The Patriots are headed into a tough one this week, and the challenge starts before they even take the field. New England has to travel halfway across the world for a game in Munich, Germany, and the opponent waiting there is one of the NFC’s best.
Detroit comes in at 6-2 after a 19-9 win over the Miami Dolphins, and the Lions look like an offense that’s settling into its best version. That’s bad timing for a Patriots defense that just gave up 45 points to the Green Bay Packers last week. If New England wants to rebound, it has to slow down a group that can beat you in a lot of different ways.
Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams give Detroit plenty of firepower, and Mike Vrabel made it clear Wednesday that he sees exactly what the Lions are bringing.
"I think they know how to win," Mike Vrabel said Wednesday. "They’ve built, I would say, a program that I know that they’re proud of, and Dan’s (Campbell) a good football coach.
I think Jared’s playing at a high level. Continued the last three years, he’s been at a high level.
Great skill players, speed, physical. ... They don’t turn the ball over offensively at all."
Goff was limited in Wednesday’s practice because of a chest injury, though it does not appear likely to affect his availability for the game. He has completed 185 of 273 passes for 2,134 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Just as important for Detroit, he has protected the football. Goff has thrown only two interceptions in eight games, and the Lions have turned it over just five times overall, which is the second-lowest total in the NFL.
"I think that’s just because they haven’t really put the ball in harm’s way," Vrabel said. "They’ve created X plays.
Gibbs leads the league in touches. Coordinator wise, I think the run game and the scheme kind of mirrors what it’s always mirrored.
I know there’s a few pass game wrinkles, but I still think some of the same things and same concepts that they liked have carried over, and (Lions offensive coordinator) Drew’s (Petzing) done a good job. He gives Jared a lot of autonomy at the line of scrimmage to get him in the right play.
Gibbs and St. Brown have been especially dangerous, combining for 16 touchdowns so far this season. That kind of production could be a problem for a Patriots defense that has already shown cracks.
New England is already in Germany, while Detroit is set to fly out later tonight. There’s still time to dig deeper into the matchup, but right now the Lions offense looks like the side with the clear edge.
In Other News...
Lions Enter Munich With One Clear Edge In A Shorthanded Fight
The trip to Munich arrives with both Detroit and New England trying to manage the kind of injury list that can change a game plan before the opening kickoff. The Patriots are missing cornerback Carlton Davis III and left guard Ben Brown, and they may also be without running back Rhamondre Stevenson, while the Lions head overseas without linebacker Jack Campbell, center Cade Mays, cornerback D.J. Reed and safety Kerby Joseph.
Even with those absences, Detroit still carries what looks like the cleaner edge into Week 10, especially in a matchup that could hinge on which side handles the shorthanded conditions better. The Lions have been more stable in recent weeks, and with both teams forced to adjust on the fly, the margin may come down to which roster can absorb the losses without losing its identity in an unfamiliar setting. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Just Put More Pressure On Two Unproven Defensive Backs
The Lions passed on adding a cornerback at the trade deadline, sticking with the group they have and leaving Khalil Dorsey and Keith Abney II in line for more important snaps. It is a vote of confidence in a defense that has looked sharper since shifting from zone to man coverage, with those two helping stabilize key situations as the staff sorted through its options.
Now the pressure shifts to whether that internal bet holds up when the schedule gets tougher. Detroit clearly believes its current approach can keep working, but without an outside addition, the margin for error at cornerback gets thinner fast, and the next stretch will show whether Dorsey and Abney can keep answering the call. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Rookie Pass Rush Gets Another Big Test Against New England
The Lions defense has started to look more like the group Detroit expected, with the last four weeks bringing a noticeable step forward and the Miami Dolphins game standing out as the clearest example. Aidan Hutchinson has continued to anchor the front, and the overall pass rush has been a big reason the unit has tightened up after an uneven start.
Derrick Moore has become part of that conversation after flashing the kind of disruption the Lions have been waiting for from the rookie. He is heading into the New England matchup with a chance to build on that momentum, and coach Dan Campbell has made it clear the next step is seeing Moore turn those early signs into more consistent impact as his reps keep climbing. [Read more 🡒]