After loss to Bears, Lions defense has officially 'lost our confidence and swagger'

Chicago — In three seasons under Dan Campbell, the Lions have become known for their hard-nosed, never-say-die mentality. But right now, it looks like half of their team is playing without it. 

Much like at the beginning of last season, it feels as though the Lions have reached a breaking point with their defense. You can hear it from the locker room.

“I feel like we kind of lost our swagger and our confidence,” Lions defensive lineman John Cominsky said. “I feel like when we play with that swagger and that confidence, the guys are loose. I think that’s when we were playing our best ball.”

In the Lions’ 28-13 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday at Soldier Field, they pushed an ugly stretch into another week. They’ve now allowed 26 or more points in five straight games and are averaging 30.4 in that stretch — a mark that tied the worst season-long average in the league (Washington Commanders) this season entering Sunday.

It is clear, now, that this is not a bump in the road. There is no waiting to see if they return to form as the same defense that was allowing just 18 points per game from Weeks 3-8. The players seem to recognize that they are no longer just a play, or an adjustment, or a communication error away from being an above-average defense.

The mentality requires a serious overhaul.

“It’s just a collective agreement amongst the defense that we’re going to loosen up. Everybody loosen up,” Cominsky said. “When we make mistakes, we’re going to bounce back and we’re going to take that one play at a time. It takes guys to remind everybody how you got here, why you’re here. We’re all great players in the National Football League. 

“So just reminding ourselves of that and staying disciplined and trying to get that swag and our confidence back.”

Lions safety Kerby Joseph said it’s too late in the season for it to be acceptable that guys are getting coached on “stuff like discipline.”

“Holding each other accountable — like, when you see somebody doing something they’re not supposed to do — it starts at practice,” Joseph said. “You see somebody not doing what they’re supposed to do…call them out on it.”

And after a dreary December day in Chicago, there are just four more games to find the confidence and swagger that’s supposed to lead Detroit to its best season in nearly six decades.

nbianchi@detroitnews.com

@nolanbianchi