On Sunday night, the Kansas City Chiefs face the Detroit Lions. We welcome Ryan Mathews of Pride of Detroit — our sister SB Nation site covering the Lions— for Five Questions with the Enemy.
1. With Green Bay’s inconsistencies, Chicago still developing, and Minnesota in flux, is the NFC North Detroit’s to lose? Is it truly Super Bowl or bust for the Lions?
It’s hard to
say through just five weeks of play – especially since the Bears and Packers both had byes last week – but it does seem like the division is Detroit’s for the taking. As for their Super Bowl aspirations, that’s obviously the goal, but nothing about the Lions’ approach to this offseason seemed to suggest it’s “Super Bowl or bust.” Detroit didn’t make a splashy trade for an edge rusher and didn’t get aggressive in the draft. The biggest move they made was signing D.J. Reed in free agency — but that was to replace Carlton Davis. Detroit is clearly trying to get as many bites at the apple as possible while they still have guys like Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, Jack Campbell and Brian Branch on rookie deals. Maybe that changes depending on the outcome of this season, but they certainly don’t seem to be in any rush to overextend themselves (and their long-term outlook) for fear of not making it to February.
2. The Lions climbed to the top of NFL.com’s power rankings. Do they deserve the No. 1 spot, or has their schedule made them look better than they really are?
Prior to the start of the season, the Lions were slated to have one of the toughest schedules in NFL history, with 11 games against opponents who made the playoffs a season ago. But now that they’ve taken care of business, it’s the schedule that’s led them to the top spot in the power rankings. The goal posts get moved for this team more than any other in the league, and it feels like the disrespect is rooted in nearly every member of the football media digging their heels in on the “coordinator brain drain” take from this offseason: that it was going to sap this team of their ability to play football, just as it did in Philadelphia in 2023… until it didn’t affect them in 2024.
Lo and behold, Detroit’s success has a lot more to do with their head coach being one of the best in the league and their roster being extremely talented. Detroit’s point differential is second-best in the league, trailing only the Indianapolis Colts. (If you want to talk about a schedule merchant, there you go). But the Lions aren’t unlike other teams — they have warts just like everybody else — but again, the difference in Detroit is twofold: coaching and talent. We’ve seen the Lions shake off the rust from an uneven performance in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers and rip off four straight wins.
If the Lions don’t deserve the top spot, I’m not really sure who does.
3. With cornerback Terrion Arnold sidelined — though the injury wasn’t as serious as initially feared — the Lions find themselves thin at the position. Do they need to explore a trade or free-agent signing?
You’re right: Detroit’s secondary, specifically at cornerback, is getting a little thin. Free-agent acquisition D.J. Reed was placed on injured reserve after a hamstring injury, but he shouldn’t be out much longer than the requisite four weeks. The good news the team received about Arnold’s shoulder sounds like Detroit could have their starting outside corners back on the field by the beginning of November. The question is whether or not the Lions can weather the storm until then. That’s a question for the defense as a whole as much as it is for the cornerback room specifically. The Lions started the 21-day window for defensive tackle Alim McNeill to return. When he’s back, that should help bolster the Lions’ pass rush. The linebackers – Jack Campbell, Alex Anzalone and Derrick Barnes–have been playing really well, both in run support and coverage.
In the meantime, Amik Robertson, the Lions’ nickel corner, and veteran Rock Ya-Sin will likely get the opportunity to be the team’s outside cornerbacks. Robertson had started to take snaps at outside corner prior to Arnold and Reed’s injuries — and with the Lions’ tendency to keep three linebackers on the field, they wanted to increase Robertson’s playing time. That just so happened to coincide with Arnold’s struggles in recent weeks. It’s likely Avonte Maddox, another veteran acquisition for the Lions this offseason, could step in and fill the nickel corner role.
4. Despite another loss Monday night, the Chiefs’ offense continues to flash signs of dominance. What must the Lions do Sunday night to come away with a win?
The Lions really need to utilize the same formula they used to stop the Baltimore Ravens back in Week 3: limit the quarterback’s ability to extend plays with their legs. Detroit kept Lamar Jackson in check — holding him to just 19 rushing yards on his three scrambles and 35 yards total on his seven carries. If the Lions’ front seven can reduce the strain placed on the secondary (and limit the amount of time they have to hold up in coverage), they’ll have a chance to walk out of Arrowhead with a victory. But beyond just the defense, Detroit’s been playing some complementary football for the past month. The Chiefs’ run defense seems like it’s going through some struggles to start the season. It’s 31st in run-stop win rate according to ESPN, 30th in run defense DVOA and EPA rush per play. This could be a game where the Lions lean on the running game to control possession and keep the ball out of Mahomes’ hands.
5. Who’s an under-the-radar player that Chiefs fans might not know about but has been a key part of the Lions’ success?
Chiefs fans may not be familiar with edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad, but he’s been key to the pass rush for Detroit this season. Muhammad primarily lines up outside the tackle, but he’ll also set up as a 4, 4i, and sometimes as a 3-technique. He is second on the team in pressures (17) and sacks (3.5) behind only Aidan Hutchinson, and he ranks 12th in pass-rush win rate (20.8%) among edge defenders with at least 70 pass-rushing snaps this season. He plays less on running downs – just 27 snaps in run defense – but as a pass rusher, he’s made a real difference for Detroit.
Be sure to check out the answers I gave to their questions by clicking here.
