Graham Glasgow and Lions’ elite offensive line power Detroit’s 6-1 start

A big reason for Detroit’s 6-1 start is a dominant offensive line, which includes former Michigan Wolverine Graham Glasgow at left guard:

Week 8 of the NFL season is in the books, and believe it or not, the 2024 NFL season is almost halfway over. Plenty of former Michigan Wolverines have made an impact this season, and instead of leading this week’s edition of Pro Blue with a running back or a defensive back, let’s highlight a former Wolverine that’s been part of an elite offensive line on one of the best teams in the league.

Graham Glasgow and Lions’ elite offensive line power Detroit’s 6-1 start

It’s not very often a team wins by 38 points while throwing for less than 100 yards, but fans of the Detroit Lions have gotten used to their favorite team doing things out of the ordinary.

The Lions dominated the Tennessee Titans , 52-14, to improve to 6-1, the team’s best start since 1956 . Part of that dominance came on the ground, as it has all season, with guard Graham Glasgow helping the Lions rush for 164 yards and two scores.

One of the longest plays of the game came in the first quarter, when Glasgow and All-Pro center Frank Ragnow helped Jahmyr Gibbs rush for a 70-yard touchdown. On that play, Glasgow chipped All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons before reaching the second level, creating the rushing lane Gibbs burst through.

Glasgow is part of a Lions offensive line that is considered one of the best in the league, rushing for 156.7 yards per game (sixth in the league), 5.1 yards per carry (tied for third) and 13 rushing touchdowns (tied for second). The unit could do better when it comes to keeping Goff upright, as they have allowed 18 sacks, a mark that’s 16th out of 32 teams.

Glasgow has played with the Lions for the majority of his career. It’s nice to see him still thriving in the NFL in his ninth season after a solid collegiate career in Ann Arbor.

Michigan pass rusher gets traded

Ahead of next week’s trade deadline, we’ve already seen one former Wolverine change teams. Josh Uche, who has 13 tackles and two sacks on the season, was traded from the New England Patriots to the Kansas City Chiefs for a 2026 sixth-round draft pick.

J.P. Acosta with SB Nation loves the trade for the Chiefs.

“While the Chiefs are still one of the NFL’s top defensive units, they’re only around league average in ESPN’s Pass Rush Win Rate (14th before the win on Sunday),” Acosta said. “In addition, while Kansas City is seventh in Pressure Rate, their sack rate is 29th in the entire NFL. They’re bringing pressure and getting wins up front, but can’t bring QBs down. Uche is a different body type than the Chiefs currently have on the edge, being bendier and winning with burst and speed rather than powering straight through the chest of opposing tackles. His ability against the run is a work in progress, but with what Kansas City traded for him, this seems to be a move made to get a designated pass rusher.”

Uche, who has posted 20.5 sacks across five seasons in the NFL after four seasons at Michigan, now gets the chance to win a Super Bowl with the 7-0 Chiefs.

Other notable NFL performances

-In a loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football, Vikings safety Josh Metellus logged seven tackles.

-In a loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday Night Football, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis made seven tackles.

-In a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football, New York Giants guard Jon Runyan Jr. helped the G-men rush for 157 yards and a touchdown.

-In a win over the Chicago Bears , Washington Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil made five tackles.

-In a division win over the Baltimore Ravens , Cleveland Browns linebacker Devin Bush racked up five tackles.

-In the win over the Cincinnati Bengals , Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Brandon Graham and Bengals cornerback D.J. Turner II combined for four tackles.

-In a three-touchdown loss to the Buffalo Bills , Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet had 24 all-purpose yards, with 20 of those yards coming through the air.