Week 3 sets up as a revealing test for the Lions, and it starts with the player they were sorely missing against Buffalo. Rookie tackle Blake Miller was back as a participant in practice, a welcome sign after Detroit’s Week 2 loss showed just how much the offense leaned on him.
Miller didn’t hide how rough it was to sit out the Bills game. “It sucked,” Miller said Wednesday of missing the Bills game. “Not being there for my team was horrible.”
Detroit now looks headed toward getting him back for the Jets, but the assignment won’t be soft. New York has its own rookie difference-maker in edge rusher David Bailey, and he’s already making noise early in the year.
Bailey has piled up eight pressures, five hurries and a forced fumble, along with two sacks. Based on how he’s opened the season, it would be no surprise if that sack total keeps climbing against the Lions.
That puts Miller right in the middle of the matchup. He was strong in pass protection in his first game against the New Orleans Saints, finishing with zero sacks allowed, zero quarterback hits and no penalties. He gave up only one pressure in a debut that helped the line look sharp overall before injuries derailed that momentum against Buffalo.
Detroit can’t afford a repeat of that kind of pressure, even if Jared Goff handled it well last week. Goff kept throwing under duress and still looked good doing it, but the Lions can’t treat that as something to live with.
Miller knows exactly what’s coming. “I remember sitting there and talking to my other tackle in college and we were like, 'This guy is a special player.' Got out there during the game and he was a really good player and have kind of been vindicated a little bit with his success in the league and where he was drafted.”
He’ll also have to deal with Will McDonald IV in Week 3, which only makes the job tougher. Still, if the rest of Detroit’s starting line is healthy, Miller should have help in front of Goff and in the run game for Jahmyr Gibbs. For the Lions, this one has the feel of a real rookie-on-rookie showdown up front.
In Other News...
Lions Face A Costly Joey Porter Jr. Decision They Can't Ignore
As the Lions continue to weigh ways to shore up their secondary, Joey Porter Jr. has emerged as a name worth monitoring in Pittsburgh. The Steelers cornerback has not signed a contract extension, and that alone has opened the door to trade chatter. CBS Sports took the idea a step further by laying out three mock trade scenarios involving Detroit, each built around different combinations of draft picks and players, which is enough to show how serious the discussion could become if the Steelers decide to listen.
For Detroit, the appeal is obvious: a young corner with upside who could fit a long-term need. But the cost matters just as much, especially with the Lions already managing their salary cap situation and trying to keep the roster balanced for the stretch ahead. The uncertainty around Porter's contract future is what makes this such a tricky call, because any move would have to account not just for what he brings now, but for what it would take to keep him around. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Fans Have One Reason To Watch This Jets Matchup Closely
Brad Rogers will be the referee when the Lions host the Jets in Week 3 at Ford Field, adding another familiar name to a game Detroit fans already had circled on the calendar. Rogers has worked multiple Lions games in recent seasons, and he has also been on the field for some of the teams bigger moments, which makes this assignment worth noting beyond the usual officiating pregame chatter.
The bigger reason for Detroit followers to keep an eye on the crew is the way it has started this season. Through its first two games, Rogers group has been one of the more active penalty crews, and defensive holding has already been called often enough to shape drives and field position. For a Lions offense that likes to build rhythm and a secondary that can be tested vertically, the way this game is officiated could end up being part of the storyline before the fourth quarter even arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Face A Trade Deadline Dilemma On Defense
As the trade deadline approaches, the Lions find themselves weighing whether a splash on defense should come on the edge or in the secondary. Arizonas Josh Sweat has emerged as a name worth monitoring if the Cardinals decide to make him available, and theres an obvious appeal for Detroit: he has been productive, he comes with a manageable contract, and he could fit as a short-term boost for a team trying to strengthen its front without tying itself down long term.
Still, the fit is not quite as simple as chasing the biggest name on the board. Detroits more pressing defensive concern has been pass defense, which makes another edge addition feel a little less essential than it might for other contenders. The Lions could certainly use help getting after the quarterback, but the real question is whether deadline resources are better spent fixing the back end or doubling down on a pass rush that already has plenty of support. [Read more 🡒]