The Detroit Lions took an old-school approach with a new school front office when Brad Holmes took over in 2021. That approach was to build a team not from the quarterback position or edge rusher but rather from the offensive line.
The first draft pick in the Holmes era was Penei Sewell which has been a massive success but also he kept around key faces in Taylor Decker and Jonah Jackson. He brought in the likes of Graham Glasgow as well and after all of that the Lions have the keystone pieces of a top offensive line.
Pair that with Ben Johnson getting the most out of Jared Goff and you have yourselves a high-powered offense in Detroit.
The offensive line themselves had a very big week against the Packers in the teams best win of the year. Whether it was on the field or off, all signs point to the line continuing to be the unsung heroes of the team.
Jonah Jackson receives high praise
Jonah Jackson may go unnoticed to the masses, but he may be closing in on being a top 5 OG in the NFL
— Duke Manyweather (@BigDuke50) September 29, 2023
Jonah Jackson has looked the part ever since he joined the Lions in 2020. Lions fans aren’t the only ones however that has been impressed with Jackson’s play as offensive line coach Duke Manyweather pointed out. The famous offensive line coach and tactician heaped high praise on Jackson cementing his importance to the Lions’ offense is recognized both on the field and outside the Lions’ front office.
Taylor Decker impresses Dan Campbell
After missing two games, Taylor Decker returned to his left tackle position while playing through a tough injury that coach Dan Campbell was beyond impressed with. Decker played with a high ankle sprain and deep bone bruise that is tough to deal with on a normal day let alone playing left tackle in the NFL. Campbell showed why he is one of the best player’s coaches in the league with his comments and now both seemed primed to ride momentum into week 5 with some extra days to heal up.
Frank Ragnow receives NFLPA honor
The NFL loves to highlight the large number of players who show they have just as big of a heart as they do an ability to play the game of football. For week 4, the NFLPA honored Frank Ragnow with their community service award after he took eight families suffering from recent losses of loved ones out on a fishing trip in Lake St. Clair near Detroit.
What is next on the field?
Next Sunday the Lions will be heading to Carolina to go against the winless Carolina Panthers and rookie quarterback Bryce Young. The Panthers have a high-profile pass rusher in Brian Burns so containing him will be a key. If they do that this should be an easier matchup for a Lions team that is continuing to rise through the ranks and earn more respect each and every week.
