The trenches are where games are won and lost, and the Detroit Lions learned that lesson the hard way in their Week 1 defeat to the Green Bay Packers. The Lions’ defensive and offensive lines struggled mightily, setting the tone for a disappointing debut under new coordinators Kelvin Sheppard and John Morton.
The Packers carved up Detroit’s defense on their opening drive, marching down the field with ease. It was an inauspicious start for Sheppard, the Lions’ new defensive coordinator. While the run defense held firm, limiting Packers running back Josh Jacobs to three yards on four carries on the opening drive, the pass rush was nonexistent. Green Bay quickly exploited this weakness, finding the end zone with little resistance.
Sheppard’s questionable decisions compounded the issue. Notably, he dropped Aidan Hutchinson into pass coverage, leaving him exposed and resulting in a 15-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tucker Kraft. Marcus Davenport also dropped into coverage twice during the game, a puzzling choice that yielded no dividends. The Lions allowed two first downs and a touchdown on third-down completions during the first drive alone.
Detroit’s defense failed to record a single sack, joining only two other teams (excluding the Vikings and Bears, who played Monday night) with that poor distinction. The Lions managed just nine quarterback pressures, a sharp decline from last season’s average of over 20 per game, which ranked second in the NFL behind the Denver Broncos (23). The decision not to re-sign Za’Darius Smith reflected confidence in Davenport, but he posted a pitiful Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade of 53.5, the fourth-worst on the team. Veteran defensive tackle DJ Reader fared even worse, playing 77% of snaps without recording a stat and earning a PFF grade of 45.4, the second-lowest amongst all Lions
Much was expected of Aidan Hutchinson’s season debut, but he struggled against constant double teams. He finished without a tackle, recording just one quarterback hit and a forgettable performance. The lack of pass rush allowed Packers quarterback Jordan Love to shine, throwing two touchdown passes and posting a 128.6 passer rating.
The offensive line was equally disastrous. With All-Pro center Frank Ragnow and Pro Bowler Kevin Zeitler gone, the Lions started rookie Tate Ratledge and veteran Graham Glasgow at center. Glasgow, who lost his starting role to rookie Christian Mahogany late last season, continued to struggle, earning a team-low PFF grade of 43.2. Mahogany wasn’t much better, posting a 54.6. The Packers capitalized, sacking Lions quarterback Jared Goff four times, recording nine tackles for loss, and tallying nine quarterback hits.
Even All-Pro tackle Penei Sewell had an uncharacteristically poor performance. Facing Green Bay’s All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons, Sewell allowed one sack and two significant pressures, one resulting in a red-zone interception and another forcing a third-down incompletion. His Pro Football Focus grade of 54.6 tied for fifth-worst on the Lions. Although Sewell learned he would face Parsons only a week before kickoff, that’s little excuse for a player of his caliber.
The Lions were dominated in the trenches, raising concerns about Sheppard and Morton’s debuts. Detroit hosts Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears in their home opener this week. While it’s too early to panic, another lackluster performance could change that. The Lions handled the Bears twice last season, and a lack of preparation or growing pains from new coordinators may explain the Week 1 woes. Fans know what this team is capable of, and a strong rebound is expected.