By: Jeremy T. Ballreich
The Detroit Football Lions travel to Dallas to face the #1 sack achieving team in the league. Dallas Defense has garnered 24 sacks in 6 weeks. With the charge being led by Micah Parsons with 6, DT Armstrong with 5, Lawrence with 4 and a couple of others making themselves known.
Trevor Diggs has drastically improved in 2 categories, he isn’t getting burned by WR as bad. Plus has had 389 consecutive snaps without missing a tackle. Considering last year, despite leading the league in interceptions, he also lead in yards and QBR against.
The Lions Offensive Line has given up the fewest sacks (7) in the league! So I’m hoping the immovable objects up front can keep that trend going against their irresistible force. A very daunting task! But if they can continue to live up to that style of performance. It will make Diggs not have as easy as a time in coverage.
The Lions Defense is getting a boost with some key players returning to play from injury as well. The defensive line has struggled to get sacks since John Cominsky went out with a wrist injury (2 sacks in 3 weeks!) Also this will be the debut of 2nd round pick Josh Paschal who has been recovering from a Sports Hernia surgery. Jerry Jacobs seems to be chomping at the bit to get back on the field as well. Safeties Iffeatu Melifonwu, and Bobby Price are out due to injury, as well as DE/OLB Charles Harris. Matt Nelson and DJ Chark are out on offense.
Returning to play with and eagerness to get back to prior to injury form is D’Andre Swift and also as a full participant in practices all week is Amon-Ra St. Brown. Also coming in fully healthy is Frank ‘The Tank’ Ragnow. Taylor Decker returned to the team as a full participant as well, with having been gone from the facility to welcome in his Newborn Daughter.
My keys to the game is simple. Use the run game to make the pass rush of the Cowboys negated. Then use play action to open up passing lanes.
On Defense. Moving Hutchinson to OLB and letting Paschal, Alim McNeil, John Cominsky and company wreak havoc on a suspect Oline. Which will help a much maligned secondary not look so porous. Also keying in on the gaps in run plays to make the Cowboys more one dimensional. Because Dak Prescott is trending for starting. And his last start before the injury was not very good. As it was in the season opener, in which the Cowboys lost that contest.
If all of this comes to fruition. I see the Lions have a decent shot of not only covering the 7 point underdog spread against them. The might have a puncher’s chance at victory.
If they follow the game plan.
Detroit Lions 35
Dallas Cowboys 27
If it all goes awry
Detroit Lions 17
Dallas Cowboys 26
Thanks for Reading!!!
