Jahmyr Gibbs came out of Week 1 with a huge line, but the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award still went elsewhere.
That honor landed with Chicago Bears running back and former Lion D’Andre Swift after he piled up 124 rushing yards on 18 carries and scored three rushing touchdowns in Chicago’s 59-point outburst against the Carolina Panthers. Swift also caught one pass for 10 yards. The Bears’ ground game kept rolling around him, too, with Kyle Monangai adding a second 100-yard rushing performance and Chicago finishing with six total rushing touchdowns.
Gibbs had a strong case of his own after Detroit’s 31-30 overtime win over the New Orleans Saints. He ran for 156 yards on 29 carries and scored twice on the ground, while adding five catches for 30 yards. Even so, Swift had the edge in yards per touch, 7.05 to 5.47, and had the cleaner day in the turnover column.
Gibbs did put the ball on the ground in the second quarter, but it didn’t directly cost the Lions because Saints quarterback Tyler Shough answered with a turnover of his own a few plays later. Still, it was the first snap of a drive that started at the Saints’ 44-yard line, and it ended up being a missed chance to add more points before Detroit settled for a long Jake Bates field goal.
For Detroit fans, it stings a little to see Swift beat out Gibbs, especially with Swift now doing it for a division rival. But the numbers give the award some real weight.
Aidan Hutchinson also came up short on the defensive side, losing NFC Defensive Player of the Week to Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun.
Baun didn’t rack up a sack or a turnover, but he was all over the field in Philadelphia’s 24-22 win over the Washington Commanders, a game that also came down to a two-point attempt. He finished with 12 tackles, including one for a loss, and two pass deflections. He also nearly grabbed an interception, but couldn’t quite keep his feet in bounds.
That kind of outing was enough to edge Hutchinson, who turned in a dominant Week 1 with a league-high two sacks and 10 pressures. Hutchinson looked every bit like the Defensive Player of the Year candidate he’s expected to be.
Weekly honors are nice, but they’re not the prize that really matters. Those are the end-of-season awards.
If Week 1 decided everything, Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy would have been Offensive Player of the Year last season.
Still, it’s always a lift when Lions players get recognized, and a letdown when they don’t. That’s what makes Thursday night against the Buffalo Bills such an obvious next stage for Gibbs and Hutchinson to make another loud statement under the lights.
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 Passing Game Suddenly Looks Like Buffalos Biggest Problem
Thursday night brings together two teams that opened the season with wins, but the most interesting pressure point in this matchup may be Buffalos pass defense. Detroits aerial attack already has the look of a unit that can make a good secondary uncomfortable, with Amon-Ra St. Brown working as the reliable hub and Jameson Williams bringing the kind of speed that changes how a defense has to line up. For a Lions team that wants to keep building on a strong Week 1, the passing game gives them a clear way to test a Bills roster that will have to answer in coverage.
Josh Allen and the Buffalo offense still command the spotlight in a game like this, but the Lions receivers create a different kind of stress for the opposing sideline. St. Browns role remains central, and Williams adds another layer for a defense already trying to account for multiple threats. That combination is why the matchup feels especially important for Buffalo, and why the fantasy and betting angle around the game leans so heavily toward Detroits passing attack becoming the evenings biggest problem. [Read more 🡒]