Pass coverage has been a bugaboo for the Detroit Lions for several years. Zone, man, hybrid–it didn’t matter. The Lions secondary and linebackers were rotten in coverage.
The organization made a focused effort to fix that last offseason, and through six weeks it’s paying off very well. The overhauled cornerback room–with the top four CBs all newcomers in 2024–is spearheading the tightest coverage in the NFL in terms of forcing tight-window throws.
Judah Fortgang of PFF calculated the percentage of tight-window throws forced by each defense. The Lions came out on top at 27.9 percent, well above the 2nd-ranked Ravens at 22.9.
Top 5 defenses in forcing tight window throws
1. DET (27.9%)
2. BAL (22.9%)
3. DEN (22.8%)
4. NYJ (20.7%)
5. CLE (20.6%)— Jrfortgang (@throwthedamball) October 15, 2024
Some of that is a function of a heavy pressure rate; receivers get more time to gain separation when the quarterback has more time to throw. However, new outside CBs Terrion Arnold and Carlton Davis both fare quite well in the single coverage metric breakdown, too.
In this graphic, the higher to the upper right, the better. And that’s where Arnold and Davis reside, with slot Amik Robertson not far below them.
How often CBs have played in single coverage and their separation prevented on those plays pic.twitter.com/fugwiELBWf
— Jrfortgang (@throwthedamball) October 16, 2024
The result is a Lions defense that ranks 8th in points per game allowed, up from 23rd in 2023, and produced seven INTs in five games after picking off just 16 in 17 games a year ago.
