DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Lions could be set up for a potential letdown.
The surging Lions (5-1) host the rebuilding Tennessee Titans (1-5) on Sunday, coming off an emotionally charged win at Minnesota that moved them into a first-place tie in the NFC North. After playing the Titans, the Lions will face division rival Green Bay on the road.
Lions guard Graham Glasgow, though, insisted the Titans have his attention because of their top-ranked defense.
“It makes it easy to avoid overlooking them, at least on our side of the ball, because their defense is statistically really good,” Glasgow said. “It's not like you’re you’re not going up against like a Rutgers.”
Despite their strong defense, the Titans got their only win at Miami nearly a month ago, in part because they're averaging just 15 points in their five losses.
The Lions, meanwhile, have averaged 40 points over their last three games while quarterback Jared Goff has been nearly flawless.
Goff has had a passer rating of 140 or better in three straight games. Just three other players have done that in NFL history: Aaron Rodgers in 2011, Kurt Warner in 1999 and Roger Staubach in 1971.
If Goff can be that efficient and effective again, he has a chance to become the first to have a passer rating of 140 or better in four consecutive games.
He isn't expecting to pick the Titans apart.
“This defense is as good as any defense we’ve played up to this point and we know that,” he said. “I’m not just blowing smoke or anything. I know their record doesn’t show that, but it’s a good defense. They’re good at every level and we’ve got our work cut out for us for sure.”
The other quarterback
Mason Rudolph is expected to start a second straight game for the Titans while the team gives second-year quarterback Will Levis more time to recover from an injury to his right shoulder.
Levis was hurt Sept. 30 in the Titans’ win at Miami, where Rudolph finished off the final three quarters. Titans coach Brian Callahan said Wednesday that he's leaning toward giving Levis more time to heal. He threw for just 95 yards in his lone start since the injury in a 20-17 loss to Indianapolis.
The 29-year-old Rudolph was 25 of 40 for 215 yards with a touchdown, an interception and fumble in last week's 34-10 loss at Buffalo. Rudolph got much more work in practice this week, which should help.
He was sacked three times last week.
“We can protect him better,” Callahan said. “We gave up too much, too many hits.”
Detroit's depth
The Lions will be without big-play receiver Jameson Williams against the Titans and Packers. He announced Thursday he won't appeal a two-game suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substance policy.
“This isn’t the first little bit of stuff we’ve been hit with,” coach Dan Campbell said. “We adjust, we move on.”
Without Williams, receivers Kalif Raymond and Tim Patrick will have to do more. Allen Robinson, a 31-year-old receiver with 43 career touchdowns, might also get a chance.
“He’s going to take on a heavy load here, too,” Campbell said.
Pivotal plays
The Titans have turned the ball over 12 times and forced just three turnovers, a minus-9 ratio that's the second worst in the NFL, ahead of only Las Vegas.
“You change a couple of things on the turnover ratio, and this is a totally different deal,” Campbell said.
Opposite directions
The Lions are 5-1 in consecutive seasons for the first time since leaving Portsmouth, Ohio, in 1934 and have a chance to start 6-1 for the first time since 1956.
Tennessee is off to its worst start since the 2015 season that cost coach Ken Whisenhunt his job after going 1-6 to open his second year.
Keep away
Tennessee will try to use its Tony Pollard-led running game to keep Detroit's high-powered offense off the field. Pollard, a former Dallas Cowboy, has run for 400 yards in the first six games of a season for the first time in his career.
“We’ve got to be physical,” Pollard said. “We’ve got to be ready to fight.”
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