3 Lions Players That Need to Step Up

Here are three Lions players that need to step up

The Lions are in bad shape right now, going into their Week 10 matchup with the NFC North rival Chicago Bears at 3-4-1.

With their playoff hopes dwindling, they need to turn things around immediately

Here are three players that direly need to step up the rest of the way this season: 

DT Damon “Snacks” Harrison

"Snacks" finished 2018 with 81 total tackles, as well as nine tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and eight quarterback hits. 

Halfway through 2019, the seasoned veteran and anchor of the Lions defense has just 24 tackles, two tackles for loss, two QB hits and two sacks. 

Detroit needs its star to step up, as the Lions rank 27th in the league in rush defense and 25th in rushing touchdowns allowed this season. 

Compare that to Detroit’s 2018 numbers, and you'll see a big difference. 

In 2018, Matt Patricia & Co. ranked 11th against the run and seventh in rushing touchdowns surrendered.

Snacks, though, did just have his highest Pro Football Focus-graded game of the season in Week 9 at Oakland with an 82.6 mark. Hopefully, a sign of things to come. 

LB Jarrad Davis

Already believed to be an underachieving first-round pick from the Bob Quinn era, the third-year pro is the lowest-rated linebacker in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus.

He’s a decent pass rusher in unblocked pressures. 

However, when evaluating what Davis contributes to this team, that’s about it. 

His pass coverage is abysmal, and has been since his arrival to the Lions in 2017. 

His rush defense is highlighted by missed tackles and the inability to shed blocks; hence, why the majority of his pressures come when he’s unblocked. 

Perhaps he’s a late bloomer. However, his future as a Lion looks bleak unless he turns it around in the second half of the season.

RT Rick Wagner

Formerly recognized as one of the NFL’s best tackles, the 30-year-old veteran's best days seem to be behind him. 

Wagner hasn’t been terrible in 2019, but he’s far from living up to his wage of $9.5 million per year, to go along with a $14.5M signing bonus. 

In fact, he’s graded out worse this season than fourth-year left tackle Taylor Decker. 

Remember, although Decker has improved immensely as the season has progressed, he still allowed the most pressures in the league in Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals. 

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