The Detroit Lions have been one of the most complete and dominant teams in the NFL this season. Only having one loss on the year, and currently in place for the number one seed in NFC. Quarterback Jared Goff has been playing at an incredibly high level and was even in the MVP conversation until his five-interception game against the Texans. However, the season did take a horrible turn when star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson went down with a season-ending leg injury.
The Lions’ defense has missed Hutchinson’s presence and pressure ability. But picking up the slack on the defensive side of the ball, are safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph. The two young ballhawks in Detroit’s secondary have been difference makers in every game this season. The play from the Detroit secondary is a key part in the team’s success this season.
Detroit Lions Young Ballhawks
Detroit currently has two players ranked in the top three when it comes to interceptions. Kerby Joseph leads the league with six, and Brian Branch isn’t far behind with four. Kerby a 2022 third round pick out of Illinois, has become one of the better safeties in the league today. Though, sometimes criticized for his aggressive hits on receivers. Branch, a second round pick out of Alabama. Many projected the Crimson Tide star to go in the first round of the 2023 draft, but it slipped right into the laps of the Detroit Lions. Since joining the team, he has made an instant impact.
Some might remember Branch’s first game as a rookie, taking an interception from Patrick Mahomes back for a pick six. Detroit would go on to upset the defending Super Bowl champions to kick off the 2023 season. That was only the beginning, the dynamic duo in the Lions secondary have feasted on opposing quarterbacks. Causing turnovers and making game altering plays has become a regular thing to expect when these two are on the field together.
The Safety Net
When Detroit’s star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson went down, many wondered if the defense would slump or at least have some sort of drop off. With the strong performances from their young safeties the Lions have maintained a high level of play on the defensive side of the ball.
Even when QB Jared Goff had his five-interception game, the Lions’ defense pitched a second half shutout against the Houston Texans and gave the offense the chance to come back and win. The Detroit offense hasn’t had many bad games or days they just weren’t able to get something going. But when they have, this young defense led by Branch and Joseph have been the safety net keeping them in games.
The Detroit Lions don’t have many top tier quarterbacks left on their schedule for the regular season. Expect this aggressive defense to flex its muscles down the stretch. We could very well see both Joseph and Branch get close to double digit interceptions each. Proving what lethal combination they are in this defensive secondary. Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn has done an incredible job getting the best out of his players and should garner a lot of attention when it comes time for other teams to be interviewing for head coach vacancies.
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