2016 Season Preview: Detroit Lions
Well, who could predict where the Detroit Lions are gonna end up this season?
Guess it’s unfortunately me.
Yay.
It’s a season of change in Michigan, as long standing wide receiver Calvin Johnson retired from the NFL at the age of 30. Megatron followed in the footsteps of Detroit legend Barry Sanders, who also left the game ‘early’.
Also changing has been the backroom at Ford Field. New GM Bob Quinn joined the Lions this offseason and has been quick to make it his own. The ex-Patriots scout fired three of Detroit’s long standing scouts shortly after he arrived before firing two more after the draft.
Will this new cutthroat approach be enough to give Detroit a first playoff win since 1991?
2015 Summary
The less said about the start of the Lions’ 2015 season, the better.
After a horror show of a start that saw the Lions go 1-8 (and saw Matt Stafford benched for Dan Orlovsky) things started to turn round after the bye week.
The Lions finally managed to win at Lambeau Field for the first time since the days of Barry Sanders, before defeating the Raiders and Eagles at Ford Field.
Green Bay got their revenge in the reverse fixture however, with a cruel Hail Mary taking the win away from Detroit.
The Lions then added three more wins against the Saints, 49ers and Bears to end the year 7-9 and finish third in the NFC North.
After a tough start, the Lions managed to salvage an alright record, but Head Coach Jim Caldwell will be hoping that the Lions don’t repeat their opening few weeks this season.
Personel Changes
As I’ve already touched on, the things have changed massively in Detroit this offseason.
Megatron’s retirement opened a lot of cap space for the Lions, and new GM Bob Quinn has given Detroit something they’ve missed for years. Depth at wide receiver.
In comes Marvin Jones from the Bengals and veteran receiver Anquan Boldin from the 49ers. Jones has the potential to be Matthew Stafford’s number one target this year, and if reports are to be believed, he might have already got that job. Boldin on the other hand gives the Lions an experienced head in their reciever pool. He has also impressed in training camp, with many commenting on the chemistry between him and Stafford being good already.
Detroit have also added strength in other areas. Cornerback Johnson Bademosi joins from the Cleveland Browns to improve the Lions’ special teams. In the draft, the Lions picked Ohio State’s Taylor Decker in the first round to help fix a major hole in the Lions offence. Their offensive lineman. Decker will fight with 2012 first round pick Riley Reiff for the left tackle job, with the loser being a major upgrade at right tackle. Graham Glasgow was drafted in the third round, and will provide competition for centre Travis Swanson, who struggled as a starter last year.
Team Strengths
The Lions key man will continue to be Defensive End Ziggy Ansah this season. After a stellar 2015 season that saw the Lions only pro-bowler last January have 14.5 sacks and four forced fumbles, head Coach Jim Caldwell will be hoping that he continues to improve. Ansah’s record is more impressive when you consider that he only played three years of Football before joining the NFL, and shows that he could get even better.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford will be a strength if he can continue the form he showed in the backend of 2015. If he can, then the Lions are potentially in for a good year, but if he can’t? Then who knows where Detroit will end up.
Other strengths include cornerback Darius Slay, who’ll be out to prove he’s a top five corner this season, and safety Glover Quinn, who’ll be out to have a better 2016 than his last two seasons have been.
Team Weaknesses
Running back is still an area of weakness for Detroit. After letting Joique Bell go in the offseason, the Lions now only have Theo Riddick and 2015 draft pick Ameer Abdullah. Abdullah had a mixed rookie season that will be remembered more for his fumbles than anything else. If he can stop dropping the football, then he might be in for a big season. But that is a big if. Theo Riddick could be a surprise this season, but he is better as a receiving back than anything else.
Jim Caldwell is really under the spotlight this season as well. Detroit’s head coach has come under mass criticism from the fan base, and will need a good 2016 to save his job. After the poor start last season, Caldwell was only one of a handful of staff who didn’t get the boot, so if 2016 turns out badly, he’ll be gone.
Best Case
Matthew Stafford forgets about that weird guy they nicknamed “Megatron” and has a standout year. The Lions receivers show they mean business, and Ameer Abdullah puts his rookie year behind him by learning how to keep hold of a football. The Lions success leads them to the Wildcard round, where they pick up their first playoff win since 1991 before losing in the Divisional round. Come on, Detroit aren’t winning a Super Bowl are they? 10-6 – Wildcard win before Divisional loss.
Worst Case
GM Bob Quinn personally drives to Calvin Johnson’s home, begging him to return to the Lions. Stafford shows that Megatron was the only player making him look like an NFL Quarterback. He is then benched in week six against the LA Rams, with Dan Orlovsky coming in yet again. Abdullah fumbles five times, including one after the opening kick of the game, leading to a touchdown. Caldwell is fired, and Bob Quinn makes more desperate phone calls to Bill Belichick, asking for his old job back. 3-13, fourth in NFC North.
Prediction
If Stafford can show his late-2015 form, and if Detroit can actually produce a running game, then they have a chance of actually doing something this season. If they can’t? Well, it’s going to be a miserable few months in Michigan.
Honestly I don’t see Detroit making the playoffs this season, but I can see them having a winning season. 9-7, third in NFC North.