An offensive soiree could be on the menu when the New England Patriots open up the doors of Gillette Stadium to the visiting Detroit Lions on Sunday.
It’s a game that will essentially put the top scoring offense against a Patriots team that could have a rookie third string quarterback starting. There’s no reason to minimize the desperation faced by both teams in this game.
The Lions are 1-3 and sitting in last in an NFC North division topped by the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers, and the Patriots (1-3) are last place in the AFC East, which is led by the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins.
Dropping to 1-4 would make an already troubling season even more daunting for both teams. Here are seven burning questions heading into the game.
1
Who will be the starting QB for Patriots?
Mac Jones is doing the same song and dance he did last week with a high ankle sprain that should keep him out for multiple weeks. And yet, here we are legitimately wondering if he’s going to take the field or not as the starter in Sunday’s game against the Lions.
The good news is he was upgraded on the injury report as practicing in a limited capacity on Wednesday. He could be seen on the practice field with a noticeable limp, but he also looked better when dropping back and making throws. So it’s no surprise that he’s making a push to play for a second straight week.
From NFL Now: #Patriots QB Mac Jones is back at practice and pushing to play. At least, he's got a shot. pic.twitter.com/WKAIGY4fAw
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 5, 2022
If Jones can’t play, it could be rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe’s chance to make his first NFL start, especially if Brian Hoyer is still out with a concussion.
2
Can the run game save the day?
The Lions have the best scoring offense in the league, but they also have the worst scoring defense. A big reason for those struggles is their inability to stop opposing running backs.
They’re getting gashed on the ground on a weekly basis with teams averaging 165.5 rushing yards per game against them, which makes them the third-worst run defense in the league. This is the type of game where Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson should be able to feast for the Patriots.
If anything, running the ball and winning time of possession could severely limit the opportunities quarterback Jared Goff and company will have to strike on the Patriots defense.
3
Will Jakobi Meyers make his return?
Jakobi Meyers (knee) returned to practice on Wednesday as a limited participant. Even with DeVante Parker starting to step up and Nelson Agholor making plays, there’s no doubt that Meyers is the Patriots’ best receiver. Getting him back on the field to hit the soft spots underneath the struggling Lions defense would be a huge plus for New England.
This is not the same Lions offense from previous years. They’re an explosive offensive team with plenty of ways to hurt opponents through the air and on the ground.
It’ll take more than just the two-headed monster at running back to save the Patriots at home against Detroit on Sunday. They need their receivers to step up and make plays, and Meyers has been their best option of consistently doing exactly that.
4
Can the Patriots defense turn good Jared Goff into bad Jared Goff?
Would you have believed me if I told you Jared Goff would have significantly better passing numbers than Matthew Stafford four games into the season?
Goff has thrown for 1,126 yards, 11 touchdowns and only three interceptions. He has already thrown for over half the number of touchdowns he threw for last season. There’s no questioning the incredible year he’s having right now, but we all know the right defense can make “bad Goff” come out.
Can the Patriots’ defensive front turn him back into the quarterback that forced passes into coverage and made poor decisions when he’s in the pressure cooker? Matthew Judon and Deatrich Wise need to have big games to help slow down this prolific Lions offense.
5
Will we see more of Jack Jones?
It didn’t take Jack Jones long to make a splash in the NFL.
With Jalen Mills out with an injury, the rookie cornerback secured a pick-six on Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and earned the top grade at his position, according to Pro Football Focus.
Pick-6 for the rookie Jack Jones! @presidentjacc
📺: #NEvsGB on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/YPHqeLC4zg pic.twitter.com/OJItBVOmYW— NFL (@NFL) October 2, 2022
Jones showed signs of being a legitimate lockdown corner in the making. It’s obviously way too early to be praising him with those sorts of accolades, but if you’re the Patriots, you have to be loving what you’re seeing from your young defensive back.
And if you’re a Patriots fan, you want to see more, especially against a Lions team that loves to throw the football.
6
How will the Isaiah Wynn saga play out?
Marcus Cannon being elevated back up to the main roster may not be good news for Patriots offensive tackle Isaiah Wynn. It was a struggle against the Packers with Wynn standing out as the obvious weak link along the offensive front.
But things started to settle down the moment the team replaced him with Cannon. The veteran offensive lineman might be a bit long in the tooth, but he has years of experience playing in big games for the Patriots. So there’s obviously a trust and a comfort factor there with coach Bill Belichick.
It’ll be interesting to see if they turn to Cannon again if Wynn starts to struggle against the Lions. Wynn gave up two sacks, a quarterback hit and two penalties last week.
7
Will the Patriots offense score enough points?
The Patriots offense got overpowered by the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3. Will the same happen to them against the Lions in Week 5?
It isn’t realistic to think the defense can play lights out every single week. At some point, the Patriots are going to have to figure out a way to put points on the board, and that could be asking a lot against a Lions offense averaging a league-high 35 points per game.
There’s also the fact that the team might be forced to play this game with rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe under center. The Lions have clearly been a mess defensively, but it might not even matter if the Patriots can’t put the pieces together on offense. They’ll need some firepower to win this game.
