Detroit’s offense gives the Lions a clear strength heading into Sunday’s visit to Arizona. Creating separation is another matter. Jared Goff just threw for 412 yards in a loss, and the Cardinals have shown they can put together touchdown drives before getting in their own way. This matchup turns on whether Detroit can pair its scoring punch with enough stops—or whether Arizona can keep the pressure on by protecting the ball.
Big passing numbers haven’t solved Detroit’s problem
The Lions lost 32-26 at Carolina on Sunday night despite Goff’s 412 passing yards. Bryce Young threw for 329 yards, and Tetairoa McMillan caught 14 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns. Detroit had a final possession with a chance to win but couldn’t pick up a first down.
That result captures the tension in our grades: Detroit’s offense earns an A+ with Goff at quarterback, while its defense gets a D+. Arizona’s B- offense and C defense offer a less dramatic split. We like Detroit’s attack much more, but the Lions’ defensive evaluation leaves the Cardinals a plausible way to stay competitive.
Our yardage projections put Detroit at roughly 390 total yards, including about 275 through the air and 115 on the ground. Arizona comes in around 350 total yards, with about 255 passing and 90 rushing. That gives Detroit an advantage in expected production through both the air and the ground game, while leaving room for Arizona to move the ball, too.
Arizona’s opportunity starts with ball security
Arizona built a 14-3 lead against the Giants on Sunday, then lost 36-24 as Jacoby Brissett threw three interceptions. One became a 98-yard interception return for a touchdown. The Cardinals gained just 138 yards after their two early touchdown drives. Their early success provides a path to competing with Detroit; the stalled possessions and turnovers explain why that path is fragile.
There’s also a meaningful availability concern in Arizona’s backfield. First-string running back Jeremiyah Love is questionable with an ankle injury after limited participation Wednesday. Guard Isaiah Adams is out with an ankle injury. Those concerns put Arizona’s backfield and offensive line in focus alongside its ball-security problems, though the supplied updates don’t establish a replacement plan or a different workload for another back.
What the spread and total ask of these teams
DraftKings’ current lines have Detroit as a 5.5-point favorite. The offensive advantage makes the Lions the stronger-looking team in our assessment, but winning and clearing that spread are different tasks. Detroit is 2-2, and its four recent games this season include three failed covers and one push. Its ability to get stops deserves as much attention as Goff’s ability to pile up yards.
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The 54.5-point total sets a demanding scoring threshold. Each of those four Detroit games went over its respective total, with the Lions scoring at least 26 points and allowing at least 24 in each. Arizona has allowed 31 or more in three straight games, so there’s a supported case for sustained scoring opportunities.
The counterweight is Arizona’s uneven production: it scored only seven points against Seattle two weeks before putting up 24 against the Giants. And last Sunday’s 60-point combined score included a defensive touchdown. Turnovers can add points in a hurry, but they can also end promising drives. At 54.5, consistent offensive execution matters more than simply noticing that both teams’ latest games were high-scoring.
The key distinction: production versus separation
Detroit has the stronger offensive case, but its defense keeps this from being a straightforward exercise in backing the better attack. Arizona’s best route is to build on its early-drive success from last week without handing possessions away. Detroit’s ability to interrupt that rhythm is the key to turning production into separation. For the total, Arizona’s ability to sustain scoring drives matters more than another big Goff yardage figure alone.
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