Five questions for the Tennessee Titans vs. Detroit Lions game

The Tennessee titans line up for their Week 8 game against the Detroit Lions.

To find out more about tennessee’s opponent this week, we spoke with Detroit Lions on SI contributor Christian Booher.

There is a lot similar in terms of culture and core fundamentals, but there are noticeable differences between this year’s and last year’s Lions team. The secondary has been overhauled and Brian Branch’s move from Nickel Cornerback to Safety has created one of the best safety tandems in the league. If the Lions can continue to improve against the pass, their defense could be one of the best in the league.

Their culture makes the difference. The Lions have a squad that fully adheres to what Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes have preached, and as a result there is a never-quit attitude within this group. They never feel outmatched and believe they are one of the best teams competing for a Super Bowl. The players on the roster fit the coaching staff’s vision, and as a result there is no disconnect and little drama in the locker room.

The Titans defense is one of the best in the league, so I’m curious to see how the Lions offensive line will stack up against the likes of Harold Landry and Jeffrey Simmons. Detroit’s offensive line is considered one of the best in the league, and Landry and Simmons are two very talented defenders anchoring the Titans’ defense. This combination of strength on strength should be fascinating to watch.

The Lions likes to set the tone on the ground. If they get David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs on the floor, it opens up the playbook and makes it very difficult to stop them. In wins, Jared Goff has never thrown the ball more than 28 times. However, in the loss to Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers made Detroit one-dimensional and Goff had to throw 55 times. While the Lions have plenty of talent at the skill positions, making them one-dimensional and taking away from the run game would be a sign of danger.

The Titans are viewed as double-digit underdogs and could come in with a backup quarterback. However, the margin for error to win in the NFL is still minimal, and Tennessee could give the Lions trouble. With the Lions coming off two emotional wins and two big games ahead of them, this is a prime spot for traps. However, the Lions’ culture does not allow setbacks or delays of this nature. The Titans can stay close, but the Lions have too much firepower on offense.

Lions 31, Titans 17

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