Lions emerging as contenders, relying on Goff’s arm, ground game, and playmaking defense
The Detroit Lions have met high expectations, looking every bit a Super Bowl contender.
“We can beat anybody in the league,” head coach Dan Campbell said Monday.
Detroit holds a 7-1 record for the first time since 1956, despite missing eight key defensive players, including Aidan Hutchinson. The Lions are riding a six-game winning streak, their longest since 1995.
As reigning NFC North champions, they currently lead the conference, with road victories over division rivals Green Bay and Minnesota.
“We’re in a good place right now,” Campbell noted.
However, the Lions face a critical need for edge rushers after losing Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport, John Cominsky to injuries, and Josh Paschal to illness.
Campbell was uncertain about the chances that Detroit GM Brad Holmes would secure a deal before the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday.
“I don’t think it’s entirely up to us,” Campbell said. “Brad’s trying. We’ve looked at everything, made a lot of calls, and he’s working on it. We still have a bit of time here.”
If Holmes decides the price for a defensive end is too steep, Campbell shared their alternative strategy.
“If nothing gets done, we’ll start checking practice squads,” Campbell said. “See if we can find guys we liked out of college who have potential, and we’ll keep giving our current roster guys a shot.”
What’s working
The offense. Jared Goff has a 140.1 passer rating and a remarkable 82.8% completion rate since Week 3, marking the best six-game stretch in NFL history for a QB with 100+ attempts.
Goff’s last 30 targets to Amon-Ra St. Brown have all been completions. St. Brown has scored in six consecutive games, matching Herman Moore’s 1994 franchise record.
For the first time since 1936, the Lions have rushed for 100+ yards and a touchdown in each of their first eight games, led by David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, who run behind one of the NFL’s top offensive lines.
Gibbs is averaging 5+ yards per carry over a seven-game stretch with at least 10 rush attempts per game, an NFL first.
What needs improvement
Sacks. Hutchinson, who had 7.5 sacks, was injured last month during a 47-9 win in Dallas, and his absence is felt.
Since Hutchinson’s injury, the Lions’ defensive line has only recorded one sack in three games.
Stock up
Kerby Joseph, with six interceptions, is tied for the NFL lead. He is the first safety since Ed Reed (2002-04) to record 14+ interceptions in his first three seasons.
With Joseph and Brian Branch leading the way, the Lions have had an interception in their first eight games for the first time in over four decades.
Stock down
Jameson Williams has missed the last two games due to a suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substance policy, following a prior three-game suspension for breaking the gambling policy. Detroit’s offense has remained effective in his absence.
Injuries
Paschal has missed two games after his routine checkup related to the cancer he was diagnosed with on his foot in 2018 while at Kentucky.
Linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez missed the Packers game with an ankle injury but could return against the Texans on Sunday night.
Key number
0.0001% – The probability, per NFL’s NextGen stats, that St. Brown would catch 30 straight passes, considering the difficulty of each throw.
What’s next
With the trade deadline approaching, the Lions must decide their willingness to pay for edge rushers before facing the AFC South-leading Texans.
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