Dan Campbell says defense is the key to victory; Lions act like this

The Detroit Lions scored 52 points a few days ago. It was the second time this season they scored 52 points. They also scored 47 points and 42 points this season. Not surprisingly, they lead the NFL in scoring.

But you might be surprised to learn that Dan Campbell thinks defense is the key to his team’s run to the Super Bowl.

Admittedly, the Lions coach said it was a little difficult to answer my question after I asked him whether a dominant offense or a stifling defense would better serve the team going forward in the regular season and playoffs. .

“I would always lean defense first, if you ask me that question,” Campbell said Monday. “You have to be able to – you have to control people’s offenses, you have to control the running game, you have to limit the points, and then you play accordingly with your offense.

“You ask me that question, that’s the answer I would give you. I think it’s better to have a damn good defense and them better – because again, you’re hitting the road, who knows where you are? The defense and running game move no matter where you are or where you go. The house, the exterior, the elements, everything. So I would lean over there.

Normally, I would agree with Campbell’s assessment – in theory at least. You know the old adage: offense wins games. Defense wins championships.

This idea has a lot of merit, because if you can’t score, you can’t win. To my knowledge, no one has ever won a match 0-0.

Campbell didn’t say it outright Monday, although he’s mentioned it before, but the debacle of last season’s NFC title game colors his perception of what’s crucial to getting to the Super Bowl and the earn.

After all, a 24-7 halftime lead should be enough to secure a victory for most teams. The fact that the Lions couldn’t stop the San Francisco 49ers and lost 34-31 would logically drive the importance of defense into any coach’s skull.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the Lions and what they need to finally get to their first Super Bowl and win it after coming so close last season. As a journalist, you must maintain a professional distance from anyone you cover. But even I felt bad for Campbell and the Lions in late January as I walked from the press box to the interview room to the locker room at Levi’s Stadium and watched them all struggle to throw away their chances to leave their professional marks and exorcise six decades of existential angst in Detroit.

It bothered me even more that they lost to the 49ers, who won five Super Bowls and whose coach is a football scion. The Lions don’t have that kind of proud history and Campbell has no football pedigree.

Better defense, I thought at the time. Surely that’s all they needed.

Well, they have it this year. Fifth scoring, first on third down, tied for third in the red zone among all NFL defenses. This is one of the main reasons why they crush their opponents.

And yet, I’m not sure the defense can continue this momentum because the injuries continue to pile up. It’s a credit to Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn that they’re getting more out of their defense after losing key players like Aidan Hutchinson and Derrick Barnes. But now they lose Alex Anzalone – perhaps their most important player as the de facto leader of the defense who rarely comes off the field – to a broken forearm for what appears to be the rest of the season regular.

If Glenn keeps this thing afloat, it will be obvious that he has missed his true calling as captain of the Titanic.

Of course, it’s one thing to keep the Jaguars out of the end zone and stifle the struggling Cowboys. But will the Lions’ overworked defense maintain this breakneck pace of producing takeaways, tackles and general terror on the turf with a cast of understudies?

Maybe Malcolm Rodriguez can wear a long blonde wig and do his best Anzalone impersonation. Maybe defensive end Za’Darius Smith will learn the scheme a little more and start producing. Maybe that will be enough to stop the upcoming power attacks from the Bills and Niners. Maybe that will be enough to stop the Commanders, Eagles and Ravens in the playoffs.

Yes, that’s a lot of maybes. While this hasn’t been tested too often by elite offenses, I’ll give the defense the benefit of the doubt. In their three games against top 10 offenses, the Lions gave up 20 points against Tampa Bay in a 20-16 loss, 23 points against Minnesota in a 31-29 victory (six points on a fumble recovery and a return) and 14 points. at Green Bay in a 24-14 victory.

This represents an average of 19 points allowed in these three matches, including two away. What did Campbell say? Is your defense and running game still traveling?

Additionally, Houston and Arizona aren’t far from the top 10 and the Lions’ defense allowed just 13 points to the Cardinals and 23 points to the Texans in the two road wins.

The defense’s effort against Houston might be the most telling of its potential. The Lions allowed just two touchdowns, one of which was on a short field after an interception. And they pitched a second-half shutout that allowed Jared Goff and the offense to recover from a rare poor start.

The next best test for the defense will be Dec. 5 at home against Green Bay, although perhaps the biggest test of all will come 10 days later against Buffalo in a possible Super Bowl preview. We’ll learn a lot more about the important role the Lions’ defense can play in leading them through the playoffs after facing Josh Allen.

General manager Brad Holmes made a big investment in defense and we are seeing it pay off. He spent big money in free agency to go after DJ Reader and also opened his checkbook for Amik Roberston and Marcus Davenport. Then he spent his first two draft picks on defensive backs. Two weeks ago, he didn’t sit around and traded for Za’Darius Smith to help make up for losing Hutchinson.

All these efforts should not go unnoticed. Glenn was given as many resources as he’s ever had and he put them to good use.

Even if this season doesn’t go the way the Lions want, something valuable has been learned. You need balance and you need to address deficiencies in the same way, because dominating on one side of the ball is usually not enough to win a championship.

Contact Carlos Monarrez at [email protected] and follow him on X @cmonarrez.

Next up: the Colts

Match : Lions (9-1) at Indianapolis (5-6).

To start up: 1 p.m. Sunday; Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis.

Television/radio: Fox; WXYZ-FM (97.1).

Double: Lions by 7½.