The Detroit Lions defense was one of the worst in the league in 2018. They ranked 27th by Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric, they allowed the third-highest passer rating in the NFL, and they created the second fewest turnovers.
But as the year came to an end, Lions fans were left with at least a little optimism. The savvy move to trade for Damon Harrison Sr. almost immediately made Detroit’s run defense one of the best in the league, and solid play from youngsters like Tracy Walker and Da’Shawn Hand left the Lions trending upwards.