Detroit's defense has received contributions from several different players in the secondary who've been asked to step in and maintain the standard for Detroit's fifth-ranked defense and eighth-best passing defense in the NFL.
Kudos to players like Amik Robertson, Rock-Ya Sin, Arthur Maulet, Nick Whiteside, Thomas Harper and others who've played significant roles over the last month and have played well.
Detroit's defense is starting to get healthier and could get a big piece in their secondary back from injury as head coach Dan Campbell is hopeful veteran cornerback D.J. Reed can return to the lineup Sunday vs. the New York Giants after sitting out Detroit's last five games with a hamstring injury suffered Week 4 vs. Cleveland.
"I'm hopeful," Campbell said Wednesday. "I think a lot of it will be determined tomorrow in these full speed practices, tomorrow and Friday. He looked pretty good last week and so we'll see."
With Reed close to returning, and the expectation that Terrion Arnold will soon return from concussion protocol, Campbell has a good problem on his hands, having too many players worthy of reps and not enough spots to play them all.
"Those things don't go unnoticed," Campbell said of the recent play of Robertson and Ya-Sin outside. "If we're able to get Reed going this week … we foresee using all those guys. We're not just going to go away from Amik. There will be a role for him one way or another. It's a good place to be at. Start getting some of our guys back and some depth back, good players back."
Reed's return would be a big boost for Detroit as he was playing at a Pro Bowl level before suffering the hamstring injury. Opponents were completing only 50 percent of the passes thrown Reed's way the first month of the season with a 44.3 passer rating against.
UNCHARACTERISTIC GOFF
Before last Sunday, Lions quarterback Jared Goff held an NFL record producing eight straight road games with at least a 70 percent completion percentage.
That streak ended in Philadelphia as Goff was uncharacteristically inaccurate in a 16-9 loss to the Eagles, completing just 14-of-37 passes (37.8 percent) for 255 yards with a touchdown, an interception and a passer rating of 60.1.
His completion percentage Sunday was a new career low for a single game. It dropped Goff from No. 1 in the NFL in completion percentage going into last week to No. 5 at 69.7 behind Drake Maye (71.9), Sam Darnold (70.2), Daniel Jones (69.9) and Dak Prescott (69.9).
"No fun. Frustrating," Goff said Wednesday of watching the tape from Sunday. "All that. No fun. But you learn from it. You try to find little bits and pieces you can get better from just like any other tape that goes good or bad or indifferent. You just try to learn from it and get better."
Detroit's been able to bounce back pretty good following losses the last three years, and Goff has been a big reason for that. I expect Goff to be much more on point and accurate with the football Sunday vs. the Giants.
BIG IMPROVEMENT
For years, the New York Giants' offensive line has been one of their biggest weaknesses.
That hasn't been the case in 2025, and that offers a unique matchup for Aidan Hutchinson and the rest of Detroit's defensive front Sunday at Ford Field.
Pro Football Focus produces weekly o-line rankings, and the Giants are No. 14 in PFF's rankings entering Week 12. New York ended last season ranked 23rd in PFF's final offensive line grade.
"Offensively, it's a pretty gritty offensive line," Campbell said of the Giants. "They push on you, lot of gap-scheme downhill."
EXTRA POINT
- Safety Brian Branch didn't take part in Detroit's walkthrough Wednesday with a toe injury but Campbell said he thinks Branch will be OK to play Sunday.
