The Detroit Lions are losers of five games so far this season. That's a very bad thing considering they've played just six contests. They will hope to salvage some positivity in Week 8 as they take on the Miami Dolphins, losers of three of their last four outings. The Lions are, not surprisingly, at the very bottom of the standings right now, and well, they will take any win they can get. Here are our Detroit Lions Week 8 predictions as they take on the Dolphins.
To absolutely nobody's surprise, the Lions struggled offensively in a 24-6 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. Quarterback Jared Goff was accountable for four turnovers (two interceptions, two fumbles). Pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson was one of the few bright spots for the Lions with his 1.5 sacks.
Meanwhile, the Dolphins are riding high after defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 16-10 in Week 7. Tua Tagovailoa returned to the team and threw for 261 yards and one touchdown. He will look to have an even better outing here against the hapless Lions.
With all these in mind, here are our four bold predictions for the Detroit Lions in their Week 8 game against the Dolphins.
Got our sights set
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) October 28, 2022
*Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
4. Amani Oruwariye won't contain Jaylen Waddle
Lions cornerback Amani Oruwariye had a bit of a comeback game last week in Dallas. He still allowed several catches, but he was part of a secondary that limited the Cowboys' passing game. This week, though, he will have a tougher time as he faces the Dolphins' smaller and quicker receivers.
In particular, Oruwariye will have to try and stop Dolphins sophomore WR Jaylen Waddle. As of this writing, Waddle already has 621 receiving yards in seven games this season. That ranks fourth overall in the NFL. His average of 18.3 yards per grab also ranks seventh in the league. He's done all of these while serving as the offense's second option behind Tyreek Hill. He's proof of how potent Miami's passing attack is.
Oruwariye and the rest of the Lions secondary have to try and contain Waddle even a little bit in this game. Of course, that's easier said than done. The Lions likely won't be able to match his pace. That means they'll have to depend on more two-high shells to keep explosive plays at bay. Oruwariye will also have to cope with the underneath targets Waddle receives. On paper, this is a matchup that might be disastrous for the Lions. Oruwariye must be extra creative and must put up a ton of effort to keep up.
3. D'Andre Swift will have a breakout game
Lions RB D'Andre Swift was expected to return to the lineup following the bye week. The prognosis seemed encouraging after training in a limited capacity every day of the week. He was unable to play in Dallas, though, and Detroit's offense really missed his explosiveness. While Swift's condition is still uncertain this week, it appears like he will play on Sunday.
The Lions offense would obviously benefit greatly from having Swift play. Without him, Detroit will miss out on one of its most explosive assets. Overall, the Lions run game has been strong, but Swift can do things that the other backs on this squad simply cannot. To be specific, Swift is just much better at exploiting the running lanes that provide access to the secondary. He is also just so good at making defenders miss when he is in stride.
Swift will have a really nice game if he can return to the field on Sunday. That's especially with the Lions' run blocking being as outstanding as it has been. If Swift gets loose, whether in the run game or as a pass receiver, none of the Dolphins' linebackers will be able to contain him. He should put up 80+ yards from scrimmage in Week 8.
2. Jared Goff will have a solid performance
This is a good matchup for Lions QB Jared Goff, who has struggled with consistency this season. He is coming off a game where he passed 21-for-26, though he had zero touchdowns and threw two interceptions. He had a sub-80 passer rating for the third time this season.
Meanwhile, Miami is fourth in dropback success rate, 25th in passing yards per game, and 27th in EPA per dropback. One of the Dolphins' weaknesses is ranking 30th in DVOA versus short passing. That's good news for Goff, who loves the short game. This is due to the Dolphins' failure to tackle, which ranks them sixth in YAC and tenth in missed tackles. Goff has the potential to be more than just mediocre in this game.
It also helps that the Lions are playing at home, where Goff tends to play better. So far at home this season, Goff is averaging 283 yards per game. He has also recorded 10 touchdowns, two interceptions, and a passing rating of 107.7 at home. This means that if Goff is going to get back on track, a home game seems like a decent place to start.
We also expect star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown back in the lineup after suffering a head injury (but thankfully not a full-blown concussion) last week. That will undoubtedly be very beneficial to Goff. As such, don't be shocked if he goes for 280+ total yards and two touchdowns in this game.
1. Lions will play well but still fall short
These two teams appear to be heading in separate directions. The Dolphins are in the midst of the AFC playoff battle, while the Lions are vying for another top-10 pick. However, the home crowd's raucous backing may be just what Detroit needs to snap its long losing run on Sunday.
Again, Goff loves playing at home, and that will show against the Dolphins. Miami has also demonstrated that they are vulnerable to risky passing attacks. Miami has the eighth-worst pass-defense DVOA rating and allows 255.1 yards per game through the air (No. 24 in NFL). Goff, St. Brown, and Swift have a good chance to lead the Lions to an upset in this game. They better not squander this opportunity to pounce, though judging by how they've fared so far this season, we're not hopeful the Lions can actually pull off a W.
They should play better than what we're used to, but we feel like Detroit will still fall short on its home field.
Follow Us
Subscribe