Penei Sewell is a man on a mission starting Sunday at Ford Field against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Detroit's All-Pro right tackle admittedly didn't play up to the high standards we're used to since he entered the league as the No. 7 overall pick in 2021 in last week's game vs. Houston.
He allowed quarterback Jared Goff to get hit twice, one leading to Goff's second interception, and received just a 53.6 pass blocking grade from PFF in the game, the third lowest pass blocking grade for him in the last three years.
Detroit's usually steady rushing attack had just 23 yards with a 1.8-yard average per rush in the first half against the Texans.
"Obviously that game last week, we didn't start the way we wanted to," offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said this week. "The first half was some of the poorest football we've probably played in the last two-and-a-half years and fortunately at halftime we got our act together."
Sewell shored up the pass pro in the second half and plowed the way for some big plays in the run and screen game as the Lions found a way to come from behind and win on the road.
But Sewell said this week the offense is motivated to start strong Sunday against Jacksonville, and he wants to see to it personally that running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs have themselves an afternoon against Jacksonville's 20th ranked rushing defense (129.4).
"I think at times I do take it for granted and I think this game and going on forward I'm going to show how much they really mean to me," Sewell told the Twentyman in the Huddle podcast this week of how much he likes blocking for Montgomery and Gibbs.
"The last game I definitely took a rough start and not up to my standard. So, I've already taken it upon myself starting Wednesday when we came in, I think I need to show how much those guys mean to me and not only those guys but the whole offense."
That's a scary prospect for opposing defenders. What will we see from Sewell come Sunday?
SMITH EXPECTATION
Newly acquired veteran edge rusher Za'Darius Smith will make his Lions debut Sunday against the Jaguars. Lions head coach Dan Campbell has only been around Smith for a week now, but with what Campbell has seen from practice this week he feels the veteran pass rusher is going to be an immediate help to the Lions' defense.
"Things that he's going to be able to do in one-on-ones that I do believe are going to show up, but I think that there's going to be a lot that maybe fans don't see that are going to pay huge dividends for us," Campbell said Friday.
"I mean, even yesterday, just the third downs and watching him work, man, he's a pro. The way he prepares, the way he works, I mean, that's evident. Being able to just watch him, put our eyes on him, with the way that he's able to work with (Alim McNeill) Mac and (Josh) Paschal and just the different rush patterns, things of that nature, it's going to pay dividends for the whole group. He's going to help us and that's going to be evident. That was good to see him yesterday, he's going to help us big time."
Campbell said they'll be conscious of the reps Smith gets but he will play on all downs and they plan to maximize what he's got in the tank.
DAVIS UPDATE
It was good to see cornerback Carlton Davis III at the open portion of practice Friday after he showed up on Thursday's practice report with a hand injury. Campbell didn't seem too concerned about it when speaking to the media before practice.
"No, I think, there again, we'll know a lot more after today," he said. "We'll see what they look like in practice. You're asking me about level of concern right now? I'm not, but we'll see."
Davis has been everything the Lions hoped he'd be and probably a little more after trading for him this past offseason.
PhD LEVEL
Frank Ragnow is playing some of the best football of his career and is coming off a tremendous performance against Houston last week where he didn't allow a single pressure. In fact, he hasn't allowed a single pressure in Detroit's last four games.
He's the No. 3 graded center in the game by Pro Football Focus. His play on the field has been terrific as always, but what he does from a preparation standpoint early in the week is next level according to coaches and teammates.
"He is like PhD level," Lions passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand said Friday. "It's not graduate school. It's PhD level. What he can do with recognition of the fronts and secondary rotation and who is doing what and where do I need to send this."
