Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings: 3 key matchups for Week 3
By Zach Payne
Matchup 2: Lions LT Taylor Decker and RT Penei Sewell vs. Vikings DE Za’Darius Smith and DE Danielle Hunter
Through two weeks it’s been smooth sailing for the Lions’ tackles. Both Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker have been steady, as expected. This week they face a tougher challenge than either of the first two games this season, against the Vikings edge rusher duo Za’Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter.
Both of them were dominant in the season opener against the Packers. Against the Eagles, like the Lions before them, the Vikings struggled to contain Jalen Hurts. Hunter has a sack in each of first two games thus far, while Smith’s lone sack thus far this season came in Week 1 against his former team.
The book on Jared Goff is well-known–he generally struggles under pressure, providing takeaway opportunities for a defense. Decker and Sewell have to perform like they have in the first two games against Hunter and Smith on Sunday, and keep Goff clean to pick apart a Minnesota secondary that could be injury-thinned.