The 5 Worst NFL Defenses Through Week 9

Detroit Lions

Adjusted Defensive NEP/P: 0.156 (30th)
Adjusted Defensive Passing NEP/P: 0.295 (31st)
Adjusted Defensive Rushing NEP/P: 0.026 (24th)

After losing Nick Fairley and Ndamukong Suh to free agency this offseason, this defense was expected to struggle but the question was how far.

The answer: pretty darn far.

Last season, the Lions boasted the fourth most efficient defense overall thanks to their league-leading rushing defense according to our NEP metrics. This season, they are just a hair behind the Bears as the third-worst defense in the league with an Adjusted Defensive NEP per play of 0.156.

This defense is allowing the most points per game in the NFL (30.6). And teams are racking up all these points both through the air and on the ground, with this team possessing the second and ninth least efficient passing and rushing defense, respectively, according to our advanced metrics.

As a result, opposing quarterbacks and running backs have had field days facing the Lions, with the team allowing the third and fourth most points to each position, respectively, on the year.

And with Haloti Ngata in and out of the lineup due to injury for parts of the season and cornerbacks Rashean Mathis and Darius Slay banged up, things are likely to get worse for this unit before they start to get better.