Aidan Hutchinson has the most to prove this season.
The Detroit Lions defender is looking to bounce back fully from a shortened 2024 campaign, in which he dealt with a broken leg. Since recovering from that injury, Hutchinson has been one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. He’s notched 7.5 sacks on the year and is tied for first place in the NFL in forced fumbles generated at four.
Punch outs, chase downs, and assistance on sacks have been the name of the game for Hutchinson, who didn’t get an additional star slotted in next to him this offseason or at the trade deadline. Still, the star Lions defender told reporters this week ahead of Week 12 that he’s not at all concerned for Detroit as they head into the belly of the beast on Thanksgiving.
“We’re 6-4 right now, I think people have written us off a little bit, and I think it’s a good spot to be in. I’m excited and I think these next three home games, we’ve got to be 3-0. It starts with New York on Sunday.”
Hutchinson not afraid of the noise ahead of key Lions stretch
The Lions’ next three games come against the New York Giants, the Green Bay Packers (on Thanksgiving), and the Dallas Cowboys. Three straight NFC opponents, with just the Packers being a divisional matchup. Most importantly: the Lions will have a 12th man on their side for all three contests, as they’re finally hitting a comfortable home stretch amongst a tough schedule.
Hutchinson also told reporters that a key returner on defense, Marcus Davenport, is sure to help increase their shot at winning the NFC North outright.
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“It’s great. We were joking around out there a little bit. We have such a great relationship. Having him back, he’s such an impactful player and once he gets back, he’s gonna stay back. I’m manifesting that for him.”
Per NFL Next Gen Stats, the Lions have a 74 percent chance overall at making the postseason ahead of Week 12. A win would bump them all the way up to 80 percent, while a loss would drop them to a 56 percent chance. That’s a big difference, and one they need to sneak over the Carolina Panthers in those odds.
Davenport has dealt with injury woes for quite a while, and he went down earlier this season after injuring himself on a sack.
The Giants, Packers, and Cowboys all helm some pretty decent pass rushers, with Micah Parsons being the obvious standout for the Packers out of these three opponents. It’s a huge test not just for Hutchinson’s ability to match those teams’ defenses, but for the Lions’ offensive line. If they can manage to hold up well over these three games, it bodes well for Detroit’s plan of going 3-0 on this home stretch.
