Lions at Chargers (+1.5) Pregame Discussion (Wk 10)

[Caslon]

Troy Aikman said on the broadcast in the game against the Jets that the Charger defense will be as good as the secondary allows them to be. I agree with that.

ASJ
His game could use some help from our safeties on long balls (wink).

[Charge!]

The Lions defend the run very well, currently third in the league, an average of 77 yards allowed per game. The Chargers are slightly below the middle of the pack in run offense, averaging 101.1 yds per game.

The Lions run the ball well, averaging 131.1 yds per game. But the Chargers also defend the run well, averaging 89 yds per game, 7th in the league.

My guess is this game will be decided by the passing game, and who does or doesn't protect the QB well will probably be a sizable factor.

The Chargers trail only the Ravens in sacks, with 31 sacks through 8 games. The Lions' OL is very highly regarded, Goff has been sacked just 15 times through 8 games, one of the least sacked QBs in the league.

Herbert, who is more mobile than Goff, though hindered by his broken digit, has only been sacked 20 times through 8 games. The Lions are 17th in sacks, with 21 through 8 games.

The Lions' Aidan Hutchinson is their best pass rusher. But he only has 4.5 sacks. The Chargers have three players with more sacks: Mack (9), Bosa (6.5) and Fox (5.5). Tuli is only a half sack behind Hutchinson with 4.

So it's going to be interesting to watch a defense who gets to the QB as well as anybody in the league against an OL who is as good as anybody protecting their QB, who is not very mobile. And a defense that is only mediocre at getting to the QB against an OL that struggles to protect their QB, who is more mobile.

those stats are very deceiving..... almost all of the Chargers sacks have been against 3 teams with bad OL's,,,, and bad or rookie QB's.... Raiders, bears, jets.... not much sack production against good QB's or good OL's..... DET has a great OL and a good QB, with many good skill players to run with or throw to....

The Lions were much better running the ball before Montgomery got hurt..... the very physical Montgomery is back for this game.....

The Chargers improved run defense stats are partly because of improved tackling by Murray, but primarily improved because Teams this season have chosen to primarily throw against the NFL's worst and easiest pass defense.......We leave so many receivers wide open..... if the raiders had had a good QB with a little bit of time they would have slaughtered the Chargers...on all od Mack's sacks, there were mutiple receivers wide fricking open over the middle.... the rookie just didn't dee them or was trying to avoid being killed...

Detroit is clearly a better overall team....They are better on offense and defense, ST's might be even.....Chargers only advantage is at QB.....

This game, like any game in NFL could go either way if one team has a bad day, bad luck, etc.........but if both teams play their best, Lions should win fairly solidly....

[Charge!]

Warning. I bet the Lions target ASJ on at least one stop and go where ASJ doesn’t have the sudden shift in gears necessary to keep up with him. You’ve been warned.

He has the quickness.... he gets burned because he gambles to get picks...... but he is pretty good at getting to the ball or at least close to the ball....he has instincts.....

[Velo]

those stats are very deceiving

You are wrong. The Chargers have three players in the top 3 in sacks, no other team even comes close. Nothing deceiving about that.

[Charge!]

The last game the Lions played, in Balt.

The Ravens got pressure on Goff.

The Ravens protected Lamar well, and the the Lions' defensive front had trouble containing his mobility.

The Ravens WRs and TE Andrews got separation.

The Lions looked totally over-matched against the Ravens.

The Chargers play the Ravens week after next at SoFi.

NFL Network says Ravens always beat NFC teams because NFC players are not used to chasing L. Jackson.... they only see him once every 4 years if that?...... it takes experience to learn how to adjust to him..... When you dont know how to stop/contain jackson, you will lose....

[Velo]

Good news: Derius Davis is averaging 16.6 yds per punt return, third in the league.

But: Lions punt coverage is 4th best, allowing 7.1 yds per return. Does DD beat that? (Assuming the Chargers' D forces a punt.)

[sonorajim]

NFL Network says Ravens always beat NFC teams because NFC players are not used to chasing L. Jackson.... they only see him once every 4 years if that?...... it takes experience to learn how to adjust to him..... When you dont know how to stop/contain jackson, you will lose....

I have tickets to Ravens game. I know we'll see talented football. Should be a very good contest.

[Fleet 1]

[Caslon]

I bet Moore has high aspirations also.

[sonorajim]

I bet Moore has high aspirations also.

Win in the playoffs with LAC?
So far, he hasn't set the NFL on fire with this offense. We are better than last year though and 0.1 PPG better than Det.
The Det game will be a good time to lake a case for himself. Nobody's impressed wth beating the Jets elite D. Det is more average and allows more passing.

[Kellyb72601]

Detroit is the antithesis of a Polian (Telesco) type team as far as how they're structured. They are very fundamentally sound built from the inside out with very strong auxillary positions, like blocking tight end and blocking from the wide receiver position. They're not a finished product yet, the defense still has a ways to go & I'm sure they'd like a more mobile QB, but it goes to show what a team can do that does a lot of the little things right. Everybody knows you need to stop their run game and get Goff in 3rd and long and they fall apart, but it's much easier said than done. The 'Fade slowed them down pretty good for about 2.5 quarters then just got worn down and it became a track meet in the 4th quarter. I expect the same sorta thing to happen tomorrow due to our offense not being able to get anything done & thus the defense spending far too much time on the field.

[jamrock]

Detroit is the antithesis of a Polian (Telesco) type team as far as how they're structured. They are very fundamentally sound built from the inside out with very strong auxillary positions, like blocking tight end and blocking from the wide receiver position. They're not a finished product yet, the defense still has a ways to go & I'm sure they'd like a more mobile QB, but it goes to show what a team can do that does a lot of the little things right. Everybody knows you need to stop their run game and get Goff in 3rd and long and they fall apart, but it's much easier said than done. The 'Fade slowed them down pretty good for about 2.5 quarters then just got worn down and it became a track meet in the 4th quarter. I expect the same sorta thing to happen tomorrow due to our offense not being able to get anything done & thus the defense spending far too much time on the field.

You don’t think our offense will have a better day against the Lions than they did the Jets?