The Detroit Lions are set to take on the Denver Broncos on Sunday Night Football in week three. The matchup will mark the first home game for Detroit in 2015.
Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
When: September 27, 2015 – 8:30 pm/ET
Where: Ford Field – Detroit, Michigan
TV: NBC
Radio: WXYT – 97.1
Live Stream: NFL Sunday Ticket
Detroit Lions Captains: Tahir Whitehead, James Ihedigbo, Joique Bell
Who's ready for another #SNF "hit" between the @Broncos and @Lions?? #DENvsDET pic.twitter.com/aToUng1QZW
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) September 25, 2015
History
To re-live the last time the Detroit Lions hosted a primetime game, you have to go way back — 16 years. Halloween night, 1999 to be exact. The Lions went on to win that game by a final score of 20-3 over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Sunday’s game does however mark the fourth time since 2011 that Detroit has played on Sunday Night Football, with the three previous games occurring on the road.
In the Lions last two matchups with the Broncos, they have managed to come out victorious in both, including a 45-10 wallop in 2011. The Broncos do however hold the all-time record as 6-5-0.
Preview
On paper, it appears that these two teams are very different — but not so fast. While the Broncos come into the Motor City with a record of 2-0 and the Lions find themselves at 0-2, these two teams do have some similarities.
Most noticeably, the offensive lines. The guys up front have struggled considerably for both teams through two games in 2015. Both have had issues adequately protecting their franchise quarterbacks and opening up running lanes for their respective tailbacks.
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For example, Broncos running back C.J. Anderson has just 56 yards on the ground combined in weeks one and two, and Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford was pressured on 22 of his 58 dropbacks last week in Minnesota, (offensive line accounted for 18 hurries).
Both squads posses rosters full of playmakers on offense, including a Pro Bowler each leading their wideouts. In order for either of these guys to shine though, the blocking up front has to get better.
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Unfortunately for Detroit, that may be harder for the Lions than the Broncos.
The reason being is the pass-rushing tandem that Denver will be brining to town in Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware. Behind the play calling of defensive mastermind Wade Phillips, these two are plenty capable of getting after a hobbled Stafford on Sunday evening.
Lions: Key to Victory
Despite this game being the home opener for Detroit, they are widely considered the underdog by many. If they are however to come out and upset the AFC West leading Broncos, there are a few things they’ll need to key in on.
- Make Peyton uncomfortable – It’s no big secret, Peyton Manning does not appear to be the quarterback he once was. If Ziggy Ansah and the rest of the Lions pass rush can get after Manning and make him uncomfortable in the pocket, they may be able to force some turnovers.
- Run the ball/control the clock – While Manning may have lost some of his touch as he nears 40-years-old, he’s still Peyton Manning. With that in mind, the best bet for this Lions offense is to be able to block up front, run the ball and control the clock. If the Lions can do these things, it will keep Peyton off the field and up their odds at pulling out their first win of 2015.
24 more hours. #DefendTheDen pic.twitter.com/An1p68vQNb
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) September 27, 2015
Nate Williams is an editor and columnist for SideLionReport.com of the FanSided Network. For continued Detroit Lions news, rumors and analysis, be sure to follow him on twitter at @SLR_Nate.
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