Lions Are Missing Tackles at Alarming Rate

Not many things have been going right for the Lions' defense, and tackling is no exception

It's no secret that the Lions' 30th-ranked total defense has been a disaster this year. 

One of the biggest flaws has been tackling -- or the lack thereof.

Just last year, the Lions only missed 74 tackles. 

Nine games into 2019, and the Lions have already surpassed last year's missed tackles total. 

Currently, Detroit has missed 80 tackles, and is whiffing on ball carriers at the third-highest rate per game in the NFL. 

Per Pro Football Focus, the 2018 Lions had the fifth-best tackle grade, yet have fallen to fourth-worst this season. 

The defense was supposed to take the next step this year. Instead, the exact opposite has occurred. 

One of head coach Matt Patricia's staples on defense is "execution." 

Considering the Lions are missing almost nine tackles per game, that is the antithesis of what Patricia preaches. 

Just for comparison's sake, Patricia's former team, the New England Patriots, have missed just a little over five tackles per game.

So, who's to blame? In short, everybody.

Yes, tackling should be coached up, but at a certain point, it falls on the players to be able to make stops.

Most notably, defensive tackle Damon "Snacks" Harrison has missed six tackles this year. Very uncharacteristic for a player that only missed four tackles the last two years combined.

At the linebacker position, Jarrad Davis has never been known as a secure tackler. 

Unfortunately, rookie Jahlani Tavai hasn't been much better. 

Both linebackers have accounted for eight missed tackles, and lead the team in that troublesome category.

It's not fair to single out just those two defenders, though. 

If you include Quandre Diggs -- who was leading the team in missed tackles before being traded -- there are ten players on defense that have missed five or more tackles this year. 

Again, the Lions only had a total of three players with five or more missed tackles in all of 2018.

I don't need to tell you that in order for a defense to be successful, there needs to be consistent tackling. 

However, if the defense is ever going to turn it around, this is where it starts. 

For whatever reason, a team strength a season ago has turned into a weakness in 2019. 

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