5 questions with Pride of Detroit: How will the Lions attack Drake Maye?

The New England Patriots face a Detroit Lions team for the first time this season in Munich. Ryan Mathews of Pride of Detroit spoke with the Lions to discuss their approach against the Patriots. The Lions' pass rush has been strong, ranking seventh in the NFL in pressure rate and sacks, but their back-end coverage has room for improvement.

Against Jordan Love, Detroit's defense limited deep passes and pressured him on 17 of his dropbacks, contributing to a lower yards per attempt and pass success rate. The Lions have a deep array of skill players, including Jameson Williams, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, and Jahmyr Gibbs, who excel in various aspects of the game.

Gibbs' speed and contact balance have been instrumental in their rushing success, with 53 missed tackles and 36.1% of his rushing yardage coming on carries of 12+ yards. The Lions rely heavily on outside zone runs, but their run blocking has been inconsistent, ranking 25th in stuffed rate. Despite the Lions being favored by 2.5 points, the Patriots could potentially upset if their offensive line protects Maye for big plays and if they stop the Lions' run game, forcing them to operate from behind the sticks.