4 Burning Questions Facing Lions
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The Detroit Lions dropped a winnable game in Week 3 to the Minnesota Vikings, and now sit at just 1-2 and in last place in the NFC North.
There are many questions subsequently facing the Lions right now. And, with that said, let's take a look at four "burning" ones, as Detroit gets ready for its Week 4 tilt with the Seattle Seahawks.
1.) Who will replace Tracy Walker?
For the time being, I believe the Lions will rely upon a collection of safeties to replace the production of Walker.
As Detroit head coach Dan Campbell has expressed, losing Walker is a significant blow to the team's defense.
"Losing Tracy hurts," Campbell said. "That’s a significant loss, because (of) multiple reasons. I mean, Tracy’s been, since I walked in the door last year, he’s been all in, and he’s one of our team captains this year. Nobody’s put in more work than he has, since the spring. And, he is one of the smartest players we have on defense. That’s huge, and he’s productive. And so, you’re losing a big cog in the piece that helps you over there."
JuJu Hughes, Ifeatu Melifonwu and Kerby Joseph, who are all in their third year or less as pros, are each expected to see an increase in reps due to the loss of the veteran safety.
Hughes replaced Walker in Sunday's loss to the Vikings, and should get the first crack at starting opposite DeShon Elliott in Detroit's secondary. Campbell offered Hughes some kudos for his performance, albeit in a relief capacity, against Minnesota.
"He (Hughes) can be better," Campbell expressed. "But, I thought for, man, not getting those reps and stepping in and doing some of the things he did, it was -- that was good, and that’s kind of what we know about JuJu. He’ll go in there, and he’ll be able to function and give you what he’s got."
I also wouldn't be surprised if cornerback Will Harris, a one-time safety, gets some run at his old position.
Regardless, I don't think any of the above players will be quite able to replace the production of the fifth-year pro.
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2.) Should Swift play this week?
I'm going to say no. He's one of Detroit's top two offensive weapons (along with receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown), and now he's battling two injuries: an ankle sprain and a shoulder ailment.
Additionally, he's been injury prone throughout his NFL career, having never played in more than 13 games since entering the league in 2020.
So, now with just two games to go until the Lions' bye week in Week 6, the idea of sitting Swift until the team's Week 7 tilt with the Dallas Cowboys has been floated around.
Campbell even has admitted to toying with the scenario.
"That's one of the things that I was thinking about last night and this morning," Campbell told reporters. "It's certainly on my mind, it's on our mind. If you feel like he's good enough to go, we know what he's capable of. But, not at the expense of him not being even up to 75 percent of himself."
I'm in favor of the above idea to sit Swift through the bye, as it might just be what it takes to preserve the star running back for the remainder of the season. I'd rather have him miss two games, than play him and jeopardize his health for the rest of the campaign.
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3.) Can the Lions get more out of Hockenson?
I sure hope so. The fourth-year pro hasn't been consistently productive thus far this year, and it comes after a season in which he suited up for just 12 games. Just like Swift, his injury proneness has become a concern, as it seems like a physical ailment constantly pops up for the 2020 Pro Bowl tight end.
As good as Hockenson was a season ago (with 61 receptions, 583 yards and four touchdowns), he hasn't really played at a Pro Bowl-caliber level since his sophomore campaign. And, through three games this year, he's recorded just 82 reception yards, to go along with a career-low 8.2 yards per catch and 27.3 yards per game. Plus, he's amassed a near career-worst catch percentage of 55.6 percent. The only time in which he's caught less of his passes was his rookie campaign (54.2 percent).
The Lions could use an immediate boost in production from Hockenson, and I believe the talent is still there to tap into. Hopefully, he starts showing it in Detroit's Week 4 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks.
4.) What adjustments does the defense have to make?
I believe it's two-fold: To me, the most glaring thing is becoming a more capable team at stopping the run. The Lions rank 27th in total rushing yards permitted (427) and yards allowed per carry through three games (5.0). Plus, they rank dead last in rushing touchdowns allowed (seven).
That's the first thing Aaron Glenn's defense has to improve upon. However, it's not the only area on that side of the ball that needs to experience a major boost in productivity.
It's because Detroit's pass-rushing unit also needs to take a significant step forward in subsequent weeks. Outside of rookie Aidan Hutchinson's three-sack performance in Week 2 against the Washington Commanders, it seems like the team's pass-rush has been non-existent.
In fact, the Lions have produced just four other sacks in 2022, with no one else having more than one. And, as a whole, Detroit recorded just one sack a week ago against the Vikings.
To me, the lack of a pass-rush is one of the squad's biggest issues on defense that needs to be rectified as soon as possible, if the Lions intend on starting to win games on a consistent basis this season.
