The Lions are off to their best start (10-1) since 1934, are Super Bowl favorites and the best team in American football.
They are also a complete team that dominates in all three phases. They are the only team to rank in the top 10 in EPA per game on offense, defense and special teams.
The part about his defense may surprise you because you’ve probably heard of his 50-point games, perfect Jared Goff performances, or ridiculous stretches with more touchdowns than incomplete passes.
However, the defense is also devouring the competition. They are allowing the second-fewest points per game (16.6) in the NFL this year and that number is somewhat lower (15.3) since Aidan Hutchinson broke his leg in Week 6.
They also have the best defense in the league. As we enter Thanksgiving, they have…
- Allowed less than seven points in consecutive games
- He didn’t allow points in the second half in three straight games.
- He did not allow a touchdown in 10 consecutive quarters.
All of those streaks are the longest in the NFL this season. Who would have thought the Lions have a tight defense?!?!
But it’s true, and they have two stars patrolling the middle of the field to thank: safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch.
You may remember Joseph for taking out Aaron Rodgers twice in the 2022 regular season finale at Lambeau Field to keep Green Bay out of the playoffs. You may also know Branch from his pick six off Patrick Mahomes in his NFL debut last year (thanks to a drop by Kadarius Toney), but they’re both so much more.
They are the best safety duo in the NFL since Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, who headlined half of the “Legion of Boom” in the early and mid-2010s.
Thomas and Chancellor are the only safety duo under the age of 25 to make the Pro Bowl in the same season in the Super Bowl era (since 1966). They did it in 2011, a year before Seattle went on a streak of four consecutive seasons leading the NFL in scoring defense.
Joseph (age 24) and Branch (age 23) are on pace to join the club with stellar seasons so far in 2024. They have two of the three highest grades at safeties this season according to Pro Football Focus. Joseph is first (91.3), followed by Kyle Hamilton (88.9) and Branch (88.1)! Collectively, Joseph and Branch have allowed no touchdowns in coverage and intercepted 11 passes.
It’s the most interceptions by a duo (11) under the age of 25 in 11 games since Ty Law and Lawyer Milloy reached that mark in 1998 for the Patriots.
They are the only defensive players allowing a passer rating of 20.0 or less in coverage this season (minimum 20 targets). Keep in mind that you get a rating of 39.6 simply by putting the ball in the ground.
Yes, these guys have a nose for the ball. Both rank in the top five in the NFL in hawk rate this year, according to NFL Pro Insights.
They also both rank in the top four in interceptions, as well as passes defended in 2024.
Joseph showed his range by defeating Mac Jones in Week 11.
Branch went acrobatic to intercept Sam Darnold earlier this year.
Both have been praised for their versatility lining up all over the field, especially Branch’s ability to put receivers in the slot. Quarterbacks are 5 of 13 for 53 yards targeting Branch in the slot when he’s in man coverage this year.
And they wouldn’t be elite safeties unless they could pack a big hit. Both can line up in the box and fill the run.
Joseph and Branch established the lead against the Jaguars in Week 11 and made good plays against the run.
This punch from Branch was ridiculous. Take refuge!
The combination of selling balls and big hits puts them in a club of one.
Joseph is the only player since 2000 with 200+ tackles and 15+ interceptions in 40 career starts.
Branch is the only player in the last 20 seasons with 125+ tackles and 25+ passes defensed in 25 career games.
Unreal. It’s no surprise that both are candidates for Defensive Player of the Year this season.
Credit Lions general manager Brad Holmes for hitting home runs with both players in the draft. Joseph was a third-round pick in 2022 and Branch moved to the second round in 2023.
Now, like Thomas and Chancellor, they are establishing a no-fly zone in Detroit.
The Lions are still vulnerable on the outside, allowing 14 completions thrown more than 20 air yards outside the numbers this season, bottom 10 in the league. But they have allowed just one completion thrown more than 20 passing yards within the numbers, tied for the fewest in the NFL. Here’s a look at where the Lions’ completions allowed are this season.
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If the Lions want to reach their first Super Bowl this year, they will have to continue winning in all phases. One of the most promising young safety duos of all time is doing his part.
