The interior of the Detroit Lions' offensive line has been an issue for much of the season, and it has only become more obvious down the stretch run, as Jared Goff has been sacked 28 times this season, with three games still left to play.
Injuries have forced Dan Campbell and his coaching staff to move players all over the line to piece together the best possible unit to protect Goff while also opening up running lanes for Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. While it remains to be seen just how he performs on Sunday, Detroit is welcoming a player back to the fold in Week 16 who should, at the very least, move Kayode Awosika back to a reserve role.
Christian Mahogany's Return Solves Detroit's Kayode Awosika Problem
Awosika and fellow reserve lineman Trystan Colon have been thrust into the lineup this season, and it seems safe to say that Lions fans throughout the Motor City have been patiently waiting for reinforcements to arrive so these two can move back to their normal roles as depth pieces. Saturday afternoon, one of those reinforcements officially returned as Christian Mahogany has been activated from the IR, making him eligible to play as soon as Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It remains to be seen just how much Mahogany sees of the field. Detroit may not have much of a choice but to lean on him, however, as both Colon and Graham Glasgow are currently listed as questionable for Sunday afternoon's contest at Ford Field. Fortunately, should Mahogany be thrown right back into the deep end in his first game back, the Lions know he is capable of performing at a high level.
While it isn't the best indicator of how a player is performing, Mahogany's Pro Football Focus grade of 66.2 places him in the top half of all eligible offensive guards. In 495 snaps at left guard this season, Mahogany has allowed just 17 total pressures, four hits allowed, and two QB sacks allowed, while only committing two penalties. That type of dependability up front is something that cannot be discounted, especially for a team still fighting for its playoff lives.
The Steelers' defense has performed well all season, but they will be without All-Pro EDGE TJ Watt on Sunday as he continues to recover from a lung issue that also sidelined him last week. Pittsburgh not having one of the league's most feared pass rushers at its disposal, while Detroit welcomes back one of its better offensive linemen, should present Goff and the offense with opportunities to hit on big plays in the passing and running games.