DETROIT -- Teryl Austin might be gone from Detroit, but his impact on his most natural position group lives in the ways most coaches' do: the ways he used his players.
In 2016, the Lions secondary put up numbers that in isolation could rank it as one of the worst in NFL history. It allowed 72 percent of passes to be caught, a modern NFL record. It allowed opposing passers to throw for a combined quarterback rating of 106.5, by far the highest in the NFL.
The struggles to cover at linebacker and to rush the passer in the front four were major factors, and the scheme was built to allow a higher percentage of passes.