4 Keys To The Detroit Lions Making A Playoff Run In 2020

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On Sunday, the Detroit Lions put an end to their two-game losing streak, thus ensuring their continued presence in the playoff hunt.

Will a close victory against the Washington Football Team ignite a winning streak for the Lions?

What steps should Detroit take during Week 11 to make the most of the 2020 NFL season while facing the Carolina Panthers?

In order for the Lions to turn the season around, these are the essential four things that must occur.

The odds were last updated on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 2 p.m. EST. Numerous lines were unavailable during the week due to the uncertainty of injuries surrounding Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey and Teddy Bridgewater, as well as Detroit’s Matthew Stafford.

Lions at Panthers Week 11 odds	BetMGM	DraftKings	FanDuel	PointsBet	William Hill
Point spread (-110 juice unless noted)	DET -2.5 CAR +2.5	DET -2 CAR +2	DET -2.5 -105 CAR +2.5 -115	N/A	N/A
Moneyline	DET -130 CAR +110	DET -130 CAR +107	DET -124 CAR +106	N/A	N/A
Total points (-110 juice unless noted)	N/A	O 46.5 U 46.5	O 46.5 U 46.5	N/A	N/A

On Monday afternoon, FanDuel Sportsbook commenced with a 2.5-point spread favoring Carolina. However, within a few hours, the spread had decreased to 1.5.

On Tuesday, the long-awaited opening of DraftKings Sportsbook occurred, with Carolina listed as the favorite at -1.5.

Lines for the game have not been posted by William Hill Sportsbook, PointsBet Sportsbook, and BetMGM Sportsbook at this time.

On Thursday morning, FanDuel at last released an over/under for the total points, setting it at 48.

On Thursday, the news of Bridgewater’s probable absence from the game resulted in a reversal of the line, with the Lions now holding a 1.5 point advantage.

The original spread from Tuesday was flipped, and by Friday, the Lions became the favored team with a 2.5 point advantage.

Despite the Friday news of Lions running back D’Andre Swift’s absence from the game, there was no change in the DraftKings and FanDuel lines. The lines remained at 2.5 points, with Detroit still being favored.

1. It all starts with QB Matthew Stafford

It is not surprising that the performance of their quarterback, Matthew Stafford, is often linked to the Lions’ success.

Stafford had an impressive performance in Sunday’s game against Washington, leading the team to a 30-27 victory, which marked their first win at home in 385 days. He showcased his skills by throwing for 276 yards and three touchdowns without a single interception.

With that win, Detroit’s record improved to 4-5 this season, placing them only two games behind the team currently occupying the seventh playoff spot.

Stafford has thrown seven touchdown passes with only one interception in Detroit’s four wins. However, in the losses, he has thrown six interceptions and also lost a fumble.

Stafford’s performance in the 2020 season carries significant weight. Although his contract extends until 2022, Detroit stands to gain $14 million in cap space if they successfully trade him. Moreover, if the trade occurs after June 1, 2021, the financial burden of the contract would decrease to a mere $13 million.

In order to demonstrate his capability as the leader of the Lions, Stafford must guide Detroit towards a successful streak. Achieving this requires him to steer clear of costly turnovers and exhibit greater consistency.

As of now, Stafford’s QBR for the 2020 season stands at 66.4, placing him at the 17th spot in the NFL rankings.

2. Unleash D’Andre Swift

In April of last year, the Detroit Lions made the decision to select D’Andre Swift with their second-round pick in the NFL Draft.

Due to an injury sustained during training camp, Detroit has been somewhat hesitant in granting Swift the starting role, causing a delay.

In recent weeks, the Lions have been gradually increasing Swift’s workload, culminating in him earning his first start in Sunday’s victorious game against Washington.

Swift has performed impressively when given plenty of chances. During Sunday’s game, he ran for a total of 81 yards on 16 carries, in addition to catching five passes for 68 yards and scoring a touchdown.

Swift had an outstanding performance in the victory over the Jaguars on Oct. 18, accumulating 116 rushing yards on a mere 14 carries and scoring two touchdowns. Remarkably, in the three games where he has been given more than 10 carries, Swift has maintained an impressive average of over 6 yards per carry.

Swift’s proficiency in catching passes from the backfield is a notable asset. In the year 2020, he managed to make 31 receptions, accumulating a total of 275 yards. Impressively, he maintained an average of almost 9 yards per reception.

Adrian Peterson, a seasoned veteran, has been recording an average of 3.8 yards per carry in 2020 while facing challenges in pass-catching.

Since Barry Sanders retired, the team has faced significant challenges in establishing the run game. It appears to be an obvious decision for Swift to take on the role of the primary running back.

3. Improve the pass rush, improve the defense

Under Matt Patricia, it remains an enigma how the Detroit Lions’ defense consistently performs at such a subpar level.

It was anticipated that the Lions would benefit from the former defensive coordinator of the New England Patriots, who was set to introduce a distinctive defense to complement their already formidable offense.

The reverse has occurred.

In Patricia’s three years as coach, the Lions’ defensive performance has been abysmal. Currently, Detroit is positioned at 29th place in points allowed, with an average of 29.7 per game. Their rushing defense stands at 30th place, allowing an average of 141.6 yards per game, while their pass defense ranks 24th, conceding an average of 258.4 yards per game. It’s worth noting that in the previous season, Detroit held the unfortunate distinction of being last in pass defense, with an average of 284.4 yards per game.

The Lions’ defensive struggles can be attributed partially to their insufficient pressure tactics. During the 2019 season, the Lions ranked 30th in the NFL, blitzing on a mere 18% of their plays.

The Lions began to apply pressure on Alex Smith from Washington in their win on Sunday, delivering eight hits and sacking him twice. As a result, they managed to establish a commanding 24-3 lead in the early stages of the second half.

In three out of Detroit’s four victories, the opposing quarterback was targeted by their defense at least five times. Standing out as the primary force behind this pressure is Romeo Okwara, who has been consistently effective. Okwara has accounted for six out of the team’s 13 sacks in the 2020 season.

On Sunday, the Lions will go up against the Panthers, whose quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is currently managing a knee injury. In the event that Bridgewater is unable to participate, P.J. Walker is expected to take the starting position. The outcome of the game may heavily depend on the pressure applied to either of these two players.

4. Detroit Lions need to finish games

Despite leading in all but one game this season, the Detroit Lions have a record of only 4-5.

The Lions, in three of their defeats, managed to secure a double-digit advantage but ultimately failed to maintain their lead.

Despite their victory over Washington on Sunday, the Lions faced a challenging situation where they were leading 24-3 but ultimately found themselves tied 24-24 with only 16 seconds left in regulation.

In five games this season, the Lions have surrendered rallies of 20 points or more.

As the 2020 season began, Detroit introduced “Dagger Time” as a means to highlight the importance of closing out games. However, to their dismay, the tables turned and Detroit found themselves on the receiving end of these daggers.

The Lions were only able to establish an early lead and maintain it against Jacksonville. It is not surprising that this was also the game where the Lions managed to rush for 180 yards, while limiting the Jags to a mere 44 rushing yards.

In order to be successful, Detroit needs to focus on two key aspects: effectively executing offensive drives while maintaining the lead, and establishing a consistent run game. Relying solely on third-and-long situations and hoping for Stafford to work his magic is not a dependable strategy.

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