The Detroit Lions head into Week 2 with very little support from the national crowd, at least if the expert picks are any indication.
NFL Pickwatch shows 94 percent of experts are backing the Buffalo Bills to handle Dan Campbell’s team at Highmark Stadium, a clear sign that most pundits see Buffalo as the stronger side in this matchup.
Detroit’s defense is staring at a tricky assignment after what the Saints were able to do in Week 1. New Orleans moved the ball effectively, and tight end Juwan Johnson was a big part of that, finishing with seven catches for 54 yards and a touchdown.
That’s part of why the Bills’ tight end group is drawing so much attention. Campbell was asked earlier this week how his defense plans to deal with Buffalo’s three-tight-end look, and he laid out just how many different problems that package can create.
“I think the first answer to that question, they have three tight ends. They have three real guys that have three different roles that they're all three pretty good at.
And (Jackson Hawes) 85 can block a little bit," said Campbell. "We liked him coming out and he proved to be a pretty good blocker last year.
So, he's kind of their heavy-Y. And then Dalton (Kincaid), 86, he's a mismatch in the pass game, man.
"He's one of these big skill, get through the defense, one-on-one matchups. And then (Dawson) Knox does it all.
He does everything. He's the guy, he's the jack of all trades and he makes it right.
He's kind of the glue that, ‘What do you need? I'm the release guy, I'm the blocker, I'm the hybrid H-back, I'm the split me out one-on-one.’
He does it all."
Campbell also pointed to Josh Allen as another layer of the challenge, while noting how the Texans handled Buffalo’s 13-personnel looks with nickel coverage at times.
"You've got three guys and so you can live in that personnel group a little bit and it gives you a lot of options. So, what are they playing?
The second is, Houston plays a lot of nickel to 13. So, that would behoove you to play more heavy against those guys.
So, doesn't mean we won't see it. We're prepared for it," said Campbell.
"But normally if you think you're going to see nickel to 13, you're probably going to live in that quite a bit. And then you know what you're going to get.
I brought this up before, your options are open. The candy store's open if you've got nickel and you can play everything in nickel.
I'm talking about defensively.
"You’ve got all of your calls now, man, all your pressures, all your coverages. Whereas in base, you don't have everything.
Now, at least you can start process of elimination. I'm getting heavy, I know I get base is what we're going to get," Campbell added.
"And I know where my matchups are going to be. It just reduces that a little bit.
So, they're good at it. Look, they're good in 11, they're good in 12.
They've got personnel, they've got a quarterback who makes it go and they've got a coaching staff that can find those little nuggets and the mismatches.”
In Other News...
Lions Face A Prime-Time Problem As Jahmyr Gibbs Heads To Buffalo
The Lions are heading into a short week with a little less stability up front than they probably wanted. Detroit visits Buffalo on Thursday night in Week 2, and the matchup comes with both teams sitting at 1-0 after opening wins, the Bills over Houston and the Lions in overtime against New Orleans. It will also be Buffalos home opener at the new Highmark Stadium, with the game set for Prime Video, which gives the stage an early-season feel before either side has much time to settle in.
For Detroit, the bigger concern may be how it handles the trenches without starting left guard Christian Mahogany and right tackle Blake Miller, both out because of injuries. That puts even more attention on a Lions offense that is already expected to lean on Jahmyr Gibbs, especially in a game that could turn physical quickly under the lights in Buffalo. Prime-time road games are one thing when a line is intact, and another when the protection and run-game pieces are already shifting before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Could Catch A Break In Buffalo's First Outdoor Test
The Lions are heading into one of the more interesting road setups on their schedule, with Buffalo set to host them at the Bills new Highmark Stadium, a building that still does not have a roof. Forecast rain before kickoff could turn the surface slick and make this as much a test of footing and ball security as it is of talent, which is exactly the kind of wrinkle that can change how both teams script their first few drives.
For Detroit, the weather could tilt the game away from a pure trench battle and toward a more pass-heavy approach if the ground game becomes harder to trust. Wet conditions always raise the stakes on exchanges, cuts and catches, and if the field plays fast but slippery, the Lions may have to lean on cleaner operation through the air while both sides try to avoid the kind of mistakes that rain can manufacture. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Stars Got Snubbed After Putting Detroit In The Spotlight
Week 1 put Detroit in the national spotlight in more ways than one, and the Lions had more than enough star power to earn some leaguewide recognition. Jahmyr Gibbs was electric on the ground for Detroit, piling up 156 yards and two touchdowns, while Aidan Hutchinson kept making his presence felt on defense as the Lions opened the season with a performance that looked every bit like a team built to matter.
The weekly awards, though, went elsewhere. Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week over Gibbs after rushing for 124 yards and three touchdowns, and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun took Defensive Player of the Week ahead of Hutchinson. It leaves Detroit with the kind of early-season slight that tends to stick in a locker room, especially when the production was right there for everyone to see. [Read more 🡒]