ALLEN PARK — In a perfect world the Lions offense and defense would both play solid football in the same game.
Failing to play complementary football is one reason the Lions are 2-6 heading into Sunday’s NFC North game at the Chicago Bears (3-6).
In the 15-9 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Detroit’s defense played lights out and the offense did just enough to get the win. In other games the offense has been on point and the defense missing in action.
Still when the Lions’ defense plays well it makes it easier for the offense to overcome mistakes.
“Honestly it’s like a breather. You make a mistake, the defense goes out, the Packers drove all the way down and then in the red zone they get a pick – boom – it gives us as an offense life,’’ wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown said. “We go out there, we’re excited, ready, we don’t score. They drive it down again, get another pick.
“It’s like our defense is bomb we have to make plays for them. it gives us juice as an offense,if our defense plays like that every week we have a shot at every game,’’ St.Brown said.
Quarterback Jared Goff — who passed for 138 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in the win — agreed with St. Brown.
“I’ve certainly got a lot of things to clean up, but when I don’t feel like I don’t have to play perfect, and I can make a mistake, and the defense can have my back as we do have theirs, that makes things a whole lot smoother, and a whole lot easier for us to overcome,’’ Goff said. “So, it’s big. It’s really big when they can cause turnovers like they were last week and be around the ball, sacks, negative plays for their offense, penalties, whatever it may be. It was really big.”
Of course, there is no magic solution to make the offense more consistent each week. The Lions rank seventh in the NFL in total offense gathering 377.3 yards per game.
“Each week I feel like we say the same thing, we’ve got to be better at this, that and the other. At the end of the day in this league you just want to win games,’’ St. Brown said.
Sunday’s game will add a different wrinkle for St. Brown whose older brother, Equanimeous St. Brown, is a Bears wide receiver.
The brothers talk most every day. The trash talk started Tuesday.
“I’m excited to play him. Whenever I play my brother it’s always super fun,’’ St. Brown said. “Not just football but for my family. They will all be there to watch us. He said they were going to beat us, he gave me a little score prediction, I told him we’re going to beat them. We’ll see at the end of the game.’’
Their parents, John and Miriam Brown, will be hard to miss at Soldier Field. Mom and Dad will each be wearing split jerseys – half Bears, half Lions.
(Next up: Lions (2-6) at Bears (3-6), 1 p.m. on Sunday.)
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