3. How will Seattle’s defense handle a high-scoring, albeit shorthanded, Lions offense.
Atlanta’s ability to move the ball in big chunks of yardage was a big factor in last week’s loss, and through four games Seattle’s run defense—one of the team’s strengths last season—has been inconsistent, leading to opponents averaging 4.9 yards per carry against Seattle this season, more than a full yard better than last year’s opponent yard-per-carry average.
While the Lions’ 1-2 record isn’t where they’d like to be, the offense hasn’t been the problem, with Detroit averaging the second most points (31.7 per game) and third most yards (409.0) in the NFL through three weeks. Dating back to last season, the Lions have scored 24 or more points in five straight games, the longest active streak of scoring 24 or more in the league.
“They’ve scored a lot of points, the (second) most in the NFL, and that’s a real obvious contention for us,” Carroll said. “We have to get after it, and we are going to need to slow down the running game that’s one of the best in the NFL, and we haven’t done great there. So, we have to really pick up our action on that end of it. We know a lot about the QB. We’ve played him a lot and we have a lot of respect for Jared (Goff) and what he does.”
The biggest goal, as Carroll mentioned, will be improving a run defense that has given up 157.0 yards per game, tied for 30th in the NFL.
“Really, this game is about the ability to strike blocks, defeat blocks so you can get off and make tackles,” defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt said. “That pertains to everybody whether you are a D-lineman, edge player, off the ball backer, or safety. That’s what this game has always been about no matter what era you talk about playing in. So, that’s the area that we need to do better.”
The Lions will be short-handed, however, with leading rusher D’Andre Swift and leading receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown both ruled out due to injuries.
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at News…