Patriots vs. Lions in Munich: Detroit's rebuilt defense meets a banged-up New England
A 6-2 Lions team on a four-game win streak hosts the 5-4 Patriots at FC Bayern Munich Stadium on Sunday morning.
The NFL's third regular-season game in Munich is a Detroit home game, and the Lions (6-2) arrive in much better shape than the New England Patriots (5-4). Kickoff at FC Bayern Munich Stadium is 9:30 a.m. ET (14:30 UTC) on Sunday, on FOX and NFL+.
A different Detroit defense
The story of Detroit's season is a defense that has turned itself around. NFL.com's Jeremy Bergman notes the Lions allowed 31.8 points per game over Weeks 1-4, when they ranked last in the league in total defense and third-down defense. Over the last four games they have allowed 15.5 points per game, the first time since 2016 a Lions team has held opponents to 21 or fewer in four straight. Those four games are also Detroit's current four-game winning streak.
There is a caveat. Bergman points out that three of those wins came against Arizona, Minnesota and Miami, three of the league's weaker scoring offenses. The Lions also still rank last in pass defense, even while sitting in the top three in sacks. On the other side of the ball they haven't scored more than 20 points since Week 5, which is unusual for an offense averaging 27.8 points a game across the season, per the Patriots' own game notes.
Jahmyr Gibbs is the engine. According to NFL.com, he leads the league in touches, scrimmage yards and total touchdowns.
Can New England hang?
The Patriots have lost two of their last three, and their injury list is long. The team ruled out cornerback Carlton Davis III (knee), center/guard Ben Brown (knee) and running back TreVeyon Henderson (illness). Nine more are questionable, including wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle/knee) and running back Rhamondre Stevenson (knee), both of whom were limited in practice, per Patriots.com.
That puts a lot on Drake Maye. The Patriots note he has accounted for at least three touchdowns in six straight games. NFL.com also notes he is tied for the league lead with 13 giveaways, and New England's turnover differential is -11. That last number is the one head coach Mike Vrabel keeps coming back to. "It's tough to play defense in this league without creating some turnovers," he said this week.
The matchup to watch
NFL.com singles out Christian Gonzalez, the league's highest-paid cornerback, against Amon-Ra St. Brown, who has 61 catches for 657 yards. St. Brown, whose mother is German, is listed as questionable with a rib injury on Detroit's final report, per Detroit Sports Nation. The Lions have ruled out safety Kerby Joseph, center Cade Mays and cornerback D.J. Reed. Jared Goff carries no game designation.
What's at stake
New England has a bye in Week 11, and NFL.com says a win would make the Patriots the fourth franchise with at least four international wins. For Detroit, every NFC North team has at least six wins, so there is no room to drop a home game, even one played in Germany. The Patriots lead the all-time series 8-5 and won the last meeting 29-0 in 2022.