It’s no mystery at all that the biggest strength for the Detroit Lions in 2022 will be their offensive line that includes Taylor Decker, Jonah Jackson, Frank Ragnow, Halapoulivaati Vatai, and Penei Sewell.
If those five can stay healthy, there is little question that they will be one of the top units in the entire National Football League.
The Score recently released an article in which they rank the offensive lines in the NFL and the Lions came in at a very respectable No. 4 behind only the Eagles, Browns, and Chiefs.
From The Score:
- Top to bottom, the Lions’ starting five stacks up well against any offensive line on this list. Taylor Decker, Frank Ragnow, and Penei Sewell are first-round picks who play up to the draft capital spent on them. Third-rounder Jonah Jackson and free agent Halapoulivaati Vaitai are capable guards who round out the unit well.
- The knock on Detroit’s O-line is a lack of depth. One injury to a member of its starting lineup could have unpleasant consequences, like when Ragnow missed 13 games last season.
- With a top-tier set of blockers, playmakers like D’Andre Swift and T.J. Hockenson returning from injury-marred campaigns, Amon-Ra St. Brown ready to pick up where he left off, and newcomers like D.J. Chark and Jameson Williams hoping to make an impact this season – it’s no wonder Jared Goff is getting rave reviews in training camp. Don’t sleep on this Lions’ offense in 2022.
Detroit Lions will have advantage in 16 of 17 games in 2022
Based on those rankings, the Lions, assuming they are healthy, will have an advantage on the offensive line in 16 of their 17 games, with the only 2022 opponent ranked higher than them being the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1.
Here is the full Detroit Lions 2022 schedule along with the offensive line ranking of their opponent and whether they have a small, medium, big, or HUGE advantage over their opponent.
| WEEK | DATE | OPPONENT | OL RANKING | Advantage? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunday, September 11 | vs. Philadelphia Eagles | No. 1 | NONE |
| 2 | Sunday, September 18 | vs. Washington Commanders | No. 9 | SMALL |
| 3 | Sunday, September 25 | at Minnesota Vikings | No. 21 | BIG |
| 4 | Sunday, October 2 | vs. Seattle Seahawks | No. 31 | HUGE |
| 5 | Sunday, October 9 | at New England Patriots | No. 10 | SMALL |
| 6 | BYE WEEK | |||
| 7 | Sunday, October 23 | at Dallas Cowboys | No. 6 | SMALL |
| 8 | Sunday, October 30 | vs. Miami Dolphins | No. 19 | MEDIUM |
| 9 | Sunday, November 6 | vs. Green Bay Packers | No. 17 | MEDIUM |
| 10 | Sunday, November 13 | at Chicago Bears | No. 32 | HUGE |
| 11 | Sunday, November 20 | at New York Giants | No. 23 | BIG |
| 12 | Thursday, November 24 | vs. Buffalo Bills | No. 13 | MEDIUM |
| 13 | Sunday, December 4 | vs. Jacksonville Jaguars | No. 25 | BIG |
| 14 | Sunday, December 11 | vs. Minnesota Vikings | No. 21 | BIG |
| 15 | Sunday, December 18 | at New York Jets | No. 20 | BIG |
| 16 | Saturday, December 24 | at Carolina Panthers | No. 26 | BIG |
| 17 | Sunday, January 1 | vs. Chicago Bears | No. 32 | HUGE |
| 18 | Saturday, January 7 or Sunday, January 8 | at Green Bay Packers | No. 17 | MEDIUM |
