After a disappointing end to week 2 against the Seahawks, the Lions remain at home but this time against a different NFC bird in the Falcons. Despite America being upset with Arthur Smith and his usage of his skill players, he has the Falcons firing on all cylinders and the Lions can’t look past that.
Against the Seahawks, injuries piled up and the defense struggled to get stops against Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf. The Falcons will have that same game film so perhaps this is the week that Desmond Ridder opens up the offense.
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Preventing that and more will be the key to a Lions victory on Sunday.
Contain Bijan Robinson
Rookie and top ten pick in the 2023 NFL Draft Bijan Robinson is already in the discussion for being the best running back in the NFL. After just two weeks the former Texas Longhorn has proven to be the complete package and now that package is being delivered to Ford Field. Robinson is coming off a performance of 18 carries for 124 yards while adding four receptions for 48 yards. The Lions did a great job of containing Kenneth Walker last week but they need to be on their A-game when containing Robinson this week.
Redzone Defense Needs to Improve
The Lions’ defense allowed the Seahawks to convert on four of five red zone trips last week. Avoiding the red zone entirely is ideal, which means getting stops on third and fourth down more than just half the time, but if they can’t they need to hold the Falcons to field goals.
Win the Turnover Battle
Turning the ball over three times and not forcing a single turnover against the Seahawks was a killer. To be honest, that game had no business going to overtime but it speaks to the Lions’ ability to overcome their mistakes. That ability needs to flow into Week 3 as Jared Goff looks to overcome the late game interception that ended last week.
Win the Time of Possession
Against a run-first team, winning the time of possession battle may prove to be next to impossible. For the Lions, the rushing attack is going to take a shift as we have yet to see what the plan is without David Montgomery. Jahmyr Gibbs may or may not see an influx in touches but now is the time for them to trust the rookie. The Falcons had nearly 37 minutes of possession in their Week 2 win against the Packers, if it happens again it will be a long day for the Lions.