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Daily Dlp: Fix the Trenches vs Steelers | Detroit Lions Podcast
Trenches Decide It: Rams Exposed, Steelers Loom
Tuesday morning brings cold air and sharper truths for the Detroit Lions. After getting pushed around by the Rams, the next opponent is the Pittsburgh Steelers, who just handled the Dolphins on Monday Night Football. Pittsburgh led 28-3 before late window dressing. They did it up front. That mirrors how Los Angeles beat the Lions. On the Detroit Lions Podcast, the focus is clear: fix the line play or watch the same script repeat.
Pittsburgh’s offensive line is built to run. A good young center. Functional guards. Not as talented as the Rams, but plenty capable of moving bodies. Jalen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell can churn out the same six to eight yards on first down that burned Detroit. The Steelers lean into 12 and 22 personnel about half the time, so extra tight ends will be on the field. That naturally slows Aidan Hutchinson with chips and doubles. It puts the onus on the other edge. Al-Quadin Muhammad and Marcus Davenport must win and finish.
Run Fits and Interior Muscle Must Tighten
The Rams loss turned on run fits and interior control. Linebackers got stuck inside. The Blake Corum touchdown was a clinic in what not to do, with all three backers diving into the same gap. Jack Campbell’s 14 tackles were real, but too many came after gains. That’s a defensive line problem.
This is where the fix begins. Alim McNeill needs to put stats on the sheet. Tylik Williams has to dent the line and shift a gap. DJ Reader must anchor and refuse displacement. Hold ground. Create stalemates on first down. When the Steelers get behind the sticks, their structure frays. The Lions had chances against the Rams with two errant snaps. They failed to cash those in. That margin disappears against a run-first team that stays on schedule.
Rush Plan, Personnel Groupings, and a Quiet Worry on Offense
The pass rush approach needs urgency. “Crush the can” works when the quarterback stays inside the tackles. It did last night against Aaron Rodgers, who manipulates within the pocket. But it has to arrive faster. On second watch, Hutchinson’s down-to-down work held up better than it seemed live, interception aside. He still needs help. Rams 13 personnel buried edges with three tight ends. Pittsburgh doesn’t major in 13, but their 12 and 22 looks will still stress contain and set edges. The Lions must convert pressures into negative plays, not just squeeze the pocket.
The quiet concern is Detroit’s offense versus the Steelers front. Pittsburgh bullied Miami even without T.J. Watt, whose status bears watching after a reported collapsed lung. Regardless, that front won with power and timing. If Detroit’s protection and run game resemble the Rams outing, drives will stall. The remedy is familiar: win first down, keep the playbook open, and make Pittsburgh defend width and speed. Do that, and the NFL week ahead shifts back to Detroit’s terms. Fail at the line of scrimmage again, and the result will look too much like Sunday.
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