It was a rough first half for Detroit's defense, in part because it was a rough first half for safety Tracy Walker.
After eight games, the Lions rank 24th in total defense and 28th in scoring defense, which is an improvement from last season only because things couldn't possibly get worse. Except they have against the run, with the Lions allowing 148 rushing yards per game, third most in the league.
Detroit has sunk no shortage of money into Matt Patricia's defense the past two years, yet for the past two years the results have been the same. Walker, who's reprised his role as an every-down player after coming off the bench to start this season, was asked on Friday why the defense continues to struggle.
"I honestly don't want to answer that question simply because that's a question that I don't need to be answering," he said. "I don't think it's a bad question. I just don't want to answer that question, honestly."
Last year, the Lions were bad in spite of Walker, who established himself as one of the better young safeties in the NFL. This year, Walker's been part of the problem. (But who hasn't?) His Pro Football Focus rating has fallen from 73.5 to 51.1. He's been guilty in coverage on a number of touchdowns. He's still popping pads when he gets the chance, but his play just hasn't spoken as loudly.
So before he starts diagnosing the defense as a whole, Walker wants to take care of himself.
"I didn't play well at all (in the first half), honestly," he said. "I felt like I've been having my ups and downs. Sometimes I played good and sometimes I've been playing bad, so I feel like I have a lot to correct. That's why I said I don't really want to speak on it, because I gotta fix myself first.
"I've been making mistakes out there, so before I can talk about us as a whole I gotta fix myself individually."
Asked what's held him back this season, what's been different from a year ago when he looked like a rising star, Walker paused and said, "Life, let's just say that, Corona, all those little things. Yeah, it's been tough."
Life, at least, is about to get better. Walker and his wife Bella are expecting their first child, Tracy Walker IV, "in a couple weeks." And maybe the next couple weeks will get better for the Lions, with matchups against the 2-6 Vikings, 3-6 Panthers and 2-6 Texans. If a broken defense finds it way, a 3-5 team might be 6-5 after Thanksgiving.
But none of that seems possible without a resurgence by Walker, and Walker would be the first to say it.
