By Moses Joshua 
Why fixing edge discipline and communication breakdowns is critical before facing the Ravens
The Detroit Lions left Soldier Field with a convincing 52-21 win over the Chicago Bears, but not everything looked as smooth once the film was reviewed. Behind the scoreboard, Detroit’s defense revealed cracks—particularly against the run—that must be patched quickly with the Baltimore Ravens looming.
Numbers That Don’t Add Up
On paper, Detroit’s run defense was below its usual standard. The Bears piled up 134 rushing yards on 5.0 yards per attempt, including a touchdown. That’s well above what the Lions typically allow. Last season, they surrendered just 98.0 rushing yards per game at 4.5 yards per carry, and the year prior, only 88.8 yards and 3.7 per attempt.
While rookie quarterback Caleb Williams was contained on the ground (five rushes for 27 yards), Chicago’s backs consistently found ways to exploit openings. For a defense that prides itself on toughness up front, those numbers raise a red flag.
Setting the Edge—or Failing To
After recording the Midweek Mailbag, analyst Jeremy Reisman and Erik Schlitt broke down the tape to pinpoint what went wrong. A recurring issue emerged: linebackers failing to set the edge.
Reisman noted, “If you jump to the play at 6:10, you can see Derrick Barnes giving up the edge. And at 9:38, it appears Alex Anzalone is the one guilty of giving up outside leverage.”
Losing contain on the perimeter gave Chicago’s runners space to cut outside, turning what should have been minimal gains into drive-extending plays.
Communication Breakdowns in the Middle
Edge play wasn’t the only problem. Miscommunication also plagued Detroit’s second level. On one early snap, Jack Campbell, Alex Anzalone, and Brian Branch all appeared out of sync. As a result, both Anzalone and Branch collapsed into the same gap, leaving D’Andre Swift an open lane he burst through for a 20-yard gain.
These kinds of mental lapses can be more damaging than physical mistakes because they create massive holes in the defense. Against a team like Baltimore—where Lamar Jackson thrives on exploiting confusion—those breakdowns could be costly.
A Silver Lining
It wasn’t all bad news on the film. Detroit still managed to bottle up a good portion of Chicago’s rushing attempts. Of the Bears’ 27 runs, 12 were held to three yards or fewer (excluding Swift’s three-yard touchdown). That shows the Lions’ front seven can be effective when assignments are executed cleanly.
The challenge now is consistency. Eliminating mental errors and reinforcing fundamentals like edge discipline could quickly return Detroit’s run defense to its usual form.
Looking Ahead to Baltimore
With the Ravens next on the schedule, the Lions face one of the NFL’s most dynamic rushing attacks. The margin for error is slim. If the same lapses that showed up against Chicago reappear, Baltimore will punish them with explosive gains.
The good news for Detroit? These issues appear more mental than structural. Correcting communication and reinforcing accountability on the edge are achievable fixes. If they can address those quickly, the Lions can walk into Week 3 far more confident against a dangerous Ravens offense.