The Arizona Cardinals‘ Week 5 opponents are the Detroit Lions. The Cardinals are 1-3 and have lost three games in a row. The Lions are 2-2 and have one of the most productive offenses in the league, something that should worry Cardinals fans, as the Arizona defense has allowed over 30 points in three consecutive games.
However, as good as the Detroit offense is, the Detroit defense is not good. And with an Arizona offense that has shown it can move the ball, scoring 24 or more points in three of their four games, this gives some hope for being competitive.
Let’s have a look at Detroit’s defense.
Lions team defensive numbers
The Lions are last in the league in yards allowed and second-to-last in points allowed.
They have allowed 423.8 yards per game to their opponents. Nobody else in the league allows 400. They have allowed 31.8 points per game, only better than the New Orleans Saints, who have allowed 32.0.
They have allowed 30 or more points three times, and their one game not allowing at least 30 was 24 points to the New York Jets, who have averaged only 19.0 points per game this season.
The Lions are dead last in passing defense, allowing 304.0 yards per game. They are 20th in rush defense, giving up 119.8 rushing yards per game.
They do have the second-most sacks in the league with 15. But the 11 touchdown passes they have allowed are tied for the most in the league with the Cardinals and Washington Commanders.
They allow 4.4 yards per attempt in the run game.
Entering Week 5, the 113 first downs allowed were the most in the NFL. They are last in third-down defense, allowing opponents to convert 52.8% of the time.
Opponents have converted 100% of their fourth downs.
So for the Cardinals, there is some hope to compete.
Can their offense keep up with Detroit’s extremely productive offense, especially when the Cardinals are bad defensively?
That will be one of the keys to the game.
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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Detroit Lions’ defense has been bad through 4 weeks