49ers’ Kyle Shanahan Doesn’t Hold Back On Lions’ Defense

Matthew Schmidt

January 26, 2024

The Detroit Lions are more known for their explosive offense than their defense, but that does not mean San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is not wary of the Lions’ defense heading into the NFC Championship Game.

While speaking about Detroit’s defense this week, Shanahan credited the unit for its ability to disrupt opposing offenses.

“They play with their defense. They make some plays. Their whole defense, you see in numbers, and you see 31st I think in the pass game,” Shanahan said, via Grant Cohn of All 49ers. “But then when you watch the tape you kind of realize how they are. They’re aggressive in what they do. They mix everything up, which makes them susceptible to big plays.”

The Lions ranked just 19th in the NFL defensively during the regular season, but with guys like Aidan Hutchinson, the recently healthy C.J. Gardner-Johnson and second-year safety Kerby Joseph on the roster, there is no question that Detroit has some playmakers on that side of the ball.

While Shanahan called the Lions’ defense “hit or miss,” he said they also cause a lot of “negative plays.” He thinks their versatility plays a big role in that.

“They’re different almost every week,” he said. “So, you’ve kind of got to see that in the game and how they play. They’ll switch stuff up. If they get on beat on something, it’s going to be something different next time. So, the consistency is they’re going to attack and be aggressive.”

Through its first two playoff games, Detroit’s defense is allowing 416.5 yards per game, which is last of all four remaining ballclubs. It is also allowing 23 points per game.

However, the Lions have managed to bend but not break and now find themselves with a chance to play in their first Super Bowl in franchise history.

We’ll see if Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers can puncture Detroit’s defense in what will be an enormous test for the Lions this Sunday.

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