Detroit Lions' offensive line communication issues are summed up in one video

Mike Moraitis

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Detroit Lions' offensive line communication issues are summed up in one video image

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions' new-look offensive line is not off to a good start and communication issues are at least partly to blame.

Detroit's group upfront was unable to create anyspace for the running backs in the Week 1 loss to the Green Bay Packers and quarterback Jared Goff was sacked four times.

In all, Detroit surrendered 13 pressures, and new starting center Graham Glasgow and new starting guards Tate Ratledge and Christian Mahogany were responsible for nine of them, with Mahogany giving up four (two sacks), Ratledge giving up three (one sack) and Glasgow surrendering two (no sacks).

After the game, left tackle Taylor Decker said that there were some communication issues along the offensive line and at least partly because of what the Packers were doing on defense.

"The one thing that I know they did was just changing the front, stemming the front late and things like that," Decker said. That challenges communication, especially when they got off to a fast start and the crowd was into it.

"That challenges communication, especially when we have a lot of kills and audibles in our offense."

For an example of the issues upfront, you need not look any further than this clip provided by Pride of Detroit's Jeremy Reisman.

Watch how Glasgow and Ratledge straight up run into each other. Somehow, the Lions still managed to pick up five yards on the play, but that was pure luck.

But wait, there's more.

Here's another one that shows Glasgow going to double-team a defender with Ratledge, allowing another Packers defender a clear path to stop David Montgomery.

Just unacceptable and a far cry from what we've seen out of the Lions' usually elite offensive line in recent years.

That said, it shouldn't be totally shocking. This was the first NFL game for the three interior linemen together and the starting group didn't get any reps during the preseason, with only Ratledge seeing playing time.

There's going to be more hiccups like we saw in Week 1, but the important thing is the Lions figure it out, and fast.

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Mike Moraitis

Mike Moraitis is a freelance writer who covers the NFL for the Sporting News. Over his nearly two decades covering sports, Mike has also worked for Bleacher Report, USA TODAY and FanSided. He hates writing in the third person.