Defensive issues have been the common thread for both Detroit and Arizona, and Sunday’s meeting in Glendale gives each side a chance to start cleaning up the mess.
The Lions come in at 2-2, but the record hides some ugly numbers. Detroit is allowing 31.8 points per game, which ranks 31st in the league, and its pass defense sits dead last at 304.0 yards allowed per contest.
Arizona hasn’t fared much better. The Cardinals are 1-3 and giving up 29.3 points per game, 29th in the NFL, with three straight losses and at least 31 points surrendered in each of those defeats.
Detroit has owned this matchup lately. The Lions are unbeaten in the last six meetings between the teams, with one tie mixed in, and the most recent trip to Arizona ended with a 20-13 Detroit win in September 2024. Jared Goff threw for 199 yards and two touchdowns in that game.
Goff has been sharp again this season. Through 161 pass attempts, he has not thrown an interception and has totaled nine touchdown passes.
Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs have also given the offense plenty of punch, with both ranking inside the NFL’s top 10 in receiving and rushing yards, respectively.
St. Brown has five touchdown catches, while Gibbs has five rushing scores.
Even with that firepower, Dan Campbell knows the defense has to hold up its end.
"I know there's some frustration and there's a lot of worry, there's a lot of anxiety over what it is," Campbell said. "But I'm a big believer (that) we can improve what's here right now. ...
I understand what it is, but I'm also not in panic mode. I've got to get these guys better.
We have to get these guys better collectively. And some of that is the other two units picking up the slack in some areas.
It's not just one unit."
The Lions may still be shorthanded on that side of the ball. Starting safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are both likely to be out, and Branch only got back on the practice field Wednesday for the first time since tearing his Achilles last December.
Arizona is dealing with its own problem up front. The Cardinals lost starting left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. to a torn left biceps in last week’s 36-24 defeat to the New York Giants. Johnson, the former sixth overall pick, has 47 career starts over three-plus NFL seasons.
There’s also uncertainty around the workload for Arizona’s top pick in this year’s draft, Jeremiyah Love. The 21-year-old running back missed time in August with an ankle injury and is now dealing with an issue in his other ankle, though coach Mike LaFleur does not expect it to keep him out Sunday.
"The best I can tell you guys is maintenance. Maintenance throughout the day, and you get to Sunday," LaFleur said on Wednesday.
Arizona’s offense has shown flashes, especially when Jacoby Brissett is in sync with Michael Wilson and Trey McBride. McBride has been one of the NFL’s top tight ends, and his 33 catches lead the Cardinals. Wilson leads the team with 258 receiving yards.
Love is currently Arizona’s leading rusher, though he has shared carries this season with Tyler Allgeier.
The Cardinals are also hoping Marvin Harrison Jr. is starting to find his footing. The former first-round pick scored his first touchdown reception of the season against the Giants, but his year has been quiet overall. He has only five catches for 85 yards so far.
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Marvin Harrison Jr. has only just started to settle into his place in Arizona, but his name is already surfacing in deadline chatter as the NFL moves closer to the next round of roster maneuvering. ESPNs Josh Weinfuss and Stephen Holder reported that the Indianapolis Colts are among the teams doing due diligence on the Cardinals wideout, a reminder that even a former No. 4 overall pick can become part of the leagues wider trade conversation before his rookie chapter has fully unfolded.
For Arizona, the important part is what is not happening right now. The Cardinals are not shopping Harrison, and he has said he is focused on helping the team win rather than tracking rumors around him. Still, the fact that another team would be willing to explore the idea if he somehow became available is enough to make this worth watching as the deadline picture sharpens around a player who has already appeared in four games this season. [Read more 🡒]
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Head coach Mike LaFleur said running back Jeremiyah Love and defensive lineman Walter Nolen III are trending in the right direction, while also noting that tight end Hunter Longs injury is not season-ending. Outside linebacker Jordan Burch is expected to be available, so Arizonas picture is a lot clearer than it could have been, even if the biggest uncertainty from the week still hangs over how much depth the Cardinals will have where they need it most. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Face One Clear Challenge In A Winnable Lions Test
The Cardinals enter this matchup with a real opening against Detroit, but the path to taking advantage of it starts up front. Arizona has been leaning on the passing game, with Trey McBride and Marvin Harrison Jr. giving the offense reliable ways to stress a defense, and this is the kind of opponent that can be attacked if the protection holds together. The Lions have not looked sturdy on that side of the ball, which is why this game has the feel of one Arizona should be able to keep within reach.
The issue for Arizona is whether the offensive line can survive long enough to let the rest of the plan work. Injuries have thinned the group to the point where the Cardinals are asking for new answers in a spot where continuity usually matters most, and that makes the matchup feel a little less comfortable than the records suggest. If the line can hold, the Cardinals have a chance to turn a winnable test into a useful early-season statement. [Read more 🡒]