When teams are losing, they often turn to their best players to help turn things around. These players are the ones who get the ball thrown to them or are put in positions to make big plays and get the team back on track.
The Lions did this, too. But their best player is a right tackle who dominates everyone in his path.
You’ve probably heard by now—the Lions won a game where Jared Goff threw five interceptions. It was the worst possible scenario for Detroit, and yet they still won. They might actually be a team of destiny.
The Lions got back into the game with strong defense (shoutout to DC Aaron Glenn, DT Alim McNeill, and CB Carlton Davis III), and on offense, they leaned on RT Penei Sewell. Getting Sewell in space helped the Lions’ offense find its rhythm. Sewell is a force in the open field, creating space and helping the skill players make big plays.
Detroit had a couple of big plays where Sewell’s movement was key. The first play of the second half was a toss to get Sewell and RB Jahmyr Gibbs into open space.
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown made a solid block on the edge, and Sewell made his way downfield. Once he’s out in the open, he’s hard to stop. His block on CB Kamari Lassiter caused two Texans defenders to collide, which opened up a huge lane for Gibbs to pick up big yards.
The next play was a swing pass to Gibbs, a clever call against Cover 1. The receivers cleared out the defenders, and then Sewell got moving, with Gibbs running right behind him.
Sewell showed impressive speed and power, leaning on LB Azeez Al-Shaiir to create more space and helping Gibbs pick up even more yards. Sewell’s ability to move in space will always be a huge advantage for the Lions’ offense.
Running behind Sewell is always a good plan for Detroit, but I also liked a power run they executed against the Houston defense, which is known for being aggressive and trying to get upfield fast.
This run, called “crunch,” is a mix of a trap and a wham play. The tight end blocks the defensive tackle, and the guard pulls to block the other defensive tackle.
The space between Sewell and the guard was wider than usual, which helped trap the Texans’ defensive tackle and open a huge gap. With the Texans’ defensive end playing so wide, the hole was massive.
The Lions could very well be the best team in the NFL. The fact that they overcame a terrible game from Jared Goff shows just how strong this team is. At 8-1 and with a game against the Jaguars coming up, they have a real chance to dominate the NFC. If they do, you can bet it will be with Sewell leading the way on what’s now being called Highway 58.
