Detroit Lions at Los Angeles Chargers: 3 burning questions ahead of Week 10 game
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Detroit Lions (6-2) are back in action with a west-coast trip to face the Los Angeles Chargers (4-4) after their bye week at SoFi. We’ll answer three burning questions ahead of kickoff in this post.
Can the Lions handle another top-tier quarterback in Justin Herbert?
Justin Herbert is a game-changing quarterback, and yet another Detroit’s defense will face. The Lions have already faced Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson. Now, they’ll hit the road to face one of the NFL’s rising gunslingers.
Herbert has taken more hits than he’s used to this season. But he’s earned the praise of Lions coaches for his toughness and willingness to stand in the pocket, not to mention the ability to drop dimes under duress. Herbert has been sacked 20 times in eight games, with LA’s young o-line going through growing pains.
The Lions can’t just get to Herbert. They need to get him to the turf because he’s one of the game’s most dangerous and slippery quarterbacks back there. Aidan Hutchinson is third in the league with 46 pressures. But he doesn’t have a sack through the last three games. That’ll need to change this afternoon at SoFi.
“He’s a big, physical, athletic quarterback with a huge arm that will sit in the pocket and — man, he will take a hit and still deliver the ball,” Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said. “And deliver it with accuracy. Usually, when you have a guy like that, they’re going to have a good career.
“Man, we have to do a good job of getting to him. And when we get to him, we got to get him down. You see a lot of times, he’s breaking a lot of tackles back there.”
What will the backfield look like with the return of David Montgomery?
Jahmyr Gibbs has enjoyed a breakout performance in back-to-back weeks.
But with David Montgomery on track to return after injuring his ribs in Tampa, it’s likely to be more of a committee approach. And, honestly, if Montgomery is 100%, it’s easy to imagine a world where he returns to bell-cow status.
Gibbs has totaled 315 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns from the lead role. But Montgomery has been a perfect fit for this offense and what this franchise wants to be about. The rookie’s receiving ability should keep him among the main offensive weapons, even with a reduced rushing role.
