Yes, and he's not big enough to be consistently effective off the edge. He has some juice as a blitzer, and is much improved in that regard, but that's not a source of consistent pressure.
Excellent article. The time to pressure stat is absolutely huge. It seems like Detroit's preference for "edge setting", bigger, physical players might be a mistake. Getting to the QB faster is the better way to operate in today's game. I love Jack Campbell, but a speed injection at edge and outside linebacker seems like it needs to be a priority in '26.
It’s crazy that we don’t have a true strength on this team and have handed out 100’s of million dollars in contracts for this type of production. It’s like Mickey telling Rocky, “you know the problem with you is you got civilized”.
Obviously team thought Davenport would be contributing more to the pass rush than he has. Feels like they were putting a lot of faith in him because otherwise where did they expect the pass rush to come from? Muhammad has come back to his baseline and the rest of the d line just dont get after the QB. Its disappointing.
Strengths are passing and rushing attack on offense and linebackers on defense.
Injuries, immobile QB, and bad/injured OL is limiting those strengths. Still, if the Lions had a fearsome pass rush it would fix a lot of things on offense an defense.
I don't know...look at the Vikes who use one of craziest blitzing schemes around. However, it doesn't seem to be saving them lately. In comparison with Goff, so many other QBs are more mobile. Not so much about running but scooting up into or outside the pocket. It's strange as opponents seems to be effectively blocking the D-line but our O-line is having difficulty doing the same. Is it caliber of player or scheme or game plan?
It is a little bit worrisome to hear the head coach say, again, how close we are. I was ok with it after the Eagles game, but this is a production business. Happy to hear Kelvin, at least, verbalize that. Hoping that D comes out playing for their jobs on Thursday.
Great article and confirms what we all knew entering the season: our pass rush was going to be inadequate.
Which was why it was so infuriating for so many that DC and BH were so nonchalant about it, and the meme-heavy rebuttal of the (now infamous) "we're good."
I don't see Hutch dropping into coverage anymore. Maybe I'm missing it. Obviously these guys aren't getting pressure straight up. Hutch isn't beating double teams and nobody has been picking up the slack. They need to scheme up some pressure. Drop Hutch and blitz a safety or corner?
It's not just speed. There aren't all that many whiffs against good competition. A word used for James Houston before his broken leg was "bendy." Can you be fast and balanced even when bent over low, squirming through a gap, or leaning away from the block? Like a running back's moves, those gifts can't really be developed. You're born with them or you don't have them.
Detroit's get-off is middle of the pack. Campbell, Anzalone, Barnes, Hutchinson and McNeill are all plus athletes. Williams is, for his size, but not a pass-rushing type. Neither are Reader and Lopez. Muhammad has an average initial burst/acceleration.
Thanks for the reply. I always thought they were better suited for a 3-4 but maybe not. May I ask where your evaluation is from, are these in game evaluations based on a time or other matrix or draft analysis?
They've mixed and matched 4-3 and 3-4 principles. Certainly, some of the interior players have two-gapped, freeing up the LBs to make run stops. It's not a coincidence that Jack Campbell leads the entire NFL in solo run stops. But in terms of edge rushers, they don't have a 3-4 speed OLB. Barnes comes down to the line for a healthy percentage of snaps, but he's just not that guy.
Hutchinson is very good, but the league's economic model means you have to pay him like he's great or someone else will. I'd like to see him get stronger, but until the Lions add another force on the DLine it's like a one-armed man rowing a boat. Opponents are free to rotate away from him, or rotate extra personnel toward him.
Thank you, I said no pass rush will be our demise all year, and it is
What a bunch of nothing -- just coachspeak.
Perfect article! What a great marriage of writing and content. Well done!
This is all John Morton’s fault. 🙃
Are we using Barnes to rush the passer at all? If I remember correctly it was something he was good at in 2023 and at Purdue?
Yes, and he's not big enough to be consistently effective off the edge. He has some juice as a blitzer, and is much improved in that regard, but that's not a source of consistent pressure.
Excellent article. The time to pressure stat is absolutely huge. It seems like Detroit's preference for "edge setting", bigger, physical players might be a mistake. Getting to the QB faster is the better way to operate in today's game. I love Jack Campbell, but a speed injection at edge and outside linebacker seems like it needs to be a priority in '26.
It’s crazy that we don’t have a true strength on this team and have handed out 100’s of million dollars in contracts for this type of production. It’s like Mickey telling Rocky, “you know the problem with you is you got civilized”.
Obviously team thought Davenport would be contributing more to the pass rush than he has. Feels like they were putting a lot of faith in him because otherwise where did they expect the pass rush to come from? Muhammad has come back to his baseline and the rest of the d line just dont get after the QB. Its disappointing.
Strengths are passing and rushing attack on offense and linebackers on defense.
Injuries, immobile QB, and bad/injured OL is limiting those strengths. Still, if the Lions had a fearsome pass rush it would fix a lot of things on offense an defense.
I don't know...look at the Vikes who use one of craziest blitzing schemes around. However, it doesn't seem to be saving them lately. In comparison with Goff, so many other QBs are more mobile. Not so much about running but scooting up into or outside the pocket. It's strange as opponents seems to be effectively blocking the D-line but our O-line is having difficulty doing the same. Is it caliber of player or scheme or game plan?
It is a little bit worrisome to hear the head coach say, again, how close we are. I was ok with it after the Eagles game, but this is a production business. Happy to hear Kelvin, at least, verbalize that. Hoping that D comes out playing for their jobs on Thursday.
Great article and confirms what we all knew entering the season: our pass rush was going to be inadequate.
Which was why it was so infuriating for so many that DC and BH were so nonchalant about it, and the meme-heavy rebuttal of the (now infamous) "we're good."
Sometimes the fans are right.
Man you can't build a team off trades. We're gonna have to get a bunch of dudes for the o-line.
I don't see Hutch dropping into coverage anymore. Maybe I'm missing it. Obviously these guys aren't getting pressure straight up. Hutch isn't beating double teams and nobody has been picking up the slack. They need to scheme up some pressure. Drop Hutch and blitz a safety or corner?
So to sum up, the Dline is not at championship level of play.
Could be a defense line and line backer speed issue, general Hesitation, not explosive off their stance, concentrating on the run. Thoughts?
It's not just speed. There aren't all that many whiffs against good competition. A word used for James Houston before his broken leg was "bendy." Can you be fast and balanced even when bent over low, squirming through a gap, or leaning away from the block? Like a running back's moves, those gifts can't really be developed. You're born with them or you don't have them.
Detroit's get-off is middle of the pack. Campbell, Anzalone, Barnes, Hutchinson and McNeill are all plus athletes. Williams is, for his size, but not a pass-rushing type. Neither are Reader and Lopez. Muhammad has an average initial burst/acceleration.
Thanks for the reply. I always thought they were better suited for a 3-4 but maybe not. May I ask where your evaluation is from, are these in game evaluations based on a time or other matrix or draft analysis?
They've mixed and matched 4-3 and 3-4 principles. Certainly, some of the interior players have two-gapped, freeing up the LBs to make run stops. It's not a coincidence that Jack Campbell leads the entire NFL in solo run stops. But in terms of edge rushers, they don't have a 3-4 speed OLB. Barnes comes down to the line for a healthy percentage of snaps, but he's just not that guy.
Great article. The highest defensive player on the team needs to step up.
Yep -- just don't feel fatigue can be an excuse when you're one of the highest paid defensive players in the game.
"Pay prevents player from dealing with lactic acid" study just dropped.
Hutchinson is very good, but the league's economic model means you have to pay him like he's great or someone else will. I'd like to see him get stronger, but until the Lions add another force on the DLine it's like a one-armed man rowing a boat. Opponents are free to rotate away from him, or rotate extra personnel toward him.