Lions lineman already looks finished one game into the season
When news of Taylor Decker's absence hit the timeline ahead of Week 5, Detroit Lions fans sat up a bit in their seats. This injury, which had been lingering for weeks, meant that the team would have to start second year tackle Giovanni Manu in Decker's place.
After a promising preseason, Manu would be dealt a huge test against the Cincinnati Bengals' defensive line that's helmed by Trey Hendrickson, a sack artist. If he could piece together a somewhat okay showing against Hendrickson and the Bengals, then the Lions could begin to incorporate him more into the offense and allow for Decker to nurse his shoulder injury a bit more.
Instead, what fans got was a four sack afternoon suffered by Jared Goff, which luckily didn't injure the quarterback or lead to a loss. The Lions' defense was clearly not okay with leaving Paycor Stadium with a loss, especially before a Week 6 bout against the Kansas City Chiefs on the road.
Manu clearly has a long, long way to go. And, that's not the timeline that Detroit has in mind for themselves, nor for their second year tackle that just can't seem to find a groove in live game situations.
Manu already looks done at tackle for Lions
Detroit doesn't have much of a choice at the moment when it comes to who they slot in at left tackle in Decker's absence - if, of course, that's a long term absence. We know the team told Manu he'd be starting as early as Tuesday ahead of Week 5, so he had plenty of time to get into the mindset that he had to show out in this game and prepare like a starter would.
Instead, he folded. To be fair, Cincinnati is not an easy team to handle, defensively. Hendrickson got his work in against Manu, but so did players like Joseph Ossai and Myles Murphy. Manu looked really good to begin the game, and then slowly faded away. It was very clear considering how much the rest of the line has improved over the last few weeks.
What can the Lions do as they creep towards an even tougher portion of their schedule, potentially without Decker? There's a thin amount of talent that could be available at left tackle on the trade market ahead of the November deadline, but that's something the team might need to consider going in on if Manu continues to struggle in relief of Decker.
Even if Decker returns, it's obvious his injury woes are going to be something the team manages long term. They should be finding a more reliable insurance policy for him on the market instead of relying too much on Manu.
Lions Fans React to 'Not Pretty' Win Over Bengals
The Detroit Lions held off a late Cincinnati Bengals rally to win their fourth straight game.
Though the Bengals surged offensively in the fourth quarter, a 28-3 lead built midway through the third quarter proved to be an insurmountable margin. The Lions' run game fueled their attack, with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery playing starring roles in the win.
It was tight end Sam LaPorta who kick-started the action, as he opened the scoring with a 10-yard catch. He finished the play by going airborne into the end zone, giving the team an early 7-0 lead.
Detroit extended its lead to two scores when offensive coordinator John Morton dialed up some trickery in the red zone. Running back David Montgomery threw a touchdown, taking a direct snap and lofting the ball to tight end Brock Wright. This made it 14-0 early in the second quarter.
Cincinnati would get on the board with a field goal at the end of the first half, but quarterback Jake Browning struggled to get rolling and turned the ball over multiple times. Amik Robertson got the first interception of his Lions tenure, while Kerby Joseph added another pick to his tally in the second quarter.
Linebacker Alex Anzalone got in on the fun with an interception of his own to open the third quarter. That takeaway turned into another Lions score, as Jahmyr Gibbs took a screen pass 20-yards for a touchdown.
Detroit would add on later in the third, expanding their lead to 28-3 when Montgomer scored an 8-yard touchdown.
Cincinnati would cut into their deficit early in the fourth quarter, as Browning and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase connected for a pair of touchdowns to make it a two-score game. However, the Lions began to salt the game away, and Goff found rookie wideout Isaac TeSlaa for a 12-yard score to make it 35-17.
Browning would connect with Tee Higgins for a touchdown to get the lead back down to 11 points, then stopped the Lions and forced a punt. However, Derrick Barnes sacked Browning for a safety to give the Lions the deciding margin of 37-24.
With the win, the Lions are now 4-1 on the year heading into a primetime matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs next week at Arrowhead Stadium. The Bengals, meanwhile, continue their swoon following the injury to Joe Burrow early in the season.
Lions fans appear to be cautiously optimistic with the win, accounting for the fact that the Bengals are not the same without their All-Pro quarterback behind center.
One concerning element of Sunday's game was the performance of the offensive line in the absence of Taylor Decker. After not allowing a sack in three consecutive games, the Lions allowed four sacks against the Bengals.
Here is a sample of the online reaction to the Lions' Week 5 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Not pretty but I’ll take it!!!
— Travon (@whoistravon_) October 5, 2025
What is your biggest takeaway from Detroit Lions victory against Bengals?
— DetroitSportsPodcast (@DetroitPodcast) October 5, 2025
Hard to complain about double-digit win but if Manu is going to have to start a lot moving forward may be wise to find a tackle in the trade deadline
— Drew Ellis (@ellisdrew) October 5, 2025
