The Detroit Lions defense is in a pretty big rut. Through the first six weeks of the season, they ranked second in defensive DVOA and were allowing just 18.8 points per game (ninth). Since then, the Lions rank 31st in defensive DVOA and are allowing 28.7 points per game (31st).
Sunday against the Chicago Bears wasn’t the worst performance from the Lions' defense, but two plays during the game could haunt star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. On the first, he jumped offsides on a fourth-and-13 play the Bears had no intention of running. The mistake allowed Chicago to run a free play that turned into a 38-yard touchdown pass.