Lions safety Tracy Walker: “We just keep beating ourselves”

Harrison Barden-USA TODAY Sports

Tracy Walker thinks most of Detroit’s issues are coming from within.

The Detroit Lions are really bad right now. There are a lot of reason why. Injuries are hurting piling up, the defense is the among the worst in the league, and the offense is struggling to put up points with third-string quarterback David Blough. But Lions safety Tracy Walker believe the Lions are their own worst enemy.

“We’re beating ourselves,” Walker said after Sunday’s 20-7 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. “We can go out there and compete with the best, but we gotta stop beating ourselves and causing penalties on ourselves. It’s a lot things we’re doing that’s hurting ourselves. I wouldn’t say it’s all the way the other team. Shoutout to them. They’re doing a great scheme. They’re coming out playing. But I feel when you turn that film on, it’s got a lot to do with us.”

That says a lot about the team’s current mental state. It has to be frustrating to continue to go out and try hard and continue to fail. To be this deep into the season, and still be making the same mistakes—be they penalties or blown assignments—has to be concerning.

Matt Patricia said though the Lions’ are 3-9-1, the team isn’t taking on that identity.

“What I appreciate about this team is that we don’t look at our record say, ‘This is what we are,’” Patricia said. “I think we look at our record and say, ‘That’s not what we are and we’ve got to do better and try to figure out how to get the record to match up with what we are’”

Walker agreed, saying the team doesn’t plan to throw in the towel. He even thinks this frustrating season may have strengthened the locker room.

“It’s brought us closer,” Walker said. “But we understand it’s something that we gotta fix. It’s coming from inside this team. We gotta work to clean it up. I mean in itself, it’s frustrating. But at the end of the day I can’t sit here and say, ‘Oh, we suck and I’m just gonna throw in the rest of the season.’ No. I’m gonna prepare for the next team and continue to push.”

Walker left Sunday’s game late in the second half after a big collision with a Vikings receiver. The Lions safety assured the media after the game that he was fine, even stating that he’s “100 percent.”

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