The Lions, like several other teams over the past few seasons, had to deal with the loss of one of their key players to an early retirement. Calvin Johnson was widely considered to be the team’s best player and hung up his cleats at the age of 30.
Marvin Jones was signed immediately following the announcement, but most analysts are predicting yet another down year for the Lions in 2016. While I understand it’s asking a lot to expect so much out of Marvin Jones, the bigger factor in next season’s success or failure is the team’s ability to pressure the quarterback.
Rookie defensive tackle, A’Shawn Robinson, along with Haloti Ngata and Ziggy Ansah should all play a factor in creating that pressure. Still, the Lions’ defense hasn’t been the same since losing both Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley in 2015.
In the draft, the team aggressively went after offensive lineman, including Taylor Decker, who may be on track to start at left tackle. They signed Geoff Schwartz and added Graham Glasgow to push the other starters on the roster. The offensive line should be improved, but we won’t know until we see how they play together in the Pre-season.
So, with few free agent acquisitions other than Jones, and a roster that has changed very little since last season, what are realistic expectations for the Lions next season?
During last season’s 7-9 debacle, the Lions looked like two different teams. In the first half, when they were 1-7, they looked like the worst team in football. During their 6-2 run down the stretch, the offense looked like maybe the best in football and the defense played much better.
Jim Bob Cooter, who’s getting his first chance to design and coordinate an offense this season, clearly developed a great working relationship with quarterback Matthew Stafford. Stafford set the league on fire down the stretch, throwing 19-touchdowns to just 2-interceptions. The Lions schedule wasn’t as tough over the final eight games, which was part of the reason for the turnaround.Either way, the team played like a playoff team down the stretch. Coach Caldwell was kept by new GM Bob Quinn and believes this team should be a contender next season. The question remains, however, were the final eight games fools gold, or did the Lions create momentum that will carry over to 2016.
It is hard to know exactly how much that kind of thing matters, but if you look back to the 2010 season – when the Lions won their final four games to finish 6-10 – people asked the same question. In 2011, they came out with that same swagger, getting out to a 5-0 start, on their way to a playoff birth.
Maybe the biggest factor next season will be the schedule, which is significantly easier than last season’s. I’m not predicting they finish 12-4, because they won 6 of their final 8, but with Caldwell likely on the hot seat and a quarterback with something to prove, I think they play up to their potential at least.
Examining the schedule, the Lions should get off to a much better start than last season. If they can sustain that, they should be in the hunt and right around that 10-win mark. The games that will decide whether they make the postseason are the two games against the Vikings. I know the Packers have Aaron Rodgers, but the Lions have played them well over the past few years, while Minnesota has completely shut them down.
Many think Minnesota continues on their upward trajectory, but I just think the pressure will be too much and they take a backward step. Nobody is picking the Lions, unsurprisingly, but if they can win the games they should win, as they did down the stretch last season, I’m just saying there’s a chance.