DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Lions are off to a 2-1 start, largely thanks to their defense, which has compensated for an underwhelming offense that was anticipated to be high-scoring.
Despite sitting atop the NFC West, the Seahawks know tougher challenges lie ahead.
The Lions are averaging just 18.7 points per game in regulation and have only managed three points in the fourth quarter. After reaching the NFC Championship game eight months ago, they are fortunate to have any wins. In Week 1, they needed a last-second field goal to tie the game before winning 26-20 in overtime against Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams.
After losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2, the Lions barely held on to a 20-13 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Jared Goff threw what seemed to be a pick-six late in the game, but it was overturned due to the two-minute warning.
The Lions’ defense has been critical, and they’ll need to keep it up with upcoming games against the Seahawks, Cowboys, and Vikings.
However, on Monday, it was revealed that Detroit will be without two key defensive players moving forward. Coach Dan Campbell announced that defensive end will miss the rest of the season due to an elbow injury, and linebacker will be out for an extended period with a knee injury.
“We’re still awaiting more opinions on Barnes’ injury,” Campbell explained. “He’ll be out for a while, but whether surgery is needed is yet to be determined.”
Davenport, who was signed as a free agent from the Vikings, has been instrumental as the No. 2 defensive end alongside Aidan Hutchinson. His presence has relieved pressure on Hutchinson by making it harder for opposing offenses to focus solely on him.
With Davenport out, Levi Onwuzurike, who can play both defensive tackle and end, along with third-year end Josh Pascal, will see more playing time.
“This is a big opportunity for Paschal,” Campbell said. “He’s going to take on a significant role, and we’ll need him to continue growing.”
Barnes has been the Lions’ standout linebacker, and there isn’t a clear replacement for him at strong-side linebacker. Ben Niemann filled in on Sunday, but he typically plays other linebacker spots.
“We have depth, and we trust all our players,” Campbell said. “Losing Barnes hurts because he’s playing at a high level, but we believe in our linebacker group, as any of those guys can step up.”
The Lions will need that depth as they enter a challenging stretch of games.
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