Lions (

27.25) at
Cards (

24.25)

Game Overview ::

By Mike Johnson >>

• Detroit enters this game with a 1-1 record and averaging only 18 points per game in regulation after averaging 27.4 points per game in 2023.
• Arizona has had impressive performances to start the season and is coming off a dominant performance against the Rams in Week 2.
• Kyler Murray has looked as dynamic as any quarterback in the league through two weeks and is playing at a level that is as good as we have ever seen from him.
• Detroit’s run defense has once again been stout this year and their pass rush created all sorts of problems for the Tampa offense in Week 2.
• Arizona appears to be a sneaky contender in the NFC West as the Rams and 49ers have been decimated by injuries to star players.

How detroit Will Try To Win ::

Detroit’s offense leans on their running game but has been efficient and explosive over the last two seasons. They lost a tough one to Tampa Bay at home in Week 2 in which they failed to turn offensive production into points, as they accumulated 463 yards from scrimmage but managed only 16 points. That is quite the outlier for a team that ranked 5th in the NFL in points per game in 2023. Detroit had two failed 4th downs and two interceptions that negated offensive production and ultimately were the difference in the game. The Lions beat the Rams on a touchdown in overtime in Week 1 but managed only 20 points in regulation. It is not time to panic in Detroit, as their divisional foes have concerns of their own, but the Lions head on the road this week to face a Cardinals team with a lot of momentum that will be a difficult test.

Detroit’s offensive scheme can beat you in a variety of ways. Last week the Cardinals defense gave the Rams fits with their pressure, but that was largely due to the injuries Los Angeles is dealing with upfront. The Lions have arguably the best offensive line in the league and should give Jared Goff a clean pocket for most of the game. Arizona also has to deal with deep threats for the Lions that the Rams did not possess. Jameson Williams is a legitimate problem downfield and should open things up underneath for Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Sam LaPorta. Detroit’s offense is always going to feature a heavy dose of rushes and Arizona will have to commit to stopping that given Detroit’s multiple quality running backs and ability to open up holes. That, paired with the ability to stretch the field, should allow Jared Goff to operate effectively in the intermediate areas of the field. Arizona was in the bottom half of the league in blitz rate in 2023 and is bottom-10 in that category once again this year, as Jonathan Gannon’s defense has a relatively conservative “keep it in front of us” approach that is middle of the pack in the league in both man coverage rate and zone coverage rate. The Lions are going to be able to move the ball on the ground and through the air in this one, it’s just a matter of turning those yards into points this time.

How arizona Will Try To Win ::