3 Keys to Victory for Lions against Cowboys
The Detroit Lions aren't in an enviable position coming out of the bye week. They sit at 1-4 and in sole possession of last place in the NFC North, going into a Week 7 road contest with the 4-2 Dallas Cowboys.
It's far from a favorable matchup for the Lions, which aren't being picked by many prognosticators to beat the Cowboys Sunday.
With that said, if Detroit has any chance at pulling off the upset, here are three things it must do.
Establish the ground game (without D'Andre Swift)
After trending earlier in the week toward starting Sunday, it appears that Swift now won't suit up against the Cowboys.
In his absence, the trio of Jamaal Williams, Craig Reynolds and Justin Jackson need to step up.
They are each competent backs, especially Williams, who is averaging 4.3 yards a carry and has produced six rushing touchdowns through five games.
The veteran runner also already has a 100-yard rushing game under his belt this season. It came in Week 4 against the Seattle Seahawks, when he started in the place of Swift and rushed for 108 yards and two scores on 19 carries.
So, just because Swift is likely out, it doesn't mean that Detroit should abandon its ground game. It's the team's bread and butter offensively, and it should be used to help Jared Goff rebound from his poor performance in Week 5 against the New England Patriots.
It's why it's ultra critical for the Lions to get the run game going early and often against Dallas.
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Get Aidan Hutchinson in position to make impactful plays
The Lions have lacked a significant pass-rushing presence all season long, and Hutchinson has contributed to the problem.
Outside of Week 2 when he recorded three sacks against Carson Wentz and the Washington Commanders, the University of Michigan product has been largely missing in action.
He's become known for over-pursuing and failing to wrap up opposing teams' ball-carriers and quarterbacks.
Thus, he's largely underachieved up to this point in his rookie campaign.
With his high motor and natural ability, though, there is a ton of room for Hutchinson to grow and to still develop into the high-impact pass rusher that he was expected to be when he was selected No. 2 overall in the 2022 draft.
Now, the onus is on Detroit defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to put the Dearborn (Mich.) Divine Child High School graduate in the best position to succeed. It's expected to involve moving Hutchinson all across the defensive line, and it could happen as soon as this week, with John Cominsky and Josh Paschal both active.
“We’ll get some guys back,” Glenn told reporters this week, when talking about ways to improve the team's pass rush. “Cominsky will be back. Paschal will be ready. Being able to use Aidan (Hutchinson) in other spots, allowing him to have some freedom to do some things, also. And then, always, man, we’re trying to scheme up our guys for the best matchup. As long as we can continue to do that, as long as we continue to utilize each player in that magnitude, I think those things will always help us.”
With Cominsky and Paschal in the lineup, it should allow Glenn & Co. to easily slide Hutchinson into what is called the "rush end role" and get him one-on-one with fellow 2022 first-rounder and Cowboys left tackle Tyler Smith. And hopefully, Hutchinson will be able to take advantage of the matchup and wreak havoc against Dak Prescott.
Keep Dallas LB Micah Parsons in check
This will be easier said than done, but Detroit will need to do its best to prevent Parsons from having a big game.
In just his second year as a pro, the Penn State product is already an elite defender. He was an All-Pro selection as a rookie, after totaling 84 tackles, 30 QB hits, 13 sacks, three forced fumbles and three passes defensed.
And, he's picked up right where he left off a season ago. Through six games in 2022, Parsons has already accumulated 26 total tackles, 12 QB hits, six sacks, two passes defensed and a forced fumble.
He's an explosive force when he gets in the backfield, and will be a threat to Goff all afternoon long. This is where Detroit right tackle Penei Sewell comes into play. Sewell was taken five picks before Parsons in the 2021 draft -- he was the No. 7 overall pick, while Parsons was the No. 12 overall selection.
Sewell needs to stand his ground and do his best at keeping Parsons away from Goff. If he does a solid job of it, the Lions might just have a chance of pulling off the upset in Dallas.
