Getty Jaylon Johnson during a Utah game.
The Detroit Lions are getting set to tangle with the Chicago Bears this weekend, and the Lions need to find a way to flip the script given the trouble they have had head to head against the Bears lately.
While the last 4 games in this rivalry have been close, the Lions have come out on the losing end each time. There’s been a handful of plays on offense and defense that have determined each loss, and for the Lions, it’s about finding the inches in the season opener to finally come out ahead against a team they likely feel as if they should have beaten a few more times.
What battles will the Lions have to win the most in order to have success? Here’s a look at the top matchups the team has to deal with this weekend.
Mitchell Trubisky vs. Detroit’s Secondary
The Lions have a new look defense on the back end, and interestingly enough, Trubisky has fared incredibly well against Detroit in his career. Detroit has new corners across the board in Desmond Trufant, Jeff Okudah and Amani Oruwariye. They’ve also got some interesting depth at safety with Tracy Walker and Duron Harmon in the mix. The Lions have allowed Trubisky to carve them up through the air in his career, and that has to stop if they want to win the game. With pressure on the Detroit defense to step up and play well, how the secondary reacts in this game to the pressure Trubisky puts on them could determine how well the Lions fare by the time the game ends. If Okudah plays a starting role, it will be interesting to see how he does and how often Trubisky looks his way. In college, he was arguably the best lock down corner in his class, and if that translates to the NFL, it will be tough for Trubisky to deal with early on.
Trey Flowers vs. Chicago Offensive Line
Similarly, the Lions haven’t been able to hit Trubisky and force him into many mistakes and this offseason, Detroit didn’t add all that much to a needy defensive line. The man who’s got to step up and make his presence felt is Flowers, who did have a strong finish in the trenches for the Lions last season. In the first game, Flowers has to step up and show himself as a major difference maker that can generate sacks on his own. The Lions can’t have a slow start out of Flowers this season. The first game of the year is a huge proving ground for him, and he needs to take out some aggression on the Chicago front.
D’Andre Swift vs. Bears Linebackers
This year in Lions camp, perhaps the biggest mismatch on the field was Swift in space against linebackers when catching the football. The rookie was almost not able to be covered in open space by anyone on Detroit’s roster. While the regular season is certainly a whole different animal, the point stands that Swift could change the game with his own skills and abilities with the ball in his hands. Swift is an animal in the passing game, so it might be there the Lions can exploit him against Chicago’s tough defense and aggressive attack. The Bears will have to be on alert for Swift to not only run the ball but catch it as well. A few game breaking plays might be in the cards.
Khalil Mack vs. Taylor Decker
This matchup hasn’t gone well for the Lions in the past, and Mack has been a freight train against Detroit, wreaking plenty of havoc along the line. Decker just signed a massive contract extension with the Lions, and this season, he needs to be consistent on the field with regards to his play. The Lions also need their quarterback protected in a big way, and with a potential injury situation brewing on the other side of the line, that casts attention Decker’s way. A solid game will be needed from the tackle against a rusher who is one of the most dominating forces in the NFL still.
Matthew Stafford vs. Jaylon Johnson
The Lions aren’t the only team breaking in a new cornerback this season, as the Bears will have Johnson on the field starting opposite Kyle Fuller. Stafford is a cagy veteran, so expect him to test the mettle of the youngster right away with his big time receiving group. There will be nowhere for Johnson to hide on the field, and if he’s not up to the challenge right away, that would be bad news for the Bears considering how explosive the Lions offense can be with the deep ball. This is a tough test for a rookie not just because of Stafford and his ability to make a variety of throws, but how Detroit’s offense likes to attack. They have only gotten more vertical, and that puts immediate stress on Johnson in his first NFL game.
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