By George B. Eichorn of the Downtown Detroit Monitor
Are you ready for some professional football? The Detroit Lions finally open their 2020 season on Sunday, September 13 against the Chicago Bears at Ford Field downtown. After the league cancelled its pre-season tilt of four games each team played, the curtain is lifted for real!
There’s a new owner in town as Martha Firestone Ford has handed over reins to daughter Sheila Ford Hamp. It was as smooth a transition as they come and took place June 23 at the club’s headquarters in Allen Park. Over the last six seasons, Hamp served as one of the team’s vice chairmen during her mother’s ownership. She attended games at Briggs (later Tiger Stadium) and watched training camp at Cranbrook School in Oakland County as a youngster.
Hamp’s first year at the helm is a crucial one for General Manager Bob Quinn (5th year) and Head Coach Matt Patricia (3rd). Each has been told the club needs marked improvement from last year’s disappointing 3-12-1 finish; last place in the NFC North.
In last season’s week 7 versus Minnesota, Stafford topped 40,000 career passing yards in his 147th game, the fewest games needed to reach 40,000 yards in NFL history. Unfortunately for the Lions, Stafford was injured with broken bones in his back and missing the team’s final eight games, thus ending any chances for a Detroit post-season berth. The team lost every game Stafford missed.
The challenge is out there for the Lions: only one post-season win since 1957 which was the last time the team won the NFL Championship and zero Super Bowl appearances. It’s a staggering example of mediocrity yet the team feels excited about its prospects in a tough NFC North with Chicago, Green Bay and Minnesota challenging for the division crown.
Rookie cornerback Jeff Okudah is the prize for last year’s poor Lions’ finish. Picking third in the NFL Draft, Quinn selected the talented Ohio State Buckeye. Okudah made his share of head-turning plays in the extended camp and is on a fast curve to become a playmaker in the defensive backfield.
“I’m a big fan of football,” he said. “I played both ways in high school (Grand Prairie, Texas), cornerback and receiver. (I) always liked watching guys like Stephon Gilmore. I think he’s a real solid player and shows the importance of the mental side of the game.”
The Lions have added a number of players. Chase Daniel is the new No. 2 quarterback, rookie D’Andre Swift should start at running back, veteran wide receiver Geronimo Allison (COVID-19 opt-out) and rookie Quintez Cephus, offensive tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai, cornerbacks Desmond Trufant (replacing Pro Bowler Darius Slay) and Tony McRae, safety Jayron Kearse (suspended list), defensive tackles Danny Shelton and Nick Williams, linebackers Jamie Collins and Elijah Lee, and punter Jack Fox.
Defensive tackle Julian Okwara (3rd round pick) joins brother Romeo Okwara, as Detroit’s first brother combination in memory. Julian is hyped to be joining his brother and thinks that having that familial presence will allow him to get in the rhythm of what it is like to be a pro player.
Because of the coronavirus epidemic, no fans will be allowed at Ford Field the first few games of the season. Seating thereafter will mostly consistent of select season-ticket holders, suite holders and media members socially distant. The NFL has, like MLB, the NBA and NHL, gone to great lengths to test their participants, traveling team personnel, and the media routinely at practice or gameday.
On the broadcast side, Dan Miller and Lomas Brown return on WJR-AM (760) radio with play-by-play and commentary. Steve Courtney and Sean Baligian handle pre- and post-game duties. FOX-2 or CBS-62 carry the load on the TV side, using national announcers. The Lions’ Thanksgiving Day opponent is the Houston Texans and it’s the Lions’ only national-TV game so far in 2020.
This season promises to be very different. The Lions are unified at training camp as they were the first NFL team to protest racial equality, and one hopes that spirit can carry over into the victory column.
My prediction: 8-8 and missing the playoffs.
Reach George Eichorn at @DSBA2 on Twitter or email geichorn@yahoo.com
