Let's get serious about the Lions

[CCBoy]

The bigger problem for the Lions right now is that their pass rush outside of Aidan Hutchinson has been nonexistent. The Detroit native, picked second overall in 2022, leads the league in pressures and sacks by a comfortable margin and has been generally unblockable. Usually that means good things for the defense as a whole, but the Lions rank 24th in sack rate and 28th in pressure rate. Hutchinson has as many pressures to his name as the next five defenders on his team combined.

It’s not a bad thing to have one dominant pass rusher, but this is more than that. Detroit simply isn’t getting results from anyone outside of Hutchinson on a consistent basis, and their secondary is suffering as a result. The Lions have managed to do well against the run - fourth in fewest rushing yards per game - but they’ve also seen the third-fewest runs of any defense. Much of that is because opposing offenses know they can devote all their energy to slowing down Hutchinson while the quarterback picks the secondary apart.

Only the Bengals offensive line is giving up a lower pressure rate than Dallas, and that’s after facing the likes of Myles Garrett, Cameron Jordan, Brian Burns, and T.J. Watt. Unless Hutchinson has one of the best games of his career, the Cowboys should be able to give Dak Prescott plenty of time to find the open receiver in this game. And based on how hot he’s been in the last two games, that could lead to yet another bad day at the office for Glenn and his pass defense.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/202...defensive-scheme-aaron-glenn-aidan-hutchinson

Hutchinson wins with a quick first step and a lot of power. Stop him and both the Dallas run game and passing games improve. Cut out penalties and Prescott using all remaining receivers without sticking to just constant gambling and a home advantage arrives for the Cowboys.

 

[CCBoy]

Conclusion:
The Lions defense has its strengths, but its most significant vulnerability lies in pass defense. While the defensive line excels at stopping the run, ranking fourth overall, the team struggles with total yards allowed, sitting at 11th worst in the league. The defensive backs are giving up the sixth-most passing yards, and in their recent matchup against Seattle, they surrendered almost 400 passing yards. In summary, the Lions are effective against the Cowboys’ primary offensive weakness, yet they falter against the Cowboys’ strongest asset.
Win: Cowboys

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/202...inson-daron-bland-eric-kendricks-brian-branch

 

[Jipper]

I was hearing more that the secondary was very beatable. The more I have listened it sounds like this is a game where dak and the wrs are going to have to exploit mismatches and, to your point, the oline has to do just enough to give dak time and have a moderate run game.


I truly worry about our defense against their oline though, they have power and they have backs to exploit- going to have to really game plan well with the lbs and secondary support to come up and mitigate the mismatch.


This one looks like a L on paper but there are paths they could get to a w

 

[CCBoy]

Dallas keeps the Lions under 20 points even reduced in starters.

Dallas scores 27 points, itself. No Dallas turn-overs this game.

 

[CCBoy]

Play-action is king for the passing attack. In fact, no offense is using play-action at a higher rate this year than the Lions. Jared Goff has enjoyed a career revitalization under Campbell and Johnson, and he’s off to another good year. Currently, he’s fifth in completion rate and 11th in EPA/dropback. However, Goff isn’t stretching the field that much, with only five starters averaging fewer air yards per attempt...Much of that is by design, though. This offense is designed to do the dirty work in the run game and give Goff easy layup attempts, usually where play-action sucks defenders up to the line of scrimmage. The Lions have two intermediate demons, too, in Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta.

St. Brown is 13th in the league in receptions, with just over a third of those being caught between 10 and 19 yards past the line of scrimmage. He has yet to drop a pass, and St. Brown also has yet to even see a target more than 20 yards downfield. Meanwhile, LaPorta took the league by storm last year as a rookie. Injuries have hampered him so far this year, but LaPorta remains a dangerous receiving threat in the middle of the field.

And then there’s Jameson Williams, one of the fastest players in the NFL who has almost exclusively been used as a deep threat for Detroit.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/202...ive-scheme-ben-johnson-jared-goff-jahmyr-ibbs

 

[shabazz]

If the Lions bring that nasty running game our offense is gonna have limited series.

Efficiency, no negative plays and no turnovers are the only chance the Cowboys have against a superior roster

 

[CCBoy]

If the Lions bring that nasty running game our offense is gonna have limited series.

Efficiency, no negative plays and no turnovers are the only chance the Cowboys have against a superior roster

1. A tough test ahead for the run defense​

It’s nice to see the Cowboys’ run defense improve over the last couple of weeks, but the challenge they face this week will be tough. The Lions feature a dynamic tandem of runners in David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. Montgomery provides a consistent punch and Gibbs will hurt you with his explosiveness. Since joining the Lions last year, Montgomery has had the fourth-best rushing success rate while Gibbs has had the sixth-best explosive run rate (courtesy of NextGenStats). These two collectively put up almost 140 yards per game on the ground. The Cowboys’ defense will have to do a good job clogging the middle and be physical when tackling.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/202...d-goff-mike-zimmer-jourdan-lewis-dak-prescott

Prescott loves to work the middle of the field with a lot of quick shots to CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson. But the easy stuff might not be so easy in this one. Instead, look for Prescott to attack the outside and spread the defense out. He’s been sharp with his sideline throws and will need to continue to do so if the Cowboys offense is expected to move the ball.

5. Steele standing​

No Cowboys offensive lineman gets as much hate as right tackle Terence Steele. Any bad play he makes becomes engrained in people’s memory and in their defense, he had a lot of them last year. But whether it’s noticeable or not, Steele has improved. Time from injury has allowed him to perform better and he currently ranks 13th in pressures for all right tackles this year. That’s better than average and it’s better than one might expect when he’s squared off against T.J. Watt, Brian Burns, Kyle Van Noy, and Za’Darius Smith. Steele has another tough challenge in Aidan Hutchinson. The Lion’s edge rusher leads the league in sacks with 6.5 this year. For Dak to deal, he needs some Steele. The Cowboys’ offensive line must hold up and that means keeping Hutchinson from wrecking things up.

 

[CCBoy]

Most don’t have the confidence that the Cowboys can finally get their first win of the season in their own stadium. In their defense, the competition has not exactly been easy. A red-hot Saints team came in and ran all over the defense.

The following week, Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, and the Ravens came in a did the same thing. While the Lions are entirely capable of rushing with the same success, I think the Cowboys might have an answer for that.

Dallas could have a unit break out of their normal performance and shock us all.

https://insidethestar.com/dal-vs-de...c8641231&network=Twitter&account=marioherrera

With CB DaRon Bland slated to return to the lineup, DC Mike Zimmer will sell out to stop the run, forcing Goff to win the game only with his arm, and he will have a tough time throwing against the trio of Bland, Trevon Diggs, and Jourdan Lewis.

The trio gives Zimmer the luxury of run blitzing, and the Cowboys will hold the Lions’ mighty duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery under 100 yards for the game.

https://bleacherreport.com/dallas-cowboys

 

[Praxit]

...one thing I'll reiterate again. Dallas cant shoot themselves in the foot, and hope to come out with win.

They looked out in Pitt. Got to play better this week. Dak has to have HUGE game.

 

[CCBoy]

Marcus Mosher
@Marcus_Mosher

One of Chauncey Golston's best performances. 4 pressures 4 hurries 2 run stops
Quote

Marcus Mosher

@Marcus_Mosher
·
Oct 7
Highest-graded players for the #Cowboys in Week 5 via @PFF:

1. Linval Joseph - 89.8
2. Jourdan Lewis - 85.5
3. Zack Martin - 82.6
4. Chauncey Golston - 77.1
5. Marist Liufau - 72.8
6. Jalen Tolbert - 72.4
Show more

11:35 AM · Oct 7, 2024


Golston, like Lewis, was born and raised in Detroit, even playing his high school football just 15 minutes from where J-Lew played his.

This game will be an important one for Golston both personally and professionally.

We’re now in year four of his career, and he has both never played better, nor received as many snaps as he is right now. Golston led all Cowboys defensive lineman with 57 snaps played against the Steelers.

In addition to the snaps, he also just played phenomenally. In total, the former Iowa Hawkeye registered five tackles and a half a sack in Week 6.

https://insidethestar.com/2-cowboys-veterans-from-detroit-will-play-big-roles-in-week-6

 

[CCBoy]

Lewis has an interception in each of the Cowboys last two games against the Lions. In addition to that, it seems “J-Lew” has remained in the mind of Detroit’s best weapon, Wide Receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.

The All-Pro has said that Lewis’ “crazy” trash talk is like something he’s “never heard before.” In typical fashion, the long-tenured Cowboy fired back that if any of what he said was personal, he’d “probably say it again.” Aside from the beef between Lewis and St. Brown and his previous performance against the Lions, we can’t forget how critical he is to the Cowboys defense right now, even if DaRon Bland returns this week.

The Cowboys veteran cornerback is playing great football; he’s consistently ranked as one of the top slot corners in the game this year.

https://insidethestar.com/2-cowboys-veterans-from-detroit-will-play-big-roles-in-week-6

 

[CCBoy]

...one thing I'll reiterate again. Dallas cant shoot themselves in the foot, and hope to come out with win.

They looked out in Pitt. Got to play better this week. Dak has to have HUGE game.

Sorry, this fan isn't afraid of a challege. The team played a solid game against Pittsburgh that could have been as easily a run away for Dallas.

This fan will just prepare to root for a good game and unashamed by what is projected as challenge.

 

[CCBoy]

Next man up philosophy.

Patchwork or not, the offensive line held its own against a great defensive line and had their best game of the year.

The Cowboys offensive line had to be shuffled around when Tyler Guyton went down with an injury in the second quarter. Tyler Smith was moved from left guard to left tackle to fill the left tackle position, and T.J. Bass got the call at left guard. This move proved to be the right one. The Dallas Cowboys lackluster running game had its best day of the young season.

The Dallas Cowboys blocking scheme seemed to change from a zone-blocking scheme to the old-school man-blocking scheme fans are used to seeing from the line.

https://insidethestar.com/did-the-cowboys-next-man-up-mentality-work

The defensive snaps Parsons and Lawrence had before their injuries were filled by four players. Namely, 2024 draft pick Marshawn Kneeland, Carl Lawson, Chauncey Golston, and Tyrus Wheat. The next-man-up award, if it were a real thing, would have to go to Linval Joseph. This man ended the game with two total tackles and a diving sack from the big man. Joseph showed up in this game when everyone thought the defense was all but done after the injuries. He had a good all-around game, even if his play didn’t show up more on the stat sheet.

 

[Established1971]

we gonna lose
thats serious

 

[CCBoy]

we gonna lose
thats serious

Sorry challenge makes a coward in your mind. Not mine...

 

[noshame]

I think this one's a lot simpler than just offense and defense. It's all about preparation and penalties, either we show up or we don't

 

[Ranching]

Do it yourself or just get back to knocking on doors and acting as if you are some kind of big crap.

Stud...projected failure is purely your own. As if you even understand serious.

Lol! He quits before the game even starts and then tucks tail and runs to the mods!

 

[CCBoy]

I think this one's a lot simpler than just offense and defense. It's all about preparation and penalties, either we show up or we don't

Oh, good kickers and a stud Dallas return as well....

 

[CCBoy]

I think this one's a lot simpler than just offense and defense. It's all about preparation and penalties, either we show up or we don't

Showing up was the direction that I took. Not set doubt, for any manageble element.

 

[CCBoy]

Now missing will be veteran middle linebacker Eric Kendricks, the team's leading tackler (52) by a mile (plus-14). Plus, one of the veteran backup middle backers Nick Vigil also has been rule out of the game, meaning third-year backer Damone Clark will be starting with two basically rookies, DeMarvion Overshown and Marist Liufau. Not only that, two of the team's top four cornerbacks are questionable, DaRon Bland seemingly set to come off IR missed practice on Friday and has been ruled out as has rookie Caelen Carson. This on top of the Cowboys top four defensive ends out for sure, Sam Williams, DeMarcus Lawrence, Micah Parsons and now Marshawn Kneeland. How much can this team continue to overcome?

https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/gut-feeling-cowboys-vs-lions-staff-predictions


Defensive Ends
Chauncey Golston
Tyrus Wheat
Carl Lawson

Defensive Tackles

Osa Odighizuwa
Mazi Smith
Linval Joseph
Carlos Watkins

https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/lists/cowboys-54-man-roster-lions-week-6-bland-update/

Starting Cornerbacks

Trevon Diggs
Jourdan Lewis
Caelen Carson