Before we go any further, let’s make something clear: What the Detroit Lions have done this season is impressive.

After downing the Green Bay Packers 34-31 on a last-second field goal, they have won 11 straight. At 12-1, this is the most successful Detroit team at this point in the regular season in the franchise’s storied history.

By season’s end, the 2024 Lions will all but certainly sport the best regular season Detroit has ever had. Jared Goff may be the most underrated quarterback in football. The offense is loaded. The O-line is stout.

This team could absolutely advance to Super Bowl LIX, especially with home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs. The Lions could win the Lombardi Trophy. The team has 100 percent bought into Dan Campbell’s aggressiveness and toughness.

But it wouldn’t be surprising to see these Lions lose their first playoff game because the defense is a genuine concern.

Yes, the Packers had less than 300 yards of total offense Thursday night. They also had a fistful of big plays and scored 31 points. And that was on a night when Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love didn’t play especially well.

The front seven in Detroit has been eviscerated by injuries. The pass rush is all but non-existent, and the secondary is most assuredly not good enough to cover opposing receivers all day because of that non-existent pass rush.

The Lions and Philadelphia Eagles appear to be on a collision course for the NFC title game. But while both have offenses that can score at any moment, Philly also has the league’s No. 1 defense.

As good as the Lions are, Detroit needs the Ford Field crowd to rattle Jalen Hurts and get the Eagles offense out of sync. Because in a vacuum, Philadelphia has a much better chance of making defensive plays than what’s left of the defense in Motown.