Lions make changes to defensive personnel vs. Bears, but unclear if any have staying power

Chicago — The Detroit Lions defense has been shaky most of the second half of the season, and as part of an effort to get things turned around, the team began experimenting with some personnel changes in what ended up a 28-13 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

Some of those changes were a necessity, particularly the way the team addressed the absence of defensive tackle Alim McNeill, with Isaiah Buggs returning to the starting lineup after being scratched from action four of the past five games. Another move, the development of defensive packages for linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin, also was expected after he thrived a week earlier in New Orleans as the team dealt with a one-game absence of starter Alex Anzalone.

Then there were the unexpected personnel changes, including two in the secondary. First, the Lions inserted Ifeatu Melifonwu into the starting lineup, replacing veteran Tracy Walker. And on the outside, cornerback Jerry Jacobs, who typically logs 95% or more of the team's defensive snaps, conceded multiple series to newcomer Kindle Vildor following his promotion from the practice squad earlier in the week.

Finally, the Lions also shifted defensive captain Charles Harris to the bench in favor of Julian Okwara. Harris getting the hook wasn't entirely unexpected, given he saw just three defensive snaps the previous game, but Bruce Irvin seemed destined for that spot. He wasn't an option this week as the Lions opted not to elevate the veteran off the practice squad while he was battling an ankle injury through the week.

Whether any of the adjustments will have staying power remains to be seen. Melifonwu came up with one of the game's best defensive plays, a read-and-react stop on fourth down to force a turnover, while Okwara delivered a QB hit on third down that should have ended a drive, if not for a fourth-down offside penalty that gave Chicago a free play. That bonus snap also could come into play in the evaluation of possible changes since the free play turned into a long touchdown pass after Jacobs was beat in coverage, potentially loosening his grip on the starting job further.

In terms of players helping themselves, Reeves-Maybin fits into that column, coming up with a sack and batted pass on a pair of third-down snaps. Regardless, coach Dan Campbell was reluctant to offer an extensive evaluation immediately after the loss.

"Look, I need to see the tape," Campbell said. "I felt like there were some good by all of those guys that played, but I won't know enough until I watch everything for myself. Our guys know, we're always looking. Guys are always competing here."

Overall, the Lions allowed the Bears to score 28 points, in part because turnovers provided them excellent field position. They amassed just 336 yards on the day, just a few yards more than their season average, while going 7-of-15 on third and fourth down. None of Chicago's scoring drives were longer than 69 yards and only two were longer than 50.

jdrogers@detroitnews.com

@Justin_Rogers