All things considered, the Detroit Lions’ defense was pretty good in Week 14 against the Green Bay Packers. The Packers had two short fields that led to touchdowns on their way to 31 points, but they had just 298 yards of offense in the game.

Four defensive players the Lions had added in the week before the game saw action against the Packers. They couldn’t possible have been fully up to speed with the terminology of Aaron Glenn’s defense, but as Glenn noted when he spoke to the media last week the Lions’ defense is rooted in playing style almost more than the playbook.

Those new players will have more time to learn the Lions’ defensive system heading into Week 15 against the Buffalo Bills.

Dan Campbell expects Lions’ defense to be better vs. Bills

The Lions may get some guys back on defense this week, which will help against a very good Bills’ offense led by MVP candidate Josh Allen.

Whether anybody is back healthy this week or not, Campbell expects the defense to be better than it was against the Packers.

“Defensively it was okay we got some new guys, ‘just give us everything you got and finish.’ That’s the stipulation. So now we need to take it a step further”, Campbell said on Monday. “Okay, now that you guys are laying it on the line, you’re finishing, now we got to start getting the grasp of what we’re doing defensively and take the next step. And, you know, the detail part of this, and to where we don’t have a few plays that hurt us. So our defense will, depending on who we have here, we’re going to be better than we were last week.”

“I believe that and whether we don’t get anybody back or not, this will be another week in the system with (Jamal) Adams and Myles Adams and Jonah (Williams) and Kwon (Alexander). And so I know that they’ll be better,” Campbell said. “But we’ll do whatever we have to to win the game.”

Ideally the Lions will have all or some of Alim McNeil, DJ Reader, Levi Onwuzurike and Josh Paschal back against the Bills and MVP candidate Josh Allen. Regardless, the newest players having more time to learn the details of the defense will be helpful and Campbell knows it.