Follow us:

Chance to make the playoffs: 0.7%
Chance to win their division: 0.1%

Let's be real: From a talent perspective, this team doesn't have a lot of game-changing players on defense. And through four weeks, the Lions accomplished something that no other team in league history had done since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger when they led the NFL in points per game while ranking last in points per game allowed. That's a problem! Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn says they struggle with consistency and defending the red zone. Also, Glenn feels the interior defense has been solid, but the Lions are now focusing on improving the perimeter defense -- mainly in the secondary. There's a lot of work to be done and the coaches are taking accountability, but securing a postseason spot (for the first time since 2016) is far in the distance.

The Lions have been a mess on defense all season, but the offense was there to keep the team competitive and afloat. Sunday's 29-0 loss to the Patriots is what happens when Jared Goff and Co. don't put their best foot forward. The cracks are showing for a Dan Campbell regime that is high on charisma and likability, but still dangerously low on tangible success. "To me, this is about as bad as it gets," the coach said Sunday. "... I believe we hit rock bottom, so now the only place to go is back up." Detroit will use its bye to examine everything, including fourth-down decision making: The Lions went for it on fourth down six times on Sunday and failed to convert even once.

The defense was bad again, but this time in the loss to the Patriots the offense was just as bad. They couldn't even score a point, which is not a good look.

Sunday was the first time Detroit was shut out under Dan Campbell. No word as to whether the Lions took a doughnut in the kneecaps bitten column, too.

Trade idea: Steelers senior defensive assistant/linebackers coach Brian Flores

The 2020 Lions defense fell just 14 points shy of breaking the NFL record for points allowed in a season, held by the 1981 Baltimore Colts, who surrendered 33.3 points per game. Two years later, the Lions appear dead set on finishing the job. They're surrendering a league-worst 34 points per game and rank 32nd in defensive DVOA (30th against the pass, 31st against the rush).

Aaron Glenn seemed like a good dude on "Hard Knocks," but enough is enough. So let's get crazy and send some draft-pick compensation to the Steelers for Flores and give him a shot to right the ship with the aid of a bye week. Flores' Dolphins defenses went from 32nd in DVOA in his first year to 11th in 2020 and 10th in 2021, so he has some experience turning things around.

After entering the week with an NFL-high 140 points scored, the Lions were shut out against the Patriots. Quarterback Jared Goff played his worst game of the season, and the offense as a whole simply couldn't move the chains on money downs. Detroit converted on just 33 percent of third downs (4-of-12) and none of its six fourth-down attempts against New England. This was a reality check moment for any Lions' faithful starting to back Goff as the quarterback of the future.

At least the Lions could count on a fun offense before Sunday. Getting shut out in New England was a big step back. All of a sudden it's just a 1-4 team with a horrendous defense and an offense we can't even count on anymore. The Lions go into the bye with any preseason excitement about this season long gone. No wonder they had a team psychologist meeting on Monday.

When you hit rock bottom, keep biting.