Al-Quadin Muhammad Is Quietly Becoming Detroit’s Primetime Game-Changer
The Detroit Lions are no longer flying under the radar. Even in a season that hasn’t always been smooth sailing, they’ve firmly planted themselves among the NFL’s elite.
With that success comes the spotlight-and lately, the Lions have been living in it. Thursday night’s win over the Dallas Cowboys marked their third standalone game in four weeks, and once again, Detroit delivered under the bright lights.
The offense, as expected, did its thing. Jared Goff looked sharp.
Jahmyr Gibbs flashed his electric burst. Amon-Ra St.
Brown continued to be a matchup nightmare. Jameson Williams stretched the field, and David Montgomery brought the physicality between the tackles.
But while the offensive fireworks grabbed the headlines, there’s a defensive story quietly brewing in Detroit-and it’s time we talked about it.
Enter Al-Quadin Muhammad.
Signed this offseason on a modest one-year, $1.4 million prove-it deal, Muhammad wasn’t expected to be the guy. The Lions were still hunting for a consistent edge rusher to pair with Aidan Hutchinson, and Muhammad was viewed more as rotational depth than a defensive anchor. But fast forward to Week 14, and Muhammad is not only earning his snaps-he’s leading the team in sacks.
Yes, you read that right. After Thursday night’s dominant showing against Dallas, Muhammad now sits atop the Lions' sack leaderboard with 9.0 on the season, edging past Hutchinson’s 8.5. And he didn’t just pad stats in garbage time-he took over the game.
**Against the Cowboys, Muhammad was everywhere. ** He sacked Dak Prescott three times, added three tackles for loss, and registered four quarterback hits.
Prescott was taken down five times in total, and Muhammad was responsible for more than half of them. In a game that featured two playoff contenders and a national audience, Muhammad made it clear: he’s not just a role player-he’s a difference-maker.
And here’s where it gets interesting. This wasn’t an outlier. Muhammad has developed a very real trend this season-he saves his best for when the lights are brightest.
Through 13 games, the Lions have played six primetime or standalone matchups. In those six?
Muhammad has racked up 7.0 sacks. In the other seven games combined?
Just 2.0. That’s not coincidence.
That’s a player who thrives on the big stage.
Think back to Week 3, Monday Night Football against the Ravens-2.5 sacks. Then came back-to-back primetime matchups in Weeks 6 and 7 against the Chiefs and Bucs-1.0 and 0.5 sacks, respectively.
And now, the 3.0-sack explosion against Dallas. That’s a pattern.
That’s a player who shows up when it matters most.
It’s not that Muhammad is invisible in Sunday afternoon games, but there’s something about the standalone spotlight that unlocks another gear. Maybe it’s adrenaline.
Maybe it’s preparation. Maybe it’s just the kind of edge that can’t be coached.
Whatever it is, the Lions are reaping the rewards.
And let’s be honest-this is exactly what Detroit needed. Hutchinson continues to be a foundational piece, but he’s been drawing more attention from offensive lines.
The Lions needed someone on the opposite side who could win one-on-ones, collapse pockets, and punish quarterbacks who hang on to the ball too long. Muhammad is becoming that guy.
He may not have the name recognition of some of the league’s top pass rushers, but his impact is becoming harder to ignore-especially in games that matter most. If Detroit keeps stacking wins and finds itself in the postseason spotlight, don’t be surprised if No. 97 isn’t the only Lions edge rusher making noise.
Al-Quadin Muhammad is no longer just a rotational piece. He’s Detroit’s secret weapon-and he’s hiding in plain sight.