There is still work to be done with the Detroit Lions passing defense, but the team did take a big step forward in one area in 2023. Aaron Glenn’s defense, keyed by second-year EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, finished second in the league in the 2023 regular season in pressuring the quarterback.
Detroit’s defense generated pressure on 41.4 percent of all opposing pass situations, including plays where the quarterback scrambled (but not designed runs). Only the Dolphins finished with a higher rate for the season. A pressure is considered only in the first 3.5 seconds of a pass play.
The range isn’t a huge spread; Miami recorded pressures on 44.5 percent of opposing dropbacks to top the league, while the Cardinals came in last at 30.5 percent. More than half the league — 20 teams —recorded pressure rates between 40.5 percent and 34.5 percent. That’s a variance of less than two per game, on average. The Lions finished tied for 15th in 2022 with a pressure rate of 34.5 percent.
The area where Detroit can really improve is in converting that outstanding pressure rate into sacks. Despite finishing second in pressure rate, the Lions defense ranked just 22nd in sack percentage at 6.6 percent, per Team Rankings.
All pressure rate data is from SIS.
