When teams start losing in games, they tend to lean on their best players to get them out of a rut. These guys are the ones you feed targets to, the ones you get the ball in their hands and you just let them cook.
The Lions did that, too. But their best player is a right tackle who craters everything in his way.
I’m sure you’ve heard by now—the Lions won a football game where Jared Goff threw five interceptions. The absolute worst case scenario happened for Detroit and they ended up winning anyway. They might actually be the team of destiny.
The way they got back into the game was through some incredible defense (shoutout DC Aaron Glenn, DT Alim McNeill and CB Carlton Davis III), the offense found their mojo by leaning on RT Penei Sewell and getting him in space. Sewell is a monster in the open field, creating holes to get the Lions’ skill position players out in space and create explosives in that area.
Detroit hit big on a couple plays where Sewell’s movement was emphasized. The first one of the second half was this toss play to get Sewell and RB Jahmyr Gibbs out in space. You get a good block from WR Amon-Ra St. Brown on the EDGE, and Sewell gets out into space. Once he gets into space, you might as well get off Highway 58. Sewell’s block on CB Kamari Lassiter ends up making two Texans take each other out, and Gibbs is on his way to another explosive play.
The next one was a cheeky little swing screen to Jahmyr Gibbs on a nice playcall against Cover 1. The receivers run their defenders the other way, and Highway 58 gets rolling and Gibbs goes right behind him. Look at the speed Sewell displays on this run and then the casual power to get LB Azeez Al-Shaiir leaning, then following through on the cutback to get Gibbs some more extra yards. Prioritizing his movement in space is going to always be the ace in the hole for the Lions on offense.
Running behind Highway 58 is always going to be a good plan for Detroit, but I also liked this crunch run they hit big on a Houston defense that is predicated on verticality and getting upfield in a hurry. Crunch is a run that’s designed as a trap run and a wham run combined, using the tight end to block the defensive tackle and the guard wrapping and blocking the other defensive tackle. You can see the split between Sewell and the right guard from the end zone angle is a little wider, because they’re trying to influence the defensive tackle to come upfield only for him to get trapped. Then with how wide the Texans’ defensive end is playing, this gap is bigger than the Suez Canal.
The Lions legitimately might be the best team in the sport. The fact that they can overcome the Jared Goff disaster game is such a testament to the team the Lions have built. At 8-1 with a game against the Jaguars coming up, there’s a chance this team absolutely steamrolls through the NFC. If they do, I can promise you it’ll be while riding on Highway 58.
