The Lions got out of Week 1 with a win, but the celebration came with a problem in the middle of the offensive line. Starting left guard Christian Mahogany left early against the New Orleans Saints with a hip injury, and Dan Campbell said his status is up in the air for Thursday night’s matchup with the Buffalo Bills.
That leaves Ben Bartch in the spotlight.
Bartch entered the season as a backup guard, but he finished the opener as one of Detroit’s most important pieces. Mahogany went down on the Lions’ second drive, and Bartch took over for the rest of the overtime win. He handled 66 offensive snaps and gave Detroit solid work, allowing just one pressure while posting a PFF run blocking grade of 66.7.
The timing makes this especially tricky for the Lions. Mahogany and Bartch were battling for the starting left guard job all preseason, and Campbell had even considered using both players in the opener while they were healthy. Now, with only three full days between games, Detroit likely has to lean on Bartch whether it wants to or not.
That puts a lot on his shoulders against a Buffalo defense that already showed cracks in Week 1. The Bills beat the Houston Texans, but they also gave up 124 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground to a Texans team that had struggled to run the ball last season.
For Detroit, that matters. Jahmyr Gibbs looks as dangerous as ever, and the Lions’ best route to another win on Thursday night runs straight through the ground game. Bartch’s job is to help clear that lane.
Buffalo’s interior line has size, with Ed Oliver and Deone Walker leading the way, but neither one has been a true wall against the run. Both can be displaced, and both are more likely to shoot gaps than sit and hold their ground.
If Bartch and the rest of Detroit’s interior blockers bring the right mix of power and technique, Gibbs should have room to work. And if that happens, the Lions could be looking at a 2-0 start.
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 Stars Got Snubbed After Putting Detroit In The Spotlight
Week 1 put Detroit in the national spotlight in more ways than one, and the Lions had more than enough star power to earn some leaguewide recognition. Jahmyr Gibbs was electric on the ground for Detroit, piling up 156 yards and two touchdowns, while Aidan Hutchinson kept making his presence felt on defense as the Lions opened the season with a performance that looked every bit like a team built to matter.
The weekly awards, though, went elsewhere. Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week over Gibbs after rushing for 124 yards and three touchdowns, and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun took Defensive Player of the Week ahead of Hutchinson. It leaves Detroit with the kind of early-season slight that tends to stick in a locker room, especially when the production was right there for everyone to see. [Read more 🡒]