It was a difficult week of preparation for the Detroit Lions. The win against the Vikings came at a steep cost. Not only were the Lions dealing with a slew of injuries, but they were also navigating an emotionally challenging Jack Campbell situation. The players expressed their desire to play for Campbell all week, but it was clear that this wasn't going to be an easy one in Miami, regardless of the Dolphins' record.
And this proved to be the case. It wasn't the prettiest of games, but the Lions got it done. On a day when the offense struggled for 60 minutes, the defense came up big and delivered Detroit's fourth straight win. Who stood out, and who could be better?
Stud: S Chuck Clark
The 31-year-old defensive back has been a revelation all season. He was an afterthought among Detroit's offseason acquisitions, but the Lions had to rely on him a ton in the first half of the season. Against the Dolphins, he delivered once again.
He had one of the best plays of the afternoon for his second interception of his season. He was very good in coverage all game and only allowed one reception while playing every single defensive snap. His role when Kerby Joseph returns remains to be seen, but he has been as dependable as they come so far.
Stud: DE Derrick Moore
With DJ Wonnum out, it was Moore's time to shine. The talented rookie made the most of his increased opportunity and had his first two sacks of the season. Playing a season-high 33 defensive snaps, the Lions' second-round pick easily had his best game of his young NFL career.
Of course, Aidan Hutchinson was the better pass rusher, and as always, he makes everything so much easier for the defenders around him. But Moore deserves praise for his intensity and hard work out there.
Stud: DC Kelvin Sheppard
Sheppard deserves a lot of praise for this turnaround. Understandably, he was on thin ice after the first four games of the season. The Lions had the worst defense in the league, and it didn't look like things were going to improve. But week by week, the defensive unit got better.
Week 9 was the best performance of the season for the Lions' defense, allowing only nine points. There were no communication mistakes or explosive plays. Despite a short-handed defensive unit, the Lions looked the part of an elite, Super Bowl-caliber defense.
Dud: Offensive line
The weakest link in Detroit's win in Miami was the offensive line. Normally anemic Dolphins pass rush was able to generate a ton of pressure on Jared Goff all game.
Miles Frazier struggled in his first start of the season in Christian Mahogany's place. The more surprising part of the performance came from Tate Ratledge and Blake Miller. That side of the line was where the Dolphins consistently found success. Goff was hit several times, threw his second interception of the season, and finished the game without a touchdown for the first time since 2024.
We don't know what led to Mahogany's benching other than disciplinary reasons, but regardless of whether it's he or Frazier playing going forward, the offensive line needs to be way better.
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