DETROIT – The Detroit Lions are back home this weekend, and Ford Field is going to be one massive party as they look to avenge last year’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Sunday will be half hype, half celebration. Lions fans are going to lose their minds welcoming the team back after that upset win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Then, when the game starts, you’ll see how loud Lions fans can get when the outcome actually means something.
It’s going to be an amazing atmosphere and a fun game to watch. Here are some of the players I can’t wait to see:
Aidan Hutchinson
It’s impossible not to start with Hutchinson. Not only did he hit Patrick Mahomes three times last week and single-handedly force several incomplete passes, but now he gets to go against two backup tackles.
Grab your popcorn. 🍿
Seattle lost both of its starting offensive tackles last weekend. And this is a team that already allowed Geno Smith to take seven hits against the Los Angeles Rams.
Hutchinson has evolved into an excellent NFL pass rusher, and he has a great chance to get into the sack column this weekend.
Jahmyr Gibbs
Our first look at the No. 12 overall pick was tantalizing, but Lions fans were definitely left wanting more.
Gibbs touched the ball just nine times against the Chiefs -- mostly because David Montgomery helped the Lions control the pace of the game and keep Mahomes off the field.
His touches were electric, though. Gibbs averaged 6 yards per carry and 9 yards per catch. He made one cut to the outside that was probably going to lead to a touchdown, but he lost his footing before he could turn the corner.
I think Cris Collinsworth put it best on the NBC broadcast when he said, “You can almost hear Gibbs accelerating.” The Lions need that speed element with Jameson Williams sidelined, so expect a larger dose of Gibbs.
Sam LaPorta
This is list is very rookie-focused, because our first look at Detroit’s young players was so promising.
Tight ends usually take some time to adjust to the professional game and make an impact, but LaPorta was right in the middle of the Lions’ victory over the defending Super Bowl champs in his debut.
Jared Goff showed trust in the rookie, connecting with him five times for 39 yards. In a game that featured some ugly offense and a dozen dropped passes, LaPorta was quietly reliable, and that’s exactly what the Lions need in the post-T.J. Hockenson era.
Amon-Ra St. Brown is always going to be option No. 1 for Goff, but who will emerge as No. 2 until Williams returns? LaPorta made his case in the first game.
Malcolm Rodriguez
Remember the rookie everybody was excited about last year? He got off to a quiet start in the win over Kansas City, making just one tackle.
But the Lions will need Rodriguez to be more involved than that throughout the season. As a rookie, he racked up 87 tackles (62 solo tackles) and made plays all over the field.
Last year against the Seahawks, Rodriguez put up a career-high 11 tackles and nine solo tackles. He also forced a fumble. Look for him to be much more involved than last week.
CJ Gardner-Johnson
Lions fans already love Gardner-Johnson, which is no surprise. He told the fan base to embrace the villain role and wear blue ski masks to the home opener, and now blue ski masks are sold out in stores and online until October.
The newest Lions safety put his mark on this team right away, breaking up two Mahomes passes and making five solo tackles in the opener. Dan Campbell has talked about his value as a vocal leader, but his play on the field is just as important.
How great would it be if Gardner-Johnson went out in front of thousands of fans in blue ski masks and picked off a pass this weekend? The roof would get blown off Ford Field.
James Houston
After the rookie season we saw from Houston, it’s surprising the first Lions game ended and he doesn’t have a sack.
In 2022, Houston played in Detroit’s final seven games, and it’s no coincidence the team went 5-2 in that span after starting off 4-6.
Houston had eight sacks in those seven games, including two against Josh Allen and three against Justin Fields -- two of the games most mobile quarterbacks in the league.
If the Seahawks’ depleted offensive line has to pay too much attention to Hutchinson on one side, Houston could be the beneficiary. He’s a relentless pass rusher against a vulnerable line -- look out.