After the Detroit Lions’ NFC Championship Game loss to the San Francisco 49ers, receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown felt something he didn’t want to feel again: defeat as he left the field at Levi’s Stadium.
St. Brown wasn’t happy even though the Lions won their first division title in more than thirty years and two playoff games in a single playoffs for the first time since 1957.Defense will be one of the key aspects this offseason that needs to be improved. The Lions need to find a difference-maker to go with Pro Bowl edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, as well as improve their secondary with additional skill at cornerback.
In the league, Detroit’s defense surrendered 23.2 points per game, enough for 23rd place, and 7.8 yards per pass attempt, good for 31st place.Lions general manager Brad Holmes is aware that the team needs to focus on that area if it hopes to advance to the Super Bowl, but he also has confidence in the players’ potential to get better.
“On defense, we have a lot of young players. And notice how aggressively we play. I believe that our identity is unquestionable. However, I don’t think there’s a significant talent gap,” Holmes stated on Monday at his season-ending news conference. “We’re basically collaborating in a vague way. But everything is a team effort. Our approach to defense and offense are same. Our perspective on special teams is the same. As we work to assemble a team, I am aware of each individual.
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