The Detroit Lions will try to end their three-game homestand with a win on Thursday night, as they invite the surging Dallas Cowboys to Ford Field. This is a huge game in terms of the playoff standings, as the Cowboys are right behind the Lions in their pursuit of a wildcard spot.
The Lions’ pass rush will be under the microscope in this primetime contest, as they did not get a single sack on Packers QB Jordan Love, who tossed four TD passes in a seven-point win last week. If the Lions can’t get pressure on Cowboys QB Dak Prescott, it could be the same story for this unit.
The pass rush has been a consistent issue dating back to the first week of the regular season. In fact, Lions fans wanted to see GM Brad Holmes pursue Jadeveon Clowney, who was a free agent at the time, but Clowney ended up visiting and ultimately signing with the Cowboys.
In nine games with the Cowboys, Clowney has four sacks and five tackles for loss, which would be tied for third on the Lions. There was some uncertainty around the veteran defender’s status for Week 14 on Monday. However, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones suggested on 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday that Clowney, who is dealing with a hamstring, will be available on Thursday night, per ESPN’s Todd Archer.
Lions Likely Regret Not Signing Jadeveon Clowney Earlier This Season
While this is great news for the Cowboys’ defense, it is the last thing the Lions wanted to hear, as their offensive line has struggled lately and has been plagued by injury.
Lions QB Jared Goff has been sacked eight times over the last three games, setting the stage for a huge performance from Clowney. The fact that the Lions passed over the Cowboys' pass rusher and then didn’t address the position at the trade deadline falls squarely on the shoulders of Brad Holmes.
Coming into the season, everyone knew that the Lions’ pass rush was a major weakness, even with Aidan Hutchinson coming back from injury. Hutchinson has done his job, and Detroit got a huge lift from Al-Quadin Muhammad through the first eight games (six sacks).
However, Muhammad’s production has slowed down to a halt as he hasn’t recorded a sack in four games. And then, there’s Marcus Davenport, who just returned from injury, but it's tough to depend on him to be a consistent factor on the defensive line.
With that being said, it made too much sense for the Lions not to go after Clowney, who could’ve started opposite of Hutchinson. Now, the veteran defender isn’t a full-time starter in Dallas, but he’s finding a way to make an impact on 40% of defensive snaps.
The Lions could use that right about now. And if Clowney has a sack or two against the Lions, and Detroit can’t get home against Prescott, that will only infuriate the fan base and leave them further questioning Holmes for his personnel decisions.