There are many matchups to look forward to as the New Orleans Saints take on the Detroit Lions this Sunday. The biggest matchup of the day is between defensive end Chase Young and newly appointed left tackle Penei Sewell.
Sewell, a four-time pro-bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro, is one of the top outside offensive linemen in the league. However, he's only been playing right tackle in the NFL and will be making his first professional start as a blindside blocker on Sunday. But this isn't the first time he's flipped sides of the O-line, because he was a left tackle coming out of college.
Young, who is entering his first season as a Saints team captain, is coming off of the best season of his career. Playing in only 12 games in 2025, he still managed to gather a career high in sacks and matched his career second-best 15 quarterback hits. The impact of Young getting home so consistently is that the opportunities for the rest of the defensive line become more open with offenses giving extra attention to Young
Saints DE Chase Young could dominate Penei Sewell on Sunday
One point in the Saints' favor is that Sewell might not yet be comfortable on the left side of the offensive line and has no timeline for when he would be. "But I know it's as soon as possible," he said to the media last month. "Like, I want it done today, but in reality it's not going to be like that."
A second point for the Saints is that he's coming off of his worst year since his rookie season, ranking outside the top 40 in pass-block win rate. He's also shown more cracks in his armor, with an NFL coordinator telling ESPN that "he doesn't win a lot in pass protection against real guys, just like everyone else."
Yet another point for the Saints is Young's get-off speed, which complements his power as a rusher. It creates a potential mismatch, as his reps will cause Sewell to use his dusted-off techniques in real time. With no preseason snaps or joint practices, Sewell will have to hope that the regular training camp practices were enough to get his juices flowing.
It truly is a marquee matchup, because often a game is decided in the trenches. Young and Sewell's rep-by-rep battle could tilt the game in either team's favor, depending on who ends up winning said reps.
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