Our Week 12 takeaways are live with everything I’ve got off of this week’s games. As we’ve been doing all season, we’ll publish the takeaways Sunday and update them live through Monday morning. So come back again if not all 10 are here yet … DETROIT LIONS Don’t look now, but the Detroit Lions’ defense looks as dominant as their offense. And it’s another reason why this once sad-sack franchise has emerged as the NFL’s very clear No. 1 team as we approach the team’s annual Thanksgiving game-with no complaining anymore that the Lions are sitting in that national television window. Somehow, this is what the aftermath of losing Aidan Hutchinson looks like for Detroit. Out goes the Lions’ best defensive player and in comes the team’s defensive breakthrough.
After Sunday’s workmanlike 24–6 deconstruction of the Indianapolis Colts, the Lions will carry a streak of 10 quarters without allowing a touchdown into Thursday’s game against the NFC North rival Chicago Bears, who are six games behind Detroit in the standings. Over that time, Aaron Glenn’s defense has allowed just four field goals. And in the six games since losing Hutchinson, the defense has allowed 316.0 yards per game and 15.3 points per game, which is actually less than the unit allowed over the first five games (329.4 and 18.2, respectively).
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