5 Detroit Lions who must play well in Week 4 vs. the Seahawks

For the Detroit Lions to beat the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, these five players will have to play well.

The Detroit Lions pulled a loss from the clutches of victory last Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, as Dan Campbell’s aggressiveness from the entire game went away at the most important moment.

The Lions return home to take on the Seattle Seahawks in Week 4. A point spread that had them favored by 5.5 points at one point has narrowed based on some dire injury news, most notably running back D’Andre Swift (shoulder/ankle) and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (right ankle) being out.

If the Lions are going to even their record at 2-2 with a win over the Seahawks on Sunday, these five players will have to play well.

5 Detroit Lions who must play well vs. Seahawks in Week 4

5. PK Dominik Eberle

Austin Seibert did not practice on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday due to a groin injury, which seems to have been a factor in his missed 54-yard field goal late last week against Minnesota and/or his two missed field goals overall in the game. He is trending toward being out against Seattle, pending Friday’s final injury report as of this writing.

So in would step Eberle off the practice squad to kick for the Lions on Sunday. He has kicked in one NFL game, last season with the Houston Texans as he went 2-for-3 on field goals, and he has been well-traveled–the Lions are his fifth NFL team since coming into the league out of Utah State in 2020.

The Lions may need a clutch kick at some point on Sunday. If so, Eberle will have to step up and make it. He could win himself a job for a little while if he does.

4. RB Jamaal Williams

Yes it’s obvious, but it doesn’t make it any less true. Williams has had a prominent role in the Lions’ backfield already, with at least 11 carries in all three games and four rushing touchdowns. With Swift adding a shoulder issue to a re-aggravation of his prior ankle issue last week, Williams had 20 carries for 87 yards and two touchdowns along with a couple catches for 20 yards against Minnesota.

Into a second straight season now, Detroit’s run game has been productive regardless of who’s been available. Swift is uniquely talented as a dual threat who can break a long run at any moment, but don’t dismiss Williams’ passing game chops either.

Before Week 3, Williams had not had 20 carries in a game since late in his rookie season with the Green Bay Packers in 2017. He was Pro Football Focus’ No. 1-ranked running back last week, with 55 of 87 rushing yards coming after contact.

Williams, naturally, has unwavering confidence in his ability to step up in Swift’s place (via MLive).

"Oh yeah, I love it every time. Give me the opportunity. It just shows that put me in the position, and I’m going to make sure I handle my job,” Williams said. “You ain’t gonna never worry about me doing my job or whatever my role is, so I just go get it done. I’m a bruiser. But I can do a lot more than just bruise,” Williams said. “I just know the more and more the game goes, the more I get more excited. Just because I think I see a mentality of the game is getting down (in time) and people are hurting. People are bruised. For me, I just get more excited just because I know this is more of my time coming. I feel like it’s scary, though, for defenses (when Williams gets 20 touches). Not for me. I just keep on working. I just laugh and get up and do it again. That’s all. But it’s pretty tiring for defenses.”"

Down the weapons they will be down, the ground game will be important for the Lions on Sunday. Don’t forget about Craig Reynolds in a bigger role, but Williams will lead the charge.

3. The Other Wide Receivers

With St. Brown out on Sunday, opportunity will knock for other Lions’ wide receivers. So I’m lumping them into one “player” here.

DJ Chark’s first three games as a Lion have been marked by missed connections and inconsistency (zero catches in Week 2). He is dealing with an ankle issue of his own, but his status for Sunday doesn’t seem to be in real question.

Josh Reynolds followed a nice touchdown catch in Week 2 with six catches for 96 yards on 10 targets (all season highs) in Week 3. He is also dealing with an ankle issue, but he should be good to go on Sunday. His years-long familiarity and connection with Jared Goff will be important against Seattle.

Kalif Raymond seems lined up to take a big chunk of St. Brown’s snaps out of the slot for the Lions on Sunday. He only has three targets in three games thus far, on a total of 27 offensive snaps. But he has some game-breaking ability, and his role will be larger along the lines of last year (48 receptions for 576 yards) in Week 4.

Filling the void left by St. Brown, and to some degree also Swift as a passing game weapon, won’t be a one-man job. Chark, Reynolds and Raymond all have an opportunity in front of them this week.

2. CB Amani Oruwariye

After a breakout  season last year that saw him have six interceptions, it’s been a struggle for Oruwariye so far in 2022. He was beaten regularly by A.J. Brown in Week 1, then he missed Week 2 with a back injury. He returned in Week 3, but he was flagged for six penalties (four accepted) against the Vikings. And frankly, he had burned any leeway by the end of the game to a point it was a wonder when a penalty which could’ve possibly gone either way went uncalled against him.

Pro Football Focus graded Oruwariye out as the worst qualifying corner in the league through three weeks (h/t to Ben Raven of MLive), including four missed tackles credited to him along with 14 catches for 148 yards allowed on 19 targets in his coverage.

Oruwariye said he isn’t going to change his style beyond adjusting to how things are being called, and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn isn’t sweating Oruwariye’s struggles to this point.

"It seemed like he was bullseyed that game, and the thing that you have to do is make sure you get yourself back up. Man, go back the next week and be just as aggressive, but just understand where your hands’ at, alright? If your hands are up high, they see that, and I think a lot of that was just the technique that he was doing that week."

On Sunday, Oruwariye will have to be up to the task when lined up against either of the Seahawks potent wide receiver duo of DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. If he’s not, it will be another long day for him and the Lions’ secondary will suffer for his continued insufficiency.

1. TE T.J. Hockenson

Swift and St. Brown are out on Sunday, while wide receivers DJ Chark and Josh Reynolds have been dealing with ankle issues of their own this week. The Seahawks have not done well covering tight ends so far this year, so if there’s a game for Hockenson to get back on track after a slow start to the season this is the one.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, the 2020 Pro Bowler expressed confidence he’ll get on track.

"I want to help, and I know what I can do,” the 2020 Pro Bowl tight end told reporters Thursday. “Everyone in this locker room knows what I can do"

It’s worth wondering if his contract situation is weighing on Hockenson a bit, after the Lions picked up his fifth-year option for next year but a long-term deal has yet to be agreed upon. But he dismissed that, as expected.

"I’ve proven I can be a receiver. I’ve proven that, you know, when my number is called, I’ll make a play,” Hockenson said. “So, I’m not really worried about that in any instance. I’m just trying to make an impact on this team, make sure we win, because there’s no doubt about it, when a winning organization comes along, they’ll keep players around, and they’ll give them what they want."

Quite frankly, Hockenson has to step up on Sunday. Target volume was not really an issue in the first two games of the season, with seven in each contest, before he fell to four targets in Week 3. He won’t struggle for targets from Jared Goff against the Seahawks. He also showed better as a run blocker last week, so carrying that to Sunday would be ideal too.