The Detroit Lions will host the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday in what will be a very interesting game. On Sunday night, the Lions pulled off an incredible comeback win, with their defense taking center stage. The defense was able to shut out the Texans in the second half, allowing the Lions offense to rally despite Jared Goff throwing five interceptions.
The Jags are coming off a loss where their defense gave up just 12 points, all of which came from field goals. One of the main reasons they only scored seven points was their offense, which was led by Mac Jones, unable to move the ball. Jones is expected to start again this week, so it will be intriguing to see the Lions defensive approach. This game could get very close if Detroit isn’t careful, so here are 3 things the Lions need to do to make sure they come out with a win.
Get Jared Goff back In a Groove
Jared Goff is coming off his worst game of the year, where he was careless passing the ball. He turned the ball over five times and gave the Texans a short field to score. He will need to play better if the Detroit Lions want to continue to win, and he could use this week as a get-right game against a struggling Jacksonville secondary. The Jags have allowed the third-most passing yards and the fourth-most passing touchdowns, so he would like to have a big game. If the Detroit Lions want to win this game, Goff will need to bounce back in a big way.
Dominate In the Trenches
The Detroit Lions offensive line will have to neutralize the Jaguars powerful defensive line, which Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker lead. The Lions will benefit greatly from the anticipated return of Left Tackle Taylor Decker. Although the offensive performed better last week, they occasionally still had trouble. With 12.5 sacks between them, Allen and Walker will try to take down Goff at least once.
The Detroit Lions defensive line must be dominant as well. With time, Mac Jones can throw the ball well, therefore it’s critical to put pressure on him. Expect to see Za’Darius Smith in the backfield as he is expected to make his Lions debut. If the Detroit Lions want to win this game, they will need to dominate in the trenches on both sides of the ball.
Don’t Get Complacent
The Lions will look to score points on offense, and they should keep the offense going the whole game. The Jaguars aren’t a great team, but they can come right back if you slow down at all. The Lions will need to make sure they don’t get complacent early on and allow Jacksonville back in this game. We saw them play well the entire game versus Tennessee, so we are looking for them to play like that. If the Detroit Lions want to win, they will need to keep the offense going the entire game.
Final Thoughts
The Lions have been great this year, and they should have no problem beating the Jaguars. They sit a 8-1 now and have a very good shot to get the 1 seed in the NFC. The Jags could give them some trouble, but overall, I think they should pull out with a win. The Jags have been bad this year, sitting at 2-8, and a big reason why is their QB. Trevor Lawrence hasn’t looked great this year, and it’s concerning for Jags fans. He recently signed a big extension, but if he continues to play like this, a disaster could happen in Jacksonville.