SEATTLE -- They insisted they were close, even though they were getting little pressure on opposing quarterbacks and were allowing rushers to gash the middle of their defense.
They said there were small things to correct, although on the face, it didn’t appear like that. But on Monday night, facing one of the most mobile quarterbacks in the NFL, Russell Wilson, the Detroit Lions' defense looked more like the 2014 version than it has at any point during 2015.
"We looked more like ourselves," defensive end Darryl Tapp said. "Definitely looked more like ourselves. Even though we’re in the same defense, different nuances we have to continue to master and just keep working at it."
For the Lions to have any success this season -- and at 0-4 and four games behind Green Bay in the NFC North, that barometer for success from here on out might need to be adjusted -- they need this version of their defense to show up.
They need to see the attacking, swarming defense that hit Wilson 10 times, sacked him six times and forced two fumbles. This was anchored by Detroit’s defensive line, a line that was a strength of the Lions a season ago, but one that was completely retooled on the interior in the offseason after losing Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley and C.J. Mosley and adding Haloti Ngata, Tyrunn Walker and Gabe Wright.
That line combined for four of the team’s six sacks and eight of the 10 quarterback hits, including two from end Ezekiel Ansah. One of the sacks led to a fumble recovered by Caraun Reid for a touchdown -- a play that appeared to change momentum for the Lions and ended up being the only touchdown the team scored Monday.
Things weren’t perfect for the Lions' defense on Monday night, but the pressure is at least something Detroit believes it can build on defensively.
"That’s our identity," safety James Ihedigbo said. "We are not sitting back anymore -- we are coming. No matter who we are playing, we are coming after you."
Detroit pressured Wilson on Monday night 48.6 percent of the time -- a higher rate than any other opponent he’s faced this season. Of course, comparatively, the Lions still allowed Wilson to have a better game under pressure than any other one this season. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Wilson was 11 of 21 outside of the pocket in his first three games. On Monday night, he was 6 of 9 for 145 yards and a 98.4 QBR. He threw for more yards outside the pocket against the Lions than he did in the previous three games combined (92 yards). And entering the game, Wilson had been sacked on 11.9 percent of his passing attempts -- 30th in the league.
Wilson also completed all seven of his passes when blitzed for 91 yards. He had his highest overall yardage of the season, too, throwing for 235 yards and 9.0 yards per attempt.
But Monday night was progress for Detroit’s defense overall, allowing a season-low 345 total yards and a season-low 13 points. It also held Seattle to its worst rushing performance of the season -- 110 yards. So that -- along with the pressure delivered -- are things to build on. The issue at this point is what Detroit is building toward.
Injuries are starting to pile up -- the Lions lost defensive tackle Walker to what Lions coach Jim Caldwell called a "significant" leg injury. Ngata (calf) and linebacker Travis Lewis (ankle) also left the game and didn’t return.
But now the Lions have Arizona -- the NFL’s No. 4 offense -- coming to town on a short week with a defense pretty beat up. So it doesn’t get easier for the winless Lions, even if it looks like their defense is starting to figure things out.
"Heck of an effort," Caldwell said. "To see an effort like that, away from home, in this stadium, against this team, against that quarterback, now obviously, he’s pretty special. Our guys, what an effort they gave to try and control him.
"I just thought our defense played extremely well."
