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The Detroit Lions vs. San Francisco 49ers matchup was essentially meaningless for the Lions, with the top seed in the NFC playoffs and the NFC North title coming down to a Week 18 showdown with the Minnesota Vikings.
That's not to say the game didn't highlight one specifically concerning the Detroit trend.
The defense once again struggled to slow down the opposing offense, though the Lions' electrifying offense eventually led the way in a 40-34 victory.
And the score might have been closer if San Francisco's Jake Moody hadn't missed two field goals and an extra point, or if Brock Purdy hadn't thrown a pair of inexplicable interceptions in the second half.
ESPN @espn
KERBY JOSEPH PICKED BROCK PURDY FOR THE SECOND TIME TONIGHT 🔥
That's his leading ninth INT this season 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/2V7Ts6C3kU
Remember, this was a Niners team (6-10) that has now lost six of its last seven games and been held to 17 or fewer points in five of its last seven.
Jared Goff led the way for the Lions, finishing 26-of-34 for 303 yards and three touchdowns, while Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown.
Yes, the Lions are great on the offensive side of the ball.
And yes, they've been ravaged by injuries on defense, so it's easy to understand why the struggles have arisen. But it became a big enough concern to put their Super Bowl aspirations in major jeopardy, as fans and pundits were quick to point out on social media:
DevynC2502 @OneeDC2502
@Lions our defense has to tighten up we have to play better on defense guys ‼️‼️‼️
The Lions are incredibly fun to watch on offense and are good enough to beat numerous teams in shootouts, as evidenced by their 14-2 record. But in the NFC, teams like the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings—and in the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs—are far more balanced on both sides of the ball.
What happens if the Vikings or Eagles get multiple defensive stops in the playoffs and the defense can't slow down those offenses? Can Detroit really count on simply winning every playoff game on an elite offense alone?
One of the oldest clichés in sports is that defenses win championships, and it persists for a reason. In the NFL, it may be more accurate to say that great quarterbacks backed by strong defenses win titles. But it's pretty hard to get to the Super Bowl and win it without both components in place.
