The Detroit Lions’ defense has started to falter as the season wears on, and one of the biggest issues dragging them down has been the lack of impact from the defensive front.
Quarterback pressure has been scarce. Over the last four games, Detroit has managed only four sacks—far too few to disrupt opposing offenses. Their most recent outing, a 31–24 Thanksgiving loss to the Green Bay Packers, ended with zero sacks, underscoring the problem.
As Detroit’s top edge-rusher, Aidan Hutchinson naturally finds himself at the center of the conversation. His production has dipped recently, with just 1.5 sacks over the same four-game stretch. Opposing offenses have shifted more attention his way, using extra blockers and varied protection schemes to slow him down.
“There are chips, there are guards sliding over to double you,” Hutchinson explained. “It definitely makes the rare one-on-one reps feel that much more valuable.”
Lions Need Hutchinson Playing at an Elite Level to Stay in the Playoff Race
Hutchinson acknowledges he hasn’t maximized those opportunities. He also recognizes that the defense as a whole is struggling to find rhythm in the pass rush, even if he can’t pinpoint a specific cause.
“It’s just not clicking right now,” he said. “Sometimes it’s a grind, and sometimes you just have those games where nobody can get home. We have to look at it and figure out what’s going on.”
Linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard will be tasked with either designing more creative ways to generate pressure or adjusting personnel to find players who can thrive within Detroit’s system. Hutchinson is clearly aware that the Lions’ inability to collapse the pocket is a major contributor to their defensive issues.
Sitting at 7–5 after the loss to Green Bay, Detroit faces a tight playoff race. They need wins in the final stretch of the season to stay in contention, starting with a tough Week 13 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.
Though the Lions entered the year with aspirations of leading the NFC, Hutchinson insists the team is focused on regrouping and competing hard down the stretch.
“It’s not where we expected to be,” he said. “It’s real adversity, and we have to make a choice—to commit to fixing things and get everything working in all three phases. We’ve got a big test against Dallas. We just have to learn what we can and move forward because there’s still plenty of season left.”
Detroit’s goals are still within reach, but the defense—and Hutchinson in particular—must elevate their performance in the trenches if the Lions hope to turn things around.
