Detroit Lions vs. Philadelphia Eagles: 3 key matchups for Week 1
By Zach Payne
Matchup 2: Lions C Frank Ragnow vs. Eagles DT Jordan Davis
The last time Frank Ragnow played a healthy season, he was Pro Football Focus’ second-highest graded center and named second-team all-pro. Having him back healthy is incredibly important to this team, as he’s the best player on the roster. In his first regular-season action in almost a year, he’s going to have his hands full.
Lining up opposite Ragnow on Sunday will be rookie defensive lineman Jordan Davis. The 13th overall pick out of Georgia is a unicorn of an athlete, standing 6-foot-6 and weighing in at 341 pounds while also having a level of athleticism that makes him a force to be reckoned with.
Jordan Davis has currently tested as the most athletic defensive tackle in the #RAS database, with his 20 split unofficial.
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 5, 2022
Most nose tackles skip the agility drills, and if he's done, then he's top dog. pic.twitter.com/AF995HJWmk
How Ragnow holds up against Davis will become an intriguing storyline in this game. Davis has routinely pushed people around in preseason and in training camp when not double-teamed. If Detroit can get away with not giving Davis extra attention, it frees up everyone else to focus on the rest of the Eagles’ very good defensive line.
How important is this matchup on Sunday? Pro Football Focus has highlighted it as the matchup to watch in the Lions-Eagles game.
"Jordan Davis is one of the most interesting players to watch any time he is playing. He is a singularly unique athlete who can overwhelm even elite athletes with his sheer size and power. What will determine how good he will be is consistency. Frank Ragnow, one of the best centers in the game, will test him in his NFL debut. Ragnow hasn’t allowed a sack over his last 758 pass-blocking snaps and has improved upon his PFF run-blocking grade each year of his career."