The Detroit Lions came away with a win over the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night, and a big force in the 38-31 victory was their performance of their defensive line. Aidan Hutchinson came up big with a fourth-quarter strip of Derrick Henry and Al-Quadin Muhammed continued his breakout with a pair of sacks to get out of Baltimore with the victory.
With two straight wins, the Lions would like to keep their good vibes going when they take on the Cleveland Browns in Week 4. But there’s a good chance the Lions’ dominance in the trenches won’t let up on Sunday as the Browns are navigating an injury to offensive lineman Joel Bitonio.
Bitonio has been dealing with a back injury, and while he’s been able to play in each of the first three games, Browns quarterback Joe Flacco revealed that Bitonio’s injury has left him so sore that he has struggled to get in and out of his car, according to Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot.
“He’s a guy you want on your football team. If you have 22 of [Bitonio], you’re going to be tough to beat,” Flacco said. “Believe me, he gets all the respect in the world from the guys in this locker room and from everybody in this building. He’s a warrior. And you know that’s what this game is all about. And you know, he kind of just, I think he takes that stuff to heart and he wants to be there for his guys and you got to respect the hell out of that.”
Joel Bitonio’s Back Injury Should Help Lions Feast on Browns in Week 4
Bitonio’s toughness deserves some respect, and his career accolades give it another layer. A seven-time Pro Bowler and a two-time First-Team All-Pro selection, Bitonio has been one of the best offensive guards in the NFL, finishing with a Pro Football Focus grade over 75.0 in eight of his 12 seasons. He’s also been strong this season, with just six pressures allowed on 136 pass-blocking snaps in the first three games.
This is why the Lions probably have a great deal of respect for Bitonio, but his injury could also make him a target. Detroit’s pass rush has woken up after being shut out in the season-opening loss to the Green Bay Packers, collecting 11 sacks in its last two games. That includes a strong effort on Monday night when the Lions chased down Lamar Jackson seven times to climb over .500 for the first time this season.
The Lions' defensive line still has some depth issues after Marcus Davenport went on injured reserve before Monday’s game. Another injury could also be a problem as it could send Detroit scrambling for a pass-rusher ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline. But those are issues to worry about later, as it appears the Lions could be ready to feast on Bitonio and the Browns on Sunday.