The Detroit Lions are an absolute machine right now, with the team enjoying yet another offensive explosion in Week 8 en route to a 52-14 beatdown of the lowly Tennessee Titans.

While the Lions played well on both sides of the ball overall, there was a glaring issue for Detroit in the game: the pass-rush only tallied one sack against a poor Titans offensive line, and there simply wasn’t enough pressure overall.

Titans quarterback Mason Rudolph had too much time to throw as a result, which allowed him to make some plays down the field. Detroit was able to overcome that issue against a bad team like the Titans, but the Lions might not be so lucky against an offense that isn’t incompetent like Tennessee’s.

The Lions have been able to get by just fine without edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson thus far, but there’s no question that Detroit’s chances of winning a Super Bowl aren’t as good without him or another impact pass-rusher on the field.

Knowing that, Detroit needs to make a deadline deal to bring someone in, and the more, the merrier. NFL Trade Rumors’ Logan Ulrich has an idea, with the analyst suggesting Detroit pull off a trade for Seattle Seahawks edge rusher Trevis Gipson.

The Lions’ need at edge rusher is well-documented and HC Dan Campbell admitted after Week 7 they probably needed to make a move. If they strike out on some of the bigger-name options, Gipson is an interesting fit. For starters, he’s got size to fit into the team’s four-down front and isn’t just a third-down rusher like some other players available. Gipson had seven sacks and five forced fumbles in his second year back in 2021 with the Bears, so there could be some upside in a rotational role for Detroit to tap into. 

The Lions are already quite familiar with Gipson, who used to play for the Chicago Bears. The former fifth-round pick had his best season in Chicago, when he tallied seven sacks in 2021.

Unfortunately for him, things have gone downhill since then. He followed that campaign up with three sacks in 2022 and one sack in eight games in 2023. In 2024, Gipson has yet to register a sack, but he’s also played just 47 snaps on defense.

Gipson is hardly the guaranteed solution the Lions need. That’s not to say we’d be opposed to Detroit bringing him in, but he should be a secondary addition, not the main one. And it’s very realistic the Lions could trade for Gipson and make a bigger move, as the Tulsa product should only cost a seventh-round pick.

Yahoo Sports’ Jason Fitz and senior NFL writer Frank Schwab discuss how they both think the Detroit Lions are the best team in the NFL. Hear the full conversation on “Inside Coverage” – and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.

View more

Video Transcript

The Lions beat up on the Titans.

Of course, they did.

The Titans stink.

This makes total sense.

What you missed here is that it was the kick return game, it was everything you could.

It was the running game.

Jerry Goff was 12 of 15 for 85 yards and three touchdowns, but 12 of 15 for 85 yards.

Unbelievable.

They just can score from anywhere on the field in any kind of way.

And Ben Johnson just seems, I wonder if he has a separate playbook for just trick plays.

Like, what about we get a dial up today?

We’re gonna just get David Montgomery to throw to Sam La Porta in the end zone today.

Why not?

Like?

It just seems like he has endless, endless trick plays going on.

They can score in so many different ways from anywhere on the field.

And that’s, that is rare for an offense.

This is the best offense in football.

No, no disrespect to the Ravens who also play for offensive football.

Really well, this is the most fun team to watch in the NFL.

This is a super bowl contender and this, uh, this is a very good football team.

And I’ll be honest, like I, I do power rankings tomorrow and the thought was crossing my head, especially gate.

We’ll talk about the Chiefs in a second.

Is this the best team in the NFL?

Should this team be number one?

Even though they’re not the undefeated team.

And I don’t know, I, I don’t know which way I’m leaning now.

They have a good case that this is the best team in football.

They have a great case.

They are by far are built the most complimentary.

Like, let’s get it clear here.

The Detroit Lions today are the best team in the NFL.

I don’t care about the loss.

I, those are rankings too.

They have twice as many hours as a Buccaneer.

It was a weird loss.

Power rankings are not as simple as you say all the time.

It’s just taking everybody what they’re ranking us like when you look at power rankings, I want complimentary football.

I want a team that when things aren’t going well, they can change what they’re doing to beat you, which the Lions are proven over and they can, I need a team that’s gonna be able to run the football in January.

We know they can do that.

I need the team that can win in a shootout if their defense doesn’t show up, I need a team that can get after the quarterback and even without Aidan Hutchinson, they can do that.

I need a team that can get defensive stops when they need it and guess what the Lions can do that like in, in the way that modern football has won.

I don’t see how I would take anybody on a neutral field in any one game above the Detroit Lions right now.

Close

Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez has been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans with an ankle injury.

Rodriguez was carted to the locker room in the first quarter after he limped off the field on kick coverage following the Lions’ first touchdown. The team initially ruled him as questionable with an ankle injury before being later downgraded to out at the end of the first quarter.

Rodriguez has been the team’s primary backup option at off-ball linebacker behind Alex Anzalone and Jack Campbell. He has stepped into a consistent contributing role in the last few weeks as his snap count increased due to the season-ending injury to Derrick Barnes and the Lions’ thin depth on the edge.

FOLLOW ALONG: Detroit Lions vs. Titans score today: Live updates, how to watch, game predictions

Anzalone, Campbell, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Ben Niemann and Trevor Nowaske, who had an interception in the first quarter, are the Lions’ linebackers for the rest of the game against Tennessee. The Lions were leading 14-7 at the end of the first quarter when Rodriguez was ruled out.

The Lions’ defensive depth in the front seven continues to be tested. On top of not having Rodriguez or Barnes, the Lions are without edge rushers Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport for the rest of the season and Josh Paschal is out Sunday with an illness.