After a disappointing 1-4 start to the 2022 NFL season, things do not get much easier for the Detroit Lions moving forward.
Following their bye week, Detroit is facing the fourth-most difficult remaining schedule, according to Tankathon.
The next stretch of six games sees the Lions matching up against the Cowboys, Dolphins, Packers, Bears, Giants and Bills.
While the team will be getting healthier, the biggest remaining question marks revolve around a defense struggling to find its identity early in the season.
Despite the struggles of the defense, Detroit’s offense is confident that they can move forward and rebound successfully, after being shut out by the Patriots.
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“I think it’s a really good defense,” Jared Goff explained, following the Lions’ 29-0 loss to New England. “And they had a really good plan for us. I mean, we moved the ball. I mean, we weren’t just sputtering out of drives. We moved the ball, we just didn’t finish any drives.
“We didn’t convert on our fourth downs and that’s kind of the difference today,” Goff continued. “And if we convert on all the fourth downs, you know, maybe we’re able to score some points. I would think so. But, you know, we ran the ball okay. Not up to our standards, but ran the ball okay. And the pass game wasn’t good until maybe midway through the third quarter when we were able to get some chunks. But it’s too late by then.”
Teams typically enjoy having the bye week in the middle of the season, but for a team ravaged by injuries, taking Week 6 to rest up and heal should prove beneficial, as the schedule toughens over the next couple of months.
“I don’t think the bye week could have come at a better time for us as a team,” Amon-Ra St. Brown said. “If you look at the injuries we have, it’s going to give us time to heal up , rest up and rethink everything. I think this is going to be perfect for us having lost two or three straight now, to reset our minds and once we get back from the bye, its full go.”
The mood of the team remains hopeful, as the young roster will turn to veteran leaders to steady the ship moving forward.
“I guess this is a time for everyone to refresh their brains, get their bodies right,” said safety DeShon Elliott. “One and four coming out of the bye week that’s horrible, it’s disgusting. We want to be a great team because we want to be able to bounce back. So coming out of this bye week we just need to do what we need to do.”
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