Every week during the regular season, Tim Twentyman will answer 10 good questions from his X account @ttwentyman in a feature we call "10 Questions with Twentyman."
20man: In my opinion, the problem on third down is execution, and it's across the board.
Last week's issues on third down were a combination of pressure upfront, a couple poor throws by quarterback Jared Goff, drops by pass catchers, and head coach Dan Campbell wanting some play calls back on third down. That's a lot to unpack.
There are too many weapons on this offense to currently rank 27th in third-down efficiency at just 36 percent. They were fourth-best last season at nearly 50 percent.
I think the one constant in the equation throughout the year has been the inconsistency upfront along the offensive line, especially when they face good fronts or defenses that come after them via the blitz. There could be a little bit of help coming their way in that regard, but it's an issue Campbell and run game coordinator/offensive line coach Hank Fraley must figure out.
20man: I think you have to look internally here. Rookie Miles Frazier is getting close to returning from a knee injury that kept him out most of the offseason, training camp and into regular season up to this point.
It's like what happened with Christian Mahogany last season when he was asked to step in because of injuries late in the year. (The team also hasn't ruled out the possibility of Mahogany returning late this year.)
Frazier is a big body with some position versatility who they really liked in the draft coming out of LSU. He's chomping at the bit to play, and maybe it's worth giving him some reps to see if he can provide a spark in the middle of the offensive line.
20man: Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart is averaging 5.6 yards per carry with seven rushing touchdowns on the year and has a rushing touchdown in five straight games he's played.
The Lions have done a really good job containing rushing quarterbacks this year and a big reason why is they trust their linebackers and play base defense more than any other team in the league. That makes them stouter against the run, both from running backs and quarterbacks. Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard knows he must keep Dart in the pocket and make him a pocket passer, and he'll have a good plan to make sure that happens. Sheppard did a nice job in that regard against Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts this year.
This will be one area to watch Sunday if he plays. How well can Detroit's defense contain Dart the runner?
20man: Let's not forget he's a rookie. When Josh Reynolds and Tim Patrick came to Detroit to serve as the No. 3 receivers, they were veteran, savvy players who had logged a lot of reps in this league before arriving. For Reynolds, he had already played a couple seasons with Goff and built up that chemistry.
Isaac TeSlaa didn't log a lot of snaps early in the season. He'll start to get more comfortable, and he and Goff will build that trust the more he plays, but sometimes those things take time. Without Sam LaPorta for the foreseeable future, the Lions need TeSlaa or Kalif Raymond to step up and be a one-on-one beater for this offense.
20man: If the Lions want to win the NFC North and have at least one playoff game at Ford Field, that's a monster matchup on Thanksgiving against the Green Bay Packers.
The goal going into the season was regaining the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs, but even if they sneak into the playoffs as a Wild Card, they are a team a lot of people wouldn't want to face.
Tampa Bay in 2021 was the last Wild Card team to go on the road as the No. 5 seed throughout the playoffs and win the Super Bowl. Detroit plays good defense and they can pretty consistently run the football. Those things travel in the playoffs if that's how it shakes out.
Detroit still has all their goals ahead of them, even the No. 1 seed, though it's tougher after the Eagles loss. This is a very capable football team who could put it together offensively and go on a run. Detroit has the next three at home.
20man: They get a big opportunity Dec. 14 on the road against the LA Rams, who I consider to be one of the most complete teams in football right now.
The Rams are starting to go through some injury woes, putting starting safety Quentin Lake, starting tight end Tyler Higbee and starting right tackle Rob Havenstein on injured reserve this week. All three will miss that Week 15 game vs. Detroit.
I think if the Lions go on the road and beat the Rams, especially if they take care of business at home the next three weeks prior to that monster matchup in LA, people will feel a lot better about this team heading into the playoff push.
20man: It's a fair question. David Montgomery is a tone setter and a tough runner, but Jahmyr Gibbs is a generational talent in my opinion. He's one of those players that can take it to the house any time he touches the football. It's hard to take those players off the field. A big play from him early in the game on that first series can really spark an offense.
I do believe Campbell needs to find a good mix for both players. I'm not necessarily saying 50-50, but a little closer to that than we saw last week in Philadelphia.
20man: Not at all. I think Campbell as the play caller is starting to unlock Jameson Williams a little bit and that's only going to make this offense more explosive in the short and long-term.
What happened last week between Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown was a one-off in my book. That connection, plus LaPorta if/when he gets back, and now the threat of Williams, not just in the deep part of the field but on crossers in the short and intermediate parts of the field, is a headache for any defensive coordinator. The Lions need Williams more than people think, especially with LaPorta out. I can count on one hand the players in this league as fast and explosive as Williams. His extension was very reasonable, and I'd do that deal every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
That being said, the post-touchdown penalties are an issue. They are putting his teammates on special teams in a tough spot and hopefully it's been addressed.
20man: Fraley. He's got to find a way to get more consistent play out of the players upfront. A number of those guys are battling through injury, which is a challenge. There is a standard that's been built here, and too many times this season they haven't played up to it. That's a unit that must start playing more consistent if the Lions are going to reach their goals.
20man: They tried that in the offseason but when Taylor Decker started training camp with an injury, they had to pivot and push Giovanni Manu back out at tackle. They view him more as a tackle at this point. He's currently on Reserve/Injured with a knee injury. Next year will be a huge third season for him to show he's developed and can contribute.
