This Sunday the (1-3) Detroit Lions and the (1-3) New England Patriots will match up in the fifth week of the 2022 NFL season. Kickoff will be at 1:00 PM EST inside Gillette Stadium. Both of these teams are coming into this one after suffering tough losses in week 4. They will be looking to bounce back.
The Detroit Lions are coming into this one after falling to the Seattle Seahawks, 48-45. The Lions have shown that they can consistently move the ball down the field, but their defense has also struggled. They will have to shut the Patriots down when they have the ball if they want to take care of business on the road.
The New England Patriots are entering this one after losing to the Green Bay Packers, 27-24 in OT. The Patriots had a chance to win this game, but they came up just short. They will need their defense to play great in this one again if they want to challenge the Lions at home. The Patriots will also start Hoyer or Zappe, as Mac Jones will still be out with a high ankle sprain.
The Detroit Lions are currently (1-3) to begin this season, as they currently sit in last place in the NFC North. They trail the Vikings by two games. On offense, the Lions have put up points in a hurry. They are averaging 35 points per game and 436.8 total yards. This is the most points scored per game this season and also the most yards, as Jared Goff and this Lion's offense have continued to consistently move the ball down the field. They are also relying on their run game, as they are averaging 164 rush yards per game. Swift is still listed as questionable, as I don't see him returning this week. Watch for Jamaal Williams, as he leads the team with 276 yards and six touchdowns this season. The Lions have also shown that they can successfully move the ball through the air, as Jared Goff has been slinging the ball all over the field. He has already thrown 11 touchdowns this season and only three interceptions. I would also watch f or T.J. Hockenson, as he is leading the team in receiving yards. He has also already scored three touchdowns this season. The Lions could be without Amon-Ra St. Brown, as he didn't practice on Wednesday due to his ankle injury.
On defense, the Lions have found themselves in a few shootouts to begin the season, as they have also been giving up a ton of points. They are allowing 35.3 per game and 444.8 total yards, as these are the most points allowed per game and the most yards. Their offense has been clicking, but their defense has not. They are surrendering 279.3 passing yards per game, which is the 30th most in the NFL. I would recommend watching Malcolm Rodriguez, as he currently leads the team with 33 tackles and one forced fumble. Detroit has also struggled to stop the run, as they are allowing the 30th most rushing yards per game. They have had issues tackling at times and they aren't rallying toward the ball. Last week, they gave up 235 rushing yards to the Seattle Seahawks.