Philly’s defense has held its opponents to 21 points or less in eight straight games. The Lions would be very happy to do that on Sunday to the Eagles’ offense.
In an effort to slow down Chip Kelly’s attack, the Lions will unfurl a “no-huddle defense.”
“We tried to tempo that this week, and I think we got a good look at it,” linebacker Ashlee Palmer said Friday, via Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press. “On defense this week, we had like a no-huddle.
“The coaches, they didn’t give us the defensive play until the offense was on the line getting ready to snap the ball. It makes you communicate and talk to everybody around.”
The obvious goal? Get the defense ready to deal with the fast-paced Philly attack.
“The way we’ve done things I think is the right approach,” defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham said. “We tried to really pressure the defense with different calls, different formations.”
Preparing for the different calls and different formations against the Detroit scout team is one thing. Facing it in the December elements is another.
So while the Lions can nail down their first division title in 20 years with three wins down the stretch, the first of the last four games could be the hardest.