Lions vs. Patriots 2014: Stout Detroit defense tries to ground high-flying Pats offense

The 8-2 Patriots and 7-3 Lions clash in a battle of contrasting styles.

Nov 22, 2014, 2:00 PM UTC

Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

The New England Patriots are hoping to keep their roll going when they host the Detroit Lions in Foxborough for a clash of division leaders. The 8-2 Patriots have won six in a row after beginning the year 2-2. They have looked unstoppable over the past two months, over which they have scored 37 or more points in five games. The Pats' 32.3 points per game is just a shade below the Green Bay Packers' 33.0 for the No. 1 scoring offense in football.

The 7-3 Lions are more of a defensive-focused team, allowing an NFL-low 15.5 points per game. This will be a clash of contrasting teams, pitting perhaps the best offense in football against the best defense.

Despite their dominance, the Lions are still tied with the 7-3 Packers atop the NFC North, so they need to keep winning to remain ahead. The Patriots have a comfortable lead over the 6-4 Miami Dolphins, the only team that looks like a legitimate threat to dethrone the Patriots atop the AFC East.

Digits

The Lions offense has gone cold several times this year, costing them games. In Detroit's three losses, the offense scored a combined 29 points -- fewer than 10 points per game. The fewest points they've scored in a win was 17 in a 17-3 win over the Vikings and rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

Tom Brady is no rookie, and Detroit isn't going to hold New England's offense to three points. The Patriots have scored at least 14 points in every game, and are averaging 40.5 points per game over their last six.

Who to Watch

Ndamukong Suh - The Lions defensive tackle is the best at his position in football right now, and the Patriots will have a tough time keeping him out of their backfield.

Suh has 28 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks this year while routinely disrupting opposing offenses, whether tackling a running back for a loss or pressuring the quarterback. Keeping a hat on Suh is vital if an offense has any hope of making big plays against the Lions.

Rob Gronkowski - While Suh is the best defensive tackle in football, Gronkowski is the best tight end in the game, and he finally looks fully healthy and back to his All-Pro self.

Gronk has caught 53 passes for 734 yards and nine scores this year. He has been unstoppable over the past month, catching 22 passes for 325 yards and five touchdowns in his last three games. Keeping him contained is key to slowing down the Patriots’ offense.

The venue

Gillette Stadium is located 22 miles outside of Boston, and it first opened its doors in 2002, the season following the Patriots’ first Super Bowl victory. The field was originally a natural grass surface, but the team replaced it with FieldTurf before the 2006 season. The facility seats 68,756 patrons for football games and is owned and operated by the Kraft Sports Group.