The Detroit Lions' quest for a playoff spot has been difficult this season, and the issues have grown thanks to the struggles of their offensive line. An up-and-down rookie season by Tate Ratledge and the sudden retirement of Frank Ragnow threw a wrench into one of the Lions’ biggest strengths from one year ago, and things got worse when Christian Mahogany suffered a knee injury in Week 9.
Mahogany’s injury was the latest blow to the Lions’ offensive line because it threw backup Kayode Awosika into action. While there figured to be a reprieve when Ragnow announced he was coming back for the stretch run last week, those plans were short-lived as the team revealed that the veteran had a Grade 3 hamstring strain on Saturday and, as a result, would not be returning to the team.
With Ragnow running back into the tunnel, the Lions have to figure out what they’re going to do for the stretch run, and it makes Awosika a major problem as the team heads down the stretch.
Frank Ragnow’s Failed Comeback Puts More Pressure on Kayode Awosika
Ragnow’s return would have masked some of the problems the Lions were facing along the offensive line. His return to the center position would have moved Graham Glasgow back to his regular position of left guard when he recovered from a knee injury, and brought four of the five starters from last season’s team back into the fold with Awosika and Mahogany back on the bench. But now that Ragnow isn’t coming back, it puts Awosika into the spotlight.
Awosika entered the starting lineup late during a Week 9 loss to the Minnesota Vikings and has been an inconsistent addition over the past five games. According to Pro Football Focus, as of Sunday morning, Awosika ranked 24th out of qualifying guards with a 66.9 overall grade and 16th with a 69.3 run-blocking grade from the time he made his first start in Week 10, leading up to the Week 13 game against the Green Bay Packers. But he was a major liability on the offensive line again, giving up two pressures, including his third sack in the last three outings, culminating in a 54.9 PFF grade — his second-worst effort of the last six games.
The Packers took advantage of this in their Thanksgiving win over the Lions. In addition to providing poor pass protection, Awosika was also neutralized in the run-blocking game, making him a net-negative in a game the Lions arguably had to have in the playoff race.
Entering Sunday, the Lions were currently the first team out of the playoffs and have some big games down the stretch. Next Thursday’s game against a resurgent Dallas Cowboys front featuring Quinnen Williams could be a de facto playoff game for two teams looking to get back into the playoff race, and the Lions get another stiff test when they travel to the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 14.
T.J. Watt and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ front will visit Detroit on Dec. 21, and while the Minnesota Vikings are circling the drain in the NFC North, rival defensive coordinator Brian Flores’s front defeated the Lions at Ford Field in that Week 9 matchup, with the rematch coming on Christmas Day in Minneapolis. A final matchup against the Bears wraps up the regular season on Jan. 4, but the Lions’ offensive line problems may have sabotaged the season by that point if they’re not careful.
A speedy recovery for Mahogany could be one remedy. But with 17 pressures and two sacks allowed on 259 pass-blocking snaps, he’s not much of an answer either. Whatever it is, Awosika and the Lions will have to figure it out in the short term or else watch a season with Super Bowl aspirations have a disappointing ending.