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The Detroit Lions have remained red-hot over the last month of the season, and will put their run of victories to the test with another road date in Week 16.
There, they find the Carolina Panthers lying in wait who are 5-9 so far this season, and somehow alive in the NFC South race. With much to play for on their end, the Panthers aren’t going to lay down for Detroit.
What players will decide this game? There’s a chance that D’Andre Swift will play arguably the biggest role for Detroit, and beyond him, there are some others who will impact the game significantly.
Here’s a look at the names that will determine whether or not the Lions win yet another game to stay in the hunt.
D’Andre Swift, Running Back
The Lions haven’t seen D’Andre Swift get into the end zone in two weeks, and he has contributed a total of just 114 yards from scrimmage in both of Detroit’s latest victories.
Swift has opportunity knocking down the stretch to provide big games which show he can be a part of Detroit’s future. He remains a key part of the backfield, but in this game, the Lions need him in the end zone. Carolina’s middling run defense should allow him chances to showcase his stuff.
The Panthers give up 130.7 yards per-game, and have allowed 1,830 yards on the ground and 16 touchdowns. This points to opportunities for both Swift and Jamaal Williams this weekend. Swift should have the chance to hit a few home runs for the offense with the pass and run.
Kerby Joseph, Safety
News was not good early in the week for the Lions on DeShon Elliott, who is likely to sit in this contest with a shoulder injury. That will put even more pressure on rookie Kerby Joseph to shine.
Joseph has been a ballhawk and a big play machine for the Lions this year, and is coming off a game in which he put up six total tackles in New York and was forced to cover a lot of ground. That will happen again without Elliott in the mix for the Lions.
There’s a chance for Joseph to deliver another sudden-change play or interception for Detroit, and he’s thrived on that. Without Elliott, the opportunity is a big one for the Lions.
DJ Chark, Wide Receiver
Detroit’s passing offense has the breaks put on them by a solid Jets defense in Week 15, and DJ Chark was the unfortunate victim, catching just one pass for 18 total yards on the day.
In this matchup, Chark should find things much more friendly for him. The Panthers’ pass defense is average, ranking 14th in the league and giving up nearly 211 yards per-game on average. In the two games prior, Chark had put up 192 yards and one touchdown.
Chark’s presence is important, and with him having a big day, the Detroit offense also seems to blow teams out. If he has another big day, that will be advantage Goff and the Lions.
Romeo Okwara, Defensive End
Arguably, there was no more important player to the Lions who got less of the publicity than Romeo Okwara. The defensive end contributed two sacks for Detroit, one of which came in crunch time.
Okwara is still rounding into form after knocking rust off following his lengthy ACL rehab this offseason, but if this four tackle, two sack effort was only the beginning, that would be great news for the Lions. The team needs some pass rush punch and Okwara has brought it since signing with the Lions in 2018.
Since, he has put up a total of 23 sacks in the league, and if he continues to produce, could look like a quality late-season addition for the Lions.
Malcolm Rodriguez, Linebacker
The last few weeks, Malcolm Rodriguez has not put up huge numbers for the Lions, collecting just 10 total tackles. With that in mind, it seems as if he is charting a course toward a breakout game
This week, the Panthers will challenge the Lions with the run game, with D’Onta Foreman as well as Chuba Hubbard running the rock. With that in mind, it’s a big game for Rodriguez, who plays the run as well as any linebacker in the league even as a rookie.
The Lions will count on Rodriguez having an active day to shut down a team that runs the ball decently with 1,645 yards and 16 touchdowns so far this season. That could make Rodriguez a key cog in the wheel defensively.
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