It's been a tale of two teams for the New England Patriots this season, and while their good version can hold its own against the best teams in the world, the lows have been concerning. Consistency is key, and it hasn't been there.
The good thing about the NFL is that it is a short-memory league that always offers redemption. Every week is a new opportunity, and as bad as the Pats looked against the Packers, they can flip the narrative around again by dominating the Lions.
It won't be easy, of course, as Dan Campbell's team is stacked and is aggressive. However, Mike Vrabel and company should still be able to pull off a big "home" win if they can answer these four questions.
4 big questions the Patriots must answer to beat the Lions
What version of Drake Maye will show up?
The Patriots must make sure the good Drake Maye packs his bags and joins them overseas. The bad one, the one who struggles to read off safeties and puts the ball in harm's way, shouldn't be welcome on the team flight to Germany.
Maye is still a work in progress, and he's been elite more times than he's been bad. That said, you can't afford to have an off-day against a fellow Super Bowl contender; he can single-handedly make or break this team's aspirations against the Lions.
Can they keep Jared Goff on his toes?
Jared Goff got off to an MVP-caliber start to the season, but he hasn't been his usual self in the past couple of weeks. He's thrown his first two interceptions of the campaign and has thrown only one touchdown pass in that span.
The key? Interior pressure.
The Lions have failed to keep Goff in a clean pocket, and starting Miles Frazier didn't do much to help. Goff's ball placement is outstanding when not under pressure, but he makes poor decisions when he's rushed.
How to slow down Jahmyr Gibbs?
The Patriots' defense has usually done a great job of limiting opposing running backs, holding them to just 92.6 rushing yards per game, the sixth-fewest in pro football. They still haven't faced someone as dynamic as Jahmyr Gibbs, though.
The Lions' running back is extremely shifty and also a strong pass-catcher. He's a legitimate Offensive Player of the Year candidate, with 847 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns on 4.8 yards per carry, plus 285 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns on 34 receptions.
Who will step up in the passing game?
The Patriots' wide receiver corps has been a season-long concern, and with all the injuries, this game won't be the exception to the rule. They clearly can't keep hoping A.J. Brown will save them; he might not even play in this game.
Will they finally give Kyle Williams an opportunity to show his skills as a deep-pass threat?
The Lions have a beatable secondary and a terrible cornerback room that struggles to give up big plays. Paired with Drake Maye's arm strength and elite placement, he could be an X-factor.
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