Three and Out: Detroit Lions has lost key piece of identity with inability to match physicality of top-tier opponents
Los Angeles — Here are three observations after a second viewing and a night to ponder the Detroit Lions’ 41-34 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Tables turned
As much as grit, Detroit has prided itself on its physicality over the past few seasons. Now, they’re being bullied on the regular, particularly by the league’s better teams, getting lapped by the old-school standard they sought as an identity.
Of their six losses this season, this epitomized the degradation of that edge the team previously had, particularly in the trenches. The Rams looked young and hungry on both fronts, pushing the Lions around in the ground game.
To be fair, the Rams entered the game as the most efficient rushing attack in football. With a north-south backfield tandem that runs with urgency and effort, they’ve given opponents trouble all season. Regardless, you reasonably expected more from a Detroit defense that’s invested heavily in run-stopping resources, that frequently lines up with three defensive tackles, supersized ends, a higher base defense rate than just about every team in the league, led by a throwback linebacker leading the NFL in run stops at the position.
It was set up to be a game of wills. The Rams imposed theirs, blowing open holes up the middle with superior leverage, technique, and simple want-to. At the same time, Detroit’s edge defenders failed to set the namesake of their position consistently.