What could go wrong? Lions defense among the 6 most-flawed units in playoffs

With the 2024 common season wrapped up, 14 NFL groups stay in rivalry for the Tremendous Bowl.

Just one crew will emerge unscathed, after all. The opposite 13 will most probably fall sufferer to their flaws.

FOX Sports activities has recognized probably the most “questionable” items (offense, protection, particular groups) of all of this 12 months’s playoff groups, which might maintain their respective groups again from a deep playoff run.

Here is our high six:

Houston Texans offense

Offense is the explanation why most anticipate Houston to be one-and-done within the playoffs.

Quarterback C.J. Stroud has struggled — a step again from his historic rookie season — however the surrounding circumstances have been unfavorable, too. The offensive line has been a legal responsibility in each the run and go sport. Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik’s sport administration and playcalling have drawn scrutiny, elevating questions on his future in Houston. On high of that, the Texans don’t have two of their high three receivers, with each Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell out for the season with torn ACLs.

The crew ranked beneath common in most offensive metrics in the course of the common season — scoring (nineteenth), complete offense (twenty second), complete touchdowns (35), EPA per play (twentieth) and stress price allowed (twenty eighth), amongst them.

Pittsburgh Steelers offense

Quarterback Russell Wilson and Pittsburgh’s offense went right into a downward spiral during the last month of the season, and it’s exhausting to see how that immediately modifications for the playoffs. The Steelers scored fewer than 20 factors in every of their 4 straight losses to finish the common season, a span through which that they had six turnovers. Wilson’s passer ranking fell in every of these video games too.

Exterior of receiver George Pickens, the Steelers don’t have a real risk on the skin (their go sport struggled when Pickens was sidelined with a hamstring harm for 3 video games within the common season). Pittsburgh is eleventh in dashing offense (127.4 dashing yards per sport), however they’re not very environment friendly on the bottom, tying for twentieth in dashing yards per try and twenty fifth in dashing EPA per play, per Subsequent Gen Stats.

Detroit Lions protection

Accidents decimated Detroit’s protection in the course of the common season, hurting a crew that was a Tremendous Bowl favourite coming into the season. Famous person edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, standout defensive deal with Alim McNeill and cornerback Carlton Davis are among the many gamers who have been dominated out for the common season (although Hutchinson, who broke the fibula and tibia in his left leg in Week 6, has left the door ajar for a attainable Tremendous Bowl return, ought to Detroit get there).

Whereas defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has executed a powerful job with who he has out there — the Lions held the Vikings to 9 factors in Week 18, serving to Detroit safe the NFC North title and a first-round bye — the personnel deficiencies may very well be an excessive amount of to beat within the playoffs.

The Lions have been compelled to blitz rather a lot late within the 12 months to generate stress — their 37.1% blitz price for the season total was second within the NFL, per Subsequent Gen Stats. Their go protection suffered consequently. Detroit ranked thirtieth in complete go protection (244.0 passing yards allowed per sport) in 2024.

Washington Commanders protection

Even with a defensive-minded coach in Dan Quinn on the helm, the Commanders have been common to beneath common in most defensive metrics in the course of the common season. That features factors allowed (18th), third down (fifteenth), pink zone (twenty second), EPA allowed per play (tied-Seventeenth) and stress price (Seventeenth).

Washington’s run protection has been significantly inconsistent. That may change into particularly problematic within the playoffs, the place stopping the run is a premium. The Commanders allowed 162.3 dashing yards per sport within the final three weeks of the common season.

Buffalo Bills particular groups

The Payments have been one in all simply six groups within the NFL to permit a kickoff return landing within the common season. They allowed 30.8 yards per kick return, fifth-worst within the league.

Buffalo additionally tied for twenty second in yards allowed per punt (48.0). For the season, the crew ranked twenty eighth in particular groups DVOA, which compares play to league common, bearing in mind components like state of affairs and opponent high quality, in response to FTN Knowledge.

Minnesota Vikings particular groups

Minnesota ranked twentieth in yards allowed per kickoff return (28.5) and twenty fifth in yards allowed per punt (48.4) in 2024. And just like the Payments, that they had one of many NFL’s least efficient particular groups items total, sitting at twenty seventh in DVOA, per FTN.

Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports activities. He beforehand labored for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Community, the place he was the Titans beat author for a 12 months and a half. He coated the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for 3 seasons (2018-20) previous to transferring to Tennessee. You possibly can observe Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.

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