The Bengals return home Sunday after back-to-back road games, hosting the Detroit Lions in a pivotal Week 5 matchup.

The Lions currently sit atop of the NFC North at 3-1 and are winners of three straight.

Lions Offense

Detroit lost its offensive coordinator during the offseason, as Ben Johnson became head coach of the Chicago Bears. Despite the change in command, the Lions have not missed a beat, leading the NFL with 34.3 points per game and ranking sixth with 365.0 yards per game.

QB Jared Goff ranks second in the NFL with nine touchdown passes to two interceptions over the first month of the season. Goff's 73.8% completion percentage also ranks second in the league among quarterbacks with at least 10 attempts, trailing only Patriots QB Drake Maye.

The Lions' running back duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery is once again leading Detroit's successful ground attack. The Lions rank sixth in rushing per game (139.0). Gibbs ranks 10th in the league with 271 yards rushing on 4.7 yards per carry and has four rushing touchdowns, while Montgomery is averaging 5.7 yards per carry and has scored three touchdowns. Gibbs ranks second among running backs in receptions with 20, trailing 49ers running back Christian McCaffery.

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown leads the NFL with six receiving touchdowns over the first four games and has the third-highest PFF receiving grade among receivers with at least 10 targets. He's received 31 targets and recorded zero drops. Deep threat Jameson Williams and TE Sam LaPorta have each seen 19 targets. LaPorta has hauled in 16 receptions, and Williams has grabbed 10 for 21.4 yards per catch, leading all receivers with at least 10 targets.

Detroit has done a good job of keeping Goff upright over the first four weeks, as the quarterback has not been sacked since Week 1 against the Packers. According to PFF, Goff has been kept clean on 84 of his dropbacks and faced pressure on 45.

The Lions also have the fourth-highest run block grade as a team. T Penei Sewell is the highest-graded offensive tackle in the NFL through the first month of the season, posting a 93.2 PFF offensive grade and a 95.2 run-block grade.

Lions Defense

Detroit has the sixth-highest rated defense in the league per PFF, sitting at a 76.1 defensive grade. The unit is led by edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson. Hutchinson is tied for sixth in the NFL with four sacks so far this season, and his 23 total pressures are tied for third. He has the fifth-highest PFF pass rush grade among all defenders as well (92.1). On the other side, Al-Quadin Muhammad has emerged as a legitimate compliment to Hutchinson. The 2017 sixth-round pick has 3.5 sacks in the first four games of the season, already over halfway to his career high in a single season (six in 2021 with the Indianapolis Colts). As a team, the Lions are second in the NFL with 14 takedowns.

The Lions have allowed the seventh-fewest rushing yards per game (94.0), including allowing 79 last week against the Browns.

S Brian Branch captains the secondary: His 80.3 PFF coverage grade is the third highest in the NFL among safeties. Branch has been targeted 14 times in coverage, allowing eight receptions and two touchdowns but also recording four pass breakups. He's lined up all over the formation as well, taking at least 10 snaps at five different positions. His most frequent spots on the field are free safety (87 snaps), box safety (70 snaps) and slot corner (46 snaps).

The Lions could be without their starting cornerbacks for the game. The Lions brought in CB D.J. Reed from the Jets this offseason to help shore up the cornerback room. Reed gave them a solid return early, grabbing an interception and allowing 11 receptions on 18 targets before suffering a hamstring injury in Week 4 that will cause him to miss time. 2024 first-round pick Terrion Arnold has struggled to start the season, allowing the second-most yards in coverage in the NFL (255), per PFF. He injured his shoulder in Week 4 putting his status in jeopardy this week.

Check out the Bengals 2025 Schedule.