second-place vote at edge rusher. Hutchinson was dominant in those five games, recording 7.5 sacks, including 4.5 in Week 2 against the Buccaneers. Myles Garrett (Browns) and Trey Hendrickson (Bengals) were named to the First Team with T.J. Watt (Steelers), Nik Bonitto (Broncos) and Andrew Van Ginkel (Vikings) on the Second Team. Bonitto and Van Ginkel finished tied with 18 points, so they both were named to the Second Team with Watt.

Two linebackers earned votes. Jack Campbell scored 16 points and earned two first-place votes. Alex Anzalone, despite missing most of the second half of the season, also garnered a second-place vote. Zack Baun (Eagles), Fred Warner (49ers) and Roquan Smith (Ravens) earned First-Team honors, while the Second Team linebackers are Frankie Luvu (Commanders), Bobby Wagner (Commanders) and Zaire Franklin (Colts).

Joseph led all safeties with 120 points and 37 first-place votes to land on the First Team with Packers safety Xavier McKinney. Kyle Hamilton (Ravens) and Budda Baker (Cardinals) were named to the second team. Brian Branch ended up the first safety out, finishing fifth among the position with 19 points. Baker had 38 points and seven first-place votes, for reference.

Fox just beat out Jaguars punter Logan Cooke for the First Team honors at punter. Both received 15 first-place votes, so it came down to second-place votes. Fox received 17 to Cooke’s 13.

Kalif Raymond, even with missing time due to injury, landed on the Second Team at kick returner, scoring 60 points and 11 first-place votes. Marvin Mims Jr. of Denver earned First-Team honors with 114 points and 35 first-place votes.

Last but not least, Hogan Hatten earned a second-place vote at the long snapper position. Not bad for an undrafted rookie!

Lions postgame medical report after victory over Vikings and securing the No. 1 seed

Lions postgame medical report after victory over Vikings and securing the No. 1 seed

The Lions secured the #1 seed along with the valuable bye but it wasn’t without some injury concerns.

Potential losses for next game:

  • Terrion Arnold
  • Pat O’Connor
  • Kevin Zeitler

Potential additions for next game:

  • David Montgomery
  • Ennis Rakestraw (unlikely)

Here are the injuries I saw in the Vikings game on my initial watch along with suspected diagnoses:


Jahmyr Gibbs – wind, 2q 13:50

Gibbs took a hard shot to abdomen. After being hunched over for a few seconds, he popped up quickly. He left the game briefly but returned in the next drive. There is a good chance he just had the wind knocked out. No issues the rest of the game and no concerns going forward.


Brian Branch – hit to head, 2q 12:33

Branch took a jarring hit to his helmet which put him at risk for a concussion. He got up afterwards shaking his head which was concerning, but there were no other signs of concussion on video (loss of consciousness, ataxia, dazed). He finished the game without issue.

Delayed concussion symptoms are possible but unlikely, and he should be fine for next game. Even if he had a concussion, he’d likely be available in two weeks for the next game.


Pat O’Connor – calf strain, 3q 12:06

This injury may have occurred off-screen as nothing was obvious on video. Officially he is listed with a calf which likely means a calf strain. He did not return to the game. His return will depend on severity.


Terrion Arnold – right foot sprain, 3q 11:35

This injury was interesting because there were confusing signs at first. He initially reached for the left ankle area. Video did show a left ankle external rotation which could have caused a high ankle sprain. However, the official report was a foot. Here is the video focusing on the left ankle/foot.

Subsequently, there was was video of him carted off nursing his right foot as well as a sideline report by Melissa Stark that it was indeed a right-sided injury.

A re-look at the video showed that the right foot landed hard, and then his teammate’s leg landed on the heel which crunched and twisted his foot.

A toe hyperextension (turf toe) is a possibility, but more likely, this is a foot sprain.

X-rays after the game were reported by Dan Campbell to be negative. This is reassuring but doesn’t rule out a subtle, occult fracture, so he’ll likely have further imaging today.

He was seen in a boot in the locker room which is used to avoid further aggravation and does not necessarily signify something serious.

In many locker room videos, Arnold was in great spirits which along with the negative X-ray are reassuring early signs. It’s possible he could be available next game.


Levi Onwuzurike – right ankle, 4q 11:50.

The injury may have occurred off-screen as the video didn’t show anything. He appeared to be reaching for his right ankle which was already heavily wrapped. I looked back and the ankle wrap was not present on the first drive of the game, but showed up on the second drive. I didn’t see any obvious ankle injury on video during that first drive.

He also was wearing a right knee brace all game but looking back over the season, this was present last game as well as in the first game of the season.

He finished the game so hopefully this means the injury is mild.


Kevin Zeitler – right hamstring strain, 4q 3:52

Zeitler pulled up reaching for his right hamstring. He had a heavy limp on the sideline and did not return to the game although there were only a few garbage time plays left. He’ll likely get an MRI and his return will depend on severity.


NOTABLES

Alex Anzalone played 98% of snaps and looked good. Lions typically don’t ease their players back and this was no exception.

Emmanuel Moseley on Saturday before the game was placed on the NFI (non-football injury) list. He had been out with an illness all week. This likely ends his season that was sabotaged by a pec rupture in training camp. He appeared in only 2 games.

Detroit Lions defense shines when it matters most against the Vikings

Detroit Lions defense shines when it matters most against the Minnesota Vikings in big Week 18 win

Saying there was doubt with the Detroit Lions defense going into their regular season finale against the Minnesota Vikings would be an understatement. There was a lot of love for the Vikings to come into Detroit, put up points and win this game.

Rightfully, so.

The Vikings were red hot on offense and the Detroit Lions defense allowed 30+ points going in three of their last four games. However, they brought back linebacker Alex Anzalone for this game against the Vikings. With his return, it felt like his presence just changed the way the Lions defense was going to play on Sunday night.

Fortunately, it showed on the field too. Anzalone led the Lions defense with 7 total tackles, one pass deflection and a quarterback hit. Adding to that, we saw impressive sacks from Al-Quadin Muhammad and Za’Darius Smith. Both sacks put the Vikings in long down and distances and ultimately, it contributed to them having to punt.

 

The Lions blitzed Darnold 55.6% of the time on Sunday night. With that, they generated pressured on 48.9% of his dropbacks, per Next Gen Stats. This contributed to the Vikings quarterback going 18-of-41 for 166 yards. Additionally, the Vikings went 0-for-4 in the red zone and Darnold went 2-of-11 for 8 yards in the red zone.

The 43.9% completion percentage for Darnold was his lowest of the season. In his first game against the Lions this season, he completed 81.5% of his passes. Playing a huge part in shutting down the Vikings passing attack was Lions cornerback Amik Robertson.

 

Robertson matched up against one of the best receivers in the league, Justin Jefferson, a total of 15 times. While being targeted 5 times, Jefferson only recorded two receptions for 37 yards against Robertson. The Lions defender finished with five tackles, pass deflection and a game ball from NBC and from Dan Campbell after the game.

In total, the Vikings only gained 262 total yards on offense and 58 of those yards came late in the game after a long run from running back Cam Akers. On 3rd down, the Lions defense forced the Vikings to go 3-for-13 and 0-for-3 on 4th down.

Moving forward, the Lions get a much needed bye week after winning the NFC North and earning the first seed in the NFC. As they await for the results of Wild Card weekend in the NFL, one thing is for sure, the Detroit Lions defense shined when the team needed it most.

3 Lions players fined for plays in the Week 17 win over the 49ers

3 Lions players fined for plays in the Week 17 win over the 49ers, including two from the same play

The Week 17 win over the San Francisco 49ers hit a few Detroit Lions players hard in the pocketbook. Three Lions earned fines from the NFL for actions in Monday night’s game.

All three are in Detroit’s secondary.

Safety Brian Branch got fined by the league a total of $10,128 for unnecessary roughness (use of helmet).

Safety Kerby Joseph is $7,505 poorer after his fine for unnecessary roughness. He pushed 49ers wideout Jauan Jennings into the crowd after a kerfuffle involving Jennings and Lions CB Terrion Arnold. For his actions in the play, Arnold was levied a fine of $11,817. Jennings was fined the same amount as Arnold.

Seven Lions named to 2025 Pro Bowl roster

Seven Lions named to 2025 Pro Bowl roster, more than any other NFC team

The Detroit Lions are well-represented on this year’s Pro Bowl roster in Orlando, Florida. Seven players were named to the roster, which was announced Thursday morning. Only the Baltimore Ravens (9) had more players selected.

The list starts at the top with quarterback Jared Goff, who was also named the starting quarterback for the NFC. Goff will be joined by Jayden Daniels (Commanders) Sam Darnold (Vikings) on the roster.

Goff is now a four-time Pro Bowl selection, having also gone following the 2017, 2018 and 2022 seasons. It’s his second Pro Bowl selection in three seasons in Detroit. Goff is second in the NFL with 4,398 yards and fourth in the league with 36 passing touchdowns.

Jahmyr Gibbs is now 2-for-2 in reaching the Pro Bowl. Gibbs has 1,759 scrimmage yards and 16 total touchdowns this season. Philadelphia’s Saquon Barkley will be the starting running back and Green Bay’s Josh Jacobs will also be on the roster.

Amon-Ra St. Brown will be one of the two starting wide receivers for the NFC, along with Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson. This is the third Pro Bowl selection for the Sun God, who is fourth in the NFL with 1,186 yards and is tied for second with 12 receiving touchdowns. The other player with 12 touchdowns, Terry McLaurin of the Commanders, is also on the roster as is Dallas’ CeeDee Lamb.

The offensive line had a lot of love in fan voting, but only two are on the initial roster. Offensive tackle Penei Sewell and center Frank Ragnow are not only on the roster, but were named starters up front. It’s the third selection for Sewell and the fourth for Ragnow. Lane Johnson will start along with Sewell at offensive tackle. The starting guards are Landon Dickerson (Eagles) and Tyron Smith (Cowboys).

On defense, the Lions have one selection and it is not Kerby Joseph. It is fellow safety Brian Branch, who is going to the Pro Bowl for the first time. Branch has 103 tackles, four interceptions, 15 passes defended, one sack and a forced fumble. Budda Baker gets the start at strong safety for the NFC.

Only one free safety was selected, which squeezed Joseph out. That spot went to Green Bay’s Xavier McKinney.

The last Pro Bowler, at least for now, for the Lions is punter Jack Fox. Fox is second in the NFL with a 51.0 punting average. Perhaps more importantly, he leads the league with a 46.3 net average. He’s the only punter with a net average above 45.

As a reminder, while these players were named to the Pro Bowl, their goal is to reach the Super Bowl. Players that reach the Super Bowl end up not playing in the Pro Bowl, as they’ll be preparing and traveling for the big game. Being selected to the Pro Bowl is certainly an honor, but the Lions ultimately want to end up in New Orleans, not Orlando.

Lions postgame medical report following the second meeting with the Bears

Lions postgame medical report following the Week 16 meeting with the Bears is mercifully shorter than most weeks

On Sunday, Santa delivered an early Christmas present to OnePride nation in the form of a healthy game and an Eagles loss. Unfortunately, the Grinch stole away the Seahawks potential win over the Vikings. Regardless, the Lions are in better shape for the #1 seed today with the Eagles mostly out of the way.

I didn’t see any injuries, or even any potential injuries, during the Bears game so this will be a very positive post. Before I get to the Lions good news, here’s an update on the Bears LT Braxton Jones who was carted off in a vacuum splint.


Braxton Jones – left leg fracture

Video was concerning for a tibia/fibula fracture similar to Aidan Hutchinson and Khalil Dorsey, or a severe high ankle sprain with fibula fracture similar to James Houston.

Early reports by @RapSheet suggest only a fibula fracture, and he should be ready for next season.


Christian Mahogany

This 6th-round rookie missed all of training camp and the first half of the season due to mono. There were questions whether he would be physically and mentally ready to contribute this season. Those questions were laid to rest as he made a brief, 3-snap appearance two weeks ago and then started his first NFL game at LG yesterday. He played 100% of snaps, performed well, and has already outpaced expectations for this year.

With the health status of Graham Glasgow (knee) currently in question, Mahogany’s emergence is already paying dividends this year. With Kevin Zeitler an unrestricted free agent this offseason, dividends likely will be paid next year as well. Having a late-round rookie contract starting on the offensive line would help out the Lions salary cap significantly.

Mahogany was wearing a right knee brace throughout the game yesterday. He wore the same brace two weeks ago in his brief stint, so the brace may be precautionary. He has a history of a right knee ACL tear in 2022.


Ifeatu Melifonwu

Melifonwu had missed all of this year with ankle and hand injuries. He made his first appearance this year logging 80% of snaps and registering a sack. Multiple times he was sent on blitzes, and his productiveness in that role will be a key factor for the Lions going forward given their depleted defensive line.


Brian Branch

Branch entered the game questionable with a calf. This is presumably a calf strain which can easily get aggravated. He played 100% of defensive snaps without obvious aggravation which is great news going forward.

Here is video from the previous game vs the Bills.


Josh Paschal

Paschal is still wearing a right knee brace after hurting that knee in the first meeting vs the Bears three weeks ago. He looked fine throughout the game playing 70% of snaps which is in his normal range.

Here is the video of his knee injury from three weeks ago:


Emmanuel Moseley

Recovered from an August pec rupture, Moseley logged 14 special teams snaps vs the Bears in his second appearance of the season. In his only other appearance, he had 15 special teams snaps vs the Colts a few weeks ago. He has yet to play a defensive snap this year.

The Lions secondary stayed healthy throughout the Bears game so there may simply have been no snaps available for backups. Kindle Vildor, who has been the primary CB backup, also had no defensive snaps.

Moseley still may see an important role in the secondary this season with Carlton Davis (jaw fracture) and Khalil Dorsey (ankle fracture) out.

Lions inactive players vs Bears: Brian Branch will play, Graham Glasgow out

Lions inactive players vs Bears: Brian Branch will play but Graham Glasgow is among those who are inactive

Winter’s arrival sees the Detroit Lions blowing into the Windy City with a division title on their minds. The Lions face the Chicago Bears in Week 16 at 1 p.m., and Detroit faced the weekly challenge of figuring out which players on the active roster won’t play in Soldier Field.

The Lions had already ruled out two players due to injuries. Running back David Montgomery and linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin will not play, as expected. Reeves-Maybin technically still remains on the injured reserve, so he’s not a designated inactive for this game.

Three players were listed as questionable. Safeties Brian Branch and Ifeatu Melifonwu will both play against the Bears, with Melifonwu making his 2024 season debut after two separate stints on the I.R.

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The full inactive list:

RB David Montgomery
OL Graham Glasgow
OL Giovanni Manu
DL Brodric Martin
DL Jonah Williams
OL Colby Sorsdal
LB Kwon Alexander

It’s a demotion for Alexander after playing extensively the last two games.