Game Preview, Week 10: Detroit Lions at Washington
November 8, 2025
by Steve Thomas
Since last week went so amazingly well terribly for Washington, with the big win over blowout loss to the Seahawks, the team looks to turn things around against none other than the Detroit Lions in week 10. This seems to be an alternate universe, because Detroit is one of the best teams in the NFC and features a quarterback who is on his way to another Pro Bowl. Washington, meanwhile, has regressed in nosedive fashion, not only since last year, but since the beginning of the season. The Lions’ high-powered, high-scoring offense isn’t exactly what you’d want for a get-well game, but this is what they’re faced with. Can Washington do it? Can they play well and get much-needed victory? Sadly, the likely answer is, certainly not. We’ll see, though. Our game preview is below.
Game time & location: Sunday, November 9, 2025, 4:25 p.m. ET, Northwest Stadium, Raljon, Maryland; Gates open 1:25 p.m. ET; Red Zone parking lots open 11:25 p.m.; all other parking lots 12:25 p.m.
Television: FOX
Television announcers: Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma, Megan Olivi
TV broadcast map: Click here
DC-area radio: BIG-100 (WBIG FM)
Washington radio network: Click here
Lions radio network: Click here
Satellite radio: SiriusXM: 225 (Wash. broad.); internet: 831 (Wash. broad.); internet: 831
Washington roster: Click here
Washington depth chart: Click here
Lions roster: Click here
Lion depth chart: Click here
All-time head-to-head record vs Lions: 28 – 16 (last 10: 4 – 6)
Last meeting: W, January 18, 2025, 45 – 31
Lions record: 5 – 3 (2nd place) / away: 2 – 2 / NFC: 2 – 2
Washington record: 3 – 6 (3rd place) / home: 2 – 2 / NFC: 1 – 5
Early odds: Lions, -9.5
3 KEYS TO THE GAME
Get pressure on Jared Goff with the front 4
Goff is having a Pro Bowl-caliber season. He has an elite receiver in Amon-Ra St. Brown, but has also has significant success spreading the ball around to a variety of receivers, including tight end Sam LaPorta. Goff is one of these quarterbacks who has the ability to see the entire field – he is one of a shrinking number of quality traditional pocket-passing quarterbacks. As a result, Washington needs to focus on getting pressure on Goff through their defensive front 4, not via exotic blitzesn coming from the corners and safeties. The Lions are too good to compromise the secondary in this fashion, but they nevertheless need to figure out a way to make Goff uncomfortable and interrupt his rhythm and timing.
Tight coverage in the secondary
Along with pressure on Goff comes the need for Washington’s secondary to play their best game of the season. This doesn’t just go for St. Brown – there are too many weapons on the Lions’ offense to just focus on one player, or to deplete the secondary trying to rush the passer. Washington’s secondary is going to play a bigger role in this particular contest than they have in many others. Think Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs; that’s the level of capability of Goff and his receivers on a good day.
Get the run game going
Washington’s rushing attack had a bad days against the Seahawks last week. They’ll need to reverse that trend this week. This game against Detroit is another instance of the team needing to keep the opposing offense off the field – Detroit has run up the score against lesser defenses a couple of times this week, and it isn’t impossible to think that they could do it against Washington. The team therefore needs to get Jacory Croskey-Merritt and company going against the Lions in a way that they haven’t done much so far this season. They need to aim for an average of 4.5 yards per carry from the running backs, minus the quarterback, in enough carries to keep the offense on long, slow drives.
3 KEY MATCHUPS
Josh Conerly vs. Aiden Hutchinson
Hutchinson, of course, is one of the NFL’s elite defensive ends, including a 2023 Pro Bowl appearance. Thusfar, Conerly has been something of a disappointment early in his career. It’s entirely possible that Hutchinson takes fully advantage of this situation and is able to put significant pressure on Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels as a result. Hutchinson does sometimes switch sides, but considering that Laremy Tunsil is Washington’s left tackle, presumably Hutchinson and the Lions will attempt to take advantage of this weakness. Hopefully Conerly can take advantage of the situation and take a step forward in his development. Keep an eye out on how often Hutchinson is able to get into Washington’s backfield.
Trey Amos vs. Amon-Ra St. Brown
St. Brown is a 3x Pro Bowler and 2x First-Team All-Pro. He’s Detroit’s leading receiver by a significant margin. He’s been known to move around between the X, Z, and slot positions. However, the most obvious matchup here is with Amos, who, after the season ending injury to Marshon Lattimroe, needs to step up and become the team’s undisputed #1 corner for the rest of the season. Washington will need their entire secondary, but particularly Amos, to focus heavily on St. Brown and ensure that St. Brown isn’t able to run free and get huge yardage, big plays, and touchdowns. The goal here isn’t for Amos to totally shut St. Brown down, but rather control him and prevent big, crucial plays courtesy of Jared Goff.
Sewell was the 7th overall pick in the 2021 draft, has been selected to 3 Pro Bowls, and earned 2 First-Team All-Pro honors. He’s the highest profile player on the Lions’ offensive line. Jacob Martin is an injury replacement for Washington at defensive end, but has 3.5 sacks this year, which isn’t terrible. Washington will need him to produce against the elite-level Sewell and at least get pressure on Goff. This may not be a very likely scenario, but it would be a great benefit to Washington’s defensive game plan. Watch out for whether Martin – or for that matter, anyone else as a result of Martin’s occupation of Sewell – is able to pressure Goff from the left side of Washington’s defense.
OFFICIAL INJURY REPORT (active roster only)
LP – limited practice FP – full practice DNP – did not practice
NIR – not injury related Q – questionable O – out
D – doubtful
| Washington | Lions |
| QB J. Daniels, left elbow; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: O | OL M. Frazier, knee; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: LP; game: O |
| WR T. McLaurin, quad; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: O | S K. Joseph, knee; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: O |
| DT E. Goldman, concussion; Wed: LP Thurs: FP Fri: FP; game: Q | DL P. O’Conner, knee; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: O |
| S Q. Martin, hamstring; Wed: DNP Thurs: LP Fri: FP; game: Q | DE J. Pashal, back; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: LP; game: O |
| S T. Owens, hamstring/neck; Wed: DNP Thurs: LP Fri: FP; game: Q | RB J. Saylors, back; Wed: LP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: O |
| DT J. Kinlaw, NIR (rest); Wed: NL; Thurs: NL; Fri: DNP | T T. Decker, shoulder/NIR (rest); Wed: DNP; Thurs: LP; Fri: DNP; game: Q |
| CB T. Amos, hip; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: LP | RB C. Reynolds, hamstring; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: LP; game: Q |
| RB J. Croskey-Merritt, tooth; Wed: LP Thurs: LP Fri: FP | LB M. Rodriguez, knee; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: LP; game: Q |
| DT Z. Netwon, ankle; Wed: LP Thurs: FP; Fri: FP; | T D. Skipper, back; Wed: DNP; Thurs: LP; Fri: LP; game: Q |
| T L. Tunsil, hamstring; Wed: DNP; Thurs; FP; Fri: FP | LB G. Stuard, foot; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: LP; game: Q |
| LB B. Wagner, thumb; Wed: FP; Thurs: FP; Fri: FP | S D. Thomas, forearm; Wed: FP; Thurs: FP; Fri: FP; game: Q |
| TE C. Yankoff, hamstring; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: FP | T P. Sewell, shoulder; Wed: DNP; Thurs: LP; Fri: FP |
| CB T. Arnold, shoulder; shoulder; Wed: FP; Thurs: FP; Fri: FP | |
| LB T. Summers, head; Wed: FP; Thurs: FP; Fri: FP |
Steve’s Prediction
Washington needs to prove to me, and to themselves, that they can compete at a high level again. It won’t be this week. Lions win big, 30 – 17.
Elevated
WR Robbie Chosen
Inactives
QB Jayden Daniels
WR Terry McLaurin
LB Kain Medrano
T Trent Scott
T George Fant
DE Jalyn Holmes
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