Detroit Lions playoff hopes hinge on play of both lines
The old adage is that teams win up front. The Detroit Lions lines have struggled. Let’s discuss the status of both lines. Can they come up big in Chicago?
The Detroit Lions got off to entirely the wrong start this past weekend against the Cleveland Browns. Before any fan could get their seat warm, the Browns were up by ten. The ongoing saga has been a tale of poor line play and Sunday was another example. Despite winning the last two games, the Lions have struggled on both sides of the ball. We will discuss the current state of both lines.
The Browns rushed for 201 yards, and averaged 6.6 per rush. That is not the end of the bad news. Detroit was out gained 413 to 345 in total yardage. Had the Lions not made a handful of huge plays on both sides of the ball, they would not have beaten the winless Browns.
Turn the page to this weekend, where the Lions are going to Chicago for a matchup with the division rival Bears.
Offensive line updates
The biggest news, possibly of the whole season, was the return of injured left tackle, Taylor Decker. Decker saw his first game action a little over a week after being brought off of the PUP, the physically unable to perform list. Last year Decker was the highest graded rookie left tackle in the NFL. Decker injured his labrum, part of his shoulder, and had to have surgery during the summer.
Backup tackle, Corey Robinson, who had been inactive and on the injured list, was able to play.
Tackle, Brian Mihalik, who was just signed a couple of weeks ago from the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad, has been filling in at left tackle. Mihalik was the second major try at a solution to temporarily replace Decker.
Bob Quinn, Lions general manager, sent a sixth round pick to the Los Angeles Rams for maligned tackle, Greg Robinson, just before camp. Robinson, a former first round pick, was going to be cut but the Lions hoped that a new team might help him. To say that he was underwhelming, would be generous.
Nine different combinations were used along the offensive front.
That sums up how the offensive line has been through mid-season.