Not all of the important lessons that linebacker Alex Anzalone learned in the last two seasons with the Detroit Lions were on the playing field.
One was simple math – wins and losses, and what they meant when they added up.
The Lions have started slow in the last two seasons – an 0-8 start that ended with a record of 3-13-1 in 2021 and a 1-6 start in 2022 that ended with a 9-8 win-loss record.
The Lions went 8-2 in the last 10 games of 2022, but the slow start kept them from making the playoffs as a wild card.
"We learned a lot of lessons the last 10 games or so," Anzalone said. "The biggest lesson I learned is you can't have a slow start in the NFL.
"Every game matters. You never know which one it's going to be. Last year we're a game away way from going to the playoffs. You can't have any off games. You can't be up and down.
"You have to be consistently a good defense. You don't have to play the best you've ever played every game, but you just have to be consistent."
View photos from Day 4 of Detroit Lions training camp on Wednesday July 26, 2023.
Detroit Lions safety Tracy Walker (21) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14), Detroit Lions wide receiver Maurice Alexander (15) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jameson Williams/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker James Houston (41) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (13) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Tracy Walker (21) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (13), Detroit Lions running back Justin Jackson (38), Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26), Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5), Detroit Lions running back Jermar Jefferson (28), Detroit Lions running back Mohamed Ibrahim (33) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Justin Jackson (38) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Wide Receivers Coach Antwaan Randle El, Detroit Lions Assistant Wide Receivers Coach Seth Ryan during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox (3), Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions kicker Parker Romo (24) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Brady Breeze (35) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Tracy Walker (21) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Adrian Martinez (18) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions kicker Riley Patterson (36) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions President and CEO Rod Wood, Detroit Lions General Manager and Executive Vice President Brad Holmes during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Anthony Pittman (57) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker James Houston (41) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Will Harris (25), Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14), Detroit Lions cornerback Cameron Sutton (1) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Steven Gilmore (36) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Adrian Martinez (18) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Cornerbacks Coach Dre Bly during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Trinity Benson (19) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Dylan Drummond (83) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Nate Sudfeld (10) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Tom Kennedy (85) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Denzel Mims (17) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Cameron Sutton (1) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Brad Cecil (64) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (44) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike (91) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Defense doing drills during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions guard Jonah Jackson (73) during training camp at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on July 26, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Anzalone likes the direction the defense has taken with key additions at key positions.
He is expecting there were will competition for jobs on defense.
"Competition brings the best out of everyone," he said. "It's no secret there's competition in our room. It's out in the open. It's the best man wins, and that's how it's going to be.
"If you have the ability to play and deserve to play, you're going to play."
