Free Press sports writers share their predictions with the Detroit Lions‘ latest game against the New England Patriots on Sunday (1 p.m., Fox) in Foxborough, Mass.:
Dave Birkett
Bill Belichick is too good a coach to let the Lions run wild on offense like they have the first four weeks of the season. Expect the Patriots to try and control the clock with their running game and force Jared Goff to beat them through the air, something he could not do in the Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams four years ago. But the NFL is a quarterback league and the Lions have a decided advantage at the position with Bailey Zappe likely making his first career start on the opposing sideline. The Patriots have two capable backs who could give the Lions problems, but after a week of introspection I expect the Lions to play their best defensive game of the season. The pick: Lions 24, Patriots 20.
Carlos Monarrez
This is another winnable game for the Lions because their offense continues to roll. Unfortunately, their defense continues to get rolled, which scuttles their chances. Worse yet, this loss comes against Matt Patricia’s offense in a game the Lions’ former coach surely has been planning for two years. The chorus of fans calling for Aaron Glenn’s job will only grow louder entering the bye, but at least we’ll learn more about the potency of the Lions’ offense on the road in only their second game away from Ford Field. The pick: Patriots 35, Lions 32.
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Jeff Seidel
The Lions can’t lose this game, can they? Not to Matty P. Not to, potentially, a third-string QB? The optics would be horrible. Um. Yes, of course, they could lose it. But I think they will make significant changes on defense, tweaking the lineup, making everything more simple. We will see fewer mistakes. Fewer big plays. And the Lions still have that offense. The pick: Lions 31, Patriots 28.
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Shawn Windsor
Another one-score loss but the defense is a little better. For the first time this season, the offense is slowed. The Lions feel the absence of D’Andre Swift this week against the ever-scheming Belichick. The pick: Patriots 19, Lions 17.
SHAWN WINDSOR:Jared Goff is ballin’ — too bad the Lions defense is getting in the way