Delmas and Houston injuries were killers to Lions pass defense

More than just stating the obvious that the Lions defense has missed safety Louis Delmas and a healthy Chris Houston at corner over the last six games, there’s statistical evidence to prove their absence has had a big effect on the defense.

Through the first 11 weeks of the season, before Delmas and Houston suffered knee injuries on Thanksgiving against the Packers, the Lions were holding opposing quarterbacks to a 69.0 passer rating.

The Lions ranked third in the NFL at the time in passer rating differential at 24.4. Lions quarterbacks had a passer rating of 93.5 at the time.

But through the final six weeks of the regular season with Delmas out of the lineup and Houston missing most of four games and being limited in two others, opposing quarterbacks raised their passer rating to 82.1.

“When we lost (Delmas) the defense started struggling some,” Lions defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham admitted Thursday. “When he was out, you could tell there was a little bit of a different approach.”

Delmas has practiced all this week and looks to be in line to start when the Lions face quarterback Drew Brees and the Saints on Saturday. Houston says he’s feeling healthier and is ready to go.

The Lions will need both Delmas and Houston to play like they were the first 11 weeks of the season against the high-potent Saints offense.

Calvin Johnson returns to practice; starters look ready to go

Lions receiver Calvin Johnson (Achilles) returned to the practice field Thursday for the team’s final practice of the week before Saturday’s playoff match-up with the Saints in New Orleans.

Johnson is on the same schedule as last week when he sat out the first two practices of the week before the Packers game and was on the field for the last. He was listed as limited on Thursday’s practice report.

The Lions would certainly take the same game-day results this time around, too.

Johnson had a career-high 244 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Packers last week.

Only safety Chris Harris sat out practice with a back injury.

Safety Louis Delmas practiced for a third straight day. He was officially listed as limited on the injury report but it looks like he’ll start against the Saints.

Other players listed as limited for the Lions Thursday were: CB Aaron Berry (shoulder), DT Nick Fairley (foot), CB Chris Houston (Hand/knee), CB Alphonso Smith (foot) and running back Kevin Smith (ankle/knee).

All 11 players that started the season on defense are expected to start in New Orleans. The Lions should have 21 of their 22 starters on both sides of the ball that started Week 1 against the Buccaneers in the lineup for the start of the playoffs. Running back Jahvid Best (injured reserve) would be the only player missing.

Johnson: “Myself and Nate – we’re going to have the guys right so we come ready to play on Saturday”

“It’s my first time in the postseason. It’s cool because all your peers are watching you. It makes you want to step your game to another level and, at the same time, make sure everybody – not just yourself – is controlled. You can’t control more than what you do yourself, but I can control my group to a certain extent.

“It’s about having everybody on the right page so that we do everything we’re supposed to do to give ourselves the best chance to win. I feel that myself and Nate – we’re going to have the guys right so we come ready to play on Saturday.

“There were some bright spots the last time we played at New Orleans, but we didn’t play our best game because of penalties – that was the main reason. There were some mental errors. We have to eliminate those things, which we have the last few weeks. We’ve been moving the ball up and down the field since San Diego, really, and hopefully we can just keep on clicking.

“We’re prepared for a a lot of offense this game. I like to think of it as not us going into a shootout with Brees, but us being able to go out every drive and move the ball. If we move the ball, we’re going to get explosives, which turns into points for us. As long as we’re moving the ball, we’re going to have success. Just no dumb penalties – you can’t take explosives away with penalties. That kills me.”

Lions playing under playoff overtime rules Saturday

It’s worth reminding everyone that the Lions vs. Saints playoff game this Saturday will fall under the league’s new overtime rules.

NFL owners voted in 2010 to install a modified sudden-death system to determine the winner in the playoffs when the score is tied at the end of regulation. The system guarantees each team a possession or the opportunity to possess, unless the team that receives the opening kickoff scores a touchdown on its initial possession.

Here is the rule:

Following a three-minute intermission after the end of the regulation game, play will be continued in 15-minute periods until a winner is declared. Each team must possess or have the opportunity to possess the ball unless the team that has the ball first scores a touchdown on its initial possession. Play continues in sudden death until a winner is determined, and the game automatically ends upon any score (by safety, field goal, or touchdown) or when a score is awarded by Referee for a palpably unfair act. Each team has three timeouts per half and all general timing provisions apply as during a regular game. Try is not attempted if touchdown scored. Disqualified players are not allowed to return.

Also, there are no challenges and reviews are initiated by the replay assistant.