Monday Night Football brings us an exciting NFC showdown as the Detroit Lions take on the undefeated Seattle Seahawks at Ford Field. Both teams are coming off impressive victories and looking to make a statement early in the season. The Lions, with a strong run game and a defense led by current NFL sacks leader Aidan Hutchinson, aim to add to their win column against the Seahawks. Meanwhile, Seattle’s high-flying passing attack, led by Geno Smith and star receiver DK Metcalf, will put Detroit’s secondary to the test. With both teams riding high, this matchup has all the makings of a thrilling primetime contest.
Game Information
Time: 8:20 pm EST
Where: Ford Field
Broadcasters: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman
Lions players ruled out: Frank Ragnow (Pec injury, week to week).
Seahawks players ruled out: N/A
Betting Odds
Team Spread Moneyline Total
Seattle Seahawks +3.5 (-105) +162 O 46.5 (-115)
Detroit Lions -3.5 (-115) -194 U 46.5 (-105)
Ladies and gentlemen, we got ourselves another potentially great Monday Night football game. One that may or may not top last week's Washington Commanders victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. The Lions are coming off a victory over Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals, while the Seahawks are riding an undefeated streak with a win over Tyreek Hill and the Miami Dolphins. This will be a massive test for the Lions, as trying to beat a team riding high with confidence will be a tough task. The Lions are also 5-13 against the Seahawks, their last win going back to 2012 with a 28-24 victory. The Lions' last game with the Seahawks ended in a 37-31 overtime loss, so the Seahawks have had the Lions number lately. Nevertheless, the Lions have proven many wrong before, and this is no different.
Detroit Lions
Offense
We've seen the offense struggling early, but it has gained some of its composure, especially last week. Goff had a slightly better game with 18/23 completions for 199 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Goff's performance last game showed us that he is not taking as many risky throws or stat packing and relies on the basics and his running backs to help win games. There was a slight improvement from Goff, so hopefully, we can see some more refinement from Goff in this game and the rest. The problem with this game is that the Seahawks' defense ranks first when it comes to defending the passing game, so Goff should limit himself to the number of passing attempts, and if he is, focus on short routes to Amon Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. Goff should rely more heavily on the run game to win the game successfully.
Gibbs and Montgomery can have a potential field day with this matchup. The Seahawks' run defense ranks 15th in the league, not exactly a good sign for them. The Lions rank 4th in the league in rushing, so all the offense has to do is give the ball to the two-punch combo in Gibbs and Montgomery. But with center Frank Ragnow on a week-to-week basis, the Lions' two running backs should focus on running the ball on the outside handoffs rather than up the middle.
Defense
The Lions defense has been a huge factor in their team lately, especially with Aidan Hutchinson leading the league in total sacks. The defense currently ranks 10th in the league in total yards and touchdowns allowed, so this is a pretty decent lineup to rely on when it comes to preventing a score. The Seahawks run game is up in the air with Kenneth Walker III being injured and his game status currently unknown. Even with the Seahawks reliable running back, the Lions rank 4th in the league in rushing yards and touchdowns defended, so it will still be a tall task to get the run game going even if the Seahawks' RB1 is playing.
Now with the passing game, here is where the Lions might struggle defensively. Ranking 19th in the league in passing yards and touchdowns allowed, the Lions have a hill to climb in this game, especially going against the Seahawks 3rd ranked passing offense. The Lions have let up an average 216 passing yards per game, with 3 touchdowns on top of it. Rookie cornerback Terrion Arnold has also been a problem for the Lions defense as well, being the most penalized cornerback in the NFL currently. Have I also said that the defense has to go up against Seahawks star wide receiver DK Metcalf? This has the potential to be a passing clinic for the Seahawks. The only way I see the Lions succeeding against the passing game is simple: pressure quarterback Geno Smith. Aidan Hutchinson leads the league in sacks, so here is a simple gameplan: Get Geno. Prevent him from finding the open man and make him run out of the pocket and the Lions have a chance of miniaturizing the threat of the passing game.
Seattle Seahawks
Offense
Again, the Seahawks rank top three in the passing game through Week 4, averaging 246 yards per game. The problem is that the Seahawks have been in low-scoring contests against mid-tier teams. You can argue that they beat the Miami Dolphins in their matchup soundly last week, but the Dolphins were without key players, including Tua Tagovailoa and Raheem Mostert. They beat the post-Belichick era New England Patriots in overtime in Week 2 and squeaked by the Denver Broncos, led by rookie Bo Nix, in Week 1. The offense can put up good numbers, but cannot seem to repeatedly score.
Defense
The Seahawks have the past passing defense in the league through Week 4, only holding opponents to 132 yards allowed per game. But the run defense is in the middle of the pack, averaging 116 yards per game allowed. But now they have a legitimate contender with stars in the passing and running games. Sure, defense held up wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jalen Waddle in Week 3, but it was not against Tua. The defense will need to be on point with its communication to suppress the passing and rushing attack of the Lions.
My Verdict
The Seahawks are flying high through Week 4, so I expect them to be super confident going into this game. But they have not faced a real contender yet this season, so this will be a true test for them to prove themselves as a serious threat in the NFC, the likes we haven't seen since the Legion of Boom. But the Lions know this, and I believe they will be the first loss on the Seahawk's record. All they have to do is stick to the gameplan, not make risky throws, and rely on their strengths on what has gotten them points.
Score: Lions 28, Seahawks 20
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