NFL Week 6: 4 Reasons the Detroit Lions Won't Be Hindered by a Short Week

The city of Detroit is buzzing with optimism, and it's no longer about the Detroit Tigers.

After their first Monday Night Football game in a decade, the Detroit Lions are on cloud nine after defeating their rival, the Chicago Bears, 24-13 this past Monday. The Lions and head coach Jim Schwartz have had enough time to celebrate that victory and their first 5-0 start since the 1950s.

But it's time to get back to work.

With a shortened week due to the Monday night game, the Lions have to prepare a solid game plan against the surprising 4-1 San Fransisco 49ers.

Under head coach Jim Harbaugh, the 49ers have enjoyed somewhat of a resurgence themselves. Former first-overall pick Alex Smith is also having an impressive start to his season with seven touchdowns, only one interception and an impressive 104.1 quarterback rating. However, he has lost his go-to target for the remainder of the season, wide receiver Josh Morgan.

If the Lions end up losing this football game, it's not because of a shortened week, but because of the extreme confidence—almost cockiness—this team will have after coming off a big win in the national spotlight.

The Lions will have their hands full against the 49ers, but are expected to walk off the field with a win. They still have plenty of weapons on the roster, including the formidable Matthew Stafford-Calvin Johnson duo. Javhid Best is coming off a career game Monday, in which he ran for 163 yards and a score.

They'll have the intense Detroit crowd behind them in support.

The Crowd

Earlier today, on 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit, Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh stated that Ford Field "was just as loud, if not better" than his playing days in Lincoln at the University of Nebraska.

What does that mean? It means that Ford Field last Monday was deafening.

Many fans in Detroit would trade their lives for a winning Detroit Lions team and there's loads of evidence that this could be the year. Fans are excited and are actually going to games. There are no more blackouts, nor cheap ticket prices in this town.

The Bears had nine—yes, nine—false start penalties on Monday. You can thank the Detroit crowd for almost all nine of those penalties.

Expect more of the same against the 49ers. Although not as big as a Monday Night game, the Lions faithful will be as loud as ever on Sunday. The fans know the importance of this game and they'll cheer on their team until the final whistle. 

Matthew Stafford Loves Calvin Johnson

And we all know why. 

Just listen to some numbers: Matthew Stafford has thrown 13 touchdowns in three games. Of those 13 touchdowns, nine are to Johnson. Johnson has a respectable 451 receiving yards, but is still on pace for career highs in every offensive category. Stafford's quarterback rating is 101.4, slightly better than Alex Smith's. He's also completed 63 percent of his passes.

The man they call Megatron, Calvin Johnson's body is so big in stature, and with his blazing speed, it's almost impossible for any defensive back to either defend him or keep up with him downfield.

So the question is, who do the 49ers put on Johnson?

Cornerback Carlos Rogers is the most obvious option for the 49ers as he is their best defensive back, but he's only six feet tall and far from a shutdown corner.

The most logical option is to double-team Johnson. The problem that resides with that option is that field space is opened up and will allow Stafford to complete passes to another receiver, like tight end Brandon Pettigrew.

There's no stopping the Stafford-Johnson connection. If the 49ers do step up and double Johnson, expect a player like Pettigrew to have a big day.

The Defensive Line Must Stop Frank Gore

The Lions couldn't contain Bears running back Matt Forte last week, and they must try harder to contain 49ers running back Frank Gore. Gore is a between-the-tackles runner and a downhill runner, much like Adrian Peterson, who's given Detroit countless fits in the past.

Last week, Lions rookie defensive tackle Nick Fairley made his NFL debut. He's gotten his feet wet after debuting in the national spotlight and will be a perfect complement to Suh in plugging up the holes during the run and attacking quarterback Alex Smith.

More likely, if the Lions stop Gore on Sunday, it'll be thanks in part to the D-line's penetration and not on secondary tackling on Gore.

Coach Jim Schwartz's Work Ethic

Lions head coach Jim Schwartz is a football savant. He is a blue collar coach who has a zero-tolerance kind of attitude. He knows that the Lions have yet to be crowned, although fans and critics alike are crowning the Lions as the NFL's darlings.

Schwartz doesn't like that media-given mantra, nor does he think the Lions have played their best game of the season. He is the first to compliment his players for their play and also first to criticize them. 

Schwartz stated immediately after the Monday Night Football game that the Lions "are already a day behind" and will start studying San Fransisco "in an hour and a half." Schwartz will undoubtedly have his team ready to play on Sunday.

He'll expect to have a disciplined, yet fired up Lions team who should end Week 6 still undefeated.