3 Keys to Victory for Lions against Jets

Here are the three keys to victory for the Detroit Lions in their Week 15 matchup with the New York Jets.

The Detroit Lions (6-7) will square off with the New York Jets (7-6) in an ultra important Week 15 game Sunday. 

The Lions need to win the contest in order to keep their playoff odds trending in the right direction. 

Without further ado, here are three things Detroit needs to do, in order to come out on top Sunday at MetLife Stadium. 

Force Zach Wilson to beat you 

The second-year passer has struggled all season long, and in fact, was benched earlier this year in favor of Mike White. However, with White now hurt (fractured ribs), Wilson has been tabbed to start in his place.

Wilson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, has thrown for just four touchdowns in seven games this season. Additionally, he's accounted for the same number of total touchdowns (four passing and one rushing), as he has interceptions (five). 

Furthermore, he has completed only 55.6 percent of his passes (same as his career percentage), and has produced a subpar QBR of 43.2 (the seventh-worst QBR in the NFL in 2022).

It's all the more reason why Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn needs to force Wilson to win the Week 15 contest for the Jets. If Detroit properly executes this gameplan, it is more than likely going to prevail victorious Sunday.

Get the ground game back on track

The Lions' run game hasn't exactly been a high-performing unit in recent weeks.

Over the past three weeks, Detroit, in fact, has produced a total of just 330 yards on the ground, equating to 110 rushing yards a contest.

This comes after the Lions accumulated no less than 139 total rushing yards, and ran for 164 yards per contest in each of their first four games.

“We’ve got to get better in our run game,” Lions head coach Dan Campbell told reporters Monday. “We have to have better run efficiency on offense. That’s a definite. It doesn’t mean we have to run the ball more. It means we need to be much more efficient, and we can be (that) with (the) guys we’ve got up front, our tight ends, our backs, everything.”

Additionally, a week ago against the Minnesota Vikings, if you take away C.J. Moore's 42-yard run (which came off a fake punt), you'll find that Detroit amassed just 92 yards on the ground.

Meanwhile, Jamaal Williams and D'Andre Swift, the Lions' top two backs, rushed for a combined 58 yards, on 22 carries, in the aforementioned Week 14 divisional tilt. It comes out to an underwhelming 2.6 yards per carry.

© Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Fair to say, Detroit needs to establish much more of a presence on the ground Sunday, against a Jets defense that has allowed the fifth-fewest yards per rushing attempt (4.1 yards) in 2022.

Limit the Jets' run game

Piggybacking off the first key to victory, this is perhaps the biggest recipe for success against New York.

Specifically, the key is to hold the Jets to under 90 total rushing yards. In the five games where they have been this season, they've gone winless. In stark contrast, in the eight games the Robert Saleh-led squad has accumulated north of 90 rushing yards, New York has gone 7-1.

Meanwhile, Detroit has limited three of its past four opponents to under 95 rushing yards, and has won each of those three contests.

If the Lions are able to do that Sunday and are able to keep Wilson at bay (maybe even force a turnover), it'll greatly increase the chances of Campbell's team capturing the Week 15 victory.