Three and Out: Absence validates rookie's performance and Lions fans continue to reset bar with road presence
Defiance, Ohio — Here are three observations after a second viewing and a night to ponder the Detroit Lions’ 24-6 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
Concerning backup situation
In this space, we’ve pondered how the Lions might struggle to replace Aidan Hutchinson, Derrick Barnes and Alex Anzalone, but each time the team has found workable solutions, even if it required trading for Za’Darius Smith to truly feel good about the team’s edge-rushing situation for the remainder of the 2024 season.
Who could have guessed the temporary absence of Terrion Arnold would stand out as the most glaring?
Yes, it feels wrong to pick on any defender after the Lions held the Colts to six points and extended their opposition’s streak without scoring a touchdown to 10 quarters, but backup Kindle Vildor was a glaring issue on Sunday.
Like backup offensive linemen, it’s difficult to find quality depth in the secondary, but I admittedly would have vouched for Vildor as an adequate option off the bench coming into the season. Despite the lingering memory from last season being the ball bouncing off his helmet only to be caught by 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk, I felt Vildor largely held his own with his opportunities in 2023. And he had closed out training camp on a high note, earning this job.