The Detroit Lions' 41-31 loss at the Buffalo Bills exposed plenty of concerns for Dan Campbell's team, with the most glaring weaknesses appearing on defense. Playing from behind virtually the entire game, Detroit struggled to generate pressure on Josh Allen, couldn't protect Jared Goff and suffered another injury in the secondary.
Still, a 1-1 start is hardly reason to panic. Detroit remains loaded with proven talent and several of its biggest issues have come simply due to key players being unavailable.
Two games shouldn't erase what remains one of the NFL's most talented cores. Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, Penei Sewell, Aidan Hutchinson and Jack Campbell give Detroit legitimate difference-makers on both sides of the ball. The
Lions haven't been able to put it together yet, but the foundation has not disappeared. While these first two weeks have revealed some flaws, they will not define the season.
Here are three reasons Lions fans should remain optimistic entering Week 3:
Amon-Ra St. Brown is in All-Pro form
When Detroit was on the ropes Thursday night, Amon-Ra St. Brown was there to stabilize the offense. After a quiet first half, Goff and St. Brown connected time and time again as the Lions tried to climb back into the game. St. Brown's ability to create separation and find open space in the defense is world class. Beyond his on-field production, St. Brown's demeanor might've been even more valuable. When one of your team leaders continues to compete until the final whistle, that becomes contagious.
Yes, Detroit needs more production alongside St. Brown on the outside. The good news is they have Jameson Williams. As the offensive line develops continuity and Goff has more time, he should be able to find Williams downfield and on deep crossing routes for big plays later in the season. Williams' speed is what makes him elite and a perfect complement to St. Brown.
In the meantime, the Lions have a superstar receiver they can lean on. St. Brown registered his second multi-touchdown game of the season, hauling in nine grabs for 142 yards and two touchdowns.
The secondary won't look like this forever
Context matters when analyzing the Lions' defensive struggles. They entered Week 2 without Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, two foundational pieces of their secondary. The team then watched Avonte Maddox leave Thursday's game with an injury.
That isn't an excuse for the coverage breakdowns that led to wide-open Bills touchdowns, but Detroit isn't playing with the secondary it built to contend. Getting Branch or Joseph back should dramatically improve Kelvin Sheppard's ability to scheme for opposing offenses. The biggest question becomes, can the Lions survive until then?
Detroit will continue to fight no matter what
It would've been easy for the Lions to pack it in on Thursday night. At times, it seemed like nothing was going their way. Despite being down big early, the Lions never lost their fight.
Goff and the offense continued to battle back in the second half, but the defense simply could not produce a stop. Take away one blown coverage assignment and a few untimely penalties -- one which negated a red zone interception -- and this game could've had a much different complexion in the final minutes.
No moral victories will be celebrated for a team with this much talent and fighting hard won't be enough in the NFC North. However, the Lions showed that when things start snowballing, they won't fold. That is an encouraging trait for a team that will inevitably face more adversity as the season goes on.
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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: 3 reasons to still be optimistic about the Lions moving forward
