The Detroit Lions can feel good going into their bye week thanks to a 45-21 win over the Arizona Cardinals. But just because the Lions are on top again, it doesn't mean they don't have some concerns. Every team in the NFL, winning or not, always has something lingering that could be fixed.
For the Lions, one thing they should really focus on is their slow starts on offense. You can come back from that in a game against the Cardinals, but not in matchups against much better teams.
ESPN points this out in a feature out on Monday looking at Week 5 games, stating, "The slow starts on offense continued, with the Lions going three-and-out on the first three drives."
The Detroit Lions' offense needs to get going earlier
The good news is that they easily overcame Arizona. ESPN notes that "the unit came alive in the second quarter, scoring 24 points to take control. Detroit has scored one touchdown on 13 drives that ended in the first quarter (7.7%), which is the fifth-lowest rate in the NFL, per ESPN Research."
So, those slow starts on offense make for something to watch after their bye week. Thankfully, the Lions' defense was stronger against the Cardinals after a rough start to the season. Following that unfortunate touchdown on the Cardinals' opening drive, the defense just allowed 14 points before a late touchdown when it was already pretty much over. So, the defense finally had a breakout game, and that's something it needs to do all season. Now, it's up to the Lions to keep the momentum going after the bye week.
