The Detroit Lions, winners of three in a row, will take on the lowly Miami Dolphins Sunday afternoon. 

The Dolphins have won just one game this season, and currently possess the third-worst record in the NFL (1-6). So, the Lions have nothing to worry about headed into the Week 9 matchup, right? 

Not according to CBS Sports/Westwood One NFL analyst Ross Tucker. During his weekly segment on 97.1 The Ticket's “Costa and Jansen with Heather,” he expressed he views the contest as “a trap game” for Dan Campbell's squad.

“(It's a) terrible, terrible spot for the Lions. I do not feel comfortable at all,” Tucker said. “They're coming off a monster win. They're actually coming off two home division wins in a row. Now, they got to play a team, everybody thinks they stink. They're competitive and you wonder just how locked in the Lions are. It would be unnatural if they weren't thinking about their teammate Jack Campbell, and weren't concerned about him and his well-being.

“This is a very dangerous game for the Lions. As I said on the ‘Even Money’ betting podcast, I really like the Dolphins getting the points. I think the Lions will pull through at the end, but I would not be surprised at all if the Dolphins win. This is how the NFL works.”

The Lions, which are seven-point favorites, will be playing with heavy hearts after losing linebacker Jack Campbell to a gruesome neck injury a week ago against the Minnesota Vikings. 

Campbell, the team's defensive captain, laid motionless on the field for several minutes following the injury, and proceeded to be loaded onto a stretcher and taken to the locker room on a cart. He's been in a local Detroit hospital ever since, and there's still a solid degree of uncertainty regarding the seriousness and long-term impact of the injury for Campbell.

On top of that, Detroit could be looking ahead to its Week 10 matchup with the reigning AFC champion New England Patriots in Munich, Germany. That has been one of the most highly-anticipated games on the Lions’ 2026 schedule since the schedules were released in May. 

Consequently, the Lions’ Week 9 tilt with the Dolphins has all the makings of a trap game. 

Yet, I don't envision Dan Campbell allowing his team to take Miami lightly. To me, it's why he made the comments he did earlier this week about the Dolphins being a “hungry” team that tries “to play disciplined ball.”

I believe Miami is a bit better than its record shows, and the Lions are fully aware of that. It's all the more reason why I believe Detroit will bring its “A-game” on Sunday in Miami.