The three-man rush. The soft zone. Bend. Break. Lose.
Football has changed dramatically.
One thing that will remain the same from here until eternity, though, is the so-called prevent defense.
It doesn’t work. It never really has, and never really will.
The worst part about the Lions’ 19-17 loss at Minnesota Sunday is they didn’t learn from their loss by the exact same score two weeks previously to Baltimore.
There were just 33 seconds left when Minnesota got the ball back down by a point. Three easy pitch-and-catch completions totaling 46 yards from Vikings’ QB Kirk Cousins to alarmingly wide open receivers, a 54-yard field goal and it was over.
Yes. It was terrific Lions’ head coach Dan Campbell was appropriately aggressive and it paid off with a two-point conversion that put the Lions in the lead. It’s true. Jalen Reeves-Maybin made a huge fumble recovery to get the Lions the ball deep in Minnesota territory.
But instead of a program-changing victory, it was another classic example why the Lions traditionally lose.
It had nothing to do with bad luck. Clearly, the defense didn’t have its head in the game after getting the lead. Obviously, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn presented nothing at all to confuse the Vikings at the most crucial time.
It was like the Lions had their fingers crossed, hoping against hope the clock would run out, and Minnesota kicker Greg Joseph, who had missed from 49 yards earlier in the game, would come up short again.
It was a prime display of playing not to lose rather than to win.
The oddity is the Lions’ defense played well until the sad ending. It was a breakout game for safety Tracy Walker. He is a young player coming on. Glenn had a solid game plan.
Detroit’s offense mostly misfired, though. Quarterback Jared Goff simply can’t afford to turn the ball over twice on the road and anticipate a victory. The Lions have to score touchdowns, not settle for field goals.
D’Andre Swift is the Lions’ best offensive weapon. With tight end T. J. Hockenson being taken out of games by opposing defenses because of a feeble wide receiver corps, and being forced to help with pass protection, the Lions need to lean more on Swift.
This was a game the Lions should have won.
Maybe next time they won’t just submit to the temptation of the prevent defense.
It’s not smart. Instead, it’s akin to capitulation.