The Seattle Seahawks will look to remain undefeated when they travel to Detroit for a week 4 Monday night contest against the reigning NFC North champion Lions.
Detroit, who entered the season as a popular Super Bowl pick, recovered from a week two stumble with a strong defensive performance last week in their 20-13 victory over Arizona. They stand at 2-1 and trail the surprising Minnesota Vikings by one game in the North.
Let’s take a quick look at the squad the Hawks will see on Monday Night Football.
What should the Seattle Seahawks expect in Week 4 from the Detroit Lions?
Last season
From 2018-2021, the Lions were one of the laughingstocks in the NFL. They only won about one-quarter of their games during that span, and when Matt Patricia was fired as head coach following the ’20 season, he left behind one of the worst defenses in NFL history. New coach Dan Campbell didn’t fare any better in 2021. Detroit went 3-13-1 and finished in the cellar of the NFC North for the fourth consecutive season.
But Lions management stuck with Campbell and GM Brad Holmes and the turnaround began in 2022. Holmes turned over virtually the entire roster and Campbell instilled a passion in the franchise that had been in short supply. The results were obvious in 2023 when the Lions finished 12-5.
Their offense finished in the top five in the league in almost every meaningful statistical category, showing an excellent balance between running and passing. Their defense remained a work in progress but played very effectively in tandem with the high-powered offense. They tended to stop the run early, get a lead, and then force their opponents to play catch up.
Lions offseason
Holmes and Campbell clearly entered the 2024 offseason with an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” attitude. There was minimal turnover from the promising squad that played so well in 2023. Veteran Kevin Zeitler stepped into the right guard spot after Jonah Jackson left via free agency, and 2022 first-round draft pick Jameson Williams took over the Number 2 receiver spot vacated by Josh Reynolds. Otherwise, the offense remained essentially intact.
There was a bit more turnover on defense, particularly in the secondary where Detroit revamped their cornerback room. Young veterans Carlton Davis (Tampa Bay) and Amik Robertson (Las Vegas) arrived as free agents, and Detroit chose Alabama’s Terrion Arnold in the first round of the ’24 draft to improve on a pass defense that finished in the bottom half of the league in 2023.
Most importantly, Holmes and Campbell were able to retain their highly regarded coordinators. Both OC Ben Johnson and DC Aaron Glenn were considered hot head coaching candidates in the offseason. Johnson reportedly turned down at least one head coaching offer to remain with the Lions.
Along with standout offensive line coach Hank Fraley, the coaching staff provides excellent continuity. The major additions came on the defensive side of the ball where Terrell Williams and Deshea Townsend arrived to coordinate the run defense and pass defense respectively.
Scouting report for Week 4
Though they have not gotten off to the best of starts, the Lions' offense has talent up and down the lineup. Through three games this season, they are scoring a full touchdown less than they did in 2023, but that can most likely be chalked up to early-season growing pains and addressed through minor adjustments.
In Jared Goff, they have an efficient veteran under center who has been playing the best football of his career over the past two seasons. He is aided tremendously by a classic power & speed running attack with David Montgomery as the workhorse and Jahmyr Gibbs as the very dangerous change-of-pace back who can do damage as both a runner and receiver. Slowing down Montgomery and Gibbs will be the main focus of Mike Macdonald’s defense on Monday.
Detroit has one of the league’s elite wideouts in Amon-Ra St. Brown. He can run any route and will be targeted often. Both of the Seahawks' stand-out corners will be tested. One of the changes that has been evident early in 2024 is the Lion’s apparent desire to get second receiver Jameson Williams more involved in the offense. The speedster is capable of splash plays from anywhere on the field, as both a receiver and a runner.
But as his targets have increased standout tight end Sam LaPorta has become virtually invisible. He suffered an ankle sprain against the Cardinals which had him in and out of the game and clearly reduced his effectiveness. LaPorta is far too big a weapon to remain an afterthought and at some point this season, he will begin making major contributions. That ankle may slow his progress, which could be good news for the Hawks’ defense.
Anchoring everything is one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. There is no weak link for opposing defenses to attack. Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker may be the best tackle tandem in the league. Frank Ragnow is a rock at center. Graham Glasgow and Zeitler provide very solid interior power and protection. The Seahawks’ D line, which has feasted against some iffy competition so far, will have its work cut out for it in Detroit.
On defense, the Lions are not as scary as they are on offense. But don’t tell that to Aidan Hutchinson. The defensive end is playing at an absurdly high level early this season. He is in the process of surpassing the likes of Myles Garrett, Maxx Crosby, and the Bosa brothers to be recognized as the league’s most dominant edge defender. Through three games, he leads the league with 6.5 sacks and six tackles-for-loss. He is a one-man wrecking crew.
The only silver lining is that so far, Hutchinson has not gotten much help from the rest of Detroit’s front seven. A major part of Seattle’s offensive game plan will be devoted to neutralizing Hutchinson. If they can do that, and if the rest other linemen can hold up against the Lions' average supporting cast, the Hawks’ offense should be able to move the ball.
Seattle has two very solid safeties backing up all their new cornerbacks. Strong safety Brian Branch and free safety Kerby Joseph are both talented players who are developing into one of the best young safety tandems in the league. Those cornerbacks are also talented, but they have had some growing pains early in the season. Geno Smith and his dangerous receiving corps could have some success challenging them, provided the Hawks keep Hutchinson out of the backfield.
Detroit jettisoned kicker Riley Patterson in the middle of last season and returned to veteran journeyman Michael Badgely, who had been with the team in 2022. Badgley entered the 2024 season with an injury and the Lions signed UFL standout Jake Bates to begin the season. Bates, who has range well past 60 yards, had been perfect through his first two games, but missed his first kick – an extra point – against the Cardinals. Still, he is very dangerous from anywhere inside the fifty in a close game.
Punter Jack Fox is among the best in the league. Slot receiver Khalif Raymond has been a very good punt returner for the Lions, averaging better than eleven yards per return over the past three seasons.
Detroit has not looked especially good early in 2024, but they clearly remain one of the best teams in the league, with no major holes. In St. Brown, Hutchinson, and the entire offensive line, they boast some of the best talent in the NFL and have weapons on both sides of the ball who can make game-changing plays.
Having a healthy Kenneth Walker III would be big for the Hawks, who will want to control the ball and keep the Lions’ explosive offense off the field. But the Lions will be looking to do the same thing.
The teams are very similar in many ways. The game could well be determined by which of the question marks – Seattle’s offensive line or the Lions’ defensive line – steps up. Playing on the road, the Seahawks will have a very tough battle on their hands, but they should be in the game to the end. It’s too early to think much about NFC playoff positioning, but this inter-divisional contest could figure into seeding come playoff time.