Sometimes all it takes is a game at home to get back on the right path. After not playing how they wanted to during their Week 1 loss to the Green Bay Packers, the Detroit Lions rebounded nicely in Week 2, running over the Chicago Bears to the tune of a 52-21 beatdown inside of Ford Field. The offense got just about everything they wanted on the afternoon, and a big reason for that was the play of their two young guards—second-year left guard Christian Mahogany and rookie right guard Tate Ratledge.
In this film breakdown, we are going to take a look at how the two performed against Chicago and why Lions fans should be excited about the potential for the pair moving forward.
Imposing their will
To kick this film study off, we jump to just under three minutes to play in the first quarter with the Lions in a first-and-goal after a big completion to All-Pro receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. At times in years past, we have seen Detroit keep things simple in the low red. Hand the ball off to one of your ultra-talented running backs in Jahmyr Gibbs or David Montgomery, and have them run behind All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell. And when the Lions drafted Ratledge in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, I figured we would get more of the same in the near future.
Watch below as the Lions are in 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends) with quarterback Jared Goff under center. The Bears’ defensive tackle is lined up at the three-technique (outside shoulder of the guard) and is unable to fight off the Sewell-Ratledge double team, resulting in a relatively easy score for Montgomery.
Next up, we have what appears to be a zone blocking concept from the third quarter, where Montgomery works back to his right after the line does a great job of washing defenders down the line of scrimmage. Another excellent rep from Mahogany and Glasgow as they displace the Bears’ nose tackle, giving Montgomery the opportunity to hit a jump cut and run off Sewell’s hip.
Passing off stunts/games
One thing the Lions struggled with up front in Week 1 was communication. It was loud in Green Bay, and the inexperience at the NFL level for the guard duo appeared to have played a part in some of the missed assignments.
However, the Ford Field crowd knows to hush while the Lions’ offense is on the field. I only charted one miscommunication on the day along the offensive line, with most of the clips looking like the next one below. This third-down pass falls incomplete, but watch as Ratledge and veteran center Graham Glasgow pass this twist between the defensive tackles off perfectly. Similar to rapport being built in a defensive secondary, it takes time and live reps for an offensive line to really gel together.
Executing
For the next section, I will present a five-play sequence from late in the first half that illustrates how well the offense was clicking during the demolition of the Bears.
With just under eight minutes remaining in the second quarter, Lions offensive coordinator John Morton kicks things off with an end-around to wide receiver Kalif Raymond. Check out both Mahogany and Sewell hustling to get out in front of Raymond.
After being marked short of the line to gain on first down, the Lions are faced with a second-and-one. Back in 12 personnel and working out of a condensed formation, Goff hands the ball off to Montgomery, who finds the room he needs to move the chains. Good block displacement by Mahogany and a textbook combination block by Ratledge and Glasgow. First down, Lions.
Now working with a fresh set of downs, Goff is back under center with tight ends Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright in-line with Sewell, and Montgomery in the backfield. Once the ball is snapped, keep your eyes on both guards. On the left side, we have an excellent reach block from Mahogany against the Bears’ defensive tackle. With the defender lined up on the left shoulder of Glasgow, Mahogany fires out of his stance and is able to drive his assignment off the line of scrimmage.
On the other side, we have an uglier rep from Ratledge. The rookie ends up dropping his eyes, allowing the defender to swim him on his way into the Lions’ backfield. Luckily for the former Georgia Bulldog, Montgomery is able to beat the defender to the edge, allowing him to turn upfield thanks to some nice blocking from Sewell, LaPorta, and St. Brown.
Now inside the Bears’ 20-yard line and threatening to grow their first-half lead to 14 points, the Lions bring in Gibbs to change up the pace. Goff sends St. Brown in motion to the left, and Detroit executes a beautiful counter-concept that once again moves the chains for their offense. Besides left tackle Taylor Decker, the rest of the offensive line blocks down in an effort to wash the defensive line down the line of scrimmage. Ratledge knocks his assignment off his feet, while Mahogany erases his, too. Excellent execution all around on this one.
On the last play of this scoring drive, we have Detroit back in the same personnel grouping and formation that they were in earlier in the series with Montgomery in the backfield. This time, they motion Wright to the left as the ball is snapped, allowing him to release into the flat as Goff executes a playfake. That action, combined with the routes run by LaPorta and wide receiver Jameson Williams, occupies the defense’s attention on that side of the field, making it an easy throw-and-catch for Goff and Wright.
Honestly, this series could have its own display at the Detroit Institute of Arts Museum on Woodward. It was that pretty.
For our final clip of the study, we are jumping to the 2-minute mark in the third quarter. On second-and-six with only six defenders in the box, the Lions roll out 11 personnel with Wright in-line to the right of Sewell. Once the ball is snapped, Sewell works to his right in order to kick out the edge defender, while Wright opens up to his left, tasked with a wham block on the three-technique. While this is happening, both Mahogany and Ratledge are blocking down, with Decker and Glasgow climbing to the second level for reach-and-hinge blocks
With plays like wham and counter, there are a lot of moving parts that require attention to detail in order for them to work. It was encouraging to see the Lions execute much better in Week 2, and hopefully, it is something their young guards can build upon moving forward in 2025.
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