Detroit Lions defense, ‘built off so much adversity’, embrace chase of everyday perfection

There is a palpable swagger among the Detroit Lions defenders entering the final stretch of the season.

After being an Achilles heel at times over the last three seasons, Detroit’s defense has become not only a plus to pair with the best offense in the NFL but also a group that has been historically good in its own right.

The Lions defense has now played 10 straight quarters without giving up a touchdown to an opposing offense for the first time since 1983, including three straight second-half shutouts for the first time since 1980 after promptly handling Anthony Richardson and the Colts, 24-6 on Sunday.

“I don’t feel like it’s (improved) confidence, I just feel like it is our identity,” safety Kerby Joseph told the Free Press last week. “Every single week, we go out and show who we are.”

After 11 games, the Lions have the second-best scoring defense in the NFL at 16.6 points allowed per game, the second-best red-zone efficiency (60% of opponent’s red zone drives end in no points or a field goal) and have generated 19 turnovers, sixth-best in the NFL. Over the last five games, the defense has held teams to 12.6 points per game with eight turnovers forced despite losing four projected starters in the front seven (Aidan Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport, Derrick Barnes, Alex Anzalone) for extended periods because of serious injuries.

“We talked about this in training camp — it is going to take every single one of us to win a game,” Joseph said. “Injuries happen in this game, people are going to go down, that’s what football is. But this team is built off adversity.

“That’s one of the things I love most about this team, how we handle it. We built off so much adversity the past years, now we understand when guys go down, it’s the next man up.”

The Lions heavily invested in that side of the ball in the offseason after coming up a game short of the Super Bowl in 2023, and the fruits of that effort have come to bear through 11 games. The investment paired with substantial gains made by young contributors on all three levels has elevated the group to improve despite the losses of what were expected to be key contributors during training camp.

Young players like Joseph, fellow safety Brian Branch, linebacker Jack Campbell and defensive tackle Alim McNeill have all taken a step forward with their games with another year in Glenn’s system. And the additions like defensive tackle D.J. Reader and nickel cornerback Amik Robertson have allowed the young players to move around the field and turn into better playmakers, which is also a credit to the coordinator for putting guys in the right spots.

“He tells us all the time, he calls the plays but the play is only going to work because of the players,” Robertson told the Free Press. “He got those guys and he knows what guy he needs in this spot or this spot to make all of this work. And we just got the pieces and we play as a whole.”

Dan Campbell said Monday the improvements are the evidence of the players’ work and Glenn’s efforts in putting everything in order.

“He puts in the work and he’s creative,” Dan Campbell said. “He does a good job of understanding what our players do well and putting them in positions to have success and where we feel like we can have the biggest advantage on our opponent.”

Playing for each other

Amon-Ra St. Brown said last week this is the best secondary he has been around in his four years in the NFL, in part because of how close the group is and how they push each other daily.

“They don’t blink every week,” St. Brown said. “They play for each other. I think they’re tighter. For me, I’ve been here four years, the defense looks tighter than they ever have before, just friendship-wise being together.”

The secondary, one of the groups overhauled with the addition of two rookie cornerbacks, a free agent cornerback and trading for a cornerback, challenge each other every day in practice and games for better performances. One of the ways they push each other is by getting together on Thursdays of a game week to watch film and that week’s Thursday Night Football game.

“Like on Thursdays, when they’re at one person’s place and they’re watching tape, man, as a coach, you can’t ask for anything more than that,” Glenn said. “You give them the concept, ‘Here’s what we’re trying to do.’

“You make sure they understand the vision of where you’re trying to go, and then you let those guys run with it and then they start to ask questions on how we’re going to do things, and I think it’s a beautiful thing.”

The challenges, such as Branch telling Joseph he wouldn’t let a receiver catch a pass during practice, are ways for players to push the overall standard on defense higher to get more out of their teammates.

“Most of the time, we are challenging ourselves,” Joseph said. “I should want it more than he should. You should want it more for yourself more than I want it for you.

“We keep the accountability in the room. If you know you are not going 110%, you know you will stand out on film and we will call you out because that’s not how we play defense.”The approach has led to improved play from the entire secondary. Despite sitting in the bottom third in passing yards allowed, Detroit has caused havoc with 14 interceptions and has been able to clamp down in the red zone. Joseph leads the NFL with seven interceptions, Branch has created five turnovers himself and Arnold and Davis lead the NFL in man coverage snaps.

And the striving for self-improvement extends to all levels of defense, according to Jack Campbell.

“At the end of the day as a defense, we are all grown men,” Jack Campbell said. “Each individual has a choice to make. If they want to come in here and half-ass things, it’s their choice. But I feel like we have a great group of guys coming in here always wanting to improve and get better. … It starts with Dan and Brad finding the right guys to fit the culture and their vision. Usually, when you get the right guys, you don’t have to teach them all that stuff.”

Peaking late

The Lions’ defense wants to age like wine as the long NFL season progresses by marginally improving by the day. The goal, Glenn said, is to find their highest level entering the final stretch.

“Going into the end of November, going into December, man, we want to be at peak performance when it comes to how we play, so we’re trying to pair our run defense and our pass defense together and make sure we’re doing a good job of that,” Glenn said.

It’s hard to improve on what the defense did the last three games, but Robertson believes they have the margin to elevate their play.

“Working on the little things, man,” Robertson said. “The details, being able to play fast. But, I gotta say, it’s a lot of things that go into being a great defense.

“It’s about perfection and no one knows how perfection looks. That’s why, as a defense, we try to chase that each and every day.”

Jared Ramsey is a sports reporter for the Detroit Free Press. Follow Jared on X @jared_ramsey22, and email him at jramsey@freepress.com.