The Detroit Lions have an opportunity to make the Arizona Cardinals offense uncomfortable, but they have to earn it. I get it. You can look at Arizona’s 1-3 record and tell yourself this is a bounce-back game for the Lions. After what we watched through four weeks, I’m not assuming that they can take advantage.

This matchup gives Detroit a chance to improve. It also gives Arizona ways to attack the things the Lions still haven’t fixed.

Can the Lions make Arizona work for first downs?

Here’s the deal. When I look at this Cardinals offense, the first question is whether Detroit can make them work for their first downs.

Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett is completing nearly 68% of his passes. That sounds pretty good, but he’s averaging just 5.4 yards per attempt. Those two numbers together matter. Arizona is completing passes, but that hasn’t consistently translated into big yardage. If the Lions challenge those shorter throws and finish tackles, they can put this offense in difficult situations.

And I know we just watched Detroit create difficult situations against Carolina and then let the Panthers out of them. That’s why this game is a test. Can the Lions force Arizona to do something harder than complete a short pass and pick up the rest after the catch?

Start with tight end Trey McBride. He has 33 catches through four games, and he’s a central part of this offense. Detroit needs a clear plan for him. Those catches have produced 242 yards, which comes out to about 7.3 yards per reception. Against the Giants, McBride caught seven passes for 31 yards.

That’s the example I want Lions fans to keep in mind. If McBride catches seven passes against Detroit, it doesn’t automatically mean the Lions failed. Where did he catch them? What happened afterward? Did those catches move the chains? Seven catches for 31 yards is a very different afternoon than seven catches that keep extending possessions.

The Lions need to make the tackle, understand where the first-down marker is, and force Arizona to run another play. You don’t have to erase every completion. You do have to stop making a routine completion more valuable than it should be.

The run game and a new hole up front

That gets a lot harder if Arizona runs the ball effectively. The Cardinals have Jeremiyah Love and Tyler Allgeier, and their ground game got going early against New York. Arizona had 81 rushing yards on its first two possessions, building a 14-3 lead.

That’s a problem Detroit needs to avoid. If Arizona consistently gains yards on first down, Brissett doesn’t have to take many chances. The Cardinals can stay patient, keep the running game involved, and give McBride opportunities in manageable situations.

Look at how the Giants game developed, though. Arizona finished with 123 rushing yards. After those first two possessions produced 81, the rest of the game produced just 42. That’s a meaningful change. The Lions need to limit the run from the beginning rather than spending the afternoon recovering from a hot start.

There’s also a major development up front. Arizona lost starting left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. for the season with a torn biceps. Rookie Jayden Williams replaced him against the Giants, and the Cardinals signed Jedrick Wills Jr. We’ll see how they arrange that line this week. I’m not going to pretend we know exactly who will start or how Arizona will help him, but losing your starting left tackle changes things.

That’s an opportunity for edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson and this defensive front. It’s also a chance for Detroit’s coaches to make Arizona’s protection solve some problems. Can they create a favorable matchup? Can they make Brissett move? Can they force him to hold the ball because the first option is covered?

That last part matters most. We’ve spent a lot of time talking about Detroit’s pressure and why it hasn’t always ended possessions. The coverage has to give the rush time to arrive. If Arizona keeps completing comfortable throws underneath, its replacement tackle doesn’t have to protect very long.

Make Arizona earn it

These things are connected. Limit the run, make the short throws more difficult, put Arizona behind the sticks, and then let the pass rush attack the quarterback.

Brissett threw three interceptions against the Giants. The Lions would love a few of those, but you can’t go into this game assuming he’s going to hand you the ball three times. You need to create situations where a mistake becomes more likely. Make him throw into tighter windows. Make him reset his feet. Make him find another option. And when Detroit gets a chance to end a possession, finish it.

The Cardinals have enough to punish the Lions if the same mistakes keep showing up. McBride can extend possessions, Love and Allgeier can keep the offense on schedule, and Brissett can take whatever completions you leave available. The record doesn’t stop any of that.

What I want to see is the Lions make Arizona earn its offense. If McBride catches a short pass, tackle him there. If the Cardinals get into third-and-long, keep them there. If the offensive line needs help protecting Brissett, make Arizona account for Detroit’s front.

This is a chance for the Lions to show that the things they’ve talked about fixing are actually changing. That would mean a lot more than simply looking at Arizona’s record and expecting Detroit to win. Let’s see if they do it.

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