Good offensive linemen are truly the key to a great offense. Without them, your entire offense is at risk of collapse. Losing even one can cause time issues that can derail the whole thing. So when Christian Mahogany went down with an injury against the Minnesota Vikings, there was concern that the Detroit Lions may be in trouble without him. After all, he was one of the Lions' better run-blockers.
With how reliant the Lions have been on the running game, especially as of late, not having one of your better run-blockers could be a problem. Especially when they reside on the opposite side of the line from All-Pro Penei Sewell. When the best run-blocking tackle in the league isn't lining up next to you, you've got to put in a bit more effort. Mahogany did just that. Sure, he had issues protecting Jared Goff, but he made sure to get guys off the ball so his running backs could do their job.
The Lions are 6th in the league in rushing after all. Yet, without Mahogany, there's always the risk that the team loses a step. Thankfully, that didn't happen against the Washington Commanders. The Lions put up 226 rushing yards, with two touchdowns, all while averaging a whopping 6.8 yards per carry. A great showing with recently inserted Kayode Awosika joining the fray at left guard. He played well, and the Lions offense rolled over the Commanders.
Lions Should Have Hope With Awosika Replacing Mahogany on OL
Yet, there is still reason for concern. After all, the Commanders are the fourth-worst team in the league against the run. Washington gives up 134.4 rushing yards per game; it makes sense that they are a team the Lions were able to run over. Yet, the Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams, Green Bay Packers, and Pittsburgh Steelers all remain on the schedule and are all better equipped to defend against the running game.
If there are issues that can be exploited with Mahoganey out, we'll likely see what could happen in the not-so-distant future. The Lions aren't dead in the water, however. It's possible Awosika could fill in valiantly for the Lions down the stretch, after all, he did play well against the Commanders. It's just that the Commanders are far from a tough out at this point, and posting good figures against them doesn't amount to much.
While his opportunities have been limited thus far, Awosika has fared well in the run blocking game in the chances he has had on the field during the 2025 campaign. According to Pro Football Focus, the guard has a run blocking grade of 70.5 and an overall grade of 61.2. His pass-blocking grade isn't as impressive, checking in at 38.6, but given his status as a reserve lineman, it isn't overly surprising to see he's stronger in one area than the other.
The next few games will be crucial in properly evaluating Awosika and his impact on the Lions' running game. If he can keep this going, Detroit may not miss Mahogany much, if at all.