Detroit Lions stock watch: Offensive line, defense on prowl
By Matt Bosko
The Detroit Lions kept their Wild Card hopes alive with a 20-10 win over the Chicago Bears this past Saturday thanks to their offensive line and defense.
The Detroit Lions are still in the playoff mix, ladies and gentlemen.
Their 20-10 victory over the Chicago Bears on Saturday was done in convincing fashion. Two units that struggled for most of the season were responsible for keeping the Lions’ Wild Card dreams alive.
STOCK UP
Offensive Line
The unit sworn to protect Matthew Stafford was not perfect.
The Lions franchise quarterback was sacked four times, but for a unit that has endured nine different rotation changes (and counting), they certainly stepped up when it mattered most.
Prior to the game, the Lions ruled out starting center Travis Swanson and right tackle Rick Wagner. Shortly into the game, guard T.J. Lang departed with an ankle injury.
The Lions offensive line, from left to right, consisted of Taylor Decker, Joe Dahl, Graham Glasgow, Don Barclay, and Corey Robinson.
And you know what?
They pushed the Bears around all game.
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Stafford was under duress, but not under siege, and was able to scramble out of harm’s way to make big plays down the field.
The new committee of running backs, led by Theo Riddick and Tion Green, actually had open lanes. Neither came close to the elusive 100-yard mark in the game, but the Lions rushed for 91 yards as a team over 20 carries.
Defense
The last time these two teams met in Week 11, the Bears torched the Lions on the ground, rushing for 222 yards and two scores on 30 carries.
Saturday was a different story altogether.
The Bears rushed 15 times for just 43 yards – less than half of the Lions’ ground production.
Though it certainly helped that the Lions led for most of the game, the defense deserved credit for focusing on an area that needed a vast improvement.
Linebacker Jarrad Davis played an outstanding game. Since the coaching staff has relieved him of play-calling duties, the rookie can focus more on his responsibilities, and the improvement was obvious against the Bears.
He accounted for six total tackles (five solo), and his performance earned him an 83.2 overall grade from ProFootballFocus.
In the defensive backfield, Darius Slay and Quandre Diggs made sure it was a long day for Bears’ rookie Mitchell Trubisky.
The tandem accounted for three interceptions, including a perfectly telegraphed pick by Diggs in the end zone to save a touchdown.
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We discussed last week that the Lions may have found their future at safety in Diggs. His play, combined with Slay’s Pro Bowl performance this season, has the Lions defensive backfield peaking at the right time.