By: Jeremy T. Ballreich
Figured I’d throw a monkey wrench in the title. But this is my season preview for the team I love to write about.
Lions last year Offensively we were one of the Superstars of the League. With being 5th in both yardage and scoring offensively. Jared Goff ended the year with 326 passing attempts without an interception! Ended the season with 4300+ yards 29 TDs and 7 INTs on the year. Great season for Jared and the Lions.
The Lions were also potent on the ground amassing over 2000 yards rushing for the first time since Barry Sanders was in uniform. Jamaal Williams led the rushing attack in both yards and TDs. It was his first season breaking 1000 yards and he had a team record 17 rushing TDs. The caveat to this, he averaged 4.3 yards per carry. I say caveat because the Oline created 4 yards of space before contact.
D’Andre Swift had a great yards per carry average at 5.5. But he did this in 3 games mostly. Because the rest of the year he was just pedestrian and would fall down at the chance of being hit the rest of the year.
Neither running back is with the team now! They were replaced by former Bears RB David Montgomery, and the speedy rookie Jahmyr Gibbs of Alabama. I expect they could and should be better!
Amon-Ra (The Sun God) St. Brown, going into his 3rd year in the NFL. Tied the record for most receptions by a WR in 2 years with a whopping 196. That mark was set by none other than Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings. Who surpassed Jarvis Landry’s mark of Dolphins fame at that time. Ra led the team in targets and receptions for the Lions. Mostly because no one else around him was as talented. I call it like I see it.
The strength of this Lions Offensive attack is their Oline 2nd top 10 ranking in 2 years. Yet 34 games later. And fans have yet to see all 5 starters on the field in a regular season game. The Oline from left to right: Taylor Decker LT, Jonah Jackson LG, Frank “The Tank” Ragnow, Halapoulivaati ‘Big V’ Vaitai RG, and Penei Sewell RT. They will all be on the field together for the first time in action Thursday night against the Super Bowl defending Champs, the Kansas City Chiefs. This Oline keeps Goff’s jersey so clean, he could use a Panini Maker to make grilled cheese while waiting for WRs to get open.
The Defense:
What can I say, that I haven’t already said over and over. If Defense wins Championships. Last year, the Lions should have been picking 4th overall in the league when it came to scoring defense. 1st according to Passing yards against. And somehow 5th as well for rushing yards against.
This can mostly be accredited to the abysmal Defensive Passing Game Coordinator Aubrey Pleasant who was dismissed after the 1-6 start the Lions had. It couldn’t have been worse.
The Passing Game.
During that horrible start. Teams averaged 190.5 yards against through the air. But were getting 2.3 TDs per game as well. Along TD after TD through the air. Mostly because in those 7 games. They allowed 33.8% 3rd down achieved against. Which also was league leading in TDs per game and 3rd down rate against.
Because the Passing game was so anemic on 3rd down and in stopping TDs. The rushing defense was even worse. With the defense not stopping teams on 3rd down. They would gash this defense quicker than a hot Ginsu knife through butter that was melted. The Lions were historically bad way during this period. Teams got 154.85 yards per game during that stretch. And a whopping 2.9 TDs per game. Unheard of!!!!
The Switch:
The Lions finally make a coaching dismissal during the Bye Week. Firing Aubrey Pleasant and rightfully so. After the firing, the Lions went 8-2 during that stretch and played much better defensively overall. 3rd down rate. Improved to just 20.5% in those 10 games. Rushing Defense. Improved to 141.3 yards per game. Rushing TDs down to 1.7 per game.
Passing wise. They still gave up plenty at 230 yards per game. But started stopping teams in the Red Zone. Dropping the TDs against to below 2 at 1.87 TDs per game. But yardage wise ended up at 32nd in yards against for the year.
The Rushing Defense went from league leading to 2nd best in the Division at 28th in the league. The weirdest thing is, Minnesota Vikings ended up with the 32nd Rushing Yards against yet won the division with a worse in division record than the Lions at 4-2.
Season Predictions:
Offensive Ranking Top 5 again
Defensive Ranking Top 15
Overall Record 11-6 NFC North Champions hosting a playoff game.
Thanks For Reading!!!
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