As the Lions turn from Week 8 to Week 9, the tape from Miami’s 24-19 loss to the New England Patriots offers a few clear clues about what Detroit may be walking into.
The biggest one starts with Malik Willis, who tends to keep the ball in his hands for a long time. Per NFL Pro, Willis’ 3.05 average seconds to throw is third-longest in the league.
Whether that comes from lingering in progressions, hesitation, or receivers not separating, the result is the same: there’s a real chance for the Lions to get after him. Willis has already been sacked 21 times, seventh-most in the NFL, and Miami’s offensive line has allowed the second-highest sack rate in the league at 10.3%.
The Patriots hit Willis five times in the first half before easing off a bit after that.
That same kind of pressure could make this a big day for Tyleik Williams. Miami had a rough time dealing with Patriots nose tackle Cory Durden, who posted career highs with three pressures, three quarterback hits and 1.5 sacks.
Before that game, Durden had never logged a sack and had only two quarterback hits in his NFL career, both coming in Detroit in 2023. The Dolphins also look vulnerable on the right side of the line, where second-year right guard Jonah Savaiinaea ranks 66th out of 75 PFF-graded guards at 47.9, and right tackle Austin Jackson sits last among tackles at 44.6.
Williams has been strong early in his second season, still making life hard in the run game while developing as a pass rusher. And Alim McNeill deserves attention too; he trails only Broncos defensive tackle Zach Allen in PFF pressures among interior defenders with 31.
Detroit’s ground game should have a path as well. The Lions had success last week running right at the Vikings, and that approach should make sense again here.
Rhamondre Stevenson managed 82 yards on 19 carries, a 4.3 yards-per-carry average, as the Patriots finished with a 45.2% success rate on the ground, ninth-best in Week 8. For the season, Miami ranks 21st in EPA/rush allowed and 30th in success rate allowed at 43.9%.
That doesn’t mean the Dolphins are handing out explosive runs left and right, but they can be worn down. A steady workload for Sione Vaki wouldn’t be a surprise.
Miami’s defense isn’t completely without teeth, though. The unit as a whole has struggled, sitting 24th in points allowed per game at 25.9 and 25th in yards per play allowed.
Still, there are a couple of players who can swing a snap. Josh Uche has only two sacks this season, one of them against the Patriots, but he has produced PFF’s ninth-highest run defense grade among edge defenders at 76.0.
Behind him, rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez showed up against New England with a punchout and finished second on the team with eight tackles. His first season has had its ups and downs, but he’s the kind of player who could pop up with a big moment against the Lions.
The final takeaway from the Patriots-Dolphins game is that the scoreboard didn’t tell the whole story. Miami lost by five and even led by 10 at halftime, but the game never really felt that close.
New England helped keep it messy with a red-zone fumble, a missed 40-yard field goal and seven penalties in the first half alone. The Patriots also dropped an easy interception after halftime, and a game-clinching pick was wiped out by an away-from-the-play offsides penalty.
Miami’s late touchdown came with just over two minutes left and was helped by a Patriots defender falling down on a 35-yard score.
On a per-play basis, New England was the better team. The Patriots averaged 5.3 yards per play to Miami’s 4.5 and posted a 49.1% success rate compared with 43.8% for the Dolphins. Strip out the garbage-time production, and the gap grows even more, with New England at 52.9% success rate and Miami at 39.3%.
In Other News...
Lions May Finally Be Forced To Test Ahmed Hassanein
Ahmed Hassanein has spent this season on the Lions 53-man roster without getting into a game, which is a little surprising for a young pass rusher who flashed enough in the preseason to make people take notice. He brought pressure, finished plays and looked like the kind of developmental edge defender Detroit would want to keep close, even if the regular-season path to snaps has been crowded.
Now the door may be opening a bit. With D.J. Wonnum working through concussion protocol, the Lions could be looking for another body on the edge, and Aidan Hutchinson has already pointed to Hassanein as someone who may be ready for a chance. For a player who has been waiting on the sideline after earning his roster spot, this could be the week Detroit finally finds out what it has. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Suddenly Have A Linebacker Depth Issue They Must Address
The Lions are dealing with an unexpected shakeup at linebacker after injuries to Jack Campbell and Jimmy Rolder left the group thinner than planned. In response, Detroit has moved to shore up the room by creating roster space, a sign the team is trying to get ahead of a depth problem before it becomes a larger issue.
One of the names tied to the fix is Owen Pappoe, who was recently released by the Titans after previously being waived by the Cardinals. The roster shuffle has already included placing Rolder on injured reserve and waiving safety Bishop Fitzgerald, though the corresponding moves are still waiting on official announcement. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Suddenly Have A Linebacker Problem They Can't Ignore
The Lions have been forced to keep an eye on their linebacker room as injuries continue to thin out the group, and the front office has already started looking for help. Owen Pappoe, who has spent time with the Cardinals and Titans, visited the Allen Park Performance Center and is expected to join Detroits practice squad as the team tries to stabilize a position that suddenly needs more bodies.
Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes have been working through the roster with that urgency in mind, knowing the depth chart can change quickly this time of year. With Jimmy Rolder unavailable and Jack Campbell also dealing with an injury, Detroit is left searching for answers while trying to preserve enough flexibility to get through the next stretch. [Read more 🡒]