The Lions Have a Major Advantage Over the Cardinals Heading Into Week 5

The Detroit Lions will prepare to take on the Arizona Cardinals, and several headlines have made waves ahead of this matchup. Both Brian Branch and Cade Mays were activated off injured reserve but have been ruled out for Sunday’s game. Cardinals starting safety Andrew Wingard and starting offensive lineman Isaiah Adams have also been ruled out, along with former fourth overall pick Marvin Harrison Jr., who will be inactive amid ongoing trade discussions with the Cardinals.

However, the biggest storyline is offensive coordinator Drew Petzing returning to Arizona, where he served as the Cardinals’ offensive coordinator for the past three seasons. Hopefully, Petzing can not only call a great game for Detroit’s offense but also provide defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard and the Lions’ defense with some insight into how to exploit Arizona’s offense.

Detroit has allowed every opposing quarterback to throw for more than 300 yards this season, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see Jacoby Brissett join that list. Brissett has thrown for 280 and 277 yards in two games this season but has yet to reach the 300-yard mark. Last season, however, he surpassed 300 passing yards in four games, including a massive 452-yard performance.

Another X-factor for the Cardinals is tight end Trey McBride. The two-time All-Pro is currently averaging 8.3 receptions and 60.5 receiving yards per game. Detroit’s defense has struggled to contain opposing tight ends, allowing them to combine for 37 receptions, 407 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

If Detroit can shut down McBride, it would give the Lions a major advantage. To be completely honest, though, they don’t even need to shut him down entirely. Simply slowing him down and limiting his impact could go a long way toward helping Detroit secure the win.

The Lions will also need to establish their running game, particularly with Jahmyr Gibbs. In both of Detroit’s losses this season, Gibbs rushed for just 52 and 46 yards, respectively. In the Lions’ two victories, however, he rushed for 99 and 156 yards. If Gibbs can put together another strong performance, it would give Detroit’s offense a significant boost while helping the Lions control the time of possession. The less time Detroit’s defense spends on the field, the better.

Detroit currently sits as a 5.5-point road favorite over Arizona, but I expect this matchup to be closer than the spread suggests. I believe the Lions will come away with a one-score victory, although the final margin could be anywhere from three to seven points.

My final prediction: Detroit Lions 38, Arizona Cardinals 31.