ALLEN PARK — Penei Sewell felt the Detroit Lions’ offensive line turned in a performance that was “as bad as it gets” during the 16-9 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Detroit’s pass protection struggled from the start, contributing to one of Jared Goff’s worst outings. The run blocking wasn’t any better, as the Eagles’ defensive front overpowered the Lions and held them to 3.5 yards per carry.
Sewell didn’t sugarcoat how it felt in the moment.
“It was one of those situations where defense just always kept us in the game,” Sewell told MLive. “And us not being able to find an answer or really execute as an offense — it can be frustrating.”
Sewell and his linemates didn’t need to wait for film review to know where things went wrong. They recognized the issues immediately, and Sewell said the next step is executing corrections as they prepare for the New York Giants on Sunday at Ford Field.
On paper, the Giants present a favorable matchup. They rank last in the NFL against the run, allowing 150 rushing yards per game, and sit 30th in rushing touchdowns allowed (15). Teams are also finding success through the air, averaging 225.2 passing yards per game against New York (27th in the league) and scoring 17 passing touchdowns (25th).
The Lions finished last season sixth in rushing yards per game (146.4) and second in rushing touchdowns (1.7). Through the air, they ranked second in passing yards (263.2) and fourth in passing touchdowns (39). This season, they’ve taken a dip across all of those categories.
Sewell believes the offensive line’s problems are fixable, but only if the group settles down and trusts its identity.
“I think at times we can be overcompensating and overthinking, so we just have to come together as a team. At the end of the day, we got to remind ourselves it’s small,” Sewell said. “If we just go out there and play the game that we know how to play and play to our strengths and our style, then it doesn’t matter who it is — we can all do great things.
“So I think throughout the week we just got to do a better job of reminding ourselves that it’s not as, I guess, complicated as someone can make it be or other people can make it be. And at the end of the day, when the ball’s down, it’s the same game it’s been for years.”
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our [User Agreement](https://www.advancelocal.com/advancelocalUserAgreement/user-agreement.html) and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our [Privacy Policy.](https://www.advancelocal.com/advancelocalUserAgreement/privacy-policy.html)