Allen Park — In the NFL, there’s no room for complaining after a win, no matter how ugly. And there definitely shouldn’t be grumbling after a 30-point victory over a division rival who happens to be coached by your former offensive coordinator.
However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t things to correct, and the tape from the Detroit Lions’ defensive performance from Sunday’s 52-21 victory over the Chicago Bears reveals plenty for defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard to address heading into the team’s Week 3 showdown with the Baltimore Ravens.
Let’s explore.
Trio of touchdowns
Drive one
We’re going to start with Chicago’s three touchdown drives, beginning with an eight-play, 79-yard march they went on the first time they possessed the ball.
After a couple of short gains, the Lions had the visitors in third-and-4, looking to force a quick punt. Instead, inattention to slot receiver Olamide Zaccheaus’ sit-down route in between two defenders hyper-focused on the scramble threat of Caleb Williams allowed for the easy conversion.
Chicago committed a false start ahead of the next play — one of several pre-snap penalties — but running back D’Andre Swift erased the miscue with a 20-yard carry.
On the handoff, undersized defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo got driven back by a double-team. That pushback, combined with a motioning tight end moving Derrick Barnes pre-snap, put linebacker Alex Anzalone in conflict, compelling him to fill the outside run gap. Once he did, Swift shot through the unoccupied hole for the big gain.
The Bears got another chunk gain on the ensuing snap when receiver D.J. Moore beat cornerback Terrion Arnold’s man coverage on a dig route for 18 yards.
Arnold had a rough day in coverage. I’ll come back to those struggles later.